MISSION WORK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1777, 16 June 1913, Page 3

MISSION WORK.

THE GREAT FIELD IN CHINA. Somo of the appalling conditions still existing in China were told in a graphic manner by Miss Dulieen, an educational worker from Foochow, South China, at the local annual meeting of the Church Missionary Association, held in the Sydney Street Schoolroom on Friday evening. 'l'ho Bishop of AVellington (Bishop Sprott) presided, and, referring to the Balkan troubles, said that it was hardly realised how long Eastern Europe had served as tho buffer between Western Europo and the hordes of Asia. It was only their Christianity that had kept tho people of Eastern Europe together, and now the revival was coming. AA T estern Tiurope had still prevented the completion of tho work, and might live to regret it. Ono could well imagine what life might be given to Eastern Christendom if the ancient city of Constantinople was restored to its pristine glory. This was oncj of the works of God's hand within the last year. There was also tho awakening of China. They had seen an empire which had lasted for hundreds of years swept away in 165 days, and a new regime established. This meant a great deal in the history of Christian nations. They had all heard of tho appeal from the Chinese Government for prayers. That was a wonderful' event. Tho wonderful thing about it was that it was only thirteen years ago that Christians were put to death in tho Boxer rising. Under that old regime thero was no real Church, but by the present system there could be a pure Chineso church. "I noticed a singular silence from the newspapers about that appeal for prayer," continued the speaker. It did not mean, he went on _to say, that the appeal meant that China was now all Christian, but it opened up a wider sphere for their work. Tho question was: AA'ero they regarding this work sufficiently? He believed that tho Empire contributed .£3,000,000 a year for missionary work —the price of one and a half Dreadnoughts, and yet the Missionary Society was the only society that could bring about a state when Dreadnoughts will not be needed. (Applause.) _ Miss Duneen spoke of conditions still existing in China. It was still the ordinary tiling in tho back-countrj' to see littlo girl babies thrown out at birth; to see little girls sold, into slavery; and women with their feet so tightly bound that they had to crawl about. Ihe cries of the slaves oorilJ still bo heard in the back country, and children's eyes were put out because the children were of no usp. These people had no thought but to propitiate the evil spirits which had power to do them harm. Little boys were of value, but yet it was oommon to see mothers bringing children to tho foreign hospitals after they had been cruelly burnt. AVhy was this? Because the wise woman of the village had considered it necessary, to drive out the evil spirit. These appalling conditions were emphasised by Miss Duneen to show the difficulties which lay in tho way of the teachers. It had to be a simple creed to make these people understand, but once tlioy got the idea of the lovo of God it stuck.

There was more to bo said about the poverty of these poor people. It was not through lack of industry that they had been sinking from generation to generation, but through the squeezing of the Government. People said that the teachings of Socialism would come into the life of China, and would improve things. The speaker thought not, but it was hard to prophesy. There were immense possibilities in China, which had been retarded by superstition. Now tliere was the danger of the sirnplo people being exploited by vested interests. Concluding, Mis 3 Duneen said there was a great cry for more teachers for China. It was impossible to reach the people, through lack of teachers. The Rev. O. J. ICimberley also spoke in reference to the missionary work being carried on in India and Africa.