THE WEST CHINA MISSIONARY NEWS Vol. XXXIX JUNE, 19.37 No. 6 LIST OF MISSIONARIES On furlough Bishop and Mrs. flolden Mr. and Mrs. W . T. Jenkins Miss I.C.M . Parker Mr. S. W. Sherwood About to return Rev. A. F. and Mrs. Lutley M ienchuh Rev. H. A. and Mrs. Maxwell Deaconess E. M. Stewart Miss A. E. Jones Miss H. G. Davis Dr. J. G. Billington Mienyang Rev. J. W . and Mrs. Duddington Miss M. Armfield Miss M. E. Goudge Miss Y C. Mannett Miss G. E. Belcher .Miss L. Whitworth Tehyang Miss E. Fugl Chong Cbiang Miss E. G. Elder Hanchow Archdeacon and Mrs. Donnitborne Sintu Drs. N. C. and J. Parfit (On language study) Chengtu Dr. J. H. and Mrs. Lechler Itev. F. A. and Mrs. Smalley Miss M. E. Streeter Dr. H. G. and Mrs. Anderson Miss B. Hensman Rev. D. N. Sargent. Scattered through this number are extracts from a devotional service held at the last Conference at Mienyang, in January 1937. The service was led by Mrs. Gurney Barclay, wife of the Home Secretary for the Par East, who with her hushand was visiting West China at that time. 2 MISSION STRATEGY J . H o l d e n . To discuss even in the most superficial way the theme of Mission strategy and plans for the establishment of the Church is impossible without reminding ourselves of the Church’s raison d ’ etre, which is first, and foremost, the continuation and extension of the result of the Incarnation, as stated negatively by St. Peter, when he told the crowd in Solomon’ e Porch of the sending of Jesus, that they might be turned from their iniquities; or more positively by the Master Himself, that men might possess the life more abundant. W e need therefore to keep steadily before our minds as the purpose of all our plans and strategy the real integration of human per­ sonality and character —not only to repair the ravages of sin — but also to enable men and women to enter ever more fully into possession of the inheritance prepared for them by Him who “ has given us richly all things to enjoy” . Absorption in the actual work of the missionary, especially on its admin­ istrative side, is all too apt to cause forgetfulness of what may seem an obvious truth. Nor is it possible for us, whether in discussion or in prac­ tice, to deal with this subject, so to speak, in vacuo. The work of the Western China Mission is no independent venture or concern of a body of irresponsible individuals but an integral part of the activities of the Church Missionary Society, which was itself one of the chief fruits, in the Church of England, of the movement of the Spirit in the late eighteenth century known as the Evangelical Revival. Just as the Society itself has remained loyal to the great Christian truths, the recovery of which brought it into being, its agents with their Chinese colleagues in Szechwan will always emphasise the doctrines of grace, the supremacy of the Scriptures and the primary duty of individual and corporate witness, which have always characterised those who rejoice to be known as evangelicals. Furthermore plans cannot be formulated or implemented in forgetfulness of the fact that the work of the Mission is in the closest connection with the world-wide Anglican Com­ munion, that part of the Christian Church, which is at once Catholic and Reformed; and we shall seek to enter fully into our rich heritage in this respect and to conserve all its essen­ tial values, whilst gladly associating ourselves in practical fashion with the leaders of our church in the homeland, who have formally acknowledged the reality and efficacy of the MISSION STRATEGY ministries of the other Reformed Churches. And, to continue this phase of the subject, we shall seek to foster a corporate loyalty to that branch of the Anglican Communion known as the Chung Hwa Sheng Kung Hui, in one of the dioceses of which, that of Western Szechwan, the work of the Mission is wholly carried on. Through participation in the Triennial General Synod the bearing of a definite share of responsibility for its missionary district in Shensi, the faithful observance of its Canons and Constitution and in many other ways, we shall seek to secure for our people the rich benefits this na­ tion-wide fellowship affords, the reality of which may be illustrated by the transfer of the writer from another and distant diocese to Szechwan. The Missionary Society and the ecclesiastical body, of both of which we are an integral part, cannot be dismissed from the discussion without definitely stating the declared policy of the former and the hope and desire of the latter that there should be not merely the clospst cooperation between the Mission and the Diocese, the Western workers and the Chinese Church, but that they should function as an undivid­ ed whole. Both privileges and