A Retrospect

Chapter 20

Chapter 201,929 wordsPublic domain

THE MISSION IN 1894

THE events sketched in the last two chapters have been more fully delineated by Miss Guinness in her interesting _Story of the China Inland Mission_, which continues its history to the present date. It is indeed a record of the goodness of GOD, every remembrance of which calls for gratitude and praise. We can only here briefly mention a few facts, referring our readers to Miss Guinness's work for all details.

After a voyage of many mercies the _Lammermuir_ party safely reached China, and during the first ten years stations and out-stations were opened in many cities and towns in four provinces which hitherto had been unreached by the Gospel. At home Mr. and Mrs. Berger continued their devoted service until March 19th, 1872, I having returned to England the year before. Shortly after this the London Council was formed, which has now for several years been assisted by an auxiliary Council of ladies. A Scotch Council was also formed in Glasgow a few years ago.

A visit to America in 1888 issued in the formation of the Council for North America, and a similar Council for Australasia was commenced in Melbourne two years later. In the field a China Council was organised in 1886, composed of senior missionaries who meet quarterly in Shanghai.

Closely associated with the C. I. M. are seven Committees--in England, Norway, Sweden (two), Finland, Germany, and the United States--which send out and support their own missionaries, who in China have the assistance of the educational and other advantages of the C. I. M., and who work under its direction.

The staff of the Mission, in May 1893, consisted of 552 missionaries (including wives and associates). There were also 326 native helpers (95 of whom were unpaid), working as pastors, evangelists, teachers, colporteurs, Bible-women, etc., in 14 different provinces.

Duly qualified candidates for missionary labour are accepted without restriction as to denomination, provided they are sound in the faith in all fundamental truths: these go out in dependence upon GOD for temporal supplies, with the clear understanding that the officers of the Mission do not guarantee any income whatever; and knowing that as they will not go into debt, they can only minister to them as the funds sent in from time to time will allow. But we praise GOD that during the past twenty-eight years such ministry has always been possible; our GOD _has_ supplied all our need, and has withheld no good thing.

All the expenses of the Mission at home and abroad are met by voluntary contributions, sent to the offices of the Mission without personal solicitation, by those who wish to aid in this effort to spread the knowledge of the Gospel throughout China. The income for the year 1892 was about £34,000 from all sources--Great Britain, the Continent of Europe, North America, Australasia, China, etc.

Some of the missionaries having private property have gone out at their own expense, and do not take anything from the Mission funds.

Stations have been opened in ten of the eleven provinces which were previously without Protestant missionaries; from one of these, however, we have had to retire. The eleventh province has been visited several times, and it is hoped that in it permanent work may soon be begun.

More than 200 stations and out-stations have been opened in fourteen of the eighteen provinces, in all of which stations either missionaries or native labourers are resident. Over 6000 converts have been baptized from the commencement, some 4000 of whom are now living and in fellowship.

THE MISSION IN 1902

The year 1894, in which the first edition of _A Retrospect_ appeared, was marked by the erection of large and commodious premises for the work of the Mission, and early in the following year the houses in Pyrland Road, which had so long formed the home of the Mission in England, were vacated, and NEWINGTON GREEN, LONDON, N., became the address of the Mission offices and home.

From that date until the Boxer outbreak of 1900 the Mission made steady progress, the development of the work in China being accompanied by corresponding developments in the home departments of the Mission in England, America, and Australasia.

In January 1900, before the Boxer outbreak, there were in connection with the Mission, 811 missionaries, including wives and associates; 171 stations; 223 out-stations; 387 chapels; 581 paid native helpers; 193 unpaid native helpers; 8557 communicants in fellowship, 12,964 having been baptized from the commencement. There were 266 organised churches; 788 boarding scholars; 1382 day scholars; 6 hospitals; 18 dispensaries; and 46 opium refuges.

During the terrible year of 1900, when no fewer than 135 missionaries and 53 missionaries' children and many thousands of Chinese Christians were cruelly murdered, the China Inland Mission lost 58 missionaries and 21 children. The records of these unparalleled times of suffering have been told in _Martyred Missionaries of the China Inland Mission_ and in _Last Letters_, both of which books will be found advertised at the end of this volume. Apart from loss of life, there was an immense amount of Mission property destroyed, and the missionaries were compelled to retire from their stations in most parts of China.

The doors closed by this outbreak have all been reopened in the goodness of GOD. In those districts which suffered most from the massacres the work has largely been one of reorganisation; but throughout China generally there has been a spirit of awakening and a time of enlarged opportunity; which is a loud call for more men and women to volunteer to step into the gaps and fill the places of those who have fallen.

Among recent developments we would specially mention the opening of a new home centre at Philadelphia, U.S.A. The total income of the Mission for 1901 was £53,633 = $257,712, and the total received in England alone, for 1902, was £51,446 = $246,912. The total membership of the Mission in June 1902 was 761.

