Earlier text: Answers to QuestionsIS THIS A CHRISTIAN NATION?
By J. W. Collie; W. N. G.
The decision handed down by Justice Brewer, of the Supreme Court, Feb. 29, 1892, declaring that “this is a Christian nation,” and the utterances from that time to the present by so-called reformers, are hardly justified by the facts. A careful observer of the times in which we live will not fail to notice that crime is on the increase. The condition of the laboring man is not improved, and as a result there is trouble brewing and breaking out in many quarters. To pick up the daily newspaper and scan its contents, the reader becomes appalled and heart-sick at the terrible list of crimes, suicides, divorces, etc., which its columns contain. The condition in the spiritual world is not any better. The recent utterances of a noted preacher of Louisville, Kentucky, are pertinent, and describe in a graphic manner the existing state of affairs. And what is true of this city, is equally true of all other large cities. The pastor in question decided to preach a series of “X Ray Sermons,” and to turn the rays on the various phases of life. One discourse was in reference to the spiritual condition of the churches, and, among other things, he said:— I find that the churches in Louisville are dead—that we have no Christianity. The average attendance at church is smaller now than it has been at any time since Christ was on earth. I have made a personal canvass of the churches of this city, and find that on an average not one-fifth of the members attend. The same conditions prevail all over the country. There is a significance to these words, coming as they do from the pastor of a professed Christian church, to a professed Christian people, in a professed Christian country. Continuing he said:— This city is morally worse than Sodom and Gomorrah. There are more people in this city guilty of adultery than there are whisky drinkers. The church and society life is hypocrisy. It is a fraud. The people go and hear a preacher on Sunday, but that is as far as they go. This is a fearful arraignment of not only this city, but the entire country; but is it not true? The prophecy of God’s word has said:— “In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” Verse 13. God does not desire to see his people pessimists; but, while we are to look beyond this vale of tears, with its sorrows and sins, we are not to be forgetful of the present, and the obligations resting upon us to faithfully warn the people of the impending dangers, and to prepare to meet Him who has promised to come and take His people away from this present world and settle them in a land that stands in a wonderful contrast to this. There is much significance in the fact that the advocates of enforced Sunday observance expect effectual assistance from the saloon-keepers. This appears to be a leading motive in attacking the saloons first, in hope that if the saloons can be closed on Sundays, then the men interested in the saloon business will retaliate by assisting in the effort to close every other place of business. This is a fair illustration of the unrighteousness of the movement; for the character of any purpose can not be above the power upon which it relies for success. A cause that depends upon a spirit of retaliation and revenge for success must of course be closely related to the one in whom that spirit originated. And as that one has for his principal aim the overthrow of the law of God, which plainly declares that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord,” it is doubly demonstrated that the attempt to compel the general recognition of a rival sabbath is in furtherance of that unholy aim. The same element (professedly Christian) which is thus endeavoring to secure compulsory Sunday observance by enlisting the saloon-keepers as auxiliaries, is also behind the movement to secure a religious amendment to the Federal Constitution. From the beginning of this effort its advocates have acknowledged a dependence upon political forces, which they admitted were most corrupt. They have from the first counted upon the fickleness of the average politician as a principal element in the success of that amendment. Nor have they reckoned in vain. As these religious efforts to control legislation become more and more popular, political office seekers come to count on an acknowledgment of such schemes as a feature of probable success for themselves. So when the proposition to close the Chicago Exposition was before Congress, prominent members discussed the question from the standpoint of expediency—whether it were safe for them to9oppose it and expect reelection by their constituents. In evidence as to the deceptive and corrupting influence that advocates of compulsory religious measures will attempt to wield, and do wield, upon men in public position, in evidence as to the disposition of politicians to truckle to the dictation of men whom they suppose hold elective power, we cite this significant instance: A leading figure