"THINGS CHINESE."

Mataura Ensign, 13 May 1914, Page 7

"THINGS CHINESE."

A MISSIONARY'S LECTURE. Mr W. E. Souter, from Chung King, "Western. China, delivered a lecture last evening on "Things Chinese" in the Gore Methodist Church. There was a very fair attendance, and Mr E. C. Smith occupied the chair and briefly introduced the lecturer.

Mr Souter said he was representing the Otago Bible Society for a few months, and the Otago (Society represented the British and Foreign Bible Society and the Scottish Bible Society. The object of these societies was to distribute Bible literature in heathen lands all over the world. The revenue deri\*ed from his present tour would be equally divided by the Otago Society between the two Home societies. Mr Souter stated that he had spent seven years in the Chinese mission field, during three of which he lived in Manchuria and four in Western China. Be was spending part of his holiday in giving some information about China and things Chinese. This year was the jubilee of the Otago Bible Society, and us a thank-offering to God it wisned to in- . crease its usual annual amount raised this year from £SOO to £IOOO. The colporteur was the pioneer method for Bible distribution throughout the world, and if Christians wished to accelerate the spread of the Scriptures to the heathen, then they must support the society that stood for so much in the enlightenment of tihe people of the great country of China. China with its 400,000,000 of people had scarcely more than the fringe of its population touched with a knowledge of Christianity. It was a vast country, full of evil and superstition in many parts, but under the benign influence of the Gospel of Christ it was being won for the Lord. During the past four years his work was chiefly in the upper reaches of the Yang-tse Kiang River, or about 900 miles inland up this great river. The province in which he labored contained 68,000,000 people, and his hearers could easily understand the many phases of life in 6Udh a community. The work appeared to be hard and discouraging at times, but this was conteraoted by the joy and', knowledge of good being dlone and 1 in some cases keen diesire expressed' by tihe people for better things. The great difficulty was in the scarcity of agents in the great country of China to overtake andi oosnsoiidiate tihe Work. At Hankow, or aibout 450 miles frottn tihe seaboard, he (the speaker) had three prinitiinig presses art work engaged in printing the scriptures, and then they could not overtake, the demand. The speaker by aid of the lantern' views diesoraibed the scenery, cities, temples, etc., 'along the route of China's great river. Tn# mode of life of tihe people was also described in an interesting manner. China was so vast (he said) tihat the people in one part of it did not know whtafc was going on in ailother part. A revolution migjhit. be in full swing in one pant and, the inhabitants of another considered they were safe and contented] under the old monarchy. To develop a moauudhiy into ai Repulbldc was not tihe work of one or two years in. China buit tiha/b of many ■years. The crime and outrages and the small' Value putt on life in many parts of China was appalling. It was only those who witnessed: puoh things felt the great need of the spread .of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to counteract them. Mr Souiter concluded a very interesting address iby urging the claims of the society upon the beneficence, of all Christian, people. A collection was then taken itp in aid of the funds of th© society. A hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer was accorded on the motion of Mr M. BeU and) ia similar compliment was paid to Mr Every for manipulating j the lantern.