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I Nwembor tj, 1 M l 1J
T1IE NEW CONSTITUTION AND THE
CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN CHINA.
The more intelligent of the Chinese
Christians are at present very much
concerned in securing a religious toleration
clause into the new constitution
that is being formed. In the draft of
this constitution made public up to this
time the Christians as such are entirely
ignored. The Christians say, that,
when the constitution goes into effect,
the causes in the treaties between China
and the foreign powers which have so
far protected their religious liberty will
uo longer be effective and the Christians
will be without any official protection
at all. Some go so far as to say
that under such conditions the Chinese
church will not be able to stand. So
not a few of them have very grave
fears for the future unless they can succeed
in having a clause Inserted in the
constitution securing their religious
liberty. They are not only agitating
this matter in the papers, but are preparing
to send up delegates with a petition
at the proper time to press their
claim before the parliament when In
session at Peking.
Taking into consideration all the untoward
circumstances and conditions, it
is easy to see that with this young and
as yet weak church this is a very serious
matter, and we cannot but sympathize
with it in its attempt to obtain
religious freedom.
Tn the local assemblies that have
been forming the Protestant Catholic
tTirlstlans have been excluded from
membership, and thus classed with
these of the population who are incompetent
for membership. The officials
contemptuously call the Christians
"Ch'aomin," that is, "church people."
and treat t^em rather as renegades and
under foreign control.
Not long since it was reported in the
native papers that the officials have forbidden
Chinese to open chapels for
Christian work. They say that they
cannot prevent foreigners from opening
these, but the Chinese must not be allowed
to do it. The reason given was
that the Chinese use these chapels for
unworthy purposes. There are no
doubt those who have been using the
name of the church to further their
own ends, but this has been by no
means a sufficient reason why the
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T H ? P R E 8 B V T R 1 /
Chinese should be forbidden to open
chapels in which to preach the GoBpel
and for worship.
So taking the above facts together,
the present outlook is not altogether
assuring to the church in China.
One cannot but question sometimes
some of our methods of work and procedure
here. I seriously doubt whether
it was wise in the first instance to make
Chinese Christians under the protection
of the treaties made with foreign
powers. These treaties were forced out
of the Chinese government in times of
war, and while they give more or less
of protection to the Christians, this is
given very reluctantly. Now when this
protection is taken away the storm of
persecution that may come will be all
the more severe in that it has been
forcibly restrained so long.
Again, one cannot but question the
wisdom of putting into our work the
amount of foreign money that is now
expended here. The costly and often
elegant plants that are put up in the
way of hospitals, school buildings and
sometimes church buildings projects
into the more distant future the day
when the Chinese church can become
selfsupporting. In d'scussing the subject
of the self-dependence of the church
in the native papers?something which
r*i i-ii ? * -
icauiug v^uribiiang nave Deen aoing ror
years, they are constantly confronted
with the financial problem. They see
the large amounts of money that we
expend and they seem to have the impression
that when they undertake the
work, they must raise similar amounts.
One feelB that we are attempting to
transplant Western Christianity with
its civilization Into China instead of
the pure and simple Christianity of
apostolic times.
Your correspondent Is by no means a
revolutionary, hut such thought will not
always stay suppressed, and it certainly
Is wise at times to consider whether In
all things we are working along the
wisest and most Scriptural lines.
GRAND If A FRIGHT CO MTVG TO OUR
HOME MISSION FIELDS.
Miss Barbara E. Lamdfn.
t*rL A hoira wAO/1
i HUC5U " uu 11a f u i cau vji aiuiuia
Bright's Missionary Even'nps." compiled
by Mies S. O'H. Dickson and pubPreparatory
and College Courses for
girls and young women. Also Music,
Art. Elocution, Business. Strong
faculty of experienced specialists,
t. etc. Gymnasium, basket ball, tennis,
nter anv time
. l)rini? O l ?T|*bnrK, W. Va.
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ht it is to the music-lover to play?or
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a silver bell?rich, sweet and true?
singing quality that is rapturous in
purity! It makes the music a hundore
enjoyable?lends a new, unlight
to the old-time favorites. And it
re, singing tone quality that has made
rate & Butler
Pianos i
in the most cultured, music-loving
a tone that you'll find in few pianos
and in none at anywhere near the
imous instrument. So, by all means.
this piano before you
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Co.
i N OF THE .SOUTH
llehed by our Nashville Committee, and <
who have used with the children that i
delightful collection of true Btories by
our own missionaries in foreign lands. ?
will be glad to know that Miss Dickson '
has introduced this dear old lady to our <
Home Mission fields. <
Under the authority of the Executive
Committee of Home Missions, Atlanta,
Miss Dickson has collected from our !
workers in the home land, among the '
Indians, the Mexicans, the Italians, the 1
?
vuuauj, uiuuiiR me .Miners, in the West, '
and far back in the Mountains, true
stories of little children whose hearts <
have been won by the message of Jesus' 1
love, and who, responsive to the good '
news, have tried in their earnest, child- '
ish way to bring others to the Savior, i
Most of us know Miss Dickson as the
author of many beautiful poems and
charming children's stories, and the i
mere fact that th's collection Is edited i
by her. and that she has added to each i
story questions on the work it repre- <
sents, will assure the interest and i
worth of the book. i
"Grandma Bright's Home Mission
Evenings" furnishes what our people i
have long needed?a book of stories for <
our own children about our own work,
and by our own missionaries. Leaders <
of Children's Bands, Young People's <
Societies, teachers in Sunday Schools, 1
and mothers, all who are concerned that I
the young people of our Church shall <
ha VP a rnn 1 a n a on 1 n ? a i? * *
...... on iiiicm^ciiL interest
in our work, will find this book just i
what they have been wanting. <
The publication has been undertaken
by our Committee at Richmond, and Is
being pushed so that Grandma Bright 1
may make her bow on the Home Mis- i
sion platform by December 15th. The
collection, besides being suitable for 1
use in organized children's work, will
make a splendid gift book for Christmas
or New Year.