in the National Reform cause publicly boasted that twenty ministers of Kentucky, by writing letters to congressmen from that state, led them to believe that the whole state was in favor of closing the Chicago Exposition on Sunday. So those congressmen thought they must vote that way in order to stand any chance of reelection. Now with such a religious condition and such a political disposition all over the land, what are we to expect when such forces unite to control the destinies of the nation? What may be expected when such a church is united to a state which it can control? The motto of a religious people who will resort to seeking the aid of the most corrupt influences to further their so-called reforms, must be that which has come down from olden times, namely, “The end justifies the means.” As that has been the doctrine of Rome for many centuries, and we see it being upheld in practice by the professed Protestantism of the United States, who can fail to note the striking similarity of the “image”? (See Revelation 13.) This is practically the motto of church and state union everywhere. Anything to win, is almost invariably the motto of the politician, and it is always manifested in political religion. But we look in vain for any such principle in the life and character of Christ, who never sought to wield any political influence whatever. W. N. G. J. M. BUCKLEY, D.D., the editor of the Christian Advocate, himself, if we rightly remember, a former sufferer of pulmonary complaints, and one who has been a close observer and student of all relating to the dread disease, after referring to the many declared specifics for consumption, gives the following “Standard Cure,” which we heartily commend to our readers who may be afflicted:— There is only one way that furnishes any prospect of overcoming consumption when once started in the system: Life in the open air, with a proper amount of exercise and special lung exercise, whether by climbing mountains, deep inhalations without the assistance of an instrument adapted to make them easy, or by the aid of such instrument. Alleviating medicines, and, in certain stages, tonics, may be helpful; but an economy of vital force, together with a return to primitive simplicity in living, is the essential. While we have seen scores wasting their time with specifics, neglecting the simple principles herein stated, and dying after a succession of experiments, we have met but few men who, beginning to fight for life before they were obviously doomed to die speedily, have taken up an outdoor life and systematic deep breathing, who have not entirely shaken off the incubus or indefinitely prolonged their lives. Conventionalities of society and domestic cares make it far more difficult for women to avail themselves of nature’s help, except in climates where the inclemency of the weather is not a factor in human deterioration. But many of them, even where their ancestors or husbands had succumbed to the disease, have fought it off by hygienic methods. SWEET REVENGE.
By Locius E. Christian
The Harris family were gathered about their fireside one evening late in March, reading the latest events of the day, when suddenly the door bell rang, the door was opened by an unseen hand, who threw in an envelope, the door again closed, and the messenger departed quickly. The family consisted of father and son. The father had lately passed his sixty-seventh mile-post, and the son was about seventeen. The father was feeble and in very poor health. Herbert, the son, went and picked up the envelope, and promptly handed it to his father, who, knowing from whom it was, tore it open with trembling hands, and began to read as follows:— M. R. HARRIS—Dear Sir: If the money is not forthcoming by the 28th of this month, I will foreclose. I can not wait on you any longer. I have waited too long already. Remember, no longer than the 28th. This is my last message. Yours respectfully, JAMES L. ALDEN. No sooner was it read than it dropped to the floor from Mr. Harris’ hands. The news well-nigh overwhelmed him; he seemed powerless to speak. We shall take opportunity of this pause to find out what caused this. Harris was once a prosperous merchant, but one misfortune came, which was succeeded by others, and, in order to keep up his business, he was compelled to borrow money from Alden—a man of whom no good thing could be said—who took all Mr. Harris had for security. Shortly after this, Mr. Harris’ wife sickened and died. His business moved along very well for a time, but reverses came; he failed, and lost all. He afterward worked hard to get back his home, but his health failed him, and the last $200 on his $8,000 home remained unpaid, and now he receives notice that if it is not paid in two days, his home is gone; and, not having $2.00 in the house, he sees no way out. Having recovered from his shock, he requested his son to write as he dictated. JAMES L. ALDEN, Esq.