AN ARDENT METHODIST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 37, 9 March 1909, Page 4

AN ARDENT METHODIST

THE CHINESE COXSI'I. FOR XEW ZEALAXD. AODUESS AT THE CONFEUEXCE. Years ago. in the veiled interior of China. Mr Yimg-liang Hwang. Chinese Consul, as a boy met a missionary of tlio Methodist persuasion. To-day. owing in a large sense to that meeting (as Mr Hwang himself relates), many thousand of miles away from the lirst scene, anil many ilays after. Mr. Hwang expressed his admiration and sympathy for the Chnreli of which he is so staunch an adherent before the large gathering of dele, gates to the Methodist Conference in Wellington. Mr IXwaTig expressed himself more ■than glad at being privileged to lie present. They must not think that sneli meetings were strange to him : lie liad addressed similar large gatherings in America and China. " I simply want to tell vou mvself iiow T became a Christian of the Methodist Episcopal Church." said the consul, and lie proceeded lo do so, his narrative licfcig punctuated willi frequent applause. Inland in his own country Mr llw.rig, when a bov, came into toueii with a missionary of the Methodist China Inland Mission, and under such influence he lieeame a student in a mission school established bv the missionaries. "Since thill time." the speaker continued. "1 have boen deeply assori ; tled or interested in mission., mis-ion,irios. mid 10-ndi-crs." From his own |ierso;ml knowle'"". Mr llivaug could and did sneak of the big and lasting work accomri'.ishcd bv the agency of Methodist missionaries. Manv young men now holding inlluenlial positions were formerly pupils of llic school established by the M'etllodisls. (Applause.) The consul, spt;al;hg with an intimate kuowledgc, told tow Chlw, disturbed by

pertain external influences, was now awakened to the fact that she ujust make Western learning compulsory if her well-being and advancement were intended, The combined 'efforts of the mission bands of ail sects, the schools, newspapers, and <the introduction of translations of profitable Western literature were all assisting to open the ■eyes of China.

Mr lhrang announced his great sympathy a-nd love for all Christian workers, especially the self-effacing missionaries who had consecrated their lives to a great work. Ue considered that the present age presented a doubly hard task to ministers ana itngious workers. It was too often a difficult undertaking to inculcate in the minds of men the necessity for baptism by water and the Spirit. Concerning the spread of the good work, the speaker averred that it anyone had the authority to speak the glad words of God it surely was the missionaries. "They have my entire sympathy," said the consul.

Mr l-hvang concluded «n interesting address by expressing his willingness, during his stay as Consul, to assist the Church in any way possible, and a plea that the ministers of his audience would make it their business to endeavour to reach and teach the two or three thousand of his countrymen at present ia WellingliiH, and tell them the Gospel message. " 1 want them to gel a good impression of yon," he urged his hearers, that they may convey the same to their countrymen in China, mid the only way is to hi'lp them with your lips and hands.'' lie concluded amidst great appreciation.

Rev. P. E. Receroft. an ex-president of the conference, in moving a resolution of goodwill and wishes to Mr 1 Hwang, referred to the work of self-sac-rificing Methodist teachers in far China, lie moved : —** That this conference sincerely reciprocates the exptes*>/)ns of esteem and .Christian regard to which it has listened with so much interest and pleasure from the lips of Mr Hwang. H rejoices to welcome him as a son of the Metliodisi; Church, and assures him that any service within its power—or iu llmt of its representatives—for the furtherance of his responsible work in this Dominion will lie most cheerfully rendpred."

The president suitably conveyed the resolution to Mr Hwang.