The Dominion. SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1913. A COMING FACTOR IN WORLD AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 26 April 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1913. A COMING FACTOR IN WORLD AFFAIRS.

Such extraordinary things have occurred in China during recent years that the outside world has almost lost its capacity for\wonder as far as the happenings in that interesting country arc concerned. We have, in fact, learned to expect the unexpected; and since the revolution and tho establishment of the Republic those who have followed the rapid development of events have arrived at the conclusion that anything may happen. After, having defied outside influences for ages, China has within our own times suddenly thrown herself open to the great_currents of Western thought, and _ is adopting many of the characteristic features of Western civilisation. An unexampled transformation in the life of the people is going on, and the world is waiting for tho next move in a spirit of eager curiosity mingled with a touch of uneasiness. l The far 1 reaching political, industrial, and intellectual changes which are now in progress havo inevitably had a very marked effect on the social and religious ideas and ideals of the Chinese nation, and what may be the _ next act in this wonderful national drama is. perhaps foreshadowed in tho cablegram published in yesterday's issue of The Dominion announcing that a request had come from China to the churches in England for prayers for the success of tho Parliament of the new Republic. Such a request is most significant, j and points unmistakably to tho growth of Christian influence. Nor does it stand alone as an isolated incident. The trend of events was shown in December last by a great Christian conferenco of Chinese young mon at Peking, which was opened by President Yuan-Shih-Kai himself, who welcomed tho delegates on behalf of the people of China, and' Dr. W. W. Yen ; a_ member of the Cabinet and a Christian, also delivered an address. The Chairman of the Conference was Mr. Chang Peh Ling (President of the Nan ICai Government School), and the general secretary was Mr. 0. T. Wang, a member of Yuan-shih-Kai's first Cabinet.

These remarkable happenings are the outcome of long years of patient work, which is now beginning to produce its fruit. In one of the reports of the World Missionary Conference, held at Edinburgh a year or twoago, it is stated that the struggle of Christianity in China to-day seems not to be with any very earnest and formidable religious thought which represents a serious attempt to grapple with the mysteries of life and death, but the resisting forces appear to be moral laxity and religious indifference, reinforced by national pride in the past and the lawful and profound resentment which China feels on account of her treatment by tho nations of Christendom. This is borne out by the statement of the Professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge (Dr. Giles) that "it is scarcely too much to say that all idea of the early God of their forefathers has long ceased to vivify their religious instincts. Ancestor worship and the cult of Confucius are probably very much what they were hundreds of years ago; while Taoism, once a pure philosophy, is now a corrupt religion." Tho Chinese, however, have many splendid national virtues, and it is to bo hoped that in adopting Western ideas thoy will not lose hold on those manners and customs without which the nation would probably not be in oxistenco at the present day. In China the family reigns supreme, and this fact has had a E.urvival value in the history of the nation which is incalculable, so that in spite of terrible ravages of war, postilence, and famine, the population has never ceased to increase and multiply. The Chinaman is prepared to subordinate personal present interests to the future of the race, and, to quote Me. Hubbard's recent book,, entitled The Fate, of Empires, "this has conferred perpetuity _ upon the Chinese race and civilisation—a civilisation that has persisted so long, and whose origin is so remote, that no chronicle runs to tho contrary. It confers upon them to-day a population . of from . 300,000,000 to 400,000,000." Tho writer goes on to mention the wonderful latent power of the nation, and states that "they have, if they chose fo do so, only to lift their hand to seize the hegemony of tho world." But, he adds, they do not choose to do so; imperial rule is not their object. It seems, however, probable that tho adoption of Western intellectual and political ideas and aspirations will be accompanied by the growth of tho Western desiro for rule; indeed, a policy of expansion and conquest may bo thrust upon the Chinese licpublic. Better government and European medical science must reduce to an enormous extent the appalling loss of lifo which has helped to keep the population in check in the past, and the increased pressure must. inevitably find an outlet. "Assiduous for tho family, to them is superadded a permanent civilisation and tho inviolability of the race," sayß Mb. Hubbard. "Thus we watch their moving, in myriads and millions, towards an end that they do not seek, and a destiny that none can see." Tho coming of the new era in China is fraught with consequcnccs which no one can fully comprehend, and it will certainly have an important influence in shaping the coursc of international politics. U China, makes full imp of modern • methods in coiruuercc and industry,

and also establishes a great army and navy trained and equipped on European lines, tho reawakening of this ancient Empire is bound to have a tremendous elfcct on tho future history of tho world.