1916-12-05 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG, DAILY, PRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 1918.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE WAR AS A PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SINS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE *! HONGKONG DAILY PRESS."]

+

THE NATIONAL MISSION, "WHY DOESN'T GOD STOP THE WAR L

The incetings in connection with the National Mission of Repentance and Hope were continued yesterday, when services were held in the Cathedral 'at 10.16, and 5.30 p.m., and a meeting for men in the Chamber of Commerce

OBITUARY.

MR. A. HMACKAY, of TIENTSIN.

We regret to record the death, which took place at Braemar House, yesterday, of an old and popular Tientsin resident Mr. Alexander Hugh Mackay, says the Peking and Tientsin Times" of Nov- F Scot. cinber 27th. Mr. Mackay way He first came out to China in 1893, to join the old Tongshan Mining Company,

RANDOM * REFLECTIONS.

What are our Censors doing? It would be well if, at the next meeting of the ** Legislative Council, a question were asked concerning the, money spent upon this Department. A local resident has just received a pamphlet, printed in Gor- many, and posted from Switzerland, denouncing in unmeasured terans Great It deals Britain's policy in the war. with the question of the Black Lists, states Bishop Norris. His arguments are in Room of the City Hall at 6:30 pm which was then controlled by Mr. Tong that the speech of Mr. Asquith at Queen's consistent, and, if persisted in, the The various gatherings were well attend King sing, with Mr. Kinder as Engineor in Chief. During the five years he was ed, the last-mentioned particularly so, the violence and courseness of the insults Mission will not only fail in its object the room being crowded, many of the Tongshan, which was then, of course, very different place from the Tongshan audiencs having to stand throughout the of to-day, Mr. Mackay was extremely popular. He took a great interest in the proceedings.

Tongshan Club and in local sports.

Hall should be awarded the prize for levelled against the Germans," and analyses the present military position with the object of showing that all the efforts of the Entente Powers to drive the Germans back are unavailing. This pamphlet, which has been drawn up in order to influence public opinion in neutral countries, is doubtless distributed in its hundreds of thousands, it reaches zno open and unashamed. The envelope is not fastened, and almost protrading from the cover is the imprint on the previous document Kriegs-ausschus dor. The en- Deutschen-Industric, Berlin." velope, moreover, is stamped P.B.C." I wonder how many of those pam-

Six, Before the National Mission of Repentance und Hope is a day older I desire to enter a strong protest against the attitude towards the war adopted by

but will do an irreparable injury to the Church under whose auspicos it has been arranged, and to the enuse of organised Christian effort generally under whatever denomination it is carried on. We hear enough about the Church Militant when Endowments and Preferments are in danger; why do not the missioners now sound the trumpet call of encouragement to those who in their thousands bave sacrificed position and pleasure in order

The Rev. Dr. F, L. Norris, Bishop in North China, the Missioner, conducted all the ineetings.. His subject at the City Hall gathering was Why docan't God stop the War?" After some preliminaries the speaker said, he had had a question handed to him which asked if, in laying stress on the war as being ordained by God as a punishment for England he had

In 1808 Mr. Mackay went home, but he returned to Tientsin in December, 1899, to join the firm of Hirsbrunner and Co., which at that time was in the French Concession. In due course he as in sole control from the time of Mr. became a partner in the firm, of which he Hirsbrunner's death, about three years

ago.

In

phlets the Chinese are receiving! One to fight for their home and their loved not overlooked the natural, political, and about 1904 the firm moved into its pre-

ones and to defend others who, in their economical trend of events since Bis weakness, are at the mercy of the op-marck took the lead in Germany, or since pressor? Surely Bishop Norris believes 1880, by which, shers of divine inter that our cause as just! Why, then, does

enquiry will be set on fout in order toho say that we are being punished, for position, which we had no right to expect, the Course As a Scot he also took a

2

our sins Were we right to keep faith with Belgium? If so, why should our failure to hold back the German forces be regarded as a sign of tiod's wrath

If amor were alive to-day he would point the accusing finger at the scene in Belgium, who was suttering now for her sins. France, whom we had learned to admire and sympathise with as never be fore, has stood out as a godless nation for many years, and look what she is suffering now. This is the help wo obtain from our Church leaders to day; this is the encouragement we receive from our spiritual advisers in the tremendous task we have undertaken to free the World from military oppression. One would imagine it was an Apostle of German "Kultur" who was speaking. To be consistent, Bishop Norris should dopre cate our attempts to raise funds to con tinue the struggle; be should denounce in unmeasured tering our wickedness in refusing to look upon the German armies as the instruments chosen by God to purge the World of its iniquity.

