AFFAIRS IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2778, 24 May 1916, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN CHINA

DEATH OF DR. BUTCHART

Writing from Nanking, China, to >Jr. Robert Hall, of . this city, Dr. W. Ji. Maoklin, tho well-known medical_ missionary in China, who visited Wellington about a year ago, and who was .on that occasion inade the guest of honour at the New, Zealand Club, says (under date February 18), that China appeared to be right in for another revolution. "At present Nanking is quiet," writes Dr. Macklin. "The lid would have kept on but Yuen Shi Kai was too ambitious for the badges of royalty. He is dropping the reality of power by seeking for the shadow. No ruler can bo successful if all people Tiato him, and Yuen is hated. Tho foreign money power put him oil tho throne liko tho 'big business people put up. a 'boss' in an American city, so they can rob franchises, mining privileges, etc. They, can hardly make the Chinese bo loyal to their boss, but they will make him pay back the loan, even though it did them' worse than no good.

"Last night (February 15) Dr. Butchart passed away, and we-have lost a strong man that it will take many years to replace., Dr. Butchart came to China about 25 years ago, studied the language in Nanking, and, during Dr. Macklin's furlough, took charge of tho Christian Hospital. On Dr. Macklin's return he still took part in the hospital work. Dr. Butchart was a homeopath, but the doctors mutually studied their respective -literature'and; were-able to work in union bygetting rid of prejudice. By-the-by, tho doctor made up his mind to open in that large city of the province of Nganhui. Luchowfoo. He started modestly and gradually the work grew till he had n large hospital built by the church pcoplo of America. Ho used to have, a clinic of out cases of from-30. to-40 thousand, and a large in-patient clinic, but one of the important features of the work was the house visits. ~He became the family physician of a-large-number-of-citizens. A physician of repute at Home has a wonderful influence, but in a _ heathen land, where they have no scientific knowledge of medicine, he is looked upon almost as a magician. Tou do not hear of the blind receiving sight in a heathen land. Dr. Butchart removed many cataracts nnd did other operations on the eye which made the blind to see. The heathen knew nothing of opening tho abdomen and removing tumours. The doctor did this to their great wonder. It is not always the great surgical feats that do the good work.- Thero are many cures in the use of simpler treatment and even in the 'prevention of disease, and,many came to the church as a result of the medical work. What have the Chinese in the Way of cures for disease? They have systems of philosophy l such as Buddhist Nihilism .that makes out that nothing exists, and so disease has not existence!

, '. . Another system is that of the dual powers of Nature. One kind of disease is hot or belongs to the male element; the other cool, or female. Diet and medicine are also male or female. Again, disease is often considered to be due to demons of fetishes, and there is a god demon or hobgoblin to be appeased./ Dr. Butcliart's work tended to correct'those foolish "beliefs. . . . The doctor not only treated patients himself, but -trained up many capable assistants. These RJ- able to go forth to carry the gospel of healing far and wide. He not only relieved suffering and helped the poor, but he had. a more effective remedy. Ho parly accepted the philosophy of Henry George, and desired to see the unemployed secure land and opportunity, realising that tho system which enables one class to monopolise .God's gifts makes slaves and pauiwrs of tlie rest. Mas' .God has taken him from us. and where can we get another man to fill.his place? If we had the makings of such a m*n. it would take- many years to fit bim for sernce with the language"