Puslapio vaizdai
PDF
„ePub“

The Time and the Man.

Is the reform for which China is waiting, and without which all progressive projects will prove vain, namely, the reform of her civil service, any nearer to-day than it was two years ago? A 'root and branch' policy, touching the basis upon which the whole system of official life rests, is essential to everything else which the nation needs of new policy, and it does not seem to be in view. Some form of corruption, either in the attainment of office, or for adequate sustenance when office is obtained, is still necessary to official life, and the road to national service is therefore still barred to honourable men.

The most high sounding and well intentioned edicts must beat in vain against such a barrier as exists in this condition of affairs. All sorts and conditions of reforms are halting to-day because those who should be the agents for carrying them out are rendered incapable, where they are not ignorant, by the system under which they have to live. An adequately salaried, intelligent officialdom is an absolute necessity to a reform administration, and no number of minor reforms or exalted edicts will bring into the public service the men China needs so sorely until that service is made worthy. If the high officials of this empire could be brought to secure the services and advice of a committee of the finest administrators available throughout the world with a view to administrative and financial reform, and would act upon their recommendations, the result would be worth any expense which might be incurred in the process.

The Edinburgh
Conference.

[blocks in formation]

THE great Missionary Conference which is to be held in Edinburgh in June of next year, will doubless mark an epoch in the work of missions throughout the world, and many eyes will be turned thitherwards and many prayers go up for its success. It is hoped that it will give a "review of the whole missionary situation up to date." The plan of the Madras and China Centenary Conference has been adopted, and eight great commissions are to prepare exhaustive pronouncements on as many great departments of the work. Many missionaries in China have doubtless been asked to correspond with one or another of these commissions, and it is hoped that all will make their replies as complete as possible. It will be labor well spent, for the Conference is intended to be epochal as no other before it. The church is fully ripe for a phenomenal advance in the evangelization of the world.

The Sanctuary

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."---St. James v, 16.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them."-St. Matthew xviii, 20.

A VESPER HYMN.

O Saviour of the world forlorn,
Who, man to save, as man wast born;
Protect us through this coming night,
And ever save us by Thy might.

Be with us, Lord, in mercy nigh,
And spare Thy servants when they cry;
Our sins blot out, our prayers receive,
Our darkness lighten and forgive.

O let not sleep o'ercome the soul,
Nor Satan with his spirits foul;
Our flesh keep chaste, that it may be
A holy temple unto Thee.

To Thee, who makest souls anew,
With heartfelt vows we humbly sue,
That pure in heart, and free from stain,
We from our beds may rise again.

All laud to God the Father be;
All laud, Eternal Son, to Thee;
All laud, as is for ever meet,

To God the blessed Paraclete. Amen.

PRAY

For God's blessing upon all medical missionary work.

For the missionary doctors, that they may be kept in God's steadfast fear and love, that they may not lose courage through their lack of support or multiplicity of duties, that they may be patient and compassionate toward those to whom they minister, and that they may daily remember that they have a God to glorify and a soul to save.

For the missionary nurses, that they may see and know the great opportunities given them to tell of Christ's love to those who are under their care.

For all Chinese doctors, nurses, and other medical attendants, that love of their brethren may always be their impelling motive, and that they may show Christ's love by word and deed.

For all hospital and dispensary evangelists, that by faithfulness in preaching and kindliness to the sick, they may lead many to salvation.

For such increase of evangelistic workers, both foreign and Chinese, as will permit efficient "following up" of the great opportunities made by the medical mission work.

For an increasing efficiency in the scientific work of the hospitals.

For such union in work as will best conserve energy aud permit evangelistic and scientific growth.

For the Mission Boards at home, that they be guided to a wise selection of those who apply for appointment as medical missionaries.

That in all this work the great aim should be the revelation of the power, the wisdom, and the love of God.

For direction and guidance in the duty of giving of our substance to the Lord, and that realizing we are but stewards we may give to the utmost.

For the World Missionary Conference to be held in Edinburgh in 1910.

O Christ our Lord, who art the great Physician, we pray for Thy especial blessing upon our hospitals and medical work. Have mercy upon those who are sick and in pain, and heal the diseases of their bodies and of their souls. Bless the doctors and nurses who are engaged in this work, make them patient and compassionate toward those to whom they minister, and as Thou hast honored them by calling them to follow Thee in Thy blessed work of healing, keep them in Thy steadfast fear and love. Amen.

GIVE THANKS

For the rapidly growing medical mission work, its increasing efficiency, and the larger opportunities it offers for " manifesting Christ to the Gen

tiles."

For those patients whose minds and hearts seem to open up at once, and who are willing and glad to talk on spiritual themes. P. 346.

That Christ's love is sufficient to make men willing to endure all the disagreeable part of this work. P. 323.

For the continually growing sense of responsibility for self-support that is seen in the Chinese church.

[graphic][subsumed]

NEW AMBULANCE OF ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL, SHANGHAI,

How Can We Best Secure the Highest Spiritual Results in Our Medical Colleges

B

BY DR. T. COCHRANE, PEKING

EFORE considering direct spiritual effort, there are many fundamental questions which must be taken into account, on which depend the attainment of our Christian ideals.

In our college and hospital work-and hospital work cannot be disassociated from college work-we must aim at the very highest efficiency if we are to speak and work with power for spiritual fruit, and it is only through the highest possible efficiency that we can hope for the greatest spiritual results.

The task which the medical educator sets himself is an extremely difficult one. The number of subjects included in a modern medical education, and the large field each subject covers, together with the amount of clinical work that requires to be done, make the task to be accomplished by the man whose Christian ideal is high, harder than missionaries in general have any conception of.

To attain our object many things are necessary, and the first is, to obtain the very best doctors the West can produce, men who are or shall become thoroughly proficient in the Chinese language, men whose Christian fervour is beyond all question.

This is a triple qualification which involves a problem not easily solved. Taking furloughs, sick-leave, and other interruptions into account, how are we to get together a sufficient number of such men to handle the many subjects which it is necessary to include in a modern medical curriculum ?

Then comes the question of building and equipment for thorough work, and again the question is complicated. Can we get a sufficient number of out-patients and in-patients-men, women, and children-to supply the necessary amount of

NOTE-Readers of the RECORDER are reminded that the Editorial Board assumes no responsibility for the views expressed by the writers of articles published in these pages.

« AnkstesnisTęsti »