July 24, 'Tne pronouncement by the National Christian Council of! China which we publish to-tay is accompanied by a letter saying that, in the opinion of the Council, this statement " is calculated to' do much good"—another example of how widely opinions may differ on the same subject. No reader will have forgotten the former statement addressed by the N.C. C. to the Municipal Council and the widespread reprobation it evoked, a feeling in which even some of the 1,100 missionaries who, we are told, elected the N. C. C., emphatical ly shared, But, of course, to Getermined natures criticism only acts as a spur to further action otherwise the world would probably be considerably more peaceful than it is to-day.
The constitution of the N. C. C. Executive Committee is into ing.
It consists of twenty-o nine foreign and twelve Of the former, at least two are not at present in Shanj hai. 'The chairman is Dr. David Yui, who in times past has enjoy-eu a remarkably "good press' among "foreigners, and has returned evil for good by proving himself throughout the present crisis one of the most vigorous anti-foreign propagandists, One of the secretaries of the Committee is the Rev. K. T. Chung, whose anti-foreign energies have made him so conspicuous that certain members of the missionary body recently intervened to stop his addressing the fortnightly prayer meeting of the Shang-lai "Missionary Association. These facts throw a flood of light on the actions of the N.C. C, and the colour of its opinions, For example, we would refer the reader to the list grievances adduced in to-day's statement as fundamental causes of the present unrest, for further suggestiveness that the N. C. C. is being used as a means. of Chinese propaganda—especially the insistance on "unequal treaties," a phrase which recalls, and has about as much justice in it as that one so often heard during the war, "the freedom of the The ostensible purpose of the N. C. C. statement is to send a message to Christians throughout China, In so far as it does this, it would be an impertinence on cur part to criticize. The N.C. C. is. enrively within its right in times like these to advise on religious topics. It cannot, however, be overlooked that the Chinese Christian community has|@' Curing the past eight weeks displayed a most unaccountable eagerness to. throw off the restraints of foreign guidance and to procidim to the world at large that it will henceforth have nothing to do with its erstwhile foreign friends. We do not suggest: that that is the attitude of even a majority of the Chinese Christian community, but it has conspicuously been that of an extremely vocal minority of its members, that one cannot help
message is largely if not mainly thinking' that the N.C. Cid siesigued. to coax back. these truculent sheep into the fold.
Where the N.C. C. trenches on! lather matters, we cannot but think that it ig guilty of unwary frantable impertinence. For instance, we learn for the first time that shortly after May 30, it sent! lout emissaries to-the editors of jail newspapers in Shanghai to urge them to be careful in pre-iseriting facts and passing judgment. We say we learn this {for the first time, because none lof these envoys visited the \"North-China Daily News." Prob-lably they thought that we were past praying for. We see that! Jan esteemed contemporary was more honoured and, strangely] enough, it does not seem to have appreciated the honour. What Ihappened to the envoys in Chin-lose newspaper offices, we can lenly surmise from the conspicuous want of success attend-ling their efforts. However, all Inewspapers are notoriously different to facts and hasty in judgment and have accordingly lonly themselves to thank for un-Isolicited advice. Less excusable) lyras the N. C. G's letter to the [Municipal Council. The letter iwas written on June 8. At least week earlier the Council had Ibegun to work hard for a judicial inquiry; on June 6 the Consular Kody addressed the Commissioner vor Foreign Affairs, stating that such an inquiry would certainly Ibe held; therefore, half the n commendations from the N. C. ere unnecessary, while the other half certainly did not lie within its competence, except as an inletrument of Chinese propaganda.
Since the beginning of the present unhappy dispute, we have seen more than one pronunciamonte issued by religious organizations. There was a very Inoble one sent out by all the [British Missionary Societies in meeting at Swanwick. These speakers confined themselves entirely to the religious duties of a [Christian in times of stress, the lueed of prayer, of imploring [Divine assistance and strength, lof courage and patience in tribulation. There was not one word lof criticism of the civil authority, Mor even an indication that such, criticism might be called for. feat to the N.C.C. that riy more statements might, take such a message lus its model. I+ asks: "Should jwe not take prompt steps to pro-Imote " better understanding b2- tween and appreciation of China lund the Powers?" Possibly the best way of doing so would be to abstain from political matters and te concentrate on those which Ithe title of the N. C. C. would naturally suggest must be ite first, indeed its only concern.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.