Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Columbia University Libraries https://archive.org/details/chinasprimaryneeOOpres THE MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CHINA and THE BOARD AT HOME have adopted a definite policy of strengthening and extending THE EVANGELISTIC WORK especially in CHINA’S WALLED CITIES. This is re- garded as the most important work to be done in the im- mediate future. I CITIES’ EVANGELIZATION Through a series of great movements beginning in 1 895 just after the China-Japanese War, the scholars and rulers of China have come to distrust the old heathen religions. Now, for the first time in Chinese history, the gates of 1700 great and ancient Walled Cities are open to Christian in- fluence. The gentry of these Cities, rich, powerful, reactionary, have heretofore scorned the Gospel message. Now all influential classes, literati. Government stu- dents and officials are ready to listen. 2 DING LEI MAI China's Greatest Native Evangelist EVANGELISTIC WORK THROUGHOUT CHINA Throughout the China Missions a new emphasis is to be laid on evangelistic effort, — the proclama- tion of the Gospel to the people. This is to be accomplished by itineration on the part of the mission- ary, visiting groups of inquirers and catechumens, and gathering together into church congregations little com- panies of people who have heard the Word gladly. AND Securing Chinese leaders in larger numbers and placing the respon- sibility upon them of developing these companies of Christians into Churches. There are strong Chinese Chris- tian graduates of our Colleges, ready to undertake this work, often times a great personal sacrifice, if only they can be helped until properly established. THIS WILL REQUIRE: An increase in the grant of funds for evangelistic work to provide for the expansion of present undertak- 4 ings. Our mission stations in China are like factories running at only a fraction of their full capacity. Obviously it is more important and economical to take up the margin and run these factories at their full capacity than it would be to go on building new factories. The main purpose and object of evangelistic work is THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHURCHES Churches contain within their doors the units of society, fathers, mothers and children. Within the doors of the Christian Church those devoted to Christ meet for mutual cooperation and help, and THE LIFE WHICH SHALL EVAN- GELIZE THE NATIONS MUST FLOW OUT OF THE CHURCHES, AND CAN COME FROM THEM ALONE. EVANGELISM PRODUCES CHURCHES The present time is ripe for strengthening the evangelistic work. 5 IN SHANTUNG PROVINCE Shantung Province, of some 40 million people, has 1 08 walled cities, with many additional market towns, large and important, and multitudes of villages. Of these 1 08 centers, some 85 fall, by comity arrange- ments with other Missions, to the American Presbyterian Mission to evangelize. Among the Chinese Christian leaders an “Independent Church” movement had been started, to do this very thing — to reach the gospel- neglected ruling classes of China. Instead of isolation or reduplication of work, it was proposed by some of these high-grade native workers and leaders that there should be full cooperation between them and the Foreign Missions. Accordingly, therefore, arrangements have been perfected between them and the American Presbyterian Mission which hopes to do its share of this China- wide work; and we are to be- gin by opening at least 1 5 cities in 6 those sections of Shantung Province for which the Presbyterian Church is responsible. With regard to Chinese men available for this great undertaking, we Presbyterians in Shantung are circumstanced with peculiar favor and consequent weighty account- ability. Some 50 years ago the foundations of Shantung University were laid and today we have graduates from this Institution scattered all over China. They are educated men, with ability, experi- ence and consecration. They are willing to leave positions as heads of departments in the government, and as professors in schools of higher learning, etc., (with all the prestige and honor that such posi- tions in China carry), in order to take up this work, and at greatly re- duced salaries. Accordingly, our Mission has promptly met them half way by requesting the Home Church to raise twenty-five thousand dollars at once and one hundred thousand ultimately for the carrying out of the project. 7 pany of Directors of Shantung Christian I'niversity, both Chinese and American Missionaries, with Foreign visitors on the new 40 acre tract secured for the enlargement ami extension of the University Campus. AN OUTLINE OF THE PLAN Approximately $5,000.00 will be spent for the plant in each city and $500.00 a year furnished for five years, when it is expected that the Institution shall have become self- supporting. The old Pawn-Shops in many of these walled cities can be purchased and made over for $5,000.00. The change in economic condi- tions has made the large pawn shops unprofitable. These are large stone or brick buildings which can be easily transformed so as to provide facil- ities for a large institutional work. Each building will contain: (a) A large auditorium (b) A street chapel (c) A guest room for men and one for women (d) School and Bible Class Rooms to be used both day and evening. 