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MARCH, 1921

No. 5

Vol. VII.

CHRISTIANITY AND ANCESTOR-WORSHIP

Many Christians in China have been deeply concerned with the question of ancestor-worship, which is one of the oldest as well as the most prevailing rites of the Chinese people. It is an outward expression of their continuous reverence and veneration for those who came before them. This tendency of looking backward for guidance and inspiration, which may be described as the historical method, has probably been responsible for leading the people to lay undue emphasis on the past and has thus retarded to some extent the progress of the country during the last few centuries. But it has certainly contributed much to the stability of the Chinese society throughout its long history.

A custom as intimately related to the life of the people as the practice of ancestor-worship cannot and in many respects should not be abolished. Liberal Chinese Christians can worship their God and at the same time pay great respect to their parents and ancestors, particularly those who have contributed something. noble and worth-while to their family and to society. Fundamentally, there is no conflict between serving our Heavenly Father and respecting our ancestors. Indeed, within the Ten Commandments we find both the principle of worshipping God and that of honoring one's parents.

It has been recently suggested that tablets be placed on the walls of churches in memory of the members' ancestors. Whether this method will completely satisfy the intense desire on the part of some of the Chinese to show their reverence for the deceased members of their family is difficult to say. But it does point to the direction toward which Christians may find adequate ways of indicating their recognition for the contribution of their forefathers without compromising in the least their firm faith in the One True God.

OUR RECENT EASTERN CONFERENCE

The local committeemen of the Eastern Department of the C. S. C. A. have just had a very brief and informal conference at Mount Vernon, N. Y. About twenty delegates met together for a couple of days in a rather quiet spot, easily accessible to New York City, for discussing the work of the Association in the East.

First of all there was the opportunity for fellowship. In spite of the fact that they were all students of Eastern colleges and universities, many of them had never met each other before. To get acquainted was the first matter. This was comparatively easy as the conference was a small one. Secondly, there was the opportunity for each to share with the rest his experiences in his local center in trying to carry out the objects of the Association. Many of them had faced identical problems and met identical difficulties. Thus a general consideration of the common task proved to be exceedingly helpful. Lastly, there was the opportunity for all of them to rededicate themselves to their work and again resolve to return to their respective centers with renewed efforts to serve their fellowstudents, many of whom are the future leaders of China. To recognize the opportunities for real Christian service and to make the best use of these opportunities may be considered as the primary purpose of the conference. Its success depends upon how far its delegates will accomplish what they expected to accomplish.

AN ANNOUNCEMENT

With the March issue of Christian China we begin to provide a section for recording recent religious and social activities of and for our people at home and abroad. Its main purpose is to keep our readers in touch with the activities that are being carried on for the spiritual, intellectual, and social development of our people.

Mr. Paul C. Fugh, our new associate editor, has charge of this section, which, we hope, will prove to be both interesting and serviceable.

"THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE"

In the February issue of The Chinese Recorder we find a list of statements of leading Christians in China regarding the fundamentals of Christianity. It was an attempt on the part of the Recorder to ascertain as far as possible the general conception as to what constitutes a real Christian message to China.

Although many of the statements in the list are nothing but familiar sayings from the Bible and do not throw any new light upon the significance of the Christian religion, yet we find a few that are exceedingly illuminating and instructive. For illustration, let us take the following message:

"The message for China must bring God into the lives of men with vivifying power. It must make them hate injustice and the heartlessness which will let millions starve. This will come only when Christ, accepted as Saviour, interprets and makes real the life of the Father.

"God must be shown, not as the Changeless, the Omniscient, for Chinese philosophy has proved the futility of the worship of the static and of knowledge, but as Love in Action, leading His own to work with Him to make a better world."

This is a'al Christian message that touches upon the fundamentals of Christianity that is capable of satisfying some of the most urgent spiritual needs of China. It brings out the vitalitygenerating power or the dynamic force in the Christian religion which causes its true adherents not only to hate what is wrong but to fight for what is right. This means that the real Christians. in China are those who render positive service to their country and their fellowmen for the sake of righteousness. What China needs most is action in the spirit of love.

DRAMATIC MISREPRESENTATION

While it is true that modern means of transportation have made traveling a relatively easy matter for a great many people, one must remember that only well-to-do can afford to go

from one country to another for knowledge and pleasure. Thus the great mass of people even in a country as prosperous as the United States still have to seek information and knowledge of world affairs through such channels as the press and the theatres.

In view of this great influence of the modern theatre upon the common people, particularly the ever-increasing popular motion-pictures, it is extremely regrettable to note that many present-day dramas on China and the Chinese give highly erroneous conceptions of that country. Instead of showing its best, they almost invariably bring out its worst. Indeed, many stories about China deal with highway robberies, murders, slave-trade, and other disreputable features in such a combination as they are not found anywhere in the Chinese republic. For illustration take the recent production, which is now being offered at New York, entitled "A Tale of Two Worlds." It is a story full of mysterious, murderous, and horrifying scenes in which the Chinese are almost invariably represented to be on the wrong side. The costumes of the characters are a mixture of ancient and modern Chinese dresses and something else that is not Chinese at all. The participants in the play probably either cannot, or do not care to present the true China.

The writers of plays of this nature are evidently as ignorant of the general conditions of China and the customs and characteristics of the Chinese as they are of the inhabitants of the moon. They endeavor to amuse the public at the expense of the reputation of the people of another country. Thoughtful Americans ought to resent such deliberate misrepresentation of a friendly nation, whose friendship may mean much to the relations of the United States and China and the peace in the Far East.

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