THE CHURCH IN CHINA

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 26, 29 June 1905, Page 3

THE CHURCH IN CHINA

INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF CATHOLIC MISSIONS A correspondent of the Now York l Freeman's Journal, m the course of a letter from Shanghai eives some interesting particulars regarding Catholic misuons in the various parts of China. The first missionary work of which there is any authentic record (he *W was begun by St. Francis Xavier in 1552 He entered China and died at Sanoian, near Macao CaniShi? Mj£K year r»™ is P io neer saint was succeeded by Father Matthew Ricci, called in Chinese, ' Lima- tow ' who arrived in 1582 and died in 1610, after founding ¥%a ™ lss \ ons ° f Pekin g and Nanking. From 1554 to 1774 the Jesuit missions flourished in Ohina. when the converts numbered over 100,000 about 40,000 of whom were m tne .vicinity of Shanghai. A terrible persecution of Catholics occurred in 1741 under the Emperor Kienlung. But for this and another untoward event in 1774 the entire comersion of China might now be well nigh accomplished. In 1842, after a lapse of 68 years, the Jesuits resumed their labours in China, and The Present Shanghai Mission dates from that year. To-day there are lour churches in the city, St. Joseph's Cathedral, in the French Concession, is the residence of the Right Rev. Prosper Pans, Bishop of Silando, Vicar-Apostolic of Nanking consecrated November 11, 1900. There are four priests in charge of the parish. The Church of the Sacred Heart m the American town has three priests in charge. These two churches ha\e their schools, colleges, ana convents well equipped and the congregations form a curious mixture of foreigners and natives. On Stundays sermons are preached in English, French, and Chinese, a fact which bespeaks the universality of the faith. The Chinese chant their prayers in unison with the Holy Sacrifice. This throws an air peculiarly devotional and impressive around the ceremony . The Catholic population at St Joseph's is about 2000, wtth a large "moving element from other cities of China. The natives nnmber about 1000, and are \ery devout Catholics. On the festivals of Jthe Church and the first Friday of each month crowds of natives may bo seen receiving Holy Communion. The Fathers speak in the highest terms of the devotion of the English-speaking American, Italian and Spanish Catholics iv the parish. Another church, called the ' Pagoda or Oia Church,' is inside the walled city. H had formerly been a joss house, but was restored through the agency of the French Minister. The Catholics in the 'little parish number about 500, and the priests are native Chinese, and might strilke one as rather quaint in their queues and Chinese dress, but which really betokens tne catholicity of the Church of Ohrist. In the suburbs, outside the walled city, stands a massive and splendid church, a monument to the devotion of Chinese Christians, and which could easily accommodate at one service all the Catholics in the vicinity. The parjshioners here number about 400 souls. The Valley of the Yangtse contains the richest provinces of China, as well as the most tempting from a commercial point of view. Nanking is about 205 miles up the valley from Shanghai and was the former capital of "the Empire under the Tiding dymasty. The name means a Southern CapitalSoochow and Sungkiang are two good sized cities, each about 25 miles from Shanghai. The former 'is considereh one of the finest cities in China, and bas a population of 550,000. Hankow is the northern terminus of the Canton and Hankow Railroad lately incrusted to the American Development Company. Ich,ang is at ' the head of navigation, and was lately the scene of the appalling massiaone of a Catholic Bishop and three priests by a fanatical mob of pagans.. All these cities have churches and are flourishing centres of missionary labours. The Nanking mission, whose headquarters are at Shanghai, has a Catholic population of over 140,000 souls, while 90,000 others are being prepared for baptism ; 130 foreign and 30 native missionaries are engaged in this good work. The Superior-General of the mission is the Rev. J. M. Louail, S.J., who hails from Brittany, France. The^paefan population of the two provinces of Kiangsu and Anhwei is 60,000,000, with the enormous density of 700 persons to the square mile. The Jesuit Fathers labor also in the S. E. portion of the ptoUnce. of Chihli, forming a separate mission, consisting of a bishop, 60 foreign and 12 native priests, 12 lay brothers, 450 helpers and 52,000 baptized Chrlsfians.

T^ie form of belief with which the good missionaries have <to contend is a mixture of Confucianism and Buddhism. The former, which comprises the basis of the Chinese Government, jurisprudence and education, embodies a collection of sayings, political and moral, attributed to the great philosopher, whom the literati worship as the greatest genius which China has produced.

