THE CENTRAL TASK OF THE C. S. C. A.

Message of the President

Of the many factors leading to success, none is more important than a clear vision of the work at hand. This is especially true of an organization which tries "to do good to everybody." Demands for service are numerous; resources are limited; unless there is definition of field and concentration of effort, we run the danger of spreading ourselves so thin that we make no appreciable mark at any single point. But before we ask what the central task of the Association is, we must know something about its nature and its composition. These are roughly indicated by its name, the Chinese Students' Christian Association.

The Association is first of all Chinese. It has been Chinese, is Chinese, and will be Chinese, both in theory and in fact. It was promoted by a Chinese of the most unquestionable patriotism, Dr. C. T. Wang. Every year, the four departments of the Association elect each its own departmental officers, who, in turn, elect the members of the Central Executive Board. It is the function of the Board to draw the annual budget, employ its secretaries, and outline the program of work. From the beginning, the International Committee of the Y. M. C. A.'s, through its Friendly Relations Committee, has co-operated with the C. S. C. A. The International Committee saw, I take it, that the C. S. C. A. had a good purpose and deserved the support of an allied Christian organization. It has supported the Association loyally and generously, both in money-amounting to about one-third of the total expenditure-and in advice. Yet it has not aimed at any time to quench the initiative and independence of the C. S. C. A. It has always yielded to Chinese leadership. It does not even care to convert our gratitude into an invisible control. It is, I have good reason to believe, above that kind of bureaucracy that seeks to subordinate other organizations to it in order to be able to swell its annual reports, in order to be able to say to the public, "Look, see what we have done!"

It is very fortunate that the C. S. C. A. is Chinese. It is becoming clearer every day that the rising tide of Chinese nationalism would not tolerate any foreign imperialism, be it political

and economic or religious and moral. If we, the Chinese people, shall be Christianized, it will only be because we see that Christianity can strengthen our national character and fortify our national morale; certainly, it will not be because Christianization means denationalization—be it Americanization or Europeanization.

Religion is one of the most intimate things of a people. It cannot be superficially added to a people without adjustments any more than a colored lady can use white powder and look natural. It devolves therefore upon the Chinese Christians to pick out those elements in organized Christianity which may be beneficial to the Chinese people, reinterpret them in Chinese terms, and incorporate them in our national life; other elements, less essential or seemingly doubtful-and there are such-we can ignore.

Secondly, the Association is a student association. It would therefore be unworthy of its student membership if its outlook is narrow, its mind closed, or its impulse ungenerous. It must seek light, and welcome it from all quarters. It should not arrogate to itself superiority of any kind. Even in our eagerness to serve, we may well pause to make sure that we have something worthwhile to contribute to the community of students here and to the bigger community at home. This does not mean that we should apologize for our faith; nor does it mean that we are to say all faiths are equally good; it does mean broad, intelligent tolerance; it implies an evolutionary, relativistic attitude toward religion itself.

Thirdly, the Association is a Christian association. It believes that religion satisfies some essential and legitimate needs of human nature and that Christianity of all religions is on the one hand most consistent with progress and on the other the most vitality-generating. Furthermore, it believes that China, among other things, suffers from religions that sap energy, devitalize life, and render men insensitive and impotent in face of human suffering and human wrong. It holds its duty to encourage the cultivation of those exalted moral principles of Jesus wherever it can. It expects its members and officers to strive to live lives of service which alone can touch the sympathy and imagination of our fellow-men.

Finally, the C. S. C. A. is an association. It is the common instrumentality of its members. They are its masters; they alone can make or unmake it.

The nature and the composition of our Association make it clear then that its central task is a concerted effort to Christianize China and China-ize Christianity. The need for both is evident. In the Association, I believe we have an efficacious agency to perform this twofold task. Let us work with it, through it, aiming and praying for light and life for our people. TINGFU F. TSIANG

FROM THE TREASURER

Dear Fellow Members:

In taking up the duties of the Treasurer of our Association, the writer does so with humble gratitude in the realization of the honor and responsibility of this privilege to serve his fellow students. May I, at the beginning of our year, ask for your earnest co-operation and help, without which the Treasurer cannot acquit the duties of his office with any manner of success.

