o6 y V A ^tSSToTm;? N'^ ^■*^H '"'0^:^ ®t|? Pnnrrtott Work in ppktn luUrttn N0. 13 Jour f rars of Hork for lomtg iMrn in ^rking 1906-1910 MOV 18 1910 tt^^e/CAL k»\*^ *"^v^**Wj>* ^r~ •- lp^^^^^^^^^\" - ^^*^- The Old and the New. Telegraph Line on the Great Wall of China. THE PRINCETON WORK IX PEKING FOUR YEARS OF WORK FOR YOUNG MEN IN PEKING 1906-1910 The young' men of China are commanding the at- tention of statesmen, merchants, educators and philan- thropists. Through the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion (The Princeton Work in Peking) Princeton men have both a great opportunity and a well-tested medium whereby all who are interested may unite in the develop- ment and conservation of a mighty nation's greatest re- source — strong young men. Peking is the capital of the largest nation in the world, and, although not one of t)ie very greatest cities in point of population, it can truly be said to be one of the few most important cities in the whole world. The capital of China will figure largely in the world movements of the future, and the young men who inevitably gather in such a city constitute therefore a most important field of work. Representatives of the Chinese Christian Movement appealed to the International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations in North America eighteen years ago for men to launch Association work in Peking, but it was not possible to respond to this call until 1905 when the first active move was made. In May, 1905, the Hon. John Wanamaker, of Philadelphia, ofTered over $30,000 to erect a building for a Young Men's Christian Associa- tion in Peking, provided a suitable lot should he secured by contributions raised on the field. After much careful investigation a piece of property, about 170 feet by 200 feet, on the corner of Hatamen street and Gold Fish lane, was purchased at a total cost of about $10,000. Of this amount $3,800 was given by Princeton for that part of the lot on which secretarial residences are to be erected, and $6,200 was raised from Peking sources for the por- tion of the lot to be occupied by the Association building. The newly purchased premises were occupied about September i, 1907, and the old buildings on the property were speedily put into the best possible shape for living quarters and for beginning work. A portable barrack- house was secured to serve the purpose of classrooms and lecture hall and other rooms were fixed up for office work, a social meeting-place and staff quarters. As soon as the necessary furniture and limited reading-room sup- plies were in order, the sign, "Chinese Young Men's Christian Association", in English and in Chinese, was put up at the front gate on the main street. The opening- religious service on Sunday, October 27, 1907, was con- ducted by Mr. Arthur Rugh, National Student Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. in China, and representative Christian leaders of Peking were present. An important feature of this enterprise for the young- men in Peking is the part Princeton University is taking in it. As an expression of voluntary interest in the welfare of China at this stage of her development, the students, faculty and alumni of Princeton are giving substantial help in establishing and promoting this special work for the young men of the capital. It has been arranged that Princeton University will secure from her own grad- uates the foreign staff of the Peking Young Men's Chris- tian Association, assume responsibility for their necessary expenses, and aid in every way possible the promotion of the work. By the end of 1909 there were five Prince- ton men on the field. Mr. Robert R. Gailey '97, who, as the special representative of Princeton in China since 1897, was located in Tientsin, is now at the head of "The Princeton Work in Peking". Mr. Dwight W. Edwards '04 arrived in Peking November 30, 1906. Having given a large part of his first two years to language study he is now doing full schedule work. Mr. J. Stewart Bur- gess '05 is the latest arrival from Princeton to join the permanent Peking forces. His first six months of lan- guage work are being spent at Tungchow. Mr. L. D. ■8 »i II doldfish Lane. 1 — _-H Froelick '06, who gave the two years, 1908- 1909, to the Legation Guards' Branch, has left the regular service of the Association, and is doing effective work in the Peking College of Languages, assisting voluntarily, however, in the Association Night School. Mr. J. Wheaton Chambers '09 arrived in Peking December 6, 1909, to succeed Mr. Froelick in the work for the soldiers and marines of the Legation Guards. Mrs. Gailey and two children, together with IMrs. Burgess, complete the roster of the Princeton Colony. We have also had the efficient help of two Chinese secretaries to whom great credit is due for their very faithful services. The plans for the Nezv Association Building are in the architect's hands, and it is hoped the building will be under way within a year. A reading-room, rooms for Bible classes, religious meetings and social gatherings, baths and lockers, and, eventually, a gymnasium are the main features to be included. In the near future two comfortable Residences for the secretaries will be erected at a cost of $5,000 apiece, thus safe-guarding the health and increasing the efficiency of our workers. Princeton would belie her own best traditions if she supported any work of this sort that did not ha\'e a strong religious basis or that did not put forth a direct and vital religious effort. While using all worthy means, the nature and pur]wse of this work are avowedly and strongly Christian, for we believe thaj; the Christian re- ligion alone contains the solution of the individual and social pro])lems of China. Our constituency is made up of three classes of young men — the Students in the Christian schools and government institutions of Peking, thousands in number, the Young Men of Peking City, and the foreigners of the Legation