good, he had a settled distrust of schemes and projects which he came to view rather as substitutes for than as exponents of Christian powers and factors. When the Chinese and other residents in Hongkong sought his aid in founding here a branch of the Peace Society, Dr. Eitel's reply was: "I know of only one Peace Society, that founded in Bethlehem well-nigh two thousand years ago. Our friend had learned from a long and varied experience the danger of glorifying human methods, and he was ever on the watch against all that "exalteth itself" in the sense described by St. Paul when treating of the Man of Sin. In season and out of season he would stir up his friends to resist the "oppositions of science falsely so called." Vigorous and pointed was his protest against a particular statement of my own made in a public address in time of pestilence that what we call "Visitations of Providence" are often the consequence of violated laws and of a disregard of Divine ordinances that are written in the constitution and nature of man. To him it seemed that such utterances must inevitably raise vain and foolish questions that tend to shake man's trust in God. Such was Ernest John Eitel, a man cast in no ordinary mould, but richly endowed alike with mental and with spiritual gifts. Strange wisdom and sagacity were his, not unmixed with odd and whimsical qualities that rendered him a strangely attractive and winsome personality. The Chinese, shrewd observers and equitable judges alike of sanctified and of unsanctified human nature in their Western leaders, were vastly and permanently impressed by his career and public services. Employed as teachers in the schools of the colony or as clerks in government and mercantile offices, as well as in more exalted positions, are many younger men, whose lives touched his and to-day are wiser, stronger and brighter for the contact. The churches delighted to honour him as in preaching and living a faithful witness to the everlasting Gospel. His memory is green. Every remembrance of his "fair deeds of charity" is cherished, his counsels are quoted, his conduct appraised and approved. In daily and hourly illustration of the ancient saying: "Be good and do good, so shall thy name be heir to thy life: yea, when thou art laid in thy grave thy stock remains, goes forward, and shall do till the day of doom." Correspondence. BIBLICAL ABBREVIATIONS. To the Editor of "THE CHINESE RECORDER." DEAR SIR: Several years ago it was found that four or five different lists of abbreviations for the names of the books of the Bible were in use in different publications. After careful comparison of these earlier lists, and much correspondence on the part of several interested in the development of Biblical teaching, the list given below has been agreed to by the Presbyterian and Methodist presses in publications which they control, by the National Y. M. C. A., by Dr. C. H. Fenn and Rev. G. L. Gelwicks for use in their concordance of the Old and New Testaments, and by several others engaged in preparing and 亞鴻麼結歌約下下書出 teaching books on Biblical subjects. The list is consistent throughout, save where consistency interfered with practical usefulness, an endeavor being made, in so far as possible, to use the first character of each name. In some cases the character with the dominant sound has been used. It would hardly be possible to prepare a list which would commend itself to every The perone in all its details. fection of the list, however, is not so important as the agreement on some one list by those constantly using abbreviations. This would do away at once with the confusion incident to using the various books employing the different systems. See 詩篇 以賽亞書 但以理書 阿巴底書 哈巴谷書 馬拉基書 以列士利 篇士王師未 喇 王 馬哈阿但賽詩以上士利 民數記 列王記下 箴言 耶利米書 何西書 王 番拿何耶箴尼下得民 聖經簡用書目 舊約 *Extra copies of this list may be obtained on request from H. W. Luce, Weihsien, Shantung, THE EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION. To the Editor of 'THE CHINESE RECORDER.” DEAR SIR: A large number of missionaries are interested in the proposed Evangelistic Association, but not a few will have their interest dulled if it is organized in the way indicated in the contributed article in the March RECORDER, in which the writer says: "It only remains to be said that membership must not be restricted to those in directly evangelistic work, but open to all who are engaged in the Christianization of the Chinese, whether in China or abroad.' The word "evangelistic” is, of course, used among us in two senses. In one sense all of our work is evangelistic, in that its aim is the bringing of the Gospel to the Chinese. In the other sense evangelistic work is the direct preaching of the Gospel, especially to the masses, in distinction from educational, medical and other forms of missionary effort. It is in the latter sense of the word that we understand the Evangelistic Association was intended to be organized. When the motion was made before the General Conference in regard to this organization, the gentleman who made the motion stated, as I recollect, that inasmuch as we had Educational and Medical Associations to deal with problems that arose in those special departments, so we should have an Evangelistic Association to foster and promote what is, strictly speaking, evangelistic work. And this was evidently the interpretation