THE CHURCH IN CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1931, Page 3

THE CHURCH IN CHINA

FOUNDATION AND GROWTH

AN APPEAL FOR SUPPORT. CHRISTCHURCH, July 22. An account of the ioundaUon anu growth of the. Chinese Christian Church,' and of its struggle against many difficulties, was given by '' the Anglican" Bishop of West China (the Rt. Rev. iH. ,'W. K. Mowll, D.D.) in a public address at the Choral 'Hall last evening. 'Bishop ;Mowll appealed for the support, of the i people’s prayer and, ( intercession towards the greater expansion of the Church in China and towards the unity of the whole of that great nation. He was introduced by the Bishop of Christchurch. They had been fortunate, said Bishop West-Watson, to hear within a few weeks both Dr T. Z. Koo and the Bishop of Western China, for each represented a different part and a different point of view. In His nine years in China Bishop Mowll had had experiences both varied and unique.

TOWARDS UNITED CHINA

“I come to you as* a representative of the 'Chinese; Christian'; Church in the hope that I may bring you an understanding of , that Church's: 'difficulties,'’. began the Bishop. Communism of the (Russian type w-as sweeping- across China and threatening their very existence; his Church must have the support and intercession of Christians or Christianity would be'blotted Out from China as it had once been' from northern. Africa. If the Chinese Church was now strengthened, it might be a decisive factor -in achieving a united China, ready to take its place in the world of nations. He 'hoped that one of the results of -the meeting might be that at least on one day of the month the Christians of New Zealand would remember the Christians of China; for the Chinese, too, were now beginning to realise their membership with the churches of the Anglican Communion throughout the world. •; '[<[s■ 'J’i ; j H\ 1 | i I--,THE. CHINESE' UHRISTIANs! ■■-‘Dj-fy -!;i' ■ , ' 1> j Bishop, Mowll. described the t ■situation of- the (diocese of Western- ;G!hin'a ( arid its chipf means df, a,doess. If only "there was- peace there Would be enormous wealth to be exported';{' the; soil, >vas rich and' productive,; gold, and .other; minerals existed in ample quantities.;:,To-day, throughout the diocese); there were, little groups of Christian men arid-women. It had taken the Bishop and his - wife three and a half months to visit onethird of the churches in the diocese. The •'Chinese- Christians’'had ~a remarkable knowledge of the Bible ;V they had extraordinary memories, and • applied themselves diligently to study. According to the' report of the British and • Foreign B'bln. Society, the greatest circulation of the Bible was not in English, but in Chinese. This was most encouraging to the missionaries in the darkest parts. Tht Chinese men and, women, too, knew the reality of pr-aypr. To-day the' Church Was reaping the benefit of the schools which it- had established. In the capital the differ' pt missionary societies had united in founding a Christian University. Ohe of the glories of this University had been that to-day 80 per cent, of i's graduates had become missionaries of one or other of the organised Churches. •In 1927 anti-British propaganda was so' strong, that all British, missionaries were ordered down to -the coast. Ih n y had left wondering what would happen to the Chinese Churches. He appealed for the support of prayer; for thus only could tfiey advance their work in .‘China. '

THE EVILS OF ORIIJM. : : V ' 'I '' Bishop Mowll quoted instances from h ; s experience which emphasised the growth of., the Chinese Church towardsindependence. .'. Th-re .was" such a spirit among the Oh:nese"‘that at.;£he General Synod in 1928 they proceeded to fh', flection of the first two Chinese Bishops.He paid a tribute to the .work and concentration. of these -y nierif fi- aud thv.ir. efforts to convert the Ch nese to fh ; uv new fai-'-h. The.; Chinese, •_ '.Christians, were to-day up against • a real menace-.: were realising what it f“lt like to bear the Cross after J'sus. Hardly a home escaped opium ; men arid women became physical and moral skeletons. Taxation was so heavy (some had been forced tp pay taxes 24 years in advance) that farmers were forced to grow opium. 'Those who did not ,grow it suffered another tax—the laxy tax. Christian travellers were killed by brigands. Dr C. M. Stubbs himself had been murdered in 1928 By the students of. a Communist school. A . Chinese: Bishop had recently had all his property taken from hijn by foul, means.

APPEAL FOR -SUPPORT

To live 'with'' these Chinese Christians had been a great blessing to his spiritual life, said Bishop Mowll. He and they as weil wanted the prayers and the sup T port of all. With this final appeal the Bishop ended .his..address. Bishop West-Watson explained that since one mission was already upheld in North China, the Board of Missions had been unable to support Western China also. They could not associate another mission field with their present engagements, ' particularly the work in , Melanesia. At the same time, if _ any wished to contribute towards Bishop iMowll’s diocese the Church would not hinder them. He. expressed the warm thanks of all ,for the Bishop’s great, address. . ""