9 WORKERS Engaged in this work will be an older graduate, together with a younger college graduate, a Bible woman and a gateman. It is pro- posed to have an educated physi- cian traveling among each five of these fifteen cities, seeing patients four days every month in each city. Shantung College is proposing to make this its benevolent enterprise, securing gifts from the alumni scat- tered all over China; and the Chris- tians of the country whose city is thus occupied will assist; also the gentry in the cities occupied have already given substantial assistance. It is expected that at the end of three years, or at most five, the cost of the work will be guaranteed by the Chinese themselves. This whole project is entrusted to the oversight of six men, three Chin- ese selected by the Synod and three missionaries selected by the Mission. THIS PLAN VERSUS A BIG MISSION STATION It costs approximately $50,000.00 to establish one Mission Station manned by foreign missionaries. TTe great financial advantage of the new Plan is apparent. 10 SOME CONSIDERATIONS COM- MENDING THE PROJECT This project is not a new one, but is the outgrowth of convictions long maturing in the minds of some of the ablest of our missionaries evolved on the field, out of a full knowledge of conditions on the field, by those who have lived there longest. The project commended itself at once to leaders of other missions in China, as well as to the leaders of the Home Church. I. It is occupying the strategic centers. For the vast population of each county, the county seat is be- coming more and more the com- manding political, commercial, edu- cational, and social center. Form- erly the Cities have been most diffi- cult of approach, but now their doors are thrown wide open. II. It furnishes an attractive field for an able Christian leadership. As in all times and countries, large church success awaits a fully equipped leadership. Here, as in the West, high-grade leaders are not satisfied with a pastorate among II M(‘|>rrH(’iitativeK <>l tin* Ilwai Yiicii, (IhriHliait coiiiiniiiiity at tlic landing plarr nf tin* llwai Hiv<*r, paying llu*ir roapt'cta lei a Feiredgn tiede'gutiein from the Meiarel. scattered country churches, but are attracted to the cities. We have some such men ready for this work, and an inspiring program will doubt- less secure all that is needed. III. This plan makes prompt use of available resources and looks forward to a new and permanent method of work. IV. This plan promises Chinese and foreign co-operation instead of sepau’ation. If we have the grace and vision to accord to these men these positions of evangelistic prom- inence while retaining a directing in- fluence, it will be ideal. V. This plan is calculated to eliminate the idea that a foreign church is being planted throughout China which impression is a serious drawback. Moreover the Chinese Church itself will never have large success until its members are filled with the realization that this is an enterprise for which they are respon- sible. Now is the psychological time for turning this responsibility over to them. VI. This method of work helps to make worth while in an evangelis- 13 tic way the large amount of effort and money put into higher educa- tion in Shantung. It furnishes open- ings for able and consecrated grad- uates, because such feel drawn to- wards the influential task of bearing witness for Christ in city centers where the men who are shaping the destinies of China go and come. VII. Such occupation will give needed prestige to the directly evzui- gelistic work in the eyes of the influ- ential classes both in and out of the church. Tire rapidly increasing prominence given to our church edu- cation is calculated to misrepresent our missionary object. We need the prominence of this city enter- prise for the balancing up of the several departments of our common work. VIII. This campaign is com- mended by its plan of approach. Bible preaching and teaching is to be supplemented by lectures, schools, woman’s work, medical work and Y.M.C.A., thus touching many different points of approach to mind and heart. IX. This evangelistic effort prom- ises to arrest the attention and save 14 from spiritual bemkruptcy the edu- cated classes, and stem the rising tide of an atheistic, materialistic philosophy of life. With the grip of the old religions gone, with athe- ism the popular form of educated thought, and agnostic literature widely read, together with a more or less conscious desire of the edu- cated to find something to satisfy the cravings of the soul, it is easy to see that a veritable crisis has come in the religious history of China. X. This project has already passed the theoretical stage. We have two such men already at work in two cities with splendid results. They are men who could command much larger salaries elsewhere, but who prefer this soul-winning work in these cities. It would be hard to find a Christian appeal combining so many attractive and impelling considerations. A single special gift of $25,000 and $2,500 per annum for five years would make it possible to give this plan a thorough trial for five new cities. 15 GIFTS FOR EVANGELISTIC WORK IN CHINA A total of $50,000.00 in gifts will enable the Board and the Missions to multiply the power of the present plant and present Mission force many times. NOW IS THE TIME. “China has the Christian men educated, tried, self-sacrificing, able — to evangelize China. You have the American money to link them up with the greatest single task that yet remains to be accomplished before Christ comes again.” 16 CALLS FROM THE FOREIGN FIELD THE BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U.S.A. 156 FIFTH AVE., N Y. V o o -5 a > -D C fO o c > -T 3 cd t: o V -O •c c o E c o •X3 cC 3 -Q ■c C O U HD C E >* <0 a a; E c; c o '-C o <0 n . ^ 00 5 c « > U 'TD s o CQ U .« c 00 V Urn o Iju -C 3 -jC U c CO •n -Q i I V 41 -5 S "H ° ^ c £ -S