which the Conference put upon the meaning of that resolution. If it were otherwise, if the Evangelistic Association. proposes to admit to its membership "all who are engaged in the Christianization of the Chinese,' the new association will simply be an unnecessary branch or reduplication of the General Conference which in all of its aims and methods is already thoroughly evangelistic. Moreover, the the Educational and Medical Associations constantly deal with the evangelistic features of their work. The doctors, for instance, do not deem it necessary, nor is it necessary, to invite preachers to join their association to help them solve their evangelistic problems. The Educational Association is composed of those who are actually engaged in school work, and it is not needful to enlarge its membership so as to include those who have simply a general interest in educational problems. So it will be in no wise invidious to confine the membership of the Evangelistic Association to those who are evangelists, that is, to men and women who are preaching the Gospel to the people at large. And it is in every way better to limit the membership to these. They are best acquainted with those special questions which alone justify the organization of a separate association. P. F. P. SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK. To the Editor of "THE CHINese RecordER.” DEAR SIR: I was much interested in the articles published last month on Sunday Schools in China, but it occurred to me that little credit was given to men who pressed Sunday School work prior to the meeting of the Centenary Conference. The fact is that some missions have been doing this work for thirty years. Of course I am quite aware that there was no combined national movement on Sunday School work till the formation of the Centenary Committee. For ten years the late Dr. L. W. Pilcher, first president of Peking University, was the superintendent of a school of about 1,000 scholars in the city of Peking. Many schools were opened with that for a model and much of the progressive work among young people in North China is a result of schools so opened. The North China Tract Society has published for about thirty years a first class Sunday School Quarterly, with such men as Drs. Sheffield, Wherry, Lowry, Blodgett, Hobart and others, as editors. On every circuit in the North China Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church a Sunday School is organized from the beginning. There are seventyfive schools with about five thousand six hundred scholars at the present time. I am only anxious that we should not ignore the work of faithful men, some of whom have gone to their reward. We welcome the work of the newly-appointed general secretary and those who are preparing the lessonsheets till his arrival. We are looking forward with pleasure to the promised visit of the World's President of Sunday Schools, the Rev. F. B. Meyer, at Peitai-ho during the summer, when we hope to have conferences on Sunday School work. Last year the Chihli Federation moved a resolution of welcome to Dr. Darroch when he can find time to visit us and help in a forward movement in Sunday School work. I trust that we may see widespread interest and that the committee may be helped in pushing this most profitable work. Thanking you in anticipation. A LIGHT PROTEST. To the Editor of F. B. "THE CHINESE RECORDER." DEAR SIR: I must express regret that the article entitled The Nationalism of a Chinese Christian," in the March number of the RECORDER, was published as if taken seriously. We all know the type of man whose most strenuous efforts for effect take the line of such diatribes ; one runs across them here and there. Full of dyspeptic ideas, they pour forth their fine brave words, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." They do no great harm in China, for their more sober-thinking fellows rate such men at their true worth. This writer goes beyond most. There are few, if any, healthy-minded young Chinese to-day holding any such ideas. Of course the expression of such absurd views furnishes choice material for those who desire to find such, and among them the writer of the said article has his reward. But if claiming to be representative of the views of young Chinese, or even the few who have studied abroad, they are ridiculous. Yours sincerely, B. L. ANCELL. BIBLICAL TERMS. To the Editor of "THE CHINESE RECORDER." ures DEAR SIR: May I venture to suggest that what the revisers of the Chinese Bible would be thankful for is, not stricton the terms they have used, but suggestions as to something better. The inadequacy of some of the terms they employ is perfectly patent to them as well as to the good friends who give them counsel, but they have used them in default of knowing anything better. That does not adequately represent "prophet," is evident, but what shall be substituted for it? is objected to; what shall be used in its stead? If the faculty of criticism, which is possessed in such plenitude in these latter days, could for a change be turned to the constructive side of the question, it would help its possessor to a more or less adequate conception of the limitations of knowledge, and might lay some eggs as well as cackle. If the eggs are fresh, the revisers will be glad to appropriate them. Yours truly, F. W. BALLer. |
