p. 13 | China’s Awakening Is China’s Appeal

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 27, 1908

China’s Awakening Is China’s Appeal

By R. F. COTTRELL

R. F. COTTRELL

IN Hunan the anti-foreign feeling has been most intense. It was the last of China’s eighteen provinces to open her doors to commercial or missionary enterprises, this change in policy taking place only about ten years ago. As an evidence of the feeling engendered by this departure from the “beaten paths,” it may be stated that there is a former Chang-sha official of high rank, who is to-day lying imprisoned in this city because of his implacable hatred of everything foreign, and his determination to drive the alien from China.

Nevertheless, the new is steadily pushing the old aside. A substantial stone and cement structure almost entirely modern in architecture, together with a large quay, faces the river-front, thus greeting the new arrivals at Chang-sha. This is the imperial customs building. For political reasons foreigners are in charge, but the bulk of the business is transacted by the Chinese.

Outside the south gate is the provincial mint, which has but recently been established.

Under the old régime, Chang-sha has been a great educational center, and the indications are strong that it will be no less such under the new. Schools adopting modern methods of education are being established in various parts of the city, and there seems to be a general desire to learn the languages of the West.

Several acres in the city of Chang-sha were occupied by the old examination halls. These were low brick cells, over five thousand in all, each large enough for one person. As the examinations usually continued for two or three days at a time, it frequently occurred that some of the candidates died either from exposure or exhaustion. This “barbarous thing”—a term used by a young Chinese who has spent some time at our mission—is now relegated to the past; the halls are being torn down, and on the same site a fine normal school is being erected. An outside view that would give anything like a correct idea could hardly be obtained, as the buildings are mostly one story in height, and built close together, the whole being surrounded by a high wall. The accompanying cut represents a hall about two hundred feet in length, with well-equipped class-rooms of suitable size on both sides.

To the northeast of the city, stretching for nearly a mile, are the buildings and grounds of the military school and the soldiers’ barracks. These, likewise, are of recent construction and foreign appearance. At first drill-masters were secured from other countries, but at present these have nearly all been replaced by Chinese. As we see these thousands being drilled in the art of modern warfare, and consider that this is in the very heart of the greatest heathen nation on earth, there can be no evasion of the fact that this is a direct fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy given twenty-seven centuries ago: “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be awakened.” Joel 3:9-12. China is marshaling her forces for “the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

Then follows the divine mandate, “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.” While the Chinese are doing their part in fulfilling the rôle of prophetic history, there is a small people likewise specified by Inspiration, who, with the help of a Power omnipotent, will cause the world to pulsate with their heaven-born message.

China’s intellectual awakening is marvelous; but spiritually her darkness is most dense. To-day idol processions, several miles in length, at once dazzling, ludicrous, and repulsive parade the streets; and the city authorities warned foreigners to remain in their houses, lest their presence on so sacred an occasion be considered sacrilegious, and excite the Chinese to do them injury.

Now that China’s hands are extended for that which will bring worldly greatness and prosperity, is it not time to place the eternal riches within her reach? Harvest-time will soon be past. Church of Laodicea, what is thy response?

Chang-sha, Hunan.