The Rev. Gilbert Reid says it would open wide the doors of the Empire to Trade and Progress and told diffuse nineteenth century light among the mandarins.
A man recently arrived in this city from China who has a noteworthy and unique scheme under way. He is the Rev. Gilbert Reid, a mis-ionary among the better classes in the Flowery Kingdom.
Mr. Reid has bees quite conspicuous for several yeara, for his has been a mission of enlightenment rather than evangelisation, and this fact has created for him a unique position not only among missionaries sent out to China under the auspices of Foreign Mission Boards, but also among the Chinese themselves. His scheme is to be known as the International Institute of China, and he wants the American people to help him carry it out. He will not beg for money, for he cut loose from mission boards three years ago and so does} not propose to beg in Sunday schools, churches, "Spworth' Leagues, ° Christina Endeavour Societies, and such organisations after the custom of the usual returned missionary in need of funds. What he does propose to do is to appeal to rich individualy for the money 8 build. this Institute.
Mr. Reid arrived here last week from San Francisco, where he landed a month ago. When asked to tell about his new enterprise he said "This proposed International Institute of China is to supply the missing link between the mandarins of that country and foreign merchants and between the man-dorine and the missionaries. At the same time I wish it distinctly understood that I am not starting hong, as we say over there, or a syndicate, or building a church, Any one who wants to buy merchandise can go to the traders and any one who wants to be baptised can go to the mission. eries. I am trying to help them all, from the man highest in the official life of China to his lowest subject, the missionaries, the foreign merchants, everybody, "I worked asia missionary ten years under the Presbyterian Board, and soon after I went, out my interest in the higher classes of China was aroused. It began when I found it necessary to help our missionaries in securing property protection and redress for injury and damages suffered in a number of riots, Experience slong that line for seven years gave me a taste for that kind of work. but when the riots stopped I ceased to be a missionary lawyer and since have interested myself in this educational movement.
"At the end of ten years I came home on a two-years' leave of absence. When it was time for me to return I brought things toa focus, fon knew my mission was among the higher classes. I asked the members of the board if they preferred I should do this special work under the or independently. They ssid in substance that if I wanted to do such work I had better do it cee, "oeergg a it Lg not bors that mately. So T Iaunched my little canoe snd the Church, as such, could carry out legiti-it has not been swamped yet. For the last three years I have been doing this special work among the high-caste Chinese, and during these years my work has not been under the direction of any Church. I have done the work in harmony with the varying conditions, and I've had to send no cablegrams' to New York asking: 'What am I todo?' Missionaries are all right, but mission boards—well, to say the least, they hamper one fearfully. Being thus independent of any one Church or creed, I decided not to make mine @ mission to evangelist and proselytise the Chinese, which is the legitimate work of the churches, but to make it a mission of enlightenment in which all classes of Chinese and foreigners cauld be interested, and by which all could be benefited.
"This brings us down to the work or plan of this International Institute. It pieces because it differs fron almost appears toa great many as unique, if not every other institutional work I know of anywhere in the world, and yet it comprises the different features that are common to the better life of every city in Europe or America. The institute will be centred in Peking, because that is the political and literary centre of the whole empire, and what is done through it, with the leading classes, will affect the influential men everywhere in the country.
"One building will be a public library, with foreign and Chinese books arranged with the same thorough system that prevails in the grand libraries in this country, and this will serve as a model to the Chinese. There is not a public library in the country. They have a few small ones, but they reach very few. Another building will be used as a museum or exhibit where we shall collect the apparatus, smaller kinds of machinery, movels, samples, maps, drawings, paintings and 0 on, showing the Chinese the results of our Western skill and arts and sciences. In short, it is to be a continuous miniature exposition. This will afford the first opeurope for getting their merchandise and to the merchants of America and improvements before the intelligent Chinese. T simply stand and open the door and tell the American merchants to walk "The main building will comprise the offices and reception rooms for entertain ing the intelligent Chinese and the various el of foreigners who desire to make their acquaintance. The better class of Chinese are very sociable in their habits and enjoy conversation, especially at the round table. Then there will be class rooms in this building, not for technical training, such as universities give, but for the general and elementary training of the grown men, already in official life, but desirous of knowing more of what other countries are doing and what they themselves ought to do. The main feature of this main building, however, is to be the large auditorium seating 2,000 persons. There is no place of the kind in the Empire where the people can come together at public lectures and entertainments. All of these things in fact are entirely new, not only in Peking but in Chins. That country has no public libraries, no museums, no reception rooms tastefully furnished, no large hall where the educated Chinese can meet and no such class rooms for such a class of people."
"What are your prospects of success Having already secured the friendship of the men -we went to reach," answered Mr. Reid, ''it is inevitable that they and their comrades will be more eager than ever to come around when we have something more to attract them than our individual selves. Merely by my own i dividual effort I have made the actu: tance of more than 400 mandarins. It is certain, as Ihave been able to accomplish this by my unattractive manner alone, that with these very attractive buildings, with all kinds of modern equipment we shall sweep into the line of progress the whole mass of Chinese officialdom, however exclusive and conservative it may be at the present time.
"These buildings are not yet erected and the money is not yet secured. But the first important beginning has been made by obtaining the official sanction of the Chinese Government; this is the first time in the whole history of China that any sanction has been given to a foreign scheme under foreign auspices' along lines of progress. I've secured the concession and ain now trying to start the syndicate. Most of our countrymen who have gone there have first started syndicate, and then tried to get a concession. In many cases they have spent thousands and failed, but I determined before I approached" the public for money that I would get my backing.
"Li Hung-chang, who is one of my best friends, gave me a very fine testimonial to and indicated his willingness to help me the Americin cooee under his own seal financially as soon as the scheme should give sure signs of realisation. We have a very good advisory council and an excellent local committee in Shanghai, composed of Americans, English, French, Germans, and Datch, and in time we expect to put some Chinese. Although the Chinese have contributed largely, financially, having given $10,000, they have made no demands to be represented in the Council, or on the committees. They have faith enough in me to believe that I will not abscond with their funds. The foreign merchants, as well as missionaries resident in Chi ave come forward and heartily recom mended the enterprise, and a large number have contributed to it. With this backing, I managed in a short time before leaving China to raise $15,000 by individual subseriptior giving the greater part of got this start, my friends in China thought that I would have no difficulty in raising the balance of the money in this country, in England, or on the Continent. The Dutch Minister made it the subject of a special despatch to his own Government, in order that the Netherlands and the Dutch colonies especially might make use of the exhibit hall.
"While stopping a few days in San Francisco, T '8 hearing fore the Chamber of Commerce, and a committee of five business men was appointed to aid me in the work. Merely to start a library, a museum and put up. lecture hall may not be a work of much value in itself, but when these are erected and equipped the thing is to get a hold on the leaders of China and to persuade them to initiate measures for the good of their own people. That should appeal to thegenerous-minded people of this country.
instead of going to every John. Chinaman we meet wes hull bring our ideas to the leading men to get them to start libraries, schools, hospitals and to open up railroads, Foreigners say that this is the first time any one ever got s hold on the upper class. My scheme works on the principle of pressing a button and lighting upo great, big hall, instead el lighting here and there a little candle and leaving all the rest dark.'—The Sun, Philadelphia.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.