Mr. Mackay rendered considerable assistance to the European community during the troublous days of 1900, 1001 he was joined by his family, and sent premises on Victoria Road. Ever since he arrived in Tientsin Mr. Mackay has taken a very keen interest in sport. He was a prominent member of the Race Club, and his colours were often seen on very keen interest in the local St. An drew's Society, of which he was Pre- sident a few years ago Apart from his interest in Hirshrubner and Co. he was responsible for several other local enter prises, including the Imperial Hotel and the Crystal Aerated Water Factory. He was a member of the Committee of the local British Charaker of Commerce. the Front.

Two of the deceased's sons are now at

MR. JOHN T. GRIFFIN.

war was inevitable when it broke out a year or two afterwards; that the rulers of Germany were set on it and were being driver to it as a solution of their diff- culties, and was he not overlooking that when he said it was ordained by God? His answer to that was that he did not mean to lay any stress on the war ordained by God is a punishment of England. That seemed to him quite a wrong view, and if that was the view any of them had carried away from the meeting in the Theatre the previous

News reached Shanghai on November night, then they either had failed to catch his meaning or he must have expressed 29th, of the death at Yokohama, says the himself very badly. He tried to point NC. Daily News, of Mr. John 1. Griffin, out and meant to point out that the one of the oldest foreign residents of sufferings the war had brought with it Japan. Mr. Griffin was a retired silk He did merchant and was for many years 15- were a punishment laid on us

sociated with the firm of Robinson & Co. While he had never lived in China he had a large circle of friends and acquain- tances in this country as some years ago. he spent much time in Shanghai, and ut Canton, buying silk. Mr. Griffin always took great interest in matters Masonio; he was a 33 degree Mason and head of the Scottish Rite in Japan. He was 66 years of age.

not mean to say

the war had been ordained by God to punish us. The war was not ordained by God. Not for a moment. The war was permitted by God. It seemed to him that God, having per- mitted the war, took the opportunity that nan gave him to punish. Man furnished the opportunity and God took it. It was a pity they did not take the opportunitice God gave us as readily as God took the opportunities we gave Him. A man was blind if he refused to see that God was taking the opportunity man had given Him in this war to discipline us-to punish us; and he was worse than blind the inade light of the whole thing like the editor of John Bull.

swallow does not make a summer, but such an example of carelessness tends to destroy one's faith in the eficiency of our war methods and to create a feeling of disquiet. At any rate, I hope that an And whence the pamphlets emanated and which particular Censor's oflice passed them as innocuous. While the newspapers are not allowed to mention the name of any warship in harbour-a rather absurd restriction when all the facts are con- Care sidered-His Majesty's postmen bringing to our doors German special pleading straight from the printing press. This is straining at a gnat and swallowing a caus!" with a vengeance.

Although several hundreds have joined the Constitutional Reform Association, there must be at least an equal number who have neglected to return the circular sent to them a few weeks ago. There is no doubt that this is not due to any lack of sympathy with the movement, The but because they are dilatory. recent petition to the Secretary of State showed that all but a negligible number of those qualified to sign were in favour of more representative system of government in this Colony, and now that the basis of the movement has been

Of course, I am conversant with the wideped and the members of the new Society are to be left with a perfectly argument that it is impossible for us to free hand to draw up their own pro-understand the mysterious workings of posals for attaining the object in view, Divine Providence, which uses the most there ought to be a corresponding in unlikely instruments for carrying out its crease in the number of adherents. The purpose, and it may appear to Bishop greatest obstacle to progress is always Norris that our endeavours to defeat the theviesnertine so many people are enemy are not inconsistent with the idea ready to eat the fruit if others will that the suffering and sorrow through pluck it for them. They sok to excuse which the Nation is passing is the mani-

18 GOD INCONSISTENT? their lethargy by arguing that, after all, festation of righteous anger against an

But the Man in the Coming to the question why did God their help is of little importance one crring people.

