THE RELATION OF SCIENCE TO CHRISTIAN MISSIONS. 105 



further, it is here to be noticed that there are vast populations 

 who are not subjects of Western races. Some of them, as they 

 awake, do and will, no doubt, seek and obtain for themselves 

 the gain to be had from Western science, including medicine and 

 surgery. Sometimes they will acquire these things at their 

 very best, and at high cost, as witness the Japanese Military 

 Hospitals. Yet the broad fact stands true, that for vast regions 

 of the world, where the blessings of medical and surgical science 

 are most needed, where, until they arrive, their place is taken by 

 unspeakable cruelties and abominations, it is in the main to 

 Christian missions that the suffering multitudes must look for 

 the boon of imported science. 



It is one of the things for which Christendom may be most 

 sincerely thankful, that in the Church's Medical Missions Science 

 is giving of its very best, to vast populations in China, on the 

 frontier of India and beyond it into the country of the wild 

 hill tribes, in many a city of the great Moslem world and 

 among the suffering tribes of Africa. 



Here is an instance, told some years ago by a missionary 

 from China, and once heard not to be easily forgotten : — 



The Christian missionaries, trying to get a foothold in a 

 great fanatical city, opened a Medical Mission. Something of 

 their aim and methods was understood by the many young 

 literati of the place. With cruel ingenuity they set themselves 

 to baffle the doctor. They sought out all the hopeless incurables 

 they could find, and brought them round to the Medical 

 Mission to confound the skill of the missionary. Even on that 

 footing he was not altogether beaten. He could at least put 

 some of them to bed and teach them, and be kind to them for a 

 few days or weeks, while he waited for his opportunity. At 

 last he scored his first point. The literati made a mistake, they 

 brought a supposed incurable, with some eye trouble, if memory 

 serves, and the doctor could and did give some real relief. Thus 

 began a new era. They began to realize that this Western 

 Science could do wonderful things, and it was kind. Progress, 

 however slow, might have been expected from that day. But 

 an altogether unexpected incident occurred. Not far from the 

 hospital, down by a river side, a terrible explosion took place at 

 a powder factory. Many poor people were killed, many 

 more dreadfully injured. The doctor, on arrival, found that 

 for a number of the mangled sufferers, the kindest thought 

 of the Chinese was to throw them at once into the river. 

 Shortening their pain was perhaps one motive ; a stronger 

 one, may be, the relief of the survivors from a terrible burden 



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