USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Westerville > Three quarters of a century of triumph : seventy-fifth anniversary report and board meeting, Westerville, Ohio, November 11-13, 1930 > Part 4
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About this same time the Bolshevist revolution had carried the day in Russia; and Sun Yat Sen, at this time struggling to establish a constitutional government in Canton and to secure recognition from America, England, and Germany, had failed in his quest so far. He now turned to Soviet Russia for counsel and sym- pathy, and a few years later accepted Russian assistance, thereby exposing China to the "Red menace"-a danger that continues to threaten serious consequences to China even today. In 1922 an anti-Christian Society was organized by the students of China. The Chinese Order of Communists had been started a few years previously. These various organizations, dovetailing into each other, and encouraged by Russian propagandists, made a nation-wide drive against every- thing that could be made to appear to be an interest dear to those Powers which, unlike Russia, had not definitely agreed to abolish their "unequal" treaties with China.
In the spring and early summer of 1925, when the Chinese revolution became serious, there were approximately 8,000 missionaries in China; but by the end of 1927 about 5,000 of these were either temporarily or permanently removed from the scene of their labors either to some convenient place to wait the reopening of opportunity for service, or to their homelands where many took up permanent work. Some of this latter class have more recently returned to their work in China, and still others of them may do so later, but for some time perhaps the full quota of missionaries, as the number stood at the close of the year 1924, will not be restored. In the case of the United Brethren Mission, our present staff would have to be
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practically doubled to restore our forces to the status of the year 1924. In the meantime it should be borne in mind that the changes which have taken place in China do not constitute the whole reason for the decrease in the number of mission- aries in this country. Nor is it to be assumed that the Chinese people as a whole are unfriendly to missionaries and that for this reason the number has greatly decreased. There is not a missionary of the United Brethren Mission in America at this time who would not receive a most cordial welcome from the Chinese, were he or she to return this year. But there arises the question, "Where are the funds to come from to support a new missionary, or to return a former mission-
0
Leaders of the National Church in China. Dr. T. Kagawa of Japan in center front row
ary?" Two years ago the Church of Christ in China and the Mission both sent a call to the home church for a doctor for one of our hospitals. That call has not yet been answered.
CHINA, 1930
What of the present in China? It does not look particularly encouraging. That is just a straightforward, honest statement, based upon what one may observe on the surface of things. The country is in a state of revolution. Latest advices indicate that the radical element is gaining influence in the Government, and that as a consequence increasingly drastic restrictions are being imposed upon Christian education and propaganda. The people are constantly becoming more and more impoverished, and famine is stalking through portions of the land, claiming millions of victims. Banditry and piracy are quite common and the outcomes are often tragic. Missionaries have been captured and held for ransom, as Chinese are captured and held. Yes, the picture is dark enough, but it could be filled in with dark details so that the whole would be black-and that would be a misrepresen- tation. Not any large percentage of the Chinese people are engaged in war and banditry, but the large majority of them are honest, industrious folk, who would welcome the kind of leadership that would deliver them from all the dangers which beset them in this evil generation, even as the good people of some of our great American communities are praying to be delivered from their own racketeers. There will be still about 400,000,000 Chinese, even after the famine has taken its toll. Among these are millions of boys and girls who will be living in the same
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CHRISTIANITY MAKES PROGRESS IN CHINA
world neighborhood with our American boys and girls and will constitute a very important part of their environment. What sort of men and women are the present generation of Chinese boys and girls going to be? Suppose they should whole-heartedly accept the atheistic. creed of the Communist propagandist who often shames the Christian propagandist with a self-sacrificing devotion that occasionally leads to martyrdom!
There are about half a million Protestants in China. These have set themselves to the task of winning another half million in five years. And then, after success has crowned this effort, there still remains the greater undertaking of making the spirit of Jesus dominant not only throughout China, but throughout the world. And this can only be achieved by the common, coordinated effort of Christian people the world over. China will not be able to lift itself to the level of the abun- dant life which Jesus spoke of without the continued help of western Christendom. And in turn China will help the "Christian world" to reinterpret the meaning of Jesus for our international relationships. In fact, the anti-Christian movement in China, like the even more drastic movement toward atheism, materialism, and secularism in Russia, has served to raise the question whether our western inter- pretation of Christianity has been sufficiently ethical at those points where our relations to weaker nations have been involved. Had the spirit of Jesus been more conspicuous in all these relationships, Christianity probably would not be facing today the challenge that it is facing in Russia, India, China.
