the Editor of the "Nonrm-Cama Datty News."
Sir,—I have received a letter dated March 10, from the office of the National Christian Council,—which announces that this body {3 calling a meeting for March 15 to discuss certain questions, Some of these questions seem to me to have come from the inmate of 'a madhouse. One of them is,
property?" There are secretaries "What isthe actual status of mission in the N.C. C. who know perfectly} well what the actual status of mission property is, I cannot think why they do not tell the other mem-bors of the Council without calling! 'a conference about it unless they} intend to allow trouble to be stirred "Mission "property," so called, does not of course belong to mission Almost all of it belongs to corporations in western countries, such Churches and various societies with-these Churches, which have ought it, paid for it and put {ngs on it for the use of the missionaries which these corporations fruit and send to China and all other pagati istianity. 'These cor-countries for. the parpose of pro, orations have said nothing about giving this property to anybody. They do not even allow their represchtatives on the different fields very much, if any, authority in the matter of buying' and selling and they certainly have no authority at all to give away, property. Calling a conference to discuss the "status of property" actually belonging to people thousands of miles away, is tone of the greatest pieces of imper-Yinence that has ever come to the attention of the writer of this letter.
If the N.C. C, is_contemplating some agitation for the purpose of trying to force these corporations in the West to turn over their proerty in China to what the N. calls the "Chinese Church," _but what are actually Chinese Churches, it is little Ikely to accomplish anything but a bad misunderstanding and if it does succeed in any instance getting any property or the control of any funds contributed abroad, turned over to any. section of the Chinese Churches, i have accomplished the utter ruin of that section, History has sufficiently proven that the control-of property or funds fu sufficient amount to support a [Church by a Charch whose members not contribute them as they are needed, works great spiritual harm that Church, It would work the rain of the Chinese Churches in the present state of things. The foreign secretaries of the N. C. C. have read Church History. Why do they not do something to stop madness?
Tt is to be most earnestly hoped that the N. ©. C. will come to. its senses and that immediately, it persists in its present course and causes misunderstandings, where none exist at present, the' end will be that the corporations in the West will be obliged to sell their property, withdraw their missionaries and eave the Chinese Churches in a feeble condition and barely] able to get along at This would] be most regrettable, but would be Infinitely preferable to giving these Churches property and funds which would work their utter and complete ruin before any great length of! time.
Tt may be that things have gone too far and that the N. ©. (0, has already started a movement that it feannot stop and that the Churches of the West will have to withdraw as described above, but it is "up to" the N. ©, C. What has been done! already has been mostly the work of those prominent in its councils. Tet us hope that these men will ry] to undo some of the damage they have done or at Toast not do any] more, Tam, ete, Missionary my KraNosu.
Kiangsu, March 12, 1927.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.