CHAOS IN CHINA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 7 April 1926, Page 11

CHAOS IN CHINA.

ANTI-BRITISH FEELING. MISSIONER’S STORY TO TLMARU PRESBYTERY.

Some very interesting sidelights on the present situation in China wore given at yesterday’s meeting of tno '.L'imaru Presbytery, by the Rev. JL . Wilkinson, M.A., who is at present on furlough from, the Presbyterian mission field in China- ' Mr Wilkinson said that although ho had been away from Jris charge tor about nine months, and was somewhat out of date, he bad kept m touch by correspondence with the latest aftans in China. Owing to Bolshevik influence ; especially at Canton, things at present as they could judgo by the cables, were still very unsettled, and it was difficult to see liow they could be straightened out unless the Chinese dealt with the* Russian .Bolshevists in their midst. An attempt on those linos was at present being carried out and recently many Bolshevists had been arrested, and deported. In that morning’s paper lie had read a. cable from China which stated that tile American Presbyterian Hospital, which had been operating at Canton for 90 years, had been, closed, and also the Stout Memorial Hospital at AVuCliow, the doctors embarking upou American gunboats. Prom that it was obvious that the situation was far from clear. The Northern situation depended upon tlie results achieved by Peng. . If he** won, lb would considerably strengthen the Bolshevists’ position in the south. In regard to the mission hospital work, Dr. Joiin Ivirke was carrying on*■with then* workunder special permit, as it was hospital work that was involved. Mr Davies was also carrying on with teaching work since the Chinese New "Year. The school and ..evangelistic work .was. at ; present being carried on by Chinese, under the direction of special qommittees, working in conjunction with 'the various pastors. At the present timo it was considered inadvisable for the missionaries to return to pastoral work as such would tend to jeopardise the* safety of the Chinese staff. The missionaries, however, were spending their time at language, work, translation, etc., and were also standing behind the Chinese staffs with financial assistance. That was the only way in which they could work at present and lie thought it would be inadvisable to withdraw that support. The district was not a prosperous one and the members of the church were widely scattered. The members were also very poor, and it would be impossible to expect them to support that work themselves at the present. The work had not been, planned lor the present, but- for the future, and that meant an expense above present requirements. The hospital plant, although inexpensive, was to a certain extent self-supporting, hut if the hospitals were to be regarded as a. ineans of assisting the church, part of the expenses would, have to bo met front the base. The workers and adherents of the church were working with their backs to the wall. In a letter lie had recently received ho had boon told ot one group of Chinese Christians who had been threatened with death « they did not give tip their religion. . In the first stages of 'the boycott,' the sentiments of the leaders were very decidedly anti-foreign and anti-mission-ary, but he thought that had now died down to some extent. Instead of receiving a set - back, ho though the present state of affairs would prove a stimulus to the church s in China in placing the church more on a selfsupporting basis. . . i In reply to a 1 question Mr "Wilkinson said that the taking over of a large amount of Chinese territory was the cause of a great deal of the. hostility shown to' the British. Britain with other powers, until the commencement of the present trouble, had also maintained control of the Chinese Customs revenue. Those matters and also the fact that Britain had posed as the friend of Japan had been the cause ot much resentment. In the Dominions and also in the large ports of China where the English had established themselves, they had adopted a very supercilious attitude toward the Chinese. The racial pride of the British, concluded Mr Wilkinson, conflicted strongly with the racial pride of the Chinese, and was largely the cause ot the trouble that had arisen. . In thanking Mr Wilkinson for Ins very instructive remarks, the Moderator (Bov. W. Findlay), said he felt sure that the only thing to do was to give tho Chiueso Christians a greater share in the control of their church affairs, and more responsibility. He also thought that prayer was the one and only weapon which they could use and would .specially recommend to all charges in tho district, tho adivsability of prayer for the success of the Chinese missions.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Wilkinson for his very instructive and interesting address.