Evening star., 1932-02-02
TU JEN NEWS, Peking-American
l. Catholics may wonder sometimes
why they should be called upon


why they should be called upon
L to support Catholic educational
activity in China. Here is mis-
sion land. perhaps the greatest of all.
which saw the beginning of organized
missionary endeavor long before the
United States achieved political in
dependence. Today Chinese Catholics
number in the neighborhood OF 2,5O0,-
900. a figure not yet reached by the
Catholics OF England. They are gov
erned by we'll organized hierarchy, of
which Is, or about One-SiXth, are native
prelates Their spiritual interests are
looked after by a splendid body of $500
priests, Of whom three out of seven are
natives.
1t would seem at first glance that
church so well organized could carry
out a program Of education on its own
resources. But this surface impression
overloOks number of important facts
Il does not take into account, first of
all, that the missions Of China are pow
erty-Stricken. The vast majority of
Chinese Catholics are engaged in grim
struggle for existence. Like the general
run of Chinese, they are industrious,
patient. thrifty, but the odds against
them are sometimes tremendous. Nor
mally they would support a far more
extensive educational program than
they do at present. But normal condi-
tiOnS seem the exception rather than the
rule in China Civil wars. banditry,
famine and HOodS-Often the four to-
gethcr-ara the heavy crosses Chinese
Catholics must bear.
Another important fact not often
considered is that the progress of the
Catholic Church in China is of COM
paratively recent date. Thirty years
ago there were 1900 900 fewer Catholics
than there are at present. Prior to that
time the history of the missions in
China from the seventeenth century
had been a history of prosecutions Not,
indeed, until the middle of the last
century did more hopeful state of
affairs set in. Since the turn Of the
present century the progress has been
such that organized missions have dou-
bled in number. In creating the new
Christian centers the missionaries
generally have confined their activity to
work among the peasants and the
poorer claseS The method pursued has
been extensive rather than intensive.
The conversion Of the masses has been
the primary aim, and no really worth
while attempt has been made to win
recruits from the cultured and educated
classes.
SliIId IOudy StdHuS dI GLle CIUnSlOouo'
A new Chinese civilization is In the
offing. Shall it be entirely new, Of the
warp and woof of materialiSm, or shall
it be the old renovated by the culture
that once made Europe Catholic? The
lew China hungerS impatiently for
knowledge. Its sturdy youth. millions
strong. will feed avidly at the hands
of the first to prof1er learning
The Catholic University of Peking Is
in the vanguard of the Catholic move
ment to reach the thought of the upper
classes of China. Situated in the cul-
tural capital of the country, its location
is strategic. Recently it won the unique
distinction of being the only Catholic
school Of higher studies that has OBJ
tanned the official recognition of the
Chinese National government. More of
its kind are needed in the larger cities
of China, but for the present the press
ing need Is to build it up and pace 1t
on par with the finest universities in
the country. Once to the fore. the
Catholic University of Peking VIII set
the pace for a decisive cultural move
ment of the church in CHINA.
x 4 x
Why Did "ScOtty"
Leave Land OF Almighty Dollar?
Evening Times, Glasgow Letter to
EditoO:
Sir-'American Scotty" laments on
the slogan, Buy British" and gives IN
detail how things are run in America,
etc.
He returned recently from America,
where his wages we're f6 los week,
and complains about only getting t3
weekly here Oucky he got job SO
Soon. Radios are being thrown out o1
shops at % cents ls Ui2d) in America;
here We pay flo, etc. Fords can be mad
for singing Sonny Boy" etc.
He laments also On the terrible prices
of everything he purchases, ana The
huge profits made Might l inform
American Scotty" that he can buy as