is reported that the Tibetan Governnent has invited numerous foreign business enterprises to open centres in Lhasa and that already work has begun on the construction of a large hospital, theatre and a Sports palace. The report has come to Ta~ chien lu that quite a few foreigners are engaged in these new enterprises. It has to be remembered, however, that a foreigner in a European. ign: dress in the Land regarded as a pilingki. European or outsider. Indian baboos are well-known merchants in Lhasa and Chinese teaders have lived there for many years: and today It is difficult to find 2 nomadic encampment or Jama temple without a Laioshan somewhere in the offing. A Chinese merchant wearing " Tibetan dress who has lived for long years in Lamaland is not easily reeounized ax a jast or janawa. In local parlance jane ix the extensive black or the Tibetan name for China; and jagat is the extensive white or the name for India; the idea being that in one country they wear white and in the other black; though this is jot quite correct of China, OF late Lamaland has if anything become more tightly closed to the outsider and even the Baboo and the Laoshan have had some difficulty in crossing the frontier. But many young students from both coun-twies professing deep interest in Lamaism ainda desire to study: this system have been table to enter Tibet with their ama teachers. Many of these young fellows, some of whom have a knowledge of English, ned gain to Minya and ar tempt to translate parts of the Ganj the Denjur into the Chinese language. 'This not easy, however, ay it takes long years grasp some idea' of Lama philosophy Very few Chinese students along the front= ier, after years of study, have the faintest idea of the Tibetan words: Sanggadorjetehba and very few Europeans, after very close study of the philosophy can gi intel-Higent—explain of this "metaphysieat phrase, Some would explain it that the only permanent thing is nothing and that by some mysterious movement of the mind nasty' bit of parke becomes. s¢ mutton or both may be nothing—and that there is metaphysical or spiritual realy somewhere, If there is any anywhere, where a cigarette or even a pinch of suit may be aids to all the wonderful states that tie away tubove and beyond Nirvana, There are three tegbas which apparently: help the patient lama to yot from here to there, one being something like a Rolls-Royce, the other resembling an old Ford and the other resembling an old cab horse. But yetting there by any tegba is only a matter of faith ay the flowers both here and there somehow seem to smell the same. Dana Dreding from Drashe Lhumbo is about the only Tibetan on the frontier who can thoroughly and completely explain the dorjetegba and sometimes he graciously smiles at my simplicity and ignorance of this profound metaphysical philosophy. He apparently is quite safely and serenely there, so he troubles very little about the number of cigarettes he smokes every day, the advent of the new Dalai, the little 'Tibetan bey from Amdo, it may' be that the Lhasa Government is changing its attitude somewhat towards the outside world and that foreigners may now be permitted we ud travel in the Land of the Lamas. This has yet, however, to be veri= fled; but many along the frontier still main= twin that numerous Buropeans are now sident in the sacred capital.
The attitude, however, of the Lama gover ment may: be somewhat different towards of them—suffered the hands of the lo, and the day they left Mlaye" the conduct of the Lhasa authorities can only be described us dis~ -Pére Nussbaum is evidently still ently. ret Being medical man and very kindly fellow with a knowledge of the of Kungago, the Lhasa authorities appeared to trea. Dr, Bare differently and it looked as if it might be possible for him to reside in Lamaland. Me has however, returned to Butang, Chinese the' medical For many. ye border seemed to suiter ries along the from known as the Lhass preach the Gospel. Of late years Ulus seem: somehow almost rot completely. The mission is now sending several mission work along the frontier. these different families will finally be 1o time will reveal. There is, hawes the report of Lamaland being open county and if that is so missionaries may be able to travel Giroughout the country The difficulty is, and always will be, a passport: and will Launalsm permit and welcome missionaries to reside and travel the Land of the Lamas? And who wil issue the passports and who will afford adequate protection? Is there a Tibetan government apart from Lamaism and is there a Lamaism apart from the Lhasa authorities? The whole question bristles with problems and difficulties which may or may not be surmounted, An open door is not all that it is said to be; and there is always the problem of the language. This demands long years of very intense study and even then very few Tibetans understand their wu language when spoken by a foreigner, Moreover missionaries in' Tibetan work are called upon to face one of the most deeply entrenched religious systems in the world. Lamaism postulates a road to paradise and fan escape from sin and sorrow and disease and death apart from "shedding of the at its very foundation ind Lamaism is abhorrent of the whole idea of blood ind 'Tibetan Christians along the border strongly disfavour the whole' idea of missionaries entering Lamaland and preaching. the Gospel anywhere adjacent to the large Iamaseries. They maintain it would only be courting trouble and possibly inviting disaster. Tibetan Christians are firmly of the opinion that Lamaland can only be reached with the Gospel through institutional that is, opening schools, hospitals and "orphanages and teaching "the boys something of the arts and crafts of other countries, In other words being as wise serpents and as harmless as doves. Mission work among the Tibetans on the Indian frontier has followed this method with some success; but it has its diMeulties, Arts and crafts in Yakland are still from Tipperary' ly: nomads one to escape from the fatal Wheel of Life and find himself safe and sound in the "land Where the roses never fade." Institutional work, like opening a dairy or butter factory, hax been tried and failed. The—nomad's wife like her husband, wears a sheepskin, which has been known to from one Missionaries along the fron awe tried hard to think of ways and means of bringing, the Gospel to the frisky nomad, the red= robed draba, and the cultured lama, and have so fur' discovered that the method followed by the National Bible Society of Scotland seems to be the best, namely, the kindly and courteous presentation of a cop of the Scriptures. The N.BS.S. Gospels are nicely of up, are clearly printed and are covered free of charge. The lama may take it oF leave it, or he may take it it. or he may take it and read i find there the Way of Salvation apart from the voice of man.
So far this method has been followed and the N.BS.S. is ready and prepared to advance all the Scriptures that may be called for: and today these well bound Gospels are in every part of Lamaland.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.