Vol. VII

FEBRUARY, 1921.

No. 4

OUR PROGRESS

The Chinese Students' Christian Association in North America was founded in the summer of 1908 through the efforts of the "Committee on Organization," consisting of W. C. Chen of Michigan, N. Han of Cornell, Pingwen Kuo of Wooster, Y. S. Tsao and C. T. Wang of Yale, and David Z. T. Yui of Harvard. Formal organization was effected at Hamilton, N. Y., in the summer of 1909. During the first year of its existence the Association communicated its activities to the members through typewritten monthly reports, which served as its organ.

During the following year it was found necessary to print the monthly reports on account of the rapid increase in circulation as the result of the membership increase. The number of members increased from 32 in the first year to about 300 in the second year of the life of the Association. These reports continued to appear down to 1914. During that year the activities of the Association became so numerous that it was thought worth while to publish a journal to record them, under the name of "LIU MEI TSING NIEN," meaning substantially "Our Young People in America." There were to be four issues per year in the months of November, January, March, and May.

The journal gradually increased in size in order to keep pace with the growth of the Association both in membership and in activities. In 1918 its name was changed to "The Chinese Students' Christian Journal," in conformity with the name of the Association.

A long step was taken in 1919, involving a relatively larger increase in expenses and a greater need of support from its readers than usual. It was the decision to publish the journal monthly instead of quarterly. The purposes of this change, as stated by the editor for that year, were to get more attention for the claims of Christianity by issuing the journal more frequently, once a month; to maintain high standards and to introduce greater variety in ar

ticles by securing the assistance of great leaders both in America and in China; to give to all students an opportunity to present through the journal their plans for life work in China; and to emphasize the obligations of the Christian to the non-Christian students, especially to help the latter to give Christianity a fair chance. The name of the journal was changed to "Christian China."

Such, then, has been the history of our journal during the dozen of years of its existence. From the beginning it has been the organ of the Association to report its activities, the recorder of the religious experiences and thoughts of its members, and the medium for expressing opinions on current problems of China. Its development has been thus far steady and continuous. Whether it will be able to progress or even to maintain itself in the future will be largely dependent upon the members' willingness to serve for the cause of the Association to lead our students in America to study the principles of the Christian religion and to apply them in their service for China and humanity.

THE WORK OF THE LOCAL COMMITTEEMEN

The primary object of the Association is to render active Christian service for and by our students in America. To carry out this object it has to depend to a considerable extent upon its local committeemen resident in every large Chinese student community throughout this country. For they are acquainted with their local conditions, they are in close contact with their fellow-students, they know their attitudes, their needs, and their desires. They are therefore in a position to render to their fellow-students voluntary Christian service in a sympathetic and friendly way, and pass on the meaning and value of the Christian religion not only through words but also through deeds. Furthermore, they are the ones who can secure supports for the Association and make recommendations for its improvement. Thus, much that the Association endeavors to do must necessarily be delegated to its local committeemen. Their success or failure has a great bearing upon the work of the Association.

CHINESE CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

In his article on "The Future of Religion in China," which is reprinted in this issue, Mr. Paul Hutchinson points out that a widespreading acceptance of Christianity by the Chinese will not come until the civilization which Christianity breeds, has been thoroughly vindicated, the Missionary has withdrawn, and the Christian Church has become an organization of and by, as well as for, the Chinese.

The foreign Missionaries in China have certainly rendered a distinguished service to the Chinese people by bringing to their attention the fundamental principles of Jesus Christ. In spite of a great many blunders they have made consciously or unconsciencely in their noble undertaking, they have as a whole really assisted in making a fine beginning for the Christian movement in that ancient land. But the masses of Chinese will not accept Christianity until it has been made adaptable to their spiritual needs and yearnings. This task of making Christianity an integral part of the life of the Chinese, which may be expressed as the China-ization of Christianity, is one that has to be accomplished by the Chinese themselves. In order that the future Chinese leaders may be prepared to face this colossal task, the Missionary schools, Churches, and other institutions now under their management in China ought to provide ample opportunities for Chinese Christians to receive the necessary training for responsible positions. It is only in this way that the Missionaries can hope to relieve themselves and let the Chinese Christians assume leadership in making Christianity the religion of China

AN ANNOUNCEMENT

CHRISTIAN CHINA begs to announce that Mr. Paul C. Fugh has joined its editorial staff for the rest of the academic year. He is now pursuing graduate studies at Yale University, having recently returned from France where he rendered a distinguished service to the Chinese laborers both as a Y. M. C. A. secretary and as the editor of "The Chinese Bi-Weekly."

THE FINANCIAL CAMPAIGN

The budget of the C. S. C. A. for the year 1920-1921 calls for a total fund of $10,125.00. Of this sum, three thousand dollars have been furnished by the Friendly Relations Committee of the International Committee of the Y. M. C. A.; $1,427.99 was left by the past administration; membership fees will amount to $1,200.00. This leaves $4,497.01 to be raised through the Financial Campaign. If the contributions will total $4,497.01, the C. S. C. A. will be able to finish the work of the year without deficit.

But, in making the budget, one important consideration was left out. This year, even though the Administration started with a sum of $1,427.99, it was handicapped by the lack of funds, for the monthly expenditure is at the rate of nine hundred dollars. If the next administration is not to suffer from the same cause, this one must leave a bigger balance than it received. In view of this situation, the Central Executive Board feel it necessary to raise six thousand dollars, instead of the $4,497.01 called for by the budget. This situation is abnormal; on the books, it looks as if the C. S. C. A. every year raised more than the budgetary needs. What s demanded to remedy it is to provide a Tide-over Fund of two thousand dollars, which each Administration may use in starting its work but which it must replenish before the end of the year. Thus, every Administration is guaranteed an initial capital large enough to start its work and the Treasurer's book will not contain the unintelligible item of a balance from the past. This remedy, the Association can effect partly by economizing stringently on the budget items and partly by ncreasing the sum to be rased by the Financial Campaign, the surplus to constitute a Tide-over Fund.

As to how the money has been spent, members and friends of the Association may consult the budget as printed in the November issue of Christian China. They may ask what has been accomplished with the money. The answer is best given in the following summarized account of the activities of the C. S. C. A. during the first half of the present Administration.

1. The C. S. C. A., through its officers on the Pacific Coast, has received at the wharf 419 new students from China since June 30, 1920. It has rendered such services to them as a stranger in