INTERESTING LIFE STORY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1503, 27 July 1912, Page 6

INTERESTING LIFE STORY.

Eight) j ears of ago, and after working over htty years in China, Dr. Griffith John returned to England v few months ISS W": ? losi,,g P«i«lThi S ™,lf n? u ILinkow in ruins as tho ?„! rL? M ,16 . "cent rising in the Celestial Empire, just as he had found it fifty jears previously when ho entered the city alter tho Taipiug Rebellion. Age had to d upon him, and ho travelled home by sailing-ship in order to obtain benefit trail the prolonged sea trip. Landing in Shanghai in 1855, lie had only been homo on furlough twice. His third furlough was spent m America, and altogether he had been less than fivo years away from Llnua since his arrival there iiftv-«i\ years ago. J . Originally ho desired to be appointed tor Madagascar (says tho "Westminster Uazette ), but as the directors of the i.ondon Missionary Society desired him to «o to China he accepted their wishes as instructions, though, as ho said, "I am not at all fascinated with it." On his "J 1 ?! J lO TesiAei at Shanghai, then ono pt tho nye ports open to foreigners, and nero he learnt the language with an ease in marked contrast to the difficulties of the ordinary Englishman. Dr. Griffith i"V l >ei ,!) s ?• Cdt - alul havin S becn educated both m English and Welsh, possessed a facility for languages, and in a comparatively short space of timo he was engaged upon preaching tours in the district of which the port wjis a. centre. Presently a new treat}- with China opened nine additional ports to tho foreigners, of which Hankow was ono, and to this centre he removed. There ho remained' through all the intervening years. In his early 'career Dr. John proved a great missionary preacher, and travelled throughout the province on pioneering work, but gradually tho claims of tho church at Hankow and his literary work confined him to a greater extent in the city. He founded the Central China Religious Tract Society thirty-five years ago, and though at first its operations were moaest, its yearly publications are now numbered by two or three millions. In addition he has translated the Scriptures into Chinese. Even these important literary works do not-oxhaust tho activities of this keen missionary enthusiast. Many important agencies besides tho church havo been established at Hankow during his long residence, including a college for the training of Chinese preachers,; a hospital, medical school, a high school, and a normal school. The church itself is large and important, and has affiliated with it a number' of branch churches, with a- large total membership. Through all tho years of his long residence there he has proved its energetic leader and wise counsellor. One marked trait of Dr. Griffith John was displayed in his refusal to leave China save at long intervals. He was consumed bv the importance of his task. Since 1855 he had—as previously mentioned—taken but three furlouglis. The first was in 1870, the second in 1881, and the last- in 1900, when, by the urgent requirements of his medical advisers, ho sought rest in America. His visits to England, and his public utterances thero produced striking impressions, and aroused increased interest in missionary propaganda, besides which others were induced to join him in the mission field. In 1889 the Congregational Union of England and Wales urged him to accept the chairmanship, but neither then nor lator, when the war took placo between China and Japan, would ho leave tho country. Ho went home a. few months ago broken in health and physically unfit, at his advanced age, for; the continuance- of tho work to which he has : given such brilliant dcvotion.< Honoured by Edinburgh' with tho degree of D.D.,.nnd recognised by mission. tii'ies of every Church as a zealous, wellinformed, nnd trusted colleague, he attained a position of authority and influence, in missionary councils second to but few others. His first wife passed away as she and her husband had reached Singapore after his first furlough. His second wife, who also predeceased him, was the widow of Dr. Jenkins, of the American Episcopal Church, who superintended a venitirkaulo organisation for the benefit of foreign sailors at Hankow and Shanghai. Dr. John's daughter and*son-in-!aw, the Rov. Mr. Sparliam, aro also missionaries.