Street will not accept this view. He not stop the war, the speaker said he way or the other.

knows we could have avoided the trouble supposed there were some people who This always reminds me of the story at the sacrifice of our honour, and any thought it was inconsistent of wod not of the presentation to the Scotch minister argument, therefore, tending to show that to stop the war. They know and believed Upon his retirement. The elders of the we are simply meeting with our deserts that God is love, and that God wished Firk met to consider how they could best he would describe as tosh." The world men to love one another; that God was ck their appreciation of his services is not an ideal place. It may be that a God of peace; and we were tempted. and decided that a cask of whisky would in the West End of London there are well to think it rather inconsistent of God to form a most acceptable gift. On a given to-do people hoping for peace to come allow war; that he wag letting loose evil; date, therefore, they invited the congre- again simply that they may have a good that instead of jove Hb was allowing hate gation to bring their contributions in time," while "little more than a stone's to be rampant when He might stop it, But was kind for this purpose and pour them throw away there are thousands wallow and that seemed inconsistent.

The it inconsistent of God? That scened to sentation was made, and the minister

him to depend partly on whether God into the cask. In due course the pro-ing in misery and wretchedness."

to spienons in its zeal for social reform; it, ordained or permitted the war. God gracefully invited those present sample the contents of the cask. When also, has its poor and rich servants, and did not ordain the war any more than they tasted the liquor they were unable it is nauseating now to find it adopting He ordained that one man should murder Pharisaical attitude towards things as another, That He permited it was obvi to determine what it was, but they ene and all knew that it was not whisky, they are, and claiming that it is able to ous. Then was it inconsistent of Him to You see, each of the contributors had see in this terrible upheaval the inserut permit the war, and it to, why? If the war was a bad thing and God was using held the opinion that, being only one able working of Divine justice.

The Church has a splendid opportunity a bad means for a good end that would anong many, his contribution would

now of getting into closer touch with the be inconsistent, because you must not count for very little and so be had brought water. There is a mural in this people, but it must strike a more human do evil that good may come was one note in its National Mission of Bopent of God's own laws. Next he would ask story if you look for it.

ance and Hope. If it is to become a war a bad thing in itself! He was real influence in the lives of the people not at all sure that it was. It was a its leaders must eschew cant. Why not painful thing, there was a lot of suffer- look upon the bright side of things and ing about war, but he was not at all

Church in the past has not been con

SPORT.

HOCKEY,

YOLUNTEERS «. R.G.A.

The following Volunteers will play for the "B" team against the 88th Coy. R.GA. at Happy Valley to-day: Golden- chell, Ralston, Stalker, Southerton, Evans berg, Hickling Railton, Haskett, Wit (Capt.), Schnepel and House Bully-off: 4.15. Volunteers in khaki.

war-that we should learn to make our- selves as good and great and as near to God's ideal of excellence as we could the war had not yet been stopped. They then he thought it was just as well that had not learned the war's lesson yet, but they were a great deal nearer it than they were two-and a half years ago..

QUESTIONS.

Questions were, then invited and several were asked and answered. One was why God allowed the war to start, and the Bishop's answer was in the form of another question-why does God allow evil to exist at all? Another question asked what advice the Bishop would give the people of Hongkong as to what they should do to learn the lesson that wAS necessary to the war coming to a close, to which the Bishop answered that if they

Apropos of military service, a corre- spondent writea se followe: Why is it that so many Hongkong fellows have Fuddenly developed a liking for Aug boa little more practicall-Yours, etc. sure it was a bad thing. When he ran would terum u. wholly Christian England;

tralia, Japan and Baguio at the present sime, when their leave falls due? A number in my own circle, who have desire often spoken of their keen

to go Home when leave should bo- come due, have suddenly changed their

minda and sought zenowed health and vigour elsewhere. I would not like to think that they are shirking the service which would be demanded of them if they went to England, but I have grave doubts, for they never talked of Japan and Australia when looking forward to the arrival of leave time My correspondent may set his mind at rest. The Military Service Act does not apply to men home on leave from the Crown Colonies. The probability is that many men find the call of the Homeland less compelling now that so many of their friends have been called to the

colours.

A BUSINESS MAN, Hongkong, December 4th, 1916.

CANTON "NOTES.

{TEGH OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

CANTON, December 4th. RESIGNATION OF CHU UING-LAN, AND

Owing to lack of funds, the Civil Governor Chu is said to have definitely made up his mind to resign, although destruction and death which they saw several telegrams which he has forwarded to the Peking Government on the subject have not been accepted.

It is expected that there will soon be a great change in the financial condition of the Province when the China Bank resumes its exchange service, and the loan contracts are settled.

would strive alter having what

be

as their ideal, and working towards it, they would help materially in the direc tion of the shortening the war. Several other questions were asked.