Shall we accept the challenge of China? It is, let us remember, a challenge somewhat different from that which it presented to Robert Morrison and to Francis Xavier before him. In those earlier days China challenged Christianity in the name and in the strength of an old conservatism which the latter succeeded in breaking down finally. But today China challenges Christianity on the basis of a new knowledge. The Chinese say they have discovered, particularly since 1914, what they regard as a fatal weakness in the Christianity of the so called Christian nations in their relations to each other and to China. And yet many of these people see very clearly the distinction between our conventional Christian conceptions and institutions, and the spirit, attitude, and character of Jesus himself. And we can meet successfully this new challenge which China is pre- senting to our missionary propaganda today, only as we make an earnest effort to discover the implications in the Gospel of Christ, and the significance of Jesus himself, in relation to the great problems of our world today, and then seek to apply ourselves anew to the task to which the first disciples of Jesus dedicated themselves, and bear witness to Him at all costs. If our homage to Pentecost in this anniversary year is to mean much, it must mean at least that-a re-discovery of Jesus and a fearless witness of our conviction in the reality and finality of his moral and spiritual authority in any Christian order-that deserves men's loyalty.
Christianity in China will not fail unless Christianity in all the world fails. As indicated at the beginning of these paragraphs, the Christian movement in China is more nearly an assured success today than ever before. What had been almost exclusively an enterprise carried forward by the missionaries and their home churches to Christianize China, is now rapidly becoming an indigenous Christian movement to which some of the finest minds and spirits in China are consecrating their talent and energies. While the anti-Christian forces are well organized and presenting formidable opposition, and while the nominal church membership has fallen off during the recent years of persecution, yet the Church of Christ has grown in grace and in the knowledge of her true Lord and Savior,
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Jesus Christ. The five-year evangelistic campaign for a doubled church member- ship is a movement conceived and directed by Chinese leadership. Our own Church of Christ in China, composed of what were originally seventeen different denominations, in spite of the difficult situation in which the Christian people are involved, has come up in its offerings from $516 in 1927 through $1,147 in 1928, to $2,000 in 1929. In South China where our United Brethren work is located, in an area covered by two hundred churches, out of $50,000 budgeted for strictly church work, more than two-thirds is paid by the Chinese Christians.
So far as the particular tasks of our Mission staff in Canton and Siu Lam are concerned, there have been no interruptions during the year. Doctor Oldt reports his Public Health work progressing well from the now re-opened Canton Hospital, which had been closed by the Revolution in the spring of 1926. Doctor Siddall has had a busy year in Lingnan University and the Canton Hospital. Doctor Bigler and her Chinese associates ministered to tens of thousands in dispensary, office and hospital, on Honam. Miller Seminary, our girls' high school, grade school, and kindergarten in Siu Lam, had a record enrollment this year, and the work went on without any interruption or disturbance of any sort. The vexing question of registration with the Government has puzzled the Mission a good deal, and the future does not seem clear on this point. Our Canton Boys School as well as the Canton Girls School are under the administration of a Board of Directors predominantly Chinese. Miss Esther N. Schell, head of the nurses in our Siu Lam Hospital, has kept that institution functioning in the absence of a surgeon. Miss Myrtle Lefever's return home on furlough this summer, leaves only Miss Mitchell and Miss Ward to carry the missionary responsibilities in Miller Seminary next year.
During the year we have continued our cooperation with other Missions in three Union institutions, besides the Canton Hospital already mentioned. The Union Normal School which has for more than a decade provided the Church with well trained teachers for our Christian schools; the Canton Union Theological College in which with seven other churches, we have been engaged in training young men for the Gospel ministry; and the Womens Bible Training School in which Young Christian women are trained for work in religious education in the church, have all received our support, although in the absence of Mr. and Mrs. Shoop on furlough, we had no staff member on the faculty of any of these schools.
CONCLUSION
We wish to thank the United Brethren Church and the Board of Foreign Missions for the splendid way in which you have grasped, and sympathized with, our China Mission problems, and for the loyal support you are giving to the most significant movement now on in this land looking toward its Christianization under. Chinese leadership. While we regret that the number of United Brethren mis- sionaries in China today is less than it was twenty years ago, we rejoice in the fact that the Chinese themselves are covering pretty well the breaches in the ranks, even though the work is not being done always as we started out to do it. The greatest successes that are being achieved in our work today are not such as affect our statistics, but those which register in terms of richer experience, truer understanding, and deeper appreciation of the spiritual qualities which the as- sumption of leadership and responsibility develops in the Chinese brethren.
There is nothing in the foregoing paragraphs perhaps that could force a "Hal- lelujah" from any reader. But we trust that every United Brethren, having
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CHRISTIANITY MAKES PROGRESS IN CHINA
meditated much during this year on Pentecost, will remember that before Pente- cost, nineteen hundred years ago, there had to be a resurrection; and before the resurrection there had to be a Calvary with its cross. And remember too, that the One who was hanging on that cross was hanging there for the fault-the sin-and for the sake of others. The same faith that bids us to believe in the Divine Power that could produce the change from a dismal looking Calvary to the miracle of Pentecost, also bids us expect the darkness over China to lift when God's own appointed time of waiting has been fulfilled.
