Newspaper Page Text
November 3, 1909. TH
THE GHOST LAID IN JAPAN.
By Rev. R. E. McAlpine.
For several years now it has been current
rumor that "there Is some trouble
in Japan between the Japanese Church
and the Missions." So strongly has this
been emphasized (not to say exaggerated),
that use has been not infrequently
made of it In public addresses and pri
vate conversations to the turning away
of interest and even of good workers,
from Japan, toward other fields. This
land has therefore suffered no inconsiderable
injury and loss thereby. It is
with the desire to do something toward
correcting that impression that these
lines are written. Let it be known far
and wide, that the Japanese Synod, by
its action last week, has effectually removed
all basis for such an impression.
A difference of opinion still remains,
as to how a mission should co-operate
with this church; but that that difference
will lead to any rupture between the missions
and the Church has now been ren
icicu ii?jxi u> impossible. irully a year
ago, this seemed likely the case, for at
that time a plan was offered in Synod
for forming a looser connection with the
missions than had been previously proposed;
and to this alternative the missions
had not the least objection, except
in quite minor particulars. And although
this plan was postponed till this year's
session of Synod, all have felt quite confident
that Synod would adopt it.
Happily now our confidence in Synod
has just been shown to be well placed,
inasmuch as they have adopted the "Afliliation
Plan" for an alternative connection
of a looser character, and we can go
home happy. There is no doubt that our
mission will be one of those which will
immediately form this connection: and
that it will work well, we also are-convinced.
Indeed it is sometimes suggested
that this plan will be found to work
so wen ana to bring us and our brethren
of the Synod Into such a happy fellowship
that later on we will be moved voluntarily
to apply for the closer ana more
organic relation with the Synod. If practice
and testing shall show our previous
reasoning to have been faulty, none will
be happier or more willing to acknowledge
it and seek proinnt amending than
ourselves.
Meanwhile, will all who are praying
for Missions In general kindly take note
of the above fact that the GHOST IS
LAID, and lend their friendly aid in dia
trailing tne incorrect impression?
Nagoya, Japan.
KIANGSU MISSION.
The annual meeting of our Kiangsu
Mission has just passed into history.
We had a larger attendance at this
meeting than ever before, and we had a
lot of hard work, keeping us busy from
nine o'clock Monday morning till eleven
o'clock Saturday night.
During the year just closed two new
I'dnlrn 1 1 ?
?? oiaiHMJh nave oeen occupied, naif
how, about 100 miles north of Tsingkiftngpu,
near the Yellow Sea coast; and
Taichow, a large city about 70 miles
northeast, as the water runs, from Chin
[E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SO
kiang, and formerly an outstation belonging
to the Chinkiang Held.
We have now 7 central stations in our
mission and are planning to open at least
one more in the near future.
We have five organized churches, and
arrangements were made to form a Presbytery
in the northern end of our Held.
We have on our rolls about 683 communicants.
Seven years ago we had 100.
When your correspondent, 23 years ago,
wept up the Grand Canal to open our
first station north of the river at Tsingkiangpu,
he was aware that large possibilities
lay before us in that wide district
of country, and he has not been disappointed.
However, as yet little more
than a good beginning has been made.
A careful estimate, which is based on
pretty reliable data, and after making lib
?-i in allowance tor wnat other missions
are doing in our field, still leaves us
about 12,000,000 of people to evangelize?
as many as in the whole of Korea. Our
field north and south of the river covers
about two-thirds of the Kiangsu province,
and very nearly the whole of it thickly
populated. Our responsibilities are staggering
and our opportunities unlimited.
What is a congregation in America composed
of "gospel spirited Christians and
gospel hardened sinners" compared with
the possibilities of usefulness in a field
like ours!
A. Sydenstricker. Kuling, China.
FOREIGN MISSION NOTES.
