(4) The small city, with a population from 20,000 to 100,000 



people 



(5) ,, large interior city, population from 100,000 and up 



(6) ,, port city 



The farm village is usually or often a market center. The 

 farmers of Szechwan province live on their separate farms, and 

 this is the case in some other areas. But the farms are small 

 and the farmsteads close together. It has been estimated that 

 China must have not less than 100,000 (perhaps 125,000) farm 

 villages, containing 100,000,000 people; and 1,000,000 (perhaps 

 1,500,000) hamlets, containing 200,000,000 people. Each of 

 these villages, with its hamlet satellites, is a community of 

 perhaps 3000 people, and a possible area to be served by a 

 Christian church. And they are not at present being reached 

 in large numbers. 



Moreover, these villages are distinct social units. They 

 live unto themselves; govern themselves; possess all the limit- 

 ations that arise out of social isolation. Chinese civilization is 

 deeply rooted in this village population. Traditions, customs, 

 superstitions, modes of life, the economic structure, all find 

 their strength in the village. Village organization is the basic 

 social organization of China. Indeed Chinese cities are in 

 general merely huge villages. Urban opinion still reflects, and 

 for a long time to come will continue to reflect village opinion. 

 China is essentially democratic because each village is a little 

 democracy. 



Mr. J. H. Reisner concludes, after a study of the figures, 

 that in China ' * the Church is recruiting its workers, those on 

 whom she is placing the greatest share of responsibility for 

 the propagation of the Christian message, from country-bred 

 folk, ' ' and he cites one mission group of 175 paid workers, 75 

 to 90 per cent, of whom came originally from small cities and 

 villages. 



The rural Chinese Church must be largely, if not wholly, 

 self-sustaining financially. City churches will for a long future 

 have a sufficient task to maintain themselves; Chinese home 

 missionary work will be a late development. But the village 

 people are poor fearfully poor. They are constantly on the 

 margin of life. They have practically no surplus. In the flood 

 regions whole villages are repeatedly destroyed and have to be 

 built over again. Hence, the rural church can be sustained only 