C. W. SHOOP.
A Group of Chinese Christians
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
A description of conditions here in general may seem to be a repetition of that of previous years; yet a mention of a few outstanding features will give a per- spective for the rest of the report.
There have been the usual disturbances. Last fall General Chang Fat Kwai with his "Ironsides" and Kwong Sai troops came within seven miles of being elected governor of Kwangtung. He was defeated just north of Canton, thus ending what looked like a first class "Mexican election." The defeated forces went back to Kwong Sai where the struggle has been more or less continuously kept up, merging into the national contest between Nanking and the North.
Kwangtung contains the fertile, wealthy region of the Pearl River Delta. This is always a temptation to the poorer warlike inhabitants of the mountainous provinces to the west and north, Kwong Sai, Hunan, and Kong Si, putting Kwang- tung to the expense of maintaining large armies for self defense. In addition to this Canton has had to contribute towards carrying on the war in the north at a cost of nearly two million dollars a month. When troops are withdrawn from outlying districts for fighting elsewhere, communistic bands often take advantage of this to loot and pillage. Bandits become active. In pirating passage- boats their technique has become modernized. Owners of passage-boats are asked to pay certain sums. In case of noncompliance, the river is mined at some selected spot and the passage-boat blown up and sunk, sometimes with the loss of hundreds of lives. This has happened several times this year. One was blown up and sunk, full of passengers, just as it was leaving the wharf in front of the Canton Hospital. Travel, trade, and industry are affected by these things. The wonder is that the country bears up under the burden as well as it does. Nevertheless the people are getting poorer and prices are getting higher. The problem of living is getting harder and harder for the general population. What bearing this has on the atti- tude of the people towards Christianity is hard to say. Certainly their troubles occupy the most of their attention. Yet the report comes from all who are actively engaged in preaching that people are most friendly and are more ready to listen than formerly.
Travel, at times and places, is seriously interfered with but has not been in- terrupted on a large scale. More motorboats have been put on smaller streams. Motor roads are being made everywhere. Many bus lines are in operation. This is an aid to widespread evangelism. However, hard seats, rough roads, crowded cars, irregular schedules irregularly followed, breakdowns, and flat tires, make the picture not so rosy as it seems.
Those in actual control of the government have not changed during the year. Their attitude towards the Church and mission schools and institutions and the problems arising therefrom are the same as before in all essentials.
In our mission work: buildings, finance, educational, medical, and evangelistic work are discussed.
Buildings: Betheden on Honam and the Fongtsuen residences are getting old. All had to have extensive repairs, the latter on account of white ants. Miller Seminary had to be painted inside and out. This has been met out of the budget. Growth in Miller Seminary has made necessary the building of the covered play- ground and the kindergarten building. A bridge is being built from Canton to
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SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
the Honam side of the river and streets are being widened on Honam. This means that at an early date the long talked of bund will be built on Honam, thus shutting off our Betheden compound from the river. The mission should have authority to buy an outlet to the river.
Finance: During the year the value of silver made a big drop. For this reason there may be a surplus from this year's budget. This exchange rate is not per- manent and it would not do to reduce the amount of the budget as next year the exchange may go up again. There are several obligations that this surplus could be used to meet, if authority is given the council to use it.
I. Buying the necessary outlet for Betheden.
2. Our share for endowment for Union Theological College.
3. Our share of the purchase price for land for the Union Normal School. This is a really urgent obligation. Because we have not paid our share, the school has paid and is paying a high rate of interest on borrowed money.
Some of our institutions are becoming self-supporting. At the last annual meeting of the mission council action was taken requesting the privilege of taking from the funds of such an institution a certain specified amount to act as a reserve fund before the amount hitherto paid to such an institution be taken off the budget. The reason for this reserve is that there are yearly contracts as for sal- aries and rent that must be paid. If, as is likely in these times, something should happen, we would be in a position to meet the salary contracts from the reserve fund.
Educational: The two schools on Honam, the Pui Ying Boys School and the To Ching Girls School and Kindergarten are under a board of directors elected by the Church on Honam. They are not entirely self-supporting and are subsidized by the mission. Both have had good years. The local board of directors handled capably such problems as arose.
Miller Seminary has had a prosperous year with more students than ever before. There have been no interruptions on account of local disturbances and there has been a fine spirit in the school. The fees from students are now practically meeting all expenses except that for foreign staff. The whole amount asked for in the ap- propriation will not be needed but it is necessary to have it until some arrangement is made to meet obligations if due to political or other disturbance the school should close and no fees from students be forthcoming. The opening of school this fall showed an initial enrollment of one hundred and ninety-five. The school is beginning to be overcrowded. This will be relieved by the proposed covered playground and kindergarten.