The budget of the year as drawn up by the Central Executive Board is larger than ever before, and the necessary funds must be raised by us. Moreover, as time goes on we must make our Association more and more self-supporting, in order to make it of more vital importance. The loyal support of all members of the Association is absolutely necessary to the success of the year's work.

The annual membership fee of one dollar is now due, and may be paid to your Local Committeeman, your Departmental Vice-Chairman, or sent direct to the Treasurer. Will you help by doing it as soon as possible? Let us together make this year a stepping stone of progress in the history of our Association. With best wishes for a year of success and personal greetings

to you all.

Faithfully yours,

ALFRED SY-HUNG LEE, Treasurer.

MINUTES OF THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING HELD JULY 24, 1920

The Central Executive Board meeting of the Chinese Students' Christian Association in North America took place on July 24, 1920, at 347 Madison Avenue, New York City. Members of the Board present were: Mr. T. F. Tsiang, President; Mr. T. C. Shen, First Vice-President; Miss T. N. Kwong, Second Vice-President; Mr. Alfred S. H. Lee, Treasurer; Mr. K. C. Lee, General Secretary.

President Tsiang led

MORNING SESSION, 11:00 a. m. in a short devotional exercise before the discussion of business began.

I. General Secretary

(a). Letter of resignation from Mr. K. C. Lee, General Secretary for the year 1919-1920, was read by President Tsiang. Mr. Lee was requested to give more reasons than those stated in the letter. After full explanation of his reasons, Mr. Lee requested the Chairman to call for a vote of acceptance of his resignation. It was moved and seconded and passed unanimously that Mr. Lee's resignation be accepted.

(b). Mr. Daniel C. Fu of the University of Chicago was then recommended by the President and the General Secretary to take the General-Secretaryship for the year 1920-1921. Two other men, Mr. T. C. Shen and Mr. Timothy Y. Jen, were also recommended. After careful consideration, however, the Board decided that this call should be extended to Mr. Fu. A motion to that effect was made by Mr. Tsiang and seconded by Miss Kwong and passed unanimously by the members present.

Mr. Fu is a graduate of William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo. After his graduation he has been taking graduate work in the department of sociology of the University of Chicago. During the war he was with the Chinese laborers in France, serving first as hut-secretary at Boulogne-sur-Mer and then as editorin-chief of the Chinese Laborers' Weekly in Paris. Mr. Fu is being generally regarded as an earnest Christian and untiring worker.

President Tsiang recommended that the salary of the General

Secretary be increased to $150. Mr. Alfred Lee moved to that effect. Motion was seconded by Miss Kwong and passed by a unanimous vote.

II. Organization.

(a). Half Time Secretary for Eastern Department. Mr. Frank W. Price's services were put at our disposal by the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church. It was moved in the Board meeting that a vote of acceptance be cast. The motion was unanimously carried and a letter of acceptance should be written to Mr. Edward Smith of that Mission Board and also a letter of invitation to Mr. Price to become Associate Secretary to the Eastern Department.

(b). Secretary for Women's Department. Arrangements have been made by the officers of the past year with the National Board of the Y. W. C. A. that one woman secretary should be put at the disposal of the Women's Department of our Association. Other detailed arrangements should be made by the Women's Department.

(c). Half Time Associate Secretary for Middle West Department. It was agreed that a half time secretary should be employed for the Middle West Department. Mr. T. C. Shen, Chairman of the Middle West Department, was strongly in favor of this idea. It was moved by Mr. Alfred Lee to that effect and the motion was carried. The Board further agreed to provide one-third of the expenses including salary and travel of the halftime secretary to be employed for the Middle West Department.

(d). Local Committeemen. The Board agreed to instruct the chairmen of the different departments to appoint local committeemen at the earliest possible moment. The local committeemen of the past year should be responsible until the new local committeemen are accepted. Time should be allowed for the members of the different localities to exercise their prerogative. If they fail to do so, the chairmen of the different boards have the right to appoint.

AFTERNOON SESSION, 3:00 p. m.

III. Program.

(a). Bible Study Classes. The Board was unanimously of