7th May.
We regret to hear that the only Christian student remaining in the Government School at Chinan has been dismissed for refusal to join in the Confucian worship. Dr. Hayes has notified the authorities that unless there is, in the meantime, a modification of these rules, he and the six teachers in the foreign department will leave at the expiration of the six months' notice required by his engagement.
We consider the exclusion of Christian students a most unwise proceeding on the part of those responsible for it. Who these may be it is not very easy to determine; but we do not for a moment. believe that the Director, Chou Taotai, is to blame in the matter. From all we know of him he appears to be too level-headed a man to approve of such a step. We are rather inclined think that the blame rests on some of the high provincial authorities in conjunction, probably, with certain Peking reactionaries, If such be the case it will only serve to strengthen the view we have held for some time, that the Chinese Government is not sincere in its professed zeal to advance Western education. It is also probable that those officials who are sincere in their desire for reform are aware of this. If so it cannot but tend to discourage' and di: hearten them. Dr. Hayes and his ce-workers are lo be congratulated on the firmness they have shown in notifying the authorities that, unless some modification of the objectionable rules is agreed to, they will no longer be willing to remain at their ests.
If this action of the authorities in Municipality and who expect in connection with the Government School at Chinan is to be followed by a similar mode of procedure in the other schools and colleges under official control, then we may conclude that a serious obs'acie has been placed in the way of the educational advancement of the young men of this country. The step is a retrograde one from whatever point of view we look at it, and it cannot but be a matter of deep concern and apprehension to Vall who are spending their time and strength in seeking to uplift China from the slough of despond, and to enable her to take a higher position among the nations of the earth, Ignorance, dense and impenetrable, has undoubtedly been the prolific source of most of China's woes and sorrows in the past, and those in high positions who, we suspect, cannot but be cognisant to some extent at least of this fact, appear to be determined to place as many obs-tades as possible in the way of the enlightenment of the people.
It remains to be seen what will be the outcome of the resolute stand made by Dr. Hayes and his colleagues. In the meantime, however, we trust that any other foreign teachers or professors, who may be placed in a similar predicament. will have the wisdom and courage to act ina like manner. It is possible that united action of this kind may have the effect of causing the Chinese authorities to hesitate a while, before deliberately determining to alienate and discard a body of men who are so eminently fitted to be the pioneers in the new educational enterprise.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.