An Interesting Sidelight on the Nationalist Movement At the annual meeting of the Society of Friends in London on Muy 19, a lecture was read by Mr Harry T. Sileock, Secretary of the Friends Foreign' Mission Association and late Vice-Principal of the West China Union University, in which some comment was made upon "Nationalism" in China and its relation to Mission work which may be of interest to missionaries here.
"The world's widespread and seething discontent," said Mr. Sileoek, "is particularly noticeable in China, Russia and Africa, In China some ardent -spitits have banded them. selves together in the triple denial [of government, the taxnily and God, There, as in many other lands, these [disruptive forees find express fan ardent nationalism, Nattonatim fand the Youth Movement re not, lin form at least, religious, They are_often bitterly opposed to [ganized religion. The old forms snd systems~are found wanting, jand, giving them such labels as Victorianism of Capitalism, Youth {is busy with their-demolition. Too often an incomplete ideal such as! Nationalism or Social Service is set up in place of the old god mistake for which the champion: of-religion are more to blame than' its opponents. Much which. has passed for religion was little better than selfishness, or lust for power and domination, or the crude warlike spirit, all the worst because masquerading under a sanctimonious exterior. Salvation was thought of in too individual a sense. Missions, both home and foreign, too easily degenerated into offensive patronage. War was blessed by the Church to such an.extent that it drew the frequent gibe of the Preacher outdoing the recruiting sergeant.
"Connected with with present day Chi wide growing recognition of the good which is contained in all re-Ugions, until Europe and America fare faced with the opposite danger of a sentimental and uncritical admiration of the ancient and mysterious East. It is ensy to slip into the error of comparing the best in one system with the worst or with the prevailing practice in another.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.