Page:The Pacific Monthly volumes 1-3.djvu/1046

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that sort come here. They find that by neatness and skill and knowledge oi the language and good manners they can get on. They take pride in their work, in their own appearance and their skill. In some communities of Chinese in this state the cooks are the aristocracy. They are well dressed, polite, affable, and know their value. The Chinese man who tips his hat to a white lady is, or has been, a domestic. If they ever fail to give satisfactory service, the reason for it will be found in the households where they serve. As laborers their fidelity is attested by those who employ them. Al- though it is noted that the section men on our railroads today are Japanese, in- stead of Chinese, the reason for this is not known to the writer, nor has he had opportunity to inquire.

As a resident, citizen or servant, the Chinese are worthy subjects formission- ary effort. Nor by this do we mean sim- ply religious missionary effort. Of course, that is the highest form, and under that head all else may be done. But in educa- tion the Chinese readily respond to efforts made. In fifteen years of educational work in which the writer has been inter- ested, not one pupil has been found, ex- cept among children, who has not shown appreciation of help. Men grown, who are compelled to arise at 4 o'clock A. M. to work; clerks in stores, gardeners, laundrymen, fishermen, after a day ot wearying toil, attend night school and pore over the new language with a zest and earnestness which wear out the white teacher. They are equal to the Ger- mans for persistence. They learn to write more readily and more exactly than do our own young people, and are neater than the ordinary schoolboy with his copy-book. Were there manual training-schools to which they could have access, they would have the dex- teritv which insures success.

Where the opportunity is offered for hiefier education the Chinese have taken high rank in our colleges and universi- ties. They have mental ability of the nicest order, and only need the chance to show it.

In religious work among the Chinese in this country certain facts must be borne in mind. They are here separated from their families; they are not here to learn religion, but to make money; they have a religion of their own to which they are attached by birth, inheritance, training and family affection. Each of these facts presents a barrier to the acceptance of a new religion, and the first two facts are a barrier to the practice of any religion.

Yet the Chinese are not beyond the reach of the Gospel, and many of them are consistent members of Christian churches. Sometimes we think gifts to religious work are a proof of sincerity. The Chinese Christians in this country send thousands of dollars, annually, to their own country, to maintain churches and schools, and employ preachers among their own people. Some of them return home and become efficient help- ers there.

The church with which the writer is connected — Presbyterian — has no less than six mission stations in Kwong- tung Province, opened by the aid of men who had returned from this country. A fine church building and school were erected largely by contributions from Chinese here, and one church and a book distributing society draws nearly all its supnort from Chinese Christians in this land. A Chinese man and woman con- verted here in Portland, and afterward married, returned to China, built a com- fortable home, and gave a house-warm- in jr. After receiving the congratulations of bis neighbors on his food fortune in savins money in the Golden Hills to en- able him to build siich a home, he re- plied thankinf his friends for their kind words: then he added: "I got some-