Current information about the progress of the work in China may be obtained from _China's Millions_, the organ of the Mission. It is published monthly, and may be ordered through any bookseller from Messrs. Morgan and Scott, 12 Paternoster Buildings, E.C., for 1s. per year, or direct by post from the offices of the Mission, Newington Green, London, N., for 1s. 6d. per annum.

The Australasian edition of _China's Millions_ may be ordered at the same price from M. L. Hutchinson, Little Collins Street, or from the Mission Offices, 267 Collins Street, Melbourne. The North American edition will be sent post free from the Mission Offices, 507 Church Street, Toronto, for 50 cents per annum.

Prayer meetings on behalf of the work in China are held at the principal home centres of the Mission, as follows: Every Saturday afternoon from 4 to 6 o'clock, at Newington Green, London. Every Friday evening at 8 o'clock, at 507 Church Street, Toronto. Every Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock, in the Office, 267 Collins Street, Melbourne. A hearty invitation to attend any one of these meetings is given to any one residing in or visiting any of these cities.

Donations to the Mission, applications from candidates, orders for literature, requests for deputation speakers, and other correspondence should be forwarded to

The Secretary, China Inland Mission, Newington Green, London, N.

The Home Director, China Inland Mission, 507 Church Street, Toronto, Canada.

or

702 Witherspoon Buildings, Philadelphia, U.S.A.

or to

The Secretary, China Inland Mission, 267 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia.

STATIONS OF THE CHINA INLAND MISSION

1900

(BEFORE THE BOXER OUTBREAK)

The best guide to the stations of the Mission is the new _China Inland Mission Map_ (size 44 × 38 in., mounted on linen, coloured, varnished, and hung on rollers), price 8s. _net_, carriage and packing extra. Mounted to fold, 8s. _net_, post free.

Provinces.[4] Stations.[5] WORK BEGUN.

