CHINA MISSION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 181, 2 July 1937, Page 11

CHINA MISSION

ANCIENT AND AIODERN

Discussing missionary developments in modern China in a brief interview with a “Standard” reporter, Air C. J. Patehett, of the China Inland Aliswion, whose station is at Pengslian, about 200 miles from the Tibetan borbc>r, and who has been visiting Palmerston North, stated that the old vehicles of transport, despite the availability of aeroplanes and motor cars, uere still a common sight on the Chinese roads, most of -which were built in the old Roman style. Riding in a sedan chair, astride a wheelbarrow or being carried in a frame chair on a peasant’s hack were but three of the obsolete methods of transport seen on the roads —roads along which the artistic and political, social and commercial life of the ancient dynasties flowed. Air Patchett said that although it wa.s hard for the Chinese to make a decision regarding Christianity, missionaries were given a good hearing. The aboriginal tribes, which were known as black-bones, white-hones and by their tribal colour, made even better converts than the Chinese despite their ferocious, inherent custom of making raids on outlying villages. Many of the aboriginal’s religions customs corresponded with the old Hebrew rituals. Ea.cli house had a white stone, symbol of an unnamed spirit, on its roof-top, and there was. so far as was known, no name in the language for God.