The Christian Religion

forbids polygamy, lying, cheating, and -.opium smoking, besetting sins which the Cbmaman finds hard to cabt aside. Here truth, purity, honesty, self-restraint, obedience to authority, worship of God alone are required, and it is difficult for the Chinaman to imbibe such virtues. If it were conceivable, take away the Sixth and Seventh Commandments of God and perhaps the most serious obstacle to his conversion would be removed. The spirit of materialism and superstition is also a; deep-rooted obstacle to the reception of the faith. A Chinese considers that Confucius' teachings wi.i give him social salvation. Beyond this his soul scarcely aspires to anything loftier, and he therefore does not want Christ and Christianity. The Chinaman believes that the missionaries are aidvance agents of their 'governments and the forerunners of foreign invasion. He sees that the Christian religion is likely >to be a 'power in the lajid which will eventually destroy all forms of natne worship, while Christian converts are considered antinational. With all these obstacles, however, the faith is making hea.dway in China by leaps and bounds. Officials, scholars, the rich and influential have embraced the faith by thousands, and they cling to their convictions with laudable heroism, despite fire, sword, and unmentionable tortures. The new convert is* like a man who, having crossed a bridge, finds himself breathing a new life in an atmosphere of faith, hope, and charity, and is usually only too willing to sejlk the martyr's crown rather than renounce his holy faith. There is every hope for the conversion of China if only the faitliflul at home were more in touch with this stupendous undertaking. Doubtless faith takes time I'n'o root, sprout,, and grow. It took centuries of earnest work to convert Europe from paganism, with a vast calendar of martyrs, saints, and scholars.

An Irish Missionary

The missionaries in Shanghai are mostly of French nationality, a few countrymen of the saintly martyr of Molokai,'and one worthy son of St. Patrick. The Rev. F. M. Kennelly, S.J., was born about forty years ago at Listowel, North Kerry, and belongs to a highly respected family still represented there. One of his' brothers is parish priest at Chines, Victoria. (Father Kennelly of Clunes is a personal friend of the editor of the ' N.Z. Tablet ) Two members of the family are Sisters of Mercy in Sacramento, Cal., and two brothers reside in New York. Father Kennelly, like the saintly Brendan of Clonfert, was early imbued with the missionary spirit. He came to China in 1885, and has not seen tthe land of his birth since He was ordained a priest in 1S9O ; and had been engaged for six years teaching in Shanghai. The field 'of his missionary ac l i\ity is immense and (also exterod<s to visiting men-<o'-war, hospitalSj prisons, police stations, and the many other arduous "duties of a priest, which are known only to himself andi Almighty G-od. From his busy life, however, he snatches moments to contribute articles to the local press and the New York ' Messenger.' His 'name is on e\ery tongue from Hong Kane to Chefoo, and many a poor, hard-ijp sailor he has befriended. Being an eminent lingiuist, speaking French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and several Chinese dialect^ he still is proud of the Gaelic tongue of his beloved Eire, which he regards as an invaluable auxiliary in the acquisition of languages. Father Kennelly is rather difficult to catch, but if you happen to be occasionally lucky you are introduced to a plain room with a bare floor, a crucifix on the wall, a picture of our Lady, a portrait of the Pope, a few books on a shelf, a secretaire, and the only other chair in the room is offered you with a hearty cead mile faiite- Though a little beyond the prime of life and a few silvery hairs discernible, the intellect and vigor of the Gael is at once apparent in the ample forehead^ the firm lips and chin, the hearty hand shake, the natural smile, the twinkling, kindly eye, the sympathetic expressions of the priestly Tieart, anti the magnetic versatility polished by culture and the touches of that rich accent alone peculiar to those born \tnder the shadows of the hills that inspired vigor and eloquence in ' The Liberator.' Father Kennelly intends shortly to publish, probably in the New York ' Messenger,' an interesting history of the Catholic missions in China, which promises to be a literary aa well as a historical treat.

I may say in conclusion that these remarks apply only to a very small section^ of the vast Cefestial Empire, which numbers ever 400,000,000 inhabitants, 1,200,000 of whom are Catholics, and many religious Orders and Congregations besides the Society of Jesus. These good soldiers of Christ deserve more than our sympathy aria prayers'; they merit our material assistance as well to carry on their noble and glorious work.