GREAT CHANGES IN CHINA.
By Edwin H. Wilbur
GREAT changes are taking place in Canton, as well as in all China. This city has in the past been the educational center for South China. Under the old system pupils received their instruction in private schools or by private tutors. In these schools there was no classification of pupils, no one being kept back by another, but each allowed to advance as rapidly as he might. When the student reached a certain grade of proficiency, he was allowed to take the public examinations, which were held annually. All male students, young or old, rich or poor, could take these examinations, and those who showed a sufficient knowledge of the ancient classics were granted degrees. Now all this is changed. By Imperial decree, the great public examinations are a thing of the past. All over the empire public schools are being opened. The course of study is changed. Less attention is paid to ancient classics, and more to modern sciences. An especial feature of the new schools is military training. Every one of these new schools is a training garrison. In many places old temples are stripped of their idols, and the buildings are remodeled for school purposes. But such radical changes can not take place without opposition, as many of the people are slow to take up new ways. While it is not the Christians who are opening the schools above referred to, yet they and their books receive the blame, and consequently a strong anti-foreign feeling is manifesting itself in some quarters, especially among the ignorant classes. While there is no doubt that the presence of more than three thousand European Protestant missionaries, together with their schools, and the circulation of millions of copies of the Scriptures, have had a strong influence, yet there are other mighty forces at work. The victory of the Japanese in the late war, and the American boycott, have had a tremendous influence upon the Chinese. What Japan has done, she can teach China to do, and her teachers are received with open arms. America, by her unfair treatment of the Chinese, has closed her own door of usefulness and another power has taken her place. Again and again the boycott notices have been posted up. The movement is well organized, and there is a strong determination not to buy American goods until they shall receive fair treatment at the hands of the United States. This boycott has been a strong factor in unifying China, as the people of the North and South have been united in the common cause. The opening of the public schools is another means to the same end. As we see these school boys, from eight to seventeen years of age, marching in uniform and drilling, and the little children in the streets imitating them, we can not but see the fulfilment of Joel 3:9-14. "Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir 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. Haste ye, and come, all ye nations round about, and gather yourselves together; thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Jehovah. Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe; come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! for the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of decision." At the present rate it will not be long before China will have hundreds of thousands of trained soldiers, able to cope with any army in the world. Like other nations her plea is for self-defense, but like them also she is preparing for the last great battle. While the powers of darkness are working so mightily in preparing elements of destruction, it is time for the people of God to wake up and do all that is possible to save men. In the past few years great progress has been made in Christian missions in China. Yet not a hundredth part has been done that might have been done. O, that the people of God knew the day of their opportunity, then would we see believers going everywhere preaching the Word. "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:14. EDWIN H. WILBUR.
Canton, China.