responsibilities must be shared and sacrifices be made in common to attain this ideal, which, it is gladly and readily acknowledged, is rapidly being attain­ ed, though not a little still remains to be done before some of our Chinese colleagues and fellow-believers realise fully all the implications of such a policy. Society and denominational loyalty will not cause us to be unmindful of the still wider affiliations we possess with the whole Christian Church in Szechwan and we shall seek to be in the future of greater service in the work of cooperation which so happily characterises the cause of Christ in this part, of China. In spite of financial difficulties, unfortunately all too common, we are seeking not only to maintain our present commitments in this respect., both of money and personnel, but, if possible, to increase them. We esteem it a privilege to share in the common endeavours in the, field of evangelism, medicine, training of Chinese leaders and higher education and shortly we hope to contribute more directly to the pro­ duction of Christian literature also, through the services of a missionary colleague. Elsewhere the general subject of Unity is dealt with; here it must suffice to say that, until the happy day arrives when our harmful and unnecessary divisions dis­ appear, it will be our sincere endeavour to prepare for it as far as is permitted by the fullest cooperation with our collea­ gues of other Churches and it may be that for ourselves, and for out Chinese fellow-christians a task certainly not the 4 MISSION STRATEGY easiest among many that are difficult, will be to prevent domestic self-sufficiency and an unrighteous satisfaction with things as they are in a divided Church. In recent years the essential responsibility of parenthood has been rightly emphasised and it is to be hoped that better and brighter children will be seen as a result. The necessity laid on those who bring into being spiritual children and churches is no less urgent to see to it that they are of such a character as not only to justify their existence but to be worthy in their turn to enlarge the Christian family. One feature therefore of our work, which is being given special attention and fostered is the responsibility of each individual Christian to undertake some definite form of Christian service, however humble and restricted, which will result in changed lives. Some daily act of witness, conduct of family worship it may be, membership of a voluntary evangelistic band, teaching a Sunday School class, helping in a school for illiterates etc.. all present potential fields of guided activity. And as for the individual Christian there should be specific responsibility, so also for the community W e are seeking therefore that, the normal growth into new centres should be as a result of -evangelistic effort on the part, of nearby congregations, who have made them their specific objectives. But as these new fellowships are formed they will demand leaders, for it. is obvious that, the stipendiary ministry, whether lay.or ordained, can never suffice to meet the demand made b y'th e success of such efforts. And so apart from the ‘ Bible Schools” , which have done such ex­ cellent work for many years in instructing neophytes in the faith, and which still continue, there is the successful ex­ periment of a lay leaders’ Training Class ably conducted by the Rev. H. A. Maxwell in 'Mienehuh, where not only is the opportunity given for suitable laymen to be fitted for strictly local leadership but where also the vocation to full-time service may be tested, before those with suitable educational qualifica­ tions are sent forward for fuller preparation. Not yet has there emerged any brother prepared to avail himself of the provision made in the recently promulgated Canon "O f Or­ dination in Special Cases” but it is our hope that, in this way the needs of a widely-scattered Christian community may in some degree be met by voluntary clergy. Although in a community which is almost unique in transcending nationalism— good or bad— as is the Christian Church, the Western missionary will probably always find a sphere of service, the fostering of Chinese leadership and the production of actual Chinese leaders must be regarded as the MISSION STRATEGY 6 main task of the Mission if not indeed the sole justification of its existence. As far as organisation therefore can assist in this, it is our aim so to organise the life of the Church that leaders may most, naturally emerge. In' Vestry, Parochial Church Council, Diocesan Committees and Synod, without distinction of race or sex, the fullest opportunity is afforded for the exercise of the true democracy, which is the natural training ground for leadership.