MISSIONS IN CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1930, Page 19 (Supplement)

MISSIONS IN CHINA

GOOD PROGRESS OF WORK.

PEOPLE MORE RECEPTIVE.

Civil war and another revolution in China have by no means caused a setback to Christian mission work, according to the Rev. C. N. Lack, of. Melbourne, who arrived in Auckland this week to make a tour of the Dominion, one purpose of which is to obtain recruits for the China Inland Mission. An appear has been sent out for 200 more men and women to join l the mission staff, which already numbers 1102, including 130 from Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Lack served for 30 years in China before he took up the post of assistanthome .director for Australia and New Zealand some nine months ago. His headquarters was at Yen Cheng, a city in the province of Ho-Nan, Central China, where the mission has a large church with 14 country churches attached. In spite of Bolshevik propaganda, the people were most friendly, and eager to listen to the Christian message. They were, in fact, increasingly receptive.

The chief trouble missionaries had to meet was from bandits and Communists. Prior to 1926, when Bolshevik agents invaded China, the missions were practically free from molestation. They were regarded as neutral in disputes between local factions, and their persons and property were safe. The Bolshevik agitators, however, urged the Chinese to attack everything Western, missions included. They had since been ordered out of the country, but the new mode of behaviour remained. There was more banditry than in earlier days, especially when the soldiers of the Government were campaigning in distant provinces. The disorder, of course, bore harder upon the people as a whole than upon the missionaries.

Apart from this risk, missions were making good progress, as must bo evi=

dent from the fact that the China Inland Mission was seeking recruits. Some six years ago an edict had been issued, requiring mission schools to be registered, and restricting the teaching of the Christian doctrine to the schilarh.sETA Christian doctrine to the scholars. However, this edict had not been enforced upon the schools with which Mr. Lack was associated, and it seemed unlikely, after such a lapse of time, that it would be invoked against them. The hospital work of the China Inland Mission was greatly appreciated by the people, and more doctors and nurses were needed. There was enormous scope for missions in China; it was estimated that fully 1000 cities had not yet been touched. The China Inland Mission, founded 65 years ago by the Rev. Dr. Hudson Taylqr, was interdenominational and international, and was supported by freewill offerings. Through its efforts 121,000 Chinese had* been received in Church membership since tire mission was founded.