The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 78

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78

The Lutheran Pioneer.

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Remarkable Oriental Generosity.

Going beyond the highest hopes of the Singapore
Mission, contributions to the new Anglo-Chinese
College have already reached the sum of $550,000
in cash, and are not at all likely to stay put at that
figure.

About $50,000 of the total was collected in the
United States by the efforts of Bishop William F.
Oldham and Rey. K. E. Pease; $100,000 more was
given through the medium of the Mission. ‘T'wenty-
seven Chinese donors contributed the rest of the
money, the principal gifts being $100,000 from ‘Tan
Kah Kee, $100,000 from Tan Wi Yan, $50,000 from
Lee Choon Guan, and land valued at $1,000,000
from Chan Kang Swi.

These Chinese have the distinction of being in
the very vanguard of the Centenary drive, as the
college is one of the chief Projects listed for
Singapore.

Pastors who have struggled and perspired over
raising $100 probably think that the printer slipped
in some extra ciphers by mistake. ‘To any one not
acquainted with the generosity of the Chinese mil-
lionaire, the figures sound like the dream of a neg-
lected missionary, just before his alarm-clock dis-
turbs the calm of an Oriental dawn.

It all began when Rev. J. S. Nagle, principal of
the Anglo-Chinese School, appealed to Lee Choon
Guan for a contribution toward a $20,000 repair
fund. The school, with its enrolment of 2,200 pu-
pils, was so overcrowded that the British govern-
ment had protested against the use of the poorly
lighted basement for classroom purposes.

Lee Choon Guan was not at all interested.

Mr. Nagle, who refused to go down on the first
count, returned a few days later to present his case
again. The merchant played with an ‘ivory paper-
cutter, and apparently gave the missionary but
scant attention.

Suddenly he wheeled around in his American
office chair. “Look here,” he said, “for a great
many years you and Bishop Oldham have been talk-

ing about starting a college. Why bother with this.

smaller school ? Why don’t you do something big ?”

The Methodist missionary saw light. Lee Choon
Guan had failed to become enthusiastic because the
amount asked for was too little. If he gave at all,

a he wanted to give a large sum. He was not inter-

ested in chicken-feed.
“Tf the Chinese are ready to support it, I am
ready to push it,” responded Mr. Nagle.

“Then I will give you $50,000,” said Lee Choon
Guan as calmly as if he had said, “I will give you
a cup of tea.”

First, however, he advised the American to visit
Tan Kah Kee, a wealthy Chinese of Singapore, who
is famous throughout the Orient for his benevol-
ences, and who, he said, might head the subserip-
tions with a larger sum.

Mr. Nagle had heard of Tan Kah Kee. He is
what Asante ans call a self-made man. His only
schooling was gleaned in a small Chinese institu-
tion, where children sat with their backs to the
teacher and chanted the sayings of the sages.
When still a boy, he came from Amoy to Singapore,
bent on secking his fortune. So well did he suc-
ceed that he now owns one or two steamships, a
Jarge rubber plantation, and many acres of rice-
fields.

As soon as a mutual friend had arranged a meet-
ing with ‘Tan Kah Kee, the minister began a con-
versation about the prospective college. “But he
didn’t do any more than begin it. Tan Kah Kee at
once took up the subject and put the missionary
through a long quiz. Though his own acquaintance
with colleges had been limited to the outside, the
Chinese proved himself to be a man of quick judg-
ment and keen intelligence.

“Come back in three days. I want to think this
over,” he said at the end of the interview.

When the three days were up, Mr. Nagle re-
turned. Tan Kah Kee asked a few more questions.
He reflected on the answers for a minute or
two, and then calmly remarked, “I will give you

~ $100,000:”

The missionary states that only the support of
a wall behind his chair saved him from turning
a most undignified somersault. ‘To have $100,000
fall in his lap after two interviews is enough to un-

nerve any one. As soon as he had pinched himself, ©

and made sure that he was awake, he went with
Tan Kah Kee to a solicitor’s office, where the check
was duly signed.

That started the ball rolling. Within just a few
months twenty-five more Chinese answered Mr.
Nagle’s appeals with gifts, none of the donations be-
ing under $1,000. Tan Wi Kan, a rubber merchant,
contributed $100,000 after far less argument than
is generally necessary to obtain $100 from a well-
to-do American. 5

While visiting the city of Malacca, Mr. Nagle
met Chan Kang Swi, who donated $20,000 in cash,
besides-a deed to 100,000 square feet in the heart

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