p. 112 | Irreligion in China

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 28, 1869

Irreligion in China

THE Proof-Sheet, a monthly magazine issued by Collins & M’Lester, type-founders, at Philadelphia, has the following remarks concerning “Irreligion in China:”

“M. Huc states the population of the Chinese Empire to be 300,000,000; and estimates the number of Christians to be 800,000. The Christian religion is persecuted in China, not on account of its creed, but because the government supposes that those nations who take so much trouble to introduce Christianity into China do so with a view to the ultimate overthrow of its political character. The Chinese, indeed, are materialists, and care little or nothing for creeds or systems. Beyond a few superstitious observances—relics, perhaps, of a forgotten religious belief—and the mere forms of official worship, there seems to be little of religion in China.”

“The Emperor Tao-kou-ang, some time before his accession to the throne, addressed to the people a proclamation, in which he passed in review all the religions known in the empire—Christianity included—and came at last to the conclusion that they were all false, and that one would do well to despise them altogether.

“In Tartary and Thibet, on the contrary, the mass of the people seem sincerely attached to the worship of Buddah; and many of the Lamas are devout and self-sacrificing. The younger sons all become Lamas.

“Whatever of moral religion exists in China is due to the works of Confucius; but this, according to M. Huc, is much more theoretical than practical. His teachings, intended for the learned, appear to have destroyed the ancient religion, without giving anything to supply its place with the masses; or, indeed, leaving any religious faith (in any class) upon which his perfection theory can be grafted.”