Copies will be 15 cents each. Save
time by sending money and order direct
to the Presbyterian Committee of
Publication, Richmond, Va.
THE CALENDAR OF PR\YER FOR
HOME MISSIONS FOR 1912.
Miss Barbara E. Lnmdin. ,
In several ways the Calendar of :
Prayer for Home Missions will register
next year a distinct departure. ]
It will as formerly be Issued in the
hanger form, which met w'th such general
acceptance in the editions for 1909 <
and 1910; the price will remain the
same: it will give condensed statistics '
of the work of Assembly's Home Mis- J
sions, and the names of our men and
women missionaries in Mlss'on Sunday <
and Day Schools, in the mountain, on (
the plains of the M'est, among the In- !
dians, the Foreigners, the Negroes, in (
Mill and Factory districts, in the city,
and at local places, with special seasons '
of prayer for the work and the work- j
ers. and it will, of course, contain many .
choice Scripture selections. i
But the scope of the Calendar of
Prayer for Home Missions for 1912 will {
be enlarged to include the work of the t
Executive Committee of Christian Ed- i
ucatlon and Ministerial Relief, I^onlsville,
Ky? and the Executive Committee
of Publication and Sabbath School
Work, Richmond, Va.
In the compilation of former editions,
our best modern authors were placed
under tribute, with the result that a
reputation was pained for beautiful and
appropriate quotations, and In a short
time this new publication of our Church
had won a larpe place In the afTectlons
and prayers of our people. The edition
for with Its wider ranpe of causes,
nromises not onlv ? hronrtor nntinnt nn
? ?" I
the work and needs of our Church at 1
home, but another treat In the changed
character of Its principal quotations,
which will give a glance back In verse
11171 ? 19
aver the progress of the Church unlversal
from post-Apostolic times.
In the rush, the whirl, and restlessiess
of the present day It helps us to remember
that In all the centuries since
aur Lord established his Church on the
earth there have been choice souls who
have lived close to the Master, and
whose love to Christ, perhaps is even
their sacrifice for him, inspired them to
bursts of sublime thought, frequently
finding apt expression in song. One
tlinco point - fT'1 *
Doi.ua wrts i nomas A. Kernpl8.
rhrough his meditations, following the
thought and often the very wording of
Holy Writ, we can trace the conflict of
30ul endured by this monk of the fourteenth
century, and share In his victory
over the flesh won through fa'th. Perhaps
the extracts from his matchleea
"Imitation of Christ" will bring to our
twentieth century a needed message of
the transitoriness of this life, of the inability
of the world to satisfy our deepest
longings, of the unsearchable
depths of the love of Christ, and lead
us anew, following in paths of the Revealed
Word, to place our affections
more upon things above, and to give
aurselves wholly to Christ.
As far as space permits there will he
inotation8 also from poems and hymns
af ancient and medieval Christian
writers. Probably to some it will be a
rlo/1 A- * '*
5.C.U Dm in isc iu reaa inese exquisitely
jxpressed hymns of prnlse and devotion,
wh'eh echo down the years In choral
intiphones. "The Holy Church throughsot
all the world, doth acknowledge
rhee."
What blessings may not these three
beneflclent Committees of our Church
expect when our people unitedly and
regularly pray for the work assigned
to them by our General Assembly, and
the workers upon whom God has placed
the responsibility for Its accomplishment.
The Calendar of Prayer for Home
Missions for 1912 will be ready for delivery
on or before December 15th. but
as a large demand is confidently expected,
it would be wise to place orders
at once. 10 cents each. 5ft cents for six,
> 1 AA ? * * * *
j>i.uu per aozen. Address the Presbyter'an
Committee of Publication, Richmond,
Va.
WORKS WITHOUT FAITH.
Faith Cnme After Work* Had Laid the
Foundation.
A Bay State belle talks thus about
:offee:
"While a coffee drinker T was a 8uf'erer
from Indigestion and intensely
gainful nervous headaches, from chlldlood.
"Seven years ago my health pave out
entirely. I grew so weak that the exertion
of walking, if only a few feet,
nade it necessary for fe to lie down,
dv fr'ends thought I was marked for
mnsumption?weak ,thln and pale.
"I realized the danger 1 was in and
ried faithfully to get relief from med
cines, till, at last, after having erailoyed
all kinds of drutrs, the doctor
icknowledged that he did not believe
it was In his power to cure me."
"While In this condition a friend injured
me to quit cocee and try Postnm,
ind T did so without the least hope
hat It would do me any pood. I did
lot like It at first, but when It was
iroperly made T found it a most deIclous
and refreshing beverage. T am
'specially fond of it served at dinner
ce-cold, with cream.
"In a month's time I began to 1mirove.
and In a few weeks my indigestion
ceased to trouble me, and my headiche
stopped entirely. I af so perfectly
well now that I do not look like the
lame person, and I have so gained in
" C ?
i.*-aii Mini am 10 pounns neavier man
iver before.
"This 1s what Postum has done for
me. T still use it and shall alwavg do
no." Kame given by Postum r,o? Rattle
^ree.r. Mich.
"There's a reason." and tt Is explained
In the little hook, "The Road to
We'lvlHe," In nkers.
Ever rend the nhn?e letter? A new
one npnenrs from time t^ time. They
lire irenulne, trne, and full of bnniuii
Interest.