SEVEN MONTHS IN CHINA by J. N. Anderson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 26, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 48.

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SEVEN MONTHS IN CHINA.

By J. N. Anderson

Buddhist Priest Torturing Himself to Excite Sympathy and Obtain Money.

Burial Completed, but the Coffin Still Above Ground.

We have now been in Hong Kong about seven months, and during that time many things have happened both to help us and try us in our endeavors to open up the work for the millions of China. In almost every respect it has been, to us, as new and strange a world into which we were plunged, as tho we were dropped out of the clouds.

But the external order of things, which at first impressed us so much, is coming to be a matter of course; while the other phase of this oriental world—its languages, its ideas, and habits of thought, and its strange life, are gradually revealing themselves to us, challenging us with puzzling and perplexing questions at every turn. When children in school we learned that the Chinese were our antipodes. And so they are; but I have since learned that their heads are more “anti” with respect to us than their feet. In many important respects these orientals make up a world all their own, which is so radically different from the Western World that all the persistent attempts to unify the two, shock and surprise and irritate the former.

But while these great differences exist, yet the Bible is true, when it declares that the race is one, and that one God and Father rules, and blesses all alike. All are of one blood, and under the curse of sin, in desperate need of the great, abundant salvation provided in Christ Jesus, our Saviour. As we stand before God, all have common needs which can be met by the Gospel alone; and this is the key to the situation.

Poor China is still in a state of unrest and uncertainty. Her financial condition is quite serious, and, as you have doubtless heard, this has been the cause of considerable trouble already. The indemnity budget is a source of great embarrassment and irritation to most of the Chinese, and many leading minds, both Chinese, European, and American, are at their wits’ end to devise plans whereby this vast sum of money can be wrung from the masses.

While the Middle Kingdom has great natural resources which can, when developed, easily redeem China, yet these are all undeveloped, and there is little besides the flesh and bones of the coolies with which to lift and transport these commodities. But, on the other hand, there are some hopeful signs. The study of English in Pekin by Chinese and Manchus is almost a fad; and the large printing-presses of Shanghai are driven to their full capacity to fill orders for books coming from different parts of China.

Along with such facts I must mention the recent riot of Chen Chow in the province of Hunan, in which two missionaries were murdered and much property destroyed. It is only a local affair, and did not arise from the Boxers, but from a superstitious belief that the water had been poisoned by the missionaries, causing an epidemic of cholera in that section. The details are unknown, and the settlement and after-effects remain to be seen. The missionaries killed were two men of the China Inland Mission.

Since coming to China our efforts have been confined almost entirely to Hong Kong. We have a small mission here, where regular meetings are held in the interest of Europeans and Americans, a large per centage of whom are soldiers and sailors. Hong Kong is a very important center, commercial and naval, and we must by our missionaries secure a firm foothold here. The work must be carried on both on land and sea; and while we need not confine ourselves to non-Chinese, yet I feel that Hong Kong will never be important, so far as the Chinese work is concerned.

We are anxiously waiting for the Mission Board to send us a good man to carry on the mission work here. We need the same kind of work opened up in Shanghai and other large commercial centers. So far as China itself is concerned, we have done very little except cast about and study the situation. I spent one week in Shanghai last spring, conferring with Brother Pilquist about plans for work in central China. My hopes constantly rise that I may join him somewhere on the Yangtse River before the beginning of the new year, and then begin the publication of literature on the message. That will call for a small hand printing-press. It should be large enough to print tracts and a small paper.

Mrs. Anderson and I recently made a brief trip to Canton, a typical Chinese city. It is ninety miles from here. By some it is held to be the largest city of all China, having two and one-half million souls packed into a compass not much exceeding that of Oakland, Cal. Many of its streets are so narrow that a man can easily reach across and touch the buildings on either side by extending his arms. The city is full of temples, idols, and altars. And as we passed through, I had feelings akin to those of the apostle Paul as he visited Athens. One temple has five hundred gods perched about on shelves. Poor people! they have gods multiplied, and yet, what wretchedness! The people live two thousand years behind the present. And what is most sad, they seem so satisfied.

Canton is noted for its intense dislike to foreigners, and the natives do not hesitate to salute them as fou gwai—“foreign devils.” Other missionary societies have done a good work in Canton. It was here that Morrison wrought so patiently and perseveringly, and after years of hard labor succeeded in giving to China the Bible in her own tongue. Not a few missionary societies have their headquarters here. While there we had the privilege of meeting the Baptist Mission people, who have a strong foothold in that city. We visited their main station, and they gave us a hearty invitation to visit one of their smaller stations in the interior, which we hope to do some time in October. These visits serve to acquaint us with the situation and the task before us. But we are hampered by not knowing the language. I feel that until that is acquired, we shall succeed in bringing but little to pass. We have begun the study, but have not made much progress.

I am sure we as a people little realize the magnitude of this field and the many unfavorable conditions and influences. I do not mention these things to discourage or because I am myself discouraged; it is only that we may see the situation as it is, and so be led to address ourselves to our task in serious earnestness. The Lord sent us, and He does not send where He would not Himself go. There are wide-open doors here, and I am fully persuaded that an army of workers will hasten to this field, and that the message will go with power. I am glad that I came to China, and my constant endeavor shall be to push forward the message God has committed to us. We crave the prayers and sympathy and the loyal co-operation of those who love this work.

Hong Kong, China. J. N. ANDERSON.