MISSIONS IN CHINA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 23

MISSIONS IN CHINA.

Protestant missions in China can hardly be said to be successful, if indeed, they are not, as some observers hold, absolutely losing ground. They have been established for half a century, and there are now more than 1300 foreign labourers in the field, and yet their converts number but 37,000, and the hatred felfc for them by all classes is apparently stronger than ever. The principal reasons for this seeming failure are given (says the Nation of New Fork) very clearly and dispassionately by a writer in The Times while discussing the difficulties of the diplomatic relations of China with the Powers. Among these are the implacable hostility shown by the missionaries, with rare exceptions, to the native religions and ethics, especially to their ancestor worship, and the more or less, conflicting and confusing rites and teachings of the numerous "polyonymous" societies and sects. "The missionaries," says this writer, "bave net agreed among themselres as to the Chinese word to express the single Deity whom .they preach, and for whom the Jesuits, the Americans, and the English have each coined or employ a different title, with the result of complete' bawildermett to the native understanding." These teachers, in addition, come '-uninvited and agaiuat the desire of the people, and are in reality only maintained by force; the little congiegatiorip, formed here and there, being feared hy many thoughtful Chinese as the beginnings of a " secret society, hostile to the common wealth, of damage and detriment to the State," Nor is this tear without reason

when it is remembered that "the Talplng rebellion, by which over 20,000,000 of her people perished, was in its inception a Christian movement, led by a Christian convert, and projected to Christianise his countrymen." The writer advocates a closer ■ supervision by the embassies over mission- , aries, a more careful selection by the societies ■ of their' employes, the restriction within" the narrowest limits of orphanages and sisterhood?, and deprecates especially the employment of young unmarried foreign girls, whose presence in China is a real detriment to the cause which they serve. . -