A LINE FROM THE BISHOP OF STEPNEY.

[COMMUNICATED.)

In connection with the Mission Services now being held in Hongkong and with the preacher's call for a spiritual perception," the following extract from a letter written two months ago by the Bishop of Stepney to a parent who had just lost a Winchester boy-- Captain, with a M.C. of the Territorial Foroca- who had every prospect of a brilliant future, may be of interest to some of our

readers:--

a thorn into his band it was very painful to extract it, but it was worth while He hated pain, but he saw Do inconsist- ency in intucting pain when it was worth white; and he BBW ao inconsistency in God permitting this war si me thought it wort while, war not veing evil in itself, only paintul. It he were asked to defend the statement that war was not nocessarily evil in itself he would rather not do it that night. ffe would merely remark that there was a natural law of going on all round them, and war was only one form of it. It seemed to him that they had to admit the whole thing if they were going to admit that was He could necessarily evil in itself. fancy another question being asked if it was consistent of God to allow the was doing no war to go on when

"Even at the risk of intrusion I write good? That question was founded on the

one line to you in the midst of the assumption that the war was doing glorious sorrow which & isther and a good. Was it not doing good? He good Christian has been called to beur. If the price of coal continues in its

fancied it was doing a great deal of good The papers this morning gave me some upward fight-it has already reached

in spite of its suffering. If the war had idea of the strength and high promise of the neighbourhood of £3 10s. a ton-it will soon be beyond the reach of anyone

done nothing else for him, the story of your son's life and your pride in bim but a plutocrat. The time is rapidly

the brave middy standing at his post must be very great. It is not for me to approaching when the parent, instead

to the death in the battle of Jutland remind you of what we are bidden to of priding himself upon his pictures, or

bad made an impression that would last believe of the life beyond the grave. Only hia Chins, or his selection of vintages,

The representatives considered that it all the days of his life. And there was one is quite sure that nothing is lost; will make a bid for notoriety with as

would greatly affect the political situa- the sacrifice entailed in this war which that all that is best is safe, and safe for well-stocked, coal-cellar, We may even see

tion in the province if General Luk was held up to us as Christ was held ever; that even the lustre and happiness. local jewellers substituting coal for black

were to leave, and they decided to send up on the cross. Let no man say the of a long and useful life is pale beside pearls and other precious stones in the

a telegram to Peking asking the Govern war was doing no good. There might be the fuller life on which he has entered; mufacture of articles of personal adornment not to accept his resignation.

a question that now that the object of that all the stages of well-deserved pro- At the same time they sso deliberated the war had been attained was it not motion are out stripped by the sudden upon the resignation of the Civil Gov-time to end it?

advance which his self-sacrifice has won I am informed, from within,"

for him; that he has reached already more than your fondest wishes reckoned on. away on the spur of a Hongkong mil,ernor, but without coming to a decision.

You are. I know, amongst those who want far from the madding crowd, broods GAMBLING IN CANTON.

England to be a better and nobler sou a lonely figure, who is gradually becoming demented in the effort to discover how a

trypurer, stronger with higher ideals regular soldier in Hongkong, drawing

and a heart set on reaching them. It will #a week nett, manages to indulge in a

be our lasting shame if what has been glorious drunk lasting from Friday to Sunday. He had not solved the prob- lem up to the time of going to press.

*BOOKRIDE BANDOM.

ament

The local gentry and merchants are all concerned at Governor Chu's resign tion, and would welcome his retention of his post. PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY AND GENERAL LUK,

A meeting was held at the Provincial Assembly for the purpose of discussing the resignation of the Military Governor, Luk Wing-ting.

THE OBJECT OF THE WAR

He said he did not agree that the object The Peking Government has recently of the war had been attained, and pro ressived a telegram from the local Gov-ceeded to discuss what was the object of ernor, Lak sad Chu, stating that in the the war. After quoting at length from present circumstances they are not yet a war work by Mr. Clutton-Brock he horne and suffered leaves no as we are i in a position to prohibit the gambling said if the object set forth in it was the will do so as soon as they can see their

of "Bhan Fui" and "Po Pui," but object for which God had permitted this

Way.

~(Continued at foot of nest. Column.) ·

So that, it the very highest sense, her and may be saved by the sacrifice of ber noblest sons."

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