Looking to Christian Nations, but not to Christ.—
The Oriental nations seem to be reaching out to Christianity as a means of improvement in the art of war and in other means of national aggrandizement. The great superiority which the Japanese suddenly gained over the Chinese in the conduct of war is generally accredited to her adoption of the methods in vogue in the “Christian” nations. She modeled her army after that of France, her navy after that of Great Britain, and her school system after that of the United States. And the advancement in which she takes the most pride is in military and naval strength and prowess, all of which is universally styled the progress of “Christian civilization.” It is this which, more than anything else, has given Christianity its present prestige in that country. Now China has imbibed the idea that Christianity might be a good help in conducting the government of that country. The Missionary Review says:— “To the civil service examinations in China about 2,000,000 candidates are admitted every year. Literary criticism, history, agriculture, military affairs, and finance are among the subjects covered. Until recently the questions have been limited to Chinese affairs. Now, however, it is reported that the examiners recommend the Old Testament as a text-book, ‘because it is the classic of Christian countries,’ and a new question on the examination papers this year is: ‘What do you know of the repeopling of the earth by Noah and his family after the flood?’”