Seventh-day Baptists in China.
By Editor
WE are reminded by the quotations given elsewhere from the Sabbath Recorder, of some interesting remarks made by Eld. Wardner in the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference last fall, which we had the pleasure of attending. Eld. Wardner spent some years in China, and his labors were blest to the raising up of witnesses in that country for the Sabbath of the Lord God. And after being absent from that country a number of years he receives letters that all who remain alive are steadfast in the truth. Considering their circumstances, the nature of the opposition they have to meet, we think this is very remarkable. We scarcely dare to believe that a church in our own country would so long hold out faithful under such trying and discouraging conditions. It must be that we behold the Chinese at a great disadvantage in California. The strong feeling existing against them, which does not always manifest itself in a Christian spirit or reasonable manner, begets a like spirit, and consequently there is a repelling power between the nationalities. The truth is, that much more is expected and demanded from those who have been brought up in heathen darkness, than is expected of those who have been all their lives surrounded by the best Christian influences. If the time ever comes that they have to yield to the cry of “The Chinese must go,” they will carry with them to their countrymen a hatred of Christianity and of Christian nations which no arguments and no efforts will ever be able to overcome. Judging from the experience of the Seventh-day Baptists among the Chinese, we are slow to admit that all the Chinamen who have professed the Christian faith in California have done so with worldly motives. Considering the tenacity of the Chinese to the customs of their fathers, and that they lose caste and sacrifice the respect of their people by embracing Christianity, we may safely affirm that the inducements for Americans to make a hypocritical profession of the Christian faith are much greater than for the Chinese. The probabilities in this respect are decidedly in favor of the latter. As Christians we must look at this subject from a Christian standpoint; we have no right to look at it in any other. We never see these poor blinded heathen bow down before their gaudily-decorated “Joss,” without feelings of sadness. Scarcely a Christian church, and very few Christian ministers seem to feel any obligation to present the Christian system, and Christianity in their own lives, in such a light as to win them away from their false worship. We do not dispute that it is unpleasant to dwell among them with their native habits and customs, and so it is with many of other nationalities; but we do believe that if, from the first, there had been a united effort on the part of the Christian churches to attract and elevate them, they would not, in this State, be what they are at this time. It is quite possible that, in the coming day, the American nation may find an account against it in behalf of the Chinese, as well as the Africans.