Guards, numbering about 1,400 men. What has already been done by our men cannot be shown by any striking statistical tables, but is of far- reaching significance for all that. For the Students in the Christian Institutions our men have organized an Inter-Collegiate Christian Movement similar to that of our own land, and have held three summer con- ferences on lines similar to the Northfield Student Con- ference. The 1909 conference was attended by 145 stu- dents, teachers and pastors from sixteen schools, seven denominations and four provinces, and the 1910 con- ference was expected to be still larger and more rep- resentative. These conferences, together with Bible in- stitutes and training classes, have had a mighty influence, just as their prototypes have had in this country. Out of this work among Christian students has developed a most remarkable phenomenon, a Chinese Student Volun- teer Movement. Under the leadership of an able Chinese Christian pastor, scores of Chinese students are dedi- cating their lives to the Christian ministry among their own people. In the district of which Peking is the center, Edwards has rendered special service in guiding and de- veloping this movement, thus carrying out the aim which all missionaries now cherish, of getting the Chinese to do their own evangelizing work. It seems especially appropriate that Princeton, the chief inspirer and inaug- urator of the Student Movement of the United States, through Wishard 'yy and his friends, as well as of the Student Volunteer Movement of our own land, through Forman '84 and Wilder '86. should also lead in an iden- tical work for China through Gailey '97 and Edwards '04. The old spirit still lives and works. 0\ w 3 ^ For the Students in the Govevninent Schools more and more is being done in a direct way, but the chief avenue of approach to this great field has been in securing Christian American teachers for regular positions in these schools. On account of the exceptional hold our men have on the confidence of the Chinese officials, Princeton is doing much to solve this crucial problem aright. For the new Peking Preparatory School, which is training Chinese students to enter American colleges, all the teachers have been secured through the Young Men's Christian Association, and chiefly through our Peking rep- resentatives. The bearing of this on future influence and work is clear. Another line of work may be illustrated by one fact. A lecture on religion by Professor Rodger, who was visiting Peking, brought out an audience of about 800 students who listened to his presentation of Christianity with eager attention. For the Young Men of Peking City our men have conducted night classes in English. Bible classes, religious meetings and socials, and are striving to do for them what any strong city Asso- ciation ought to do. The average enrolment in the night classes for the past two years has been about seventy-five, the attendance at the general lectures, which are given once a month, sevent}^ ; at the Sunday religious meetings, sixty, and at the occasional social gatherings, twenty- eight. Four Bible classes have had an enrolment of sev- enty-two, and the total attendance at the rooms during 1909 for all meetings of any nature was 16,320. This work is now organized under Chinese officers and direc- tors, but, of course, under the careful guidance of the foreign secretaries. 2 « For the Legation Guards much effective work has been done ; first under FroeHck's able lead- ership, and now under Chambers. The facts concerning this branch of the work have been fully noted in previous bulletins. Suffice it to say that nothing- has done more to bring our whole work to the favorable attention of the foreign legations and the foreign residents generally. The preventative work, through classes, entertainments, lectures and club privileges, has kept many a soldier straight, and has led the way to a strong religious work which has now been carried right into the barracks of the men with the full consent and approval of their officers. It is not strange that such a work as this should have caught the imagination of Princeton men. Many are backing it up loyally and generously, but we need more help to keep our $7,000 annual budget going and to meet special needs. Needs — $4,000 more is needed to complete the $10,000 Residence Fund, and subscriptions to the current budget are always welcome. This fall the undergrad- uates have already raised $1,000, their prescribed share, to be applied to next year's budget. Kindly make cheques payable to Robert Garrett^ Treasurer, and send all remittances to Lucius Hopkins Miller, Chairman, no Bayard Lane, Princeton, New Jersey. Attention is called to the bequest form on the next page. PRINCETON WORK IN PEKING Bequest Form I give and bequeath to the International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York, the sum of dollars, in trust nevertheless, to invest and reinvest the same in such se- curities as are or from time to time may be legal invest- ments for trustees under the laws of the State of New York, or in first mortgage bonds of railroad companies which have paid their interest without default for the preceding ten years, to apply the income from the said fund from time to time as the same accrues for the use and benefit of the Young Alen's Christian Association in the City of Peking, China, as conducted through the co-operation of the Princeton Committee; should the Princeton Committee at any time cease to carry on such work in Peking, the said International Committee shall continue to apply the income of the fund to promote religious work among young men of Peking, and in case the work in Peking shall at any time be discontinued, the income from the fund shall be applied to promoting the religious, social, and intellectual well-being of young men in China. Pastor Ting of Shantung. Through Whose Work 350 Students in North China Have Offered Themselves for the Christian Ministry.