London Missionary Society.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7900, 28 July 1904, Page 6

London Missionary Society.

The Rsv. T. S. Wasson and Mrs >\asson,_ of Chiung Chu, China, will give' missionary, "addresses in Emmanuel. Congregational Church tonight, commencing at 8 o'clock. In an. interview some interesting information was obtained from Mr Wasson regarding missionary work in China.

CHIANG CHU.

Our visitors havo been labouring for seven and a-half .'.years in the Amoy district, one of the most encouraging spheres of missionary activity in China. Chiang-. Chu, where they were stationed, is situate inland about 30 miles from the city of Amoy, and has a population of about 80,000. The sub-district, of which it is the centre, and which Mr Wasson calls his " diocese," embraces some 1800 square miles aud contains a population of 4,000.000. The only ministerial missionary' of any society in this district' was'jMr" Was-, son. Associated with hinij- however, was a medical missionary and a lady worker. 'Ihe climate is on the wholte' healthy, and except for occasional attacks of ■malarial fever, both Mr and Mrs Wasson have enjoyed good health. Circumstances connected with the organisation of the mission led to their leaving for their furlough some 'six months before it was actually due-.

The* Chiung Chu Mission was start-ed-in 1864 by one of the veterans of the Amoy Mission, Rev. J. Macgowan.' The two first churches were destroyed during the Tai-ping rebellion! and another was burned down by a mob at a later date. "When Ir%asson commenced' work in 1896 there were 11/ churches in the district. The number has since increased to 16, seven of which aro entirely self-sup-porting. There are 500 church members and these contribute- annually 7500d01. to their own church objects. Three pastors and 11 preachers, besides 16 colporteurs connected with different Bible Societies are working in the district. *

As a further evidence of native enterprise, Mr Wasson mentioned an Anglo: Chinese College, built by Christian Chinese in7IS9S, at a cost of oOOOdol., and entirely- siipp/brtod b.y them. In this institution tbx» Chinese language and literature, English, and other subjects axe taught. Mr Vi asson has been president of tho College since its foundation. He has regularly taught in it, 'but ho receives no financial help from the society's funds.

OTHER SOCIETIES

Passing from the work special to his own district to that carried on in the province generally,. Mr Wasson explained that two other societies (besides the L.M.S. were represented in this field—the English Prcsbvinrian and tho Reformed Dutch Church of America. These havo charge- of the" southern province of Fukien.- They have only one church organisation— i.e., one synod, and their work, in no no wise overlaps that of the L.M.S. They have 3000 converts, the same number of adherents, and 30 crd.-in-ed pastors. .. All the latter are supported by the native churches, the societies paying only the unordained native teachers. The contributions of the churches connected with .t^e two societies last year amounted to 19,000d01.. The three societies work in hia-ppy harmony, and cciijcuntly maintain an Anglo-Chinese Colleg-e, which has over 100 students. They also, unite in the publication of a monthly periodical which enjoys a« extensive circulation among tho native churches.

SELF-SUPPORTING CHURCHES

The churt-hes connected v^tb the L.M.S. in Amoy are Congregational in their form of government, and for the' last 30 years have had. their I Congregational Union, with periodical meetings. To the chairmanship of the union sometimes a native is elected, sometimes a European missionary. Mr Wasson was chairman last year. There are 9S churches and preaching- stations in the ini-on 12 pastors and 05 preachers. Tho number of baptised converts. (L.M.S.). in the Amoy district is 2700: "To appreciate these figures," 'added Mr Wasson, "you must bear in mind that we are exceedingly careful to maintain the purity of the Church, admitting to the-fellowship only the thoroughly approved. . We have, also, about 3000 adherents. 'ihr.re is a steady increase in the number of Christians,, larger, in fact, than the statistics show, for we lose a great many every by -death from plague and cholera.

"The Congregational Union collected and disbursed last year 20,000d0l for the carrying on of its work, while the amount paid out of fjho society's funds for the native work in. this district did not exceed 5000 dollars.

"1 must not omit to mention'"'the native Missionary Society, which was started by the Congregational Un,ion, when it met in Chiung Chu 11 years ago.. .It was really, the outcome of the'"Forward Movement" of the parent society. The best pastor we h a ve volunteered to go to a district 200 miles from Amoy. He *o grapple.with many and great difficulties, among them the mastery of new dialects \; but he succeeded in establishing six churches, which now have between them over 200 members. This mission is entirely supported by tbe Native Missionary Society. .-."■•.'

[Questioned as to the educational work, Mr Wasson, said there . were boys schools all over the district. A high .school at Amoy trajins school teachers and prepares boys for en-i-n" 1! 00 ** sn*° tho, t^olog-ical school. Ihe latter is worked by the three missions above- referred to conjointly. Ut g<irls . schools there, are threeone.in Amoy, another inChiungi Chu and another in' Huian. Then there are schools foi- women-one 'im Uuung Chu and one in Iluian-the latter for the training- of Bible women. This school' is by no means self-supporting, but the achola-s'foes increase year by year. GROWINQ OPPORTUNITIES. ■ During the Boxpr troubles in 1890 Mr and Mrs Wasson, .Jn commonrnfltnc other missionaries in the Amoy province, were, for a time, in no. little danger. They had to leave tlieir stations and take refuge at the port, where, alter the arrival of the British gunboat, they -were sufficiently protected.- Here they remained three or four months, during which 14 of the L.M.S. churches in 'he Am 0 y dis-' trict were destroyed, the Christians ' connected with them being robbed and had to flee to the port for safe*y- TT . I<our of these churches wero in Jlr Wasson's district. Happily there was no loss of life. During x 'he d-is-

tunbarnces not a'sinfflo Christian denied his faith. Since work was res"°iec\ *™ churches have been better attended than ever, 7ml Ihe outlook it lull of hope. As to the attitude of the populace ""^Tds the missionaries, jlr, Wasson stated that.the prejudice against foreigners, which in other 7parts- of China proves such a hindrance to missionary work, except ambng the very ignorant. This' is accounted for t lve,i? Cfc tljat they go- to and W to. the British possessions at Singapore and Penang, where they become too. well acquainted with - foreigners to retain the national prejudice against them. Mr Wasson is of opinion that never before were there such opportunities for missionary enterprise, not only in Amoy, but throughout China, than at the present time. The Government has established schools for Western learning all over the country, and in many ways it is become ma/ivifest that the leading classes are makinoready to assimilate the teaching and civilisation of Europe. - "1., think," &aid Mr Wasson, in conclusion there us abundant evidence that .China is preparing to. follow the lead

■^P " ;su.ccessfully introduce a few well-tnec. remedies, the proprietors, J-, tfock aud Co>/ manufacturinochemists of Adelaide and Auckland nave made arrangements with G F A. U'hiteford, Chemist, the- Square! 1 almerston North, to sell" the - first trial packet to each customer on , approval, giving a printed guarantee to that effect. The price will be refunded m the event of it not beuioapproveo of. One of these is .Bock's Rheumatic Powder," price 3s Gd ; this is an internal remedy'; it expels the excess of uric acid. Over 700 cured cases are on record tor the North Island alone. " CuroHypo " is another, being purely herb^-| and vatller pleasant to tate ; will be much esteemed as an opening medicine for children as well as adults, but has proved an absolute cure for indigestion and all its symptoms. Price of a large bottle, only Is 6d. Another famous medicine is " Bock's Balsam," price Is Gd, for- coughs, colds, croup, whooping cough, asthma, and bronchitis ; affords quick relief, and proves permanent in the end. As there can be nothing fairer than to refund the money when not approved of,' we trust the public will avail themselves of this offer.