=Kan-suh=, 1876 LIANG-CHAU 1888 SI-NING 1885 LAN-CHAU 1885 TS'IN-CHAU 1878 _Area,[6] 125,450 square miles._ FU K'IANG 1899 _Population, 9,285,377._ P'ING-LIANG 1895 KING-CHAU 1895 TS'ING-NING 1897 Chen-yuen 1897 Tong-chi 1899 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Shen-si=, 1876. Lung-chau 1893 FENG-TSIANG 1888 Mei-hien 1893 K'IEN-CHAU 1894 _Area, 67,400 square miles._ Chau-chih 1893 _Population, 8,432,193._ _Sang-kia-chuang_ 1894 Hing-p'ing 1893 SI-GAN 1893 _Ying-kia-wei_ 1893 Chen-kia-hu 1897 Lan-t'ien 1895 K'ien-yang 1897 Ch'ang-wu 1897 San-shui 1897 T'UNG-CHAU 1891 Han-ch'eng 1897 HAN-CHUNG 1879 Ch'eng-ku 1887 Si-hsiang 1896 Yang-hien 1896 HING-AN 1898 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Shan-si=, 1876 TA-T'UNG 1886 Hwen-yuen 1898 SOH-P'ING 1895 Tsö-yuin 1895 YING-CHAU 1897 Hiao-i 1887 Kiai-hiu 1891 SIH-CHAU 1885 Ta-ning 1885 KIH-CHAU 1891 Ho-tsin 1893 Ping-yao 1888 _Area, 56,268 square miles._ HOH-CHAU 1886 _Population, 12,211,453._ Hung-t'ung 1886 Yoh-yang 1896 P'ING-YANG 1879 K'üh-wu 1885 I-shï 1891 Yüin-ch'eng 1888 _Mei-ti-kiai_ 1895 HIAI-CHAU 1895 Lu-ch'eng 1889 _Ü-wu_ 1896 LU-GAN 1889 Kiang-chau 1898 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Chih-li=, 1887 T'IEN-TSIN 1888 _Area, 58,949 square miles._ PAO-T'ING 1891 _Population, 17,937,000._ Hwuy-luh 1887 SHUN-TEH 1888 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Shan-tung=, 1879 _Chefoo_ 1879 " Sanatorium 1880 " Boys' School 1880 _Area, 53,762 square miles._ " Girls' " 1884 _Population, 36,247,835._ " Preparatory School 1895 _T'ung-shin_ 1889 Ning-hai 1886 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Ho-nan=, 1875 Siang-ch'eng 1891 _Chau-kia-k'eo_ 1884 _Ho-nan_ ... _Ho-peh_ ... _Ho-si_ ... _Area, 66,913 square miles._ CH'EN-CHAU 1895 _Population, 22,115,827._ T'ai-k'ang 1895 _She-k'i-tien_ 1886 Kwang-chau 1899 Hin-an 1899 _King-tsï-kuan_ 1896 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =W. Si-ch'uan=, 1877 Kwan-hien 1889 CH'EN-TU 1881 KIA-TING 1888 _Area of whole Province, SUI-FU 1888 166,800 square miles._ LU-CHAU 1890 Hiao-shï 1899 CH'UNG-K'ING 1877 Ta-chien-lu 1897 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =E. Si-ch'uan=, 1886 Kwang-yuen 1889 _Sin-tien-tsï_ 1892 PAO-NING 1886 Ying-shan 1898 _Population of whole Province, Kü-hien 1898 67,712,897._ SHUN-K'ING 1896 Pa-chau 1887 SUI-TING 1899 Wan-hien 1888 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Hu-peh=, 1874 _Lao-ho-k'eo_ 1887 _Area, 70,450 square miles._ _Han-kow_ 1889 _Population, 34,244,685._ I-CH'ANG 1895 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Gan-hwuy=, 1869 T'ai-ho 1892 VING-CHAU 1897 _Ch'eng-yang-kwan_ 1887 _K'u-ch'eng_ 1887 Fuh-hing-tsih (Lai-gan) 1898 LUH-GAN 1890 GAN-K'ING 1869 _Area, 48,461 square miles._ Training Home ... _Population, 20,596,288._ Wu-hu 1893 Kien-p'ing 1894 NING-KWOH 1874 KWANG-TEH 1890 CH'I-CHAU 1889 Kien-teh 1892 HWUY-CHAU 1884 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Kiang-su=, 1854 Gan-tung 1891 Ts'ing-kiang-pu 1869 Kao-yiu 1888 YANG-CHAU 1868 Training Home ... CHIN-KIANG 1888 _Area, 44,500 square miles._ Shanghai 1854 _Population, 20,905,171._ Financial Department ... Business Department ... Home ... Hospital ... Evangelistic Work ... Literary Work ... -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Yun-nan=, 1877 Bhâmo (Upper Burmah) 1875 _Area, 107,969 square miles._ TA-LI 1881 _Population, 11,721,576._ YUN-NAN 1882 K'ÜH-TS'ING 1889 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Kwei-chau=, 1877 KWEI-YANG 1877 GAN-SHUN 1888 _Area, 64,554 square miles._ Tuh-shan 1893 _Population, 7,669,181._ HING-I 1891 (Work among Aborigines) ... _P'ang-hai_ 1897 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Hu-nan=, 1875 CH'ANG-TEH 1898 _Area, 74,320 square miles_. SHEN-CHAU 1898 _Population, 21,002,604._ Ch'a-ling 1898 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Kiang-si=, 1869 KIU-KIANG 1889 Ku-ling Sanatorium 1898 _Ta-ku-t'ang_ 1873 NAN-K'ANG 1887 Gan-ren 1889 RAO-CHAU 1898 _Peh-kan_ 1893 Kwei-k'i 1878 _Shang-ts'ing_ 1893 Hü-wan 1899 Ih-yang 1890 _Area, 72,176 square miles._ _Ho-k'eo_ 1878 _Population, 24,534,118._ _Yang-k'eo_ 1890 Kwang-feng 1889 Yuh-shan 1877 _Chang-shu_ 1895 KUI-GAN 1891 _Feng-kang_ 1891 KAN-CHAU 1899 Sin-feng 1899 LIN-KIANG 1898 NAN-CH'ANG 1898 UEN-CHAU (_Itinerating_) ... Yung-sin 1899 -------------------------------------------------------------------- =Cheh-kiang=, 1857 HANG-CHAU 1866 SHAO-HING 1866 Sin-ch'ang 1870 KIU-CHAU 1872 Ch'ang-shan 1878 Lan-k'i 1894 _Area, 39,150 square miles_. KIN-HWA 1875 _Population, 11,588,692._ Yung-k'ang 1882 Tseh-k'i 1897 CH'U-CHAU 1875 Lung-ch'uen 1894 Uin-ho 1895 Song-yang 1896 _Siao-mei_ 1896 Tsin-yun 1898 NING-P'O 1857 Fung-hwa 1866 Ning-hai 1868 T'ien-t'ai 1898 T'AI-CHAU 1867 Ling-he District ... Hwang-yen 1896 T'ai-p'ing 1898 WUN-CHAU 1867 Bing-yae 1874

FOOTNOTES:

[4] Arranged in three lines from west to east, for easy reference to Map. The dates in this column in many cases are of itinerations begun.

[5] Capitals of Provinces in capital letters; of Prefectures in small capitals; and of Counties in romans; Market Towns in italics.

[6] Areas and populations are from _The Statesman's Year Book_.

_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh._

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Transcriber's Notes:

Page 109, "my" changed to "My" (My marriage had been)

Page 125, ending ) added. (Miss Bausum (afterwards Mrs. Barchett)); in)

Page 129, format of "God" was changed to "GOD" to match rest of usage. (goodness of GOD)

Possible nconsistencies in spelling of Chinese names were retained such as Bhâmo and Bhamô.