CHRISTIAN FEDERATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2211, 8 June 1908, Page 2

CHRISTIAN FEDERATION.

VISIT OF MISS ROUSE AN INSPIRING ADDRESS. Miss Ruth Rouse, lady Travelling Secretary of the World’s Student Christian Federation, on her way to visit the Auckland colleges, called at Gisborne on Saturday morning and delivered an address to the students of To Rau College and to a few friends. Miss Rouse, in opening, reminded tho students that they, as a Christian Union, belonged to a world-wide movement, comprising at present over 130,000 members 0 f all nationalities iu every part of the globe. This thought would always bo an inspiration if constantly kept in view. She (Miss Rouse) had been all over the world, visited every civilised country and had received much encouragement. Doors had been opened in unexpected quarters. To show the usefulness of tho movement, whose one object was to bring students to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Saviour, Alias Rouse related how tho work was begun in Holland. The college attitude in Holland for many years was decidedly anti-Christian. The system of education was s-ecular, and the touchers took opporuuity to laugh at Christianity on every possible occasion whenever a Scripture reference appeared in the lessons. However, since the Christian Union was introduced into the Dutch colleges a ehango for tho better had come about. There is now at tho University of Utrecht a Christian Union consisting of a few students who aro very enthusiastic. After dealing further with tho Dutch movement Aliss Rouse gave somo account of her two-month campaign in Russia. Russia, she said, was a. land of students. She found that in the St. Petersburg University there were 10,000 men students and 8,000 women students. She was very much struck with the Russian student, so devoted to his own country. He was a very enthusiastic missionary, either for Nihilism, anarchy,' or Christ •-'•city. He did not go in for sport. His great aim was polities and revolution, which lie believed would bring about the deliverance of bis country. Nominally every Russian student belonged to the Orthodox Church but in his heart h(\ was a sceptic. Ho -so identified the Church with the Government that lie was compelled to work against both Russian students had lost all belief in Christianity. Though Russia might bo called the land of students yet 20 per cent, of tho peasantry was illiterate. The one aim of the Russian student was the uplifting of his people, but lie was going about it tho wrong way altogether. Hundreds of Russian students, having lost all boliof in Christ, and weighted down with tho sufferings their country, had lost hope and heart, and were taking to committing suicide. When news camo to them that other students all over tho world were still rejoicing in the old faith and desirous to join hands with them, they began to take i brighter view of life and -to -re-in - vestigato the truth of Christianity. Through tho noble example and devoted efforts of one solitary Russian students, Aliss Alexandra Alexandroonn Dohrolinhoff, a strong Christian Union, consisting of sixty active members, had been formed .among the women students of the University of Aloscow. This young lady was an agnostic, hut during her stay in Germany sho was converted and went buck to her university as a lively missionary and boldlv and single-han-ded took her stand for Christ. It was at her special request that Aliss Rouse -visited Russia last year. Aliss Dohrolinhoff was told that if she could get twenty students toNattend the meeting she ought to bo ’>ory_jwolL satisfied. However, nothing daunted, she hired a hall to hold one thousand, and at the initial’ meeting tho hall "was crowded’ to tho doors and speakers had great difficulty in reaching the platform. It was decided to form a Christian Union among'the women students of tho Aloscow University and sixty women student's had enlisted. Air John R. Alott, general secretary of tho Christian Federation was to visit Russia next spring to organise the work among mien students. Both in Holland and Russia fresh interest in the study of the old Bible had been roused. Aliss .Rouse urged upon her audience to pray for Russia and her teeming students. Aliss Rouse also touched • upon tho work carried on among the students in .Japan, China and India. There wis an opinion that because Japan had defeated a Christian nation sho would despise Christianity. ‘ This was not the case. In fact, more students in Japan were taking kindly to Christianity thin any other class. Once Japan became a Christian nation China would follow likewise, for today China was sitting at the feet of Jap in learning from her what sho (Japan) had learned from the West. At tho time of the great Christian conference held in’ATokio last year there were at Tpkio 15.000 Chinese students studying at the University. A few hundreds of these were converted and were returning home-'as missionaries to their own peoiile. Christian students from Japan had visited India to preach Christianity and to return the compliments Indian students recently visited Japan. Air Koliere, on behalf of the students and of the Maori race, thanked Aliss Rouse for her visit and inspiring address.

Aliss Rouse continued her journey north by the s.s. Alokoia on Saturday morning.