A Point of View on China 



\W \j. II. P, A I I. K V 



Formerly Diri'itor mikI 1)c;iu of the Xt-w York State C'olli'jjf of Agriculture, at C'onull ruiversity 



IT is impossible for me to uiidcrtake 

 a positive discussion of the mission- 

 ary cnteri)rise in China for the rea- 

 son that 1 am not a student of the siil)- 

 ject nor did I allfinpt any investigation 

 of it in my hi'iet' visit. I went to China 

 for a very diiferent purpose. Yet one 

 who is interested in the problems of the 

 people necessarily must consider the 

 foreign or outside intluences, and of 

 these intiuenees the missionary move- 

 ment has outstanding importance. 

 Moreover, for a short e.\|)eri(m('e. \ ac- 

 tually saw much of the missionaries, of 

 different groups and denominations. 



I do not approach tlie subject of the 

 missionaries from what might be called 

 the professional or evangelical side, al- 

 though in sympathy with tliis funda- 

 mental phase of the work. The social, 

 civic, and other results cannot be over- 

 looked, particularly at a time when 

 China is itself in the flux. 



If we are to consider betterments in 

 China, we necessarily assume that the 

 present status of the country is mark- 

 edly defective. This is naturally an as- 

 sumption of occidentalism. I do not 

 know how far the Chinese make such 

 assumption, although I was impressed 

 with the readiness with which they in- 

 vite suggestions and tlio great courtesy 

 with which they treat the recommenda- 

 tions of foreigners. It seems to be a 

 prevailing opinion that China is closed 

 and sealed to outside influence. This 

 may be true in the sense that China has 

 learned much in her long liistory and 

 has incorporated this accpiisition into 

 her philosophy and institutions, but she 

 is ready for change, and her people, so 

 far as they have had advantages, seemed 

 to me to be eagx-r lo take hold of mam- 

 new thinirs. 



ill our occidentalism, representing a 

 (■i\ ilization now expressed in terms of 

 commerce, we are likely to tliink of 

 China as a lieathen land, lacking in 

 the development of natural resources 

 and in the applications of science, weak 

 politically and in education, primitive 

 in sanitation, stationary in agriculture, 

 undeveloped in industry. On these 

 questions I now make neither affirma- 

 tion nor denial. Yet a few great out- 

 standing considerations must be kept 

 constantly Ijcfore us. 



Bear in mind that I here develop a 

 ])oint of view only. This view is per- 

 sonal to me, representing some of my 

 impressions. It is not my purpose now 

 to state any sets of facts as such. Nor 

 do 1 overlook the many deficiencies that 

 are so likely to impress the visitor from 

 the West, and which have been so often 

 described. These defects, while incon- 

 venient to the traveler and the business 

 man. do not necessarily express the real 

 capacities or potentialities of the people. 

 China did not impress me as either de- 

 cadent or worn out, but as arrested. 



The history and experience of China 

 stimulate speculation as to its future, 

 and raise certain reflections on our own 

 status. Naturally all such statements 

 as here made are relative; and the 

 queries I propound are only to challenge 

 the westerner, not to express dissent. 



First, China is generally considered 

 to he the most permanent society or 

 civilization of great dimensions on the 

 globe. Yet it is not a political or patri- 

 otic society in our understanding of these 

 words. Its cohesion is of another kind. 



(Query: Is the highly developed na- 

 tionality of the Occident the solution 

 or even the bi'st expre.-sion of liumaii 

 progress?) 



' Kiiliirged from au 



by request, before a missionary grouj). 



26c 



