A Reply {8 Professor Herbert Giles: Christianity and Educational Advance, Chinese Culture, Social Conditions and Character Building By Dr. Hanoi Baur, PREsIoENT OF SUANTUNG CHRISTIAN University Professor Giles's article to which the following is a reply was published in our issue of December 14.
The articles which have appeared in the "Sunday Times" from the pen of Dr. H. A. Giles demand the ser-fous attention due to one who is! universally recognized as one of the foremost sinologues of our day.
Speaking from un experience of] many years' residence in China during the latter part of the 19th century, followed by an interested. observation of Oriental affairs from the quiet seclusion of a professorial chair, Dr. Giles makes the surprising statement that the most important factor underlying the present i-British sentiment and economic boycott in China is the irritating and. harmful effect caused by missionary effort in that country. In making this- assertion, Professor Giles parts company completely from such em-ment public servants of China as] the late Sir John Jordan, Sir Ernest Satow, Sir Robert Hart, and Dr. George Morrison—not to mention numbers of His Majesty's Consuls—whose deliberate testimony has been in exact opposition to Dr. Giles' opinion; nor docs he explain why it ie that this sentiment is anti-British-rather than anti-American, seeing that American missionaries greatly outnumber those from this country.
Space does not allow of any reference to the various quotations which could be given from the pub-ie utterances of these students of missionary activity, nor is it my purpose to follow Dr. Giles in the Jong list of lurid incidents with which he has endeavored to make the flesh of his readers creep. 1 prefer to address myself to the more tactical question as to what Christ-
Dr. Giles's main contention the introduction of Christianity acted as an irritant in Chinese life, and this is doubtless true. It ix equally true of British diplomacy, British commerce, and every form of Western civilization which has made its impact upon the Orien*, But speaking as a medical man, would remaind the readers of the "Sunday Times" that irritants, when ther introduced into the body physical or politico, are of two kinds. The one produces necrosis, suffering, death; the other gives rise to a! healthy vital reaction. The question at issue is as to which of these categories missionary activity—comes under and only a earful examination of the actual facts can supply} an answer. What are these facts?
1.—Christianity and Educa tional Advance 1, It is to Christian Missions that China owes her first modern and colleges, and up till the year 1005—when ie whole educational generation system of China was modernis they occupied almost the whol field. It is remarkable of the men and women engaged in constructive work in China are the product of these schools. Liberal-minded politicians like Dr. W. W. Yen; outstanding educationists" like Dr. P. W. Kuo, Dr. Chang Posing, and Dr. W. T.'Tao; leaders of the medical profession like the brother New, Dr. F.C. Yen and Dr_ Mary] Stone; Mi and the Uni fred Sze and Dr. Wellington Koo} People's representatives at Versailles, at Washington, and at Genevi like Dr. C. T. Wang, Dr. David Yor, and Ste. TZ." Kowal them are graduates of mission colleges, to which they frequently' acknowledge their sincere debt of gratitude.
2. At the present time Government education in China is making magnificent progress, in spite of the terrible handicaps produced by poli tical disunion and financial stu ency, but missionary effort is responsible for the maintenance, of 7,726 primary and secondary schools, offering modern instruction to 285,- 47 scholars, and of 186 colleges and universities containing 7,664 stud 3. Although an attempt has recently been made to curtail the activi ties of missionary schools and colleges, on tke ground of their alleged association with an imperialistic pa-hey of "peaceful penetration" er with compulsory religious instruction, such attempts have been frustrated fon each occasion as a result of the patriotic protest and the unchallongable record of some of China's greatest educators, themselves the worthy product of the Christian educational system, ited without per ion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.