ONE of the clearest accounts we have seen of the present tangled state of affairs in China appeared recently in the “S.S Times” (Philadelphia), in a letter, dated 29th December 1926, and written by A. Gordon Melvin, Ph.D. “To-day,” says Dr Melvin, “nationalism is developed among the students and young people to the pitch of hysteria, and has produced a nation-wide cry for national equality and an anti-foreign and anti-Christian movement. From one end of the country to another the educated people in the community are filled with a new determination that China shall become a modern nation.” Unfortunately, Soviet influences are ceaselessly at work. The People’s Party leaders profess not to be opposed to Christianity, but in early summer the Kuomintang or People’s Party joined hands with the Southern Communists, and these are having considerable influence in the councils of the movement. The following quotation from Dr Melvin’s illuminative article will give a fair idea of how matters were at the end of the year:—
“The present revolutionary movement, therefore, presents the anomalous spectacle of an alliance of Communist, anti-Christian elements with Marshal Feng and his Christian army. The bond of union is that of nationalism and patriotism, and there seems reason to believe that under the influence of the present psychological situation in China, Feng is nationalistic and patriotic to a fault. If one will look back over his career it is easy to see that Feng has always been on the side of the Republican Revolution, and has consistently fought for the setting up of a clean and honest government, such as the Southern movement professes, and not without some truth, to be setting up. For years Feng has been an ardent admirer of Sun Yat-sen and his writings, and it is not at all impossible that these works have contributed to an exaggerated idea of the wrongs that China has suffered at the hands of foreign nations and to a forgetfulness of the situation in China which precipitated many of the wrongs which we in America and England to-day so sincerely regret. It is, therefore, in no way surprising to find Feng in the revolutionary cause. On the other hand, there is some reason to believe that Marshal Feng has been deceived. There is reason to believe that he has been tricked into thinking that opposition to Christianity and such persecution as we have been suffering in the recently occupied provinces is being kept in check. There is reason to believe that on his recent visit to Russia he was deceived into believing that the Russian Government is not anti-Christian and into believing professions of Russia’s friendliness to China which have made England and America seem unfriendly by comparison. Dr Goforth made a recent trip on a special mission to visit Feng, to talk over the situation and its dangers, and to hear his point of view. It is to be feared that he found his old friend less receptive and more contentious than he had been before. Feng seemed pleased to hear that the visit of his emissary, General Lu Chung-lin, to Hankow seemed to have some effect in modifying earlier anti-Christian activities of Southern agitators. In the recent situation, Chang Chih-chiang telegraphed him to reaffirm publicly that Christianity was the fundamental basis of the army. He was pleased at this, and insists that his Christianity is as sure and steadfast as ever it was.
It is in this fundamental fact that we find most hope to-day. When we think of Feng’s splendid loyalty in the past and his apostolic fervor, we cannot but hope for the best. When, on the other hand, we think of the dangers surrounding him, we dare not fail in our prayers. As we look forward in China we hope that when the present abnormal situation has passed away, great good for China and Christianity will evolve. In spite of what we suffer locally and temporarily, we cannot but realise that many of the Southern leaders are Christians, and that in the end a new and strong government may bring great blessings to China. If Feng’s loyalty to his ideals and to Christ remains unshaken, greater things than we have yet seen lie just before us.”