Registration of schools, a problem which is so acute with many schools, has not seriously affected this school as yet. Some rumors, not founded in fact, were spread during the summer that the school would not open on account of registra- tion, kept a few pupils from enrolling. The Mission has not yet formulated any policy in regard to registration. Nevertheless the problem is under consideration and will be met when it arises in whatever way seems best.
The three union institutions are continuing and are doing good work. Minutes of the Boards of Directors' meetings and annual reports have been sent to the home office.
Medical: Medical work has been prosperous this year. More people than ever are coming to the Honam Dispensary. The record day is six hundred and thirty- one patients. It is a pleasure to report that Doctor Bigler has recovered from last year's illness. Dr. Ruth Leung has returned from her more than a year's work at
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THREE-QUARTERS OF A CENTURY OF TRIUMPH
Peiping Union Medical College with renewed energy and increased efficiency, which means much for the work. The Ramsberg Memorial Hospital at Siu Lam has also had a good year with an increased number of patients. The staff is faithful and does excellent work. The physician so often asked for is still badly needed if the hospital is to do its best work. The possibility of securing a Chinese doctor with adequate training has often been suggested. This cannot be done until provision is made in the budget. It would cost as much or more than the amount needed for a foreign missionary.
After a long period of negotiation and trying out many plans of reorganization, the Canton Hospital was turned over to Lingnan University this year. All are
Staff at Canton Hospital
glad that the question is settled and that now all energies can be bent towards the development of the institution and securing new buildings, and the establish- ment of a Class A medical school. Doctor Cadbury is the new superintendent. All the old members of the foreign staff have been asked to keep on in their work.
Evangelistic: It is well to remind ourselves that there is no longer a China Conference of the United Brethren Church, but that several years ago, with the approval of the church in the United States, the conference became part of a nation-wide church, uniting with five other denominations, to form the Kwangtung Synod of the Church of Christ in China.
Something less than a year ago this church started a five-year program; first, to deepen the spiritual life of the members; second, to carry out a vigorous evangel- istic campaign with the goal of doubling the church membership in this time. Their motto is, "O, Lord! Revive thy Church, beginning with me." This move- ment has done much to stimulate the church and its workers.
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SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
The past few years have brought many difficulties to those in Christian work which on their face might be very discouraging and seem to justify a pessimistic outlook. Christians reading in the papers of Chinese wars, pirates, bandits, kid- nappings, and Communistic outrages, may wonder if work in China is worth while. Perhaps it would be better to work in lands where there is peace and freedom of opportunity, and wait till China is more settled. It is pleasant to work under settled peaceful conditions, but those who remember back to the conservative unchanging pre-revolution days know how hard it was to get results. In the present breakup of the old conservatism is the opportunity of those who wish to introduce anything new. Today China, changing, modernizing, is taking on new form. It would be fatal to wait till she is fixed in the new way. Now is the time to do our best. Who wants to quit when results are hanging in the balance? Forces contrary to Christianity are active now. Who dares to say it is time for Christians to quit?
It is cause for thanksgiving that in this time the Church has reorganized on a Chinese, not a foreign, basis and that it has started this five-year program of deepening spiritual life and evangelistic advance. We should look with faith for a large growth in strength, in numbers, and in spiritual life. The prayers and the resources of the Church should be back of this movement.
FRANK OLDT.
Japanese Worshipers at a Shinto Shrine
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CHINA
We, your Committee on China, upon due consideration of the interests of our work in that field, as brought to our attention through the superintendent's annual report and other agencies, beg leave to make the following report:
Before presenting its recommendations, the committee pauses in recognition of the heroic faith, Christ-like devotion, and marvelous optimism that have characterized our missionaries in China amid the perilous times through which they have been called upon to pass. They were faithful if need be, even unto death. The ties have thereby been strengthened between the church at home and that difficult but hopeful field.
Our recommendations to the Board are as follows:
I. That this Board send a message of Christian greeting to the Church of Christ in China. We are challenged by their courage, faith, and steadfast loyalty to Christ in this hour of confusion and extraordinary testing. With them we would pledge anew our purpose to live in the fellowship of our Lord's suffering and by His resurrection power, labor and pray with unflinching faith for a Christian China.
2. That we ask our missionaries in conference with the leaders of the Church of Christ in China and in conference with the missionaries of our denomination to make a careful study of the matter of registration of schools and to recommend to this Board the course of action which they deem wise.
3. That we go on record again as a Board asking that the request from the China Mission Council for a doctor for Siu Lam be granted if possible in the very near future.
4. That the matter of our share for the endowment for Union Theological College, and our share of the purchase price for the Union Normal School be referred to the Executive Committee, and that they be instructed to secure the details concerning the share for each cooperating Board.
5. That the matter of buying the necessary outlet for Betheden be cared for by the Mission Council, provided it can be done from funds accumulated by favorable exchange.
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