Dr. J. Bruce Patterson, of Clarks, La.,
was appointed as a medical missionary to
Korea. Dr. Wm. Malcolm, of Washington
City, was appointed as a medical missionary
to China. Rev. J. Porter Smith,
son of Rev. J. Rockwell Smith, D. D., of
Campinas, Brazil, was appointed as a
missionary to Brazil.
The secretary was instructed to convey
to Dr. A. J. A. Alexander, of Spring
Station, Ky., the sympathy of the Committee
with him in his recent bereavement
by the death of his mother.
The following resolution on the death
of Rev. J. W. Lupton, D. D., a former
member of the Committee was adopted:
"This Committee makes record of its
sincere sorrow in hearing of the death of
Rev. J. W. Lupton, D. D., at his home in
Winchester, Va. For the many years that
he labored with us in this Committee we
found him a wise counsellor, a devoted
friend and hmther hoinvos ?
?? vu. ?T v aiou 1 C
quest Dr. McNeilly to write a letter of
condolence to his widow, commending
uer in her loneliness to the grace of (Joa,
which is able to sustain." The Committee
having learned that the health of
Rev. J. 0. Reavis had become impaired
on account of overwork. Dr. Reavis was
instructed to cancel all held appointments
made by him for dates later than
October 20, and to take a complete vacation
until such time as his work can
be resumed with safety to his health. The
secretary was instructed to send a com
muni cation to an our ministers expressing
the Committee's view of the unwiRdom
of investing Foreign Mission contributions
in the support of visitors from
Oriental countries, claiming to be in (his
*
UTH. 1?
country for the purpose of preparing
themselves for Mission work in their
home lands. S. H. Chester, Secretary.
RESOLUTIONS OF BLUEFIELD
CHURCH.
Biuefield: Whereas, Rev. P. C. Clark.
me pastor of this congregation, has for
some years past felt and manifested a
great and sincere interest in the "Home
Mission Work" of our church in the two
Virginias, and his interest and love for
the work in this important field having become
so pronounced and heartfelt that
he deems it his duty to relinquish his
pastoral work and devote his time and
talents to the promotion and advancement
of said work; and having signified
his intention to dissolve the relations
now subsisting between himself and
this congregation and informed the
Session thereof, and Whereas, ihis
vuugic?itiiunai meeting has been called
for the purpose of ascertaining the
will of this congregation on the resignation
aforesaid, Now therefore, be it. by
the members of the Presbyterian church
of Blueiield, West Virginia, in congregational
meeting assembled, Resolved, That
it is with the deepest regret that the
members of this church receive the information
that our beloved pastor has
expressed his determination to dissolve
the pastoral relations now subsisting between
himself and this congregation;
and while we deeply deplore his intention
to so do, and leave our church and
city, we fully appreciate and know his
decided ability and fitness to fill the place
in this field of God's work, and especially
in those departments in which he feels
a peculiar interest as he does in the work
that he has decided to take upon hintself;
and we do with great reluctance
consent to the dissolution of the same;
but in deference to the steadfast determination
of our pastor to undertake a work
which has for so long commanded his
imerest and sympathy we do consent
thereto; and in so giving our consent to
the said dissolution, we hereby tender to
our said pastor our most sincere and
heartfelt thanks and gratitude for twelve
and one-half consecutive years of able
and faithful service as the beloved and
trusted pastor of this church, during
which time he has won the confidence
and devotion of the members thereof, and
we unhesitatingly commend him, his
faithful wife and most excellent children
to the love and confidence of the people
in his new field of activity. And he it
further Roo/>l?foJ mu-A
.wmiucu, i um in view of the
foregoing, this congregation, in congregational
meeting assembled, doth now and
hereby consent and agree tftat the said
relations now subsisting between the said
pastor and congregation be and the same
are hereby dissolved, and we unite with
our said pastor in his request to Presbytery
that these resolutions be ratified by
it, and the secretary of this meeting is
hereby directed to transmit a copy of
these resolutions to the "Presbyterian of
the South" and tho
?~ uunoiuiu wutjerver,
with the request that said resolutions
be published therein, and to deliver a
copy of the same to our said pastor.