Woman's Work in the Far East. May, 1899, Shanghai: American Presbyterian Mission Press.
The saying of Archimedes, that if he were given sufficient leverage he could move the world, makes us think of how, with the family as a fulcrum, the women of to-day possess splendid opportunities for moving the world. In the rapidly developing activities of New Testament times, as well as in the early propagation of Christianity in our home lands, women tonk a conspicuous place; and a perusal of the Woman's Work lying before us affords abundant evidence of how lady-workers are moving China, not only through their influence on the daughters of China, but on the sons as well.
In the 88 pages of this May number there are fifteen articles written by workers in widely separated fields, including Manchuria, Burma, and Szechuan. In these articles, as well as in contributions under Notes and Queries" and "Glimpses and Gleanings" various methods are discussed, experiences are related, and effects noted. Some of these experiences are thrilling, especially in the article on Demon Sowing," where Mrs. W. E. Soothill shows the many dangers that threatened two native friends in a month's sojourn in the Suian district. We learn from this article the great amount of ignorance and superstition that prevails regarding the missionaries and their aims, especially in country tricts. The charges brought against the two native women of sowing evil spirits evokes the following footnote from the editors of Woman's Work: Existence of such ideas among the people, as described in the above paper, is not to be wondered at as there are several books published by the Chinese Government and sold at cost price to encourage their wide circulation in which missionaries are said to practice this ' black art' for unspeakably vile purposes. And it is remarkable that up to this date none of the representatives of foreign powers have effectively remonstrated with the Chinese Government about this, and made it clear to them that the Chinese Government itself is thus chiefly responsible for the missionary troubles."
The opening article, written by Miss Christie, gives an excellent account of the development of mission work in Manchuria, and has some interesting references to the causes of the recent remarkable movement towards Christianity. The causes defeat of Chisa by Japen brought home are both political and religious. "The
to many a Chinese in Manchuria with painful "distinctness the superiority Western war methods. It naturally followed that there should be widespread interest and enquiry into all things Wester, religion among the rest. In not a few cases, especially among the more intelligent, the frat impulse towards Christianity has been a purely secular and speculative questioning: 'These foreigners are evidently not bar-parians after all—what is it that they teach?" This seems to be working, more or less throughout China at present, and here certainly not less powerfully' than else where. The steady advance of Russia is another reason why Manchuria is seeking Christian instruction. To those who know the Russian attitude of indifference to the heathenism of those under their rule, this may seem unreasonable; but the Chinese do not know it, and, hearing that Russia is Christian, they not unnaturally conclude that in the days to come it will be as well for them to have some connection with that religion. A third, and more unworthy influence, is the power which the Church undoubtedly possesses to protect its members. Even where no direct help is given, the very name of the foreigners, and the fact of connection with what is now a large Hui! (Society) is often sufficient to prevent the imposition of an unlawful tax or the illegal exaction of a debt, from which the isolated countryman would have no redress."
From this it will be seen that great difficulty must be experienced by the missionaries in keeping out of the Church those who. would enter it from worthy motives. Of course, women are little influenced by the above considerations, yet they have their own temptations. In this and several of the other articles we note how readily the native women earn to read. On page 4 we read: "The number of readers is growing fast, and it is nothing remarkable now for a' female enquirer to be able to read the gospels." On page 8, Mrs. Drake tells how in one class two women could read a litle when she first made their acquaintance: now fourteen or fifteen can read the gospels and several can read the hymn-book, cate-eliism, and other simple Christian books. 'Two important departmonts—medical and school work—have special papers devoted to their discussion. Mrs.' Fitch's paper on "Missionary Women in Shanghai Shall We Work How Shall We Live?" is thoughtful and practical and will doubtless prove an incentive to a higher plane of life and work, Mrs. Timothy Richard ably advocates the teaching of paying industries in Mission Schools, "To note the characteristic features of all the contributions however, impossible; attention, however, might be directed to the particulars given of the progress of anti-foot-binding in North Ching, and the contributions {rom Burma and Siam.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.