—Dear Sir: Yours received and contents noted. Can not you wait a little longer, until I am able to earn the required sum? At present I am unable to do anything. Do this and you will oblige your old friend. The message was sent, and an answer came immediately:— You have my last message. Remember, the 27th. If Harris was surprised before, he was more so now; and, seeing that there was no way left open whereby he could save his home, he immediately began to make preparation to leave the place. The 28th came, and with it Alden’s agent. Herbert had just left with the last load of goods. Harris remained a few minutes; it seemed hard to part from the place he had so long called home. It seemed to him that he was parting from some old friend; but finally, with slow steps, he began to cross the street, looking around every now and then as if to say good-by. He heard the tramp of horses and shouts of people, but he seemed deaf to the noise; and then, when it was too late, he saw a runaway team, which knocked him down. He was picked up insensible, and borne away to the hospital. The doctor examined his patient, and said he could not live longer than twenty-four hours at the most. The son was called to his side. “Herbert,” said the father, slowly, as if it caused him great pain to speak, “place your hand on the Bible that is on the stand.” The son obeyed, wondering what his father would have him do. “You know what has taken place between Alden and myself; had he but waited a little longer, I would not now be lying on my death-bed.” He stopped a moment, as if thinking deeply. “Herbert, I soon must leave you in a cold and cruel world, penniless. I wish I could make it otherwise, but it is now too late. Promise me if ever you get up in the world to take revenge on Alden.” “Father, you ask too much of me; pray do not make me do this.” Just then the son thought of his Christian mother, and he exclaimed, “Father, I promise.” Suddenly the father threw out his arms, a “Farewell” escaped his lips, and all was over. He had crossed the great divide. Many summers have come and gone, and now in a large building, in his private office on Fremont Street, sat Herbert Harris, a rich landowner and real-estate dealer. Williams—his employer—had just brought in a card bearing the name of James L. Alden. “Show him in,” said Harris. Alden is the same hard and mean man that he always has been, only his steps are feebler and his hair is white. “Good-morning, Mr. Harris.” “Good-morning, Mr. Alden.” “I called to find out if you can not give me three months’ time in which to pay the mortgage. I have done my best, but I can not collect a cent, and now unless I have a little time, I am utterly ruined.” How came this about? Alden had grown bolder and bolder in his business transactions, and at last he was caught in his dishonesty, and, in order to save himself from the penitentiary, he had to pay a large sum of money. To do this he had to borrow money, and Harris had loaned him the sum at ten per cent interest; but now the time had come for settlement, and he was unable to pay, and Harris had him just where Alden had had his father many years ago. Harris had not forgotten the fact, and now the time had come to revenge his father. A mighty battle was taking place in his mind between right and wrong. His father bade him to take revenge, while, on the other hand, was the strong influence of his mother, who would have him do otherwise. He was undecided. Alden thought the time long, and, thinking that he might have dropped the subject, spoke again:— “Harris, can not you really give me three months’ time? If you do, I will pay you well.” “Alden,” said the other, as waking from a trance, “I have not forgotten the past, how when my father was in the condition you are10now in, you showed no mercy to him. At my father’s death-bed I promised him to have revenge on you. The time has now come.” “I ask your forgiveness. I did wrong. I know you have me in your power, and what you do will determine my fate. I humbly ask your forgiveness. Do as you will. I trust it to your better nature.” “Alden, I forgive you, but I can not break the promise that I made to my father; therefore I will have revenge; but since I have become a Christian, I can not do it exactly as he wanted me to. I will take revenge by not giving you the three months you ask, but give you, instead, six months’ time; I also drop all interest, on one condition—that you will treat those who owe you as I have done by you.” “I will. God bless you, Harris; God bless you.” Williams came in at that moment, and said that three persons were waiting for Harris. “Harris, I never expected this. May God bless you.” “And may he do the same to you. Good-day.” The kindness of Harris so impressed itself on Alden that, before the year was out, he began to study God’s word, and soon after became a follower of the meek and lowly Jesus. He became a different man; instead of being hated and shunned, he was loved and respected by his fellow-men. The great change in his life caused others to seek salvation. They said, “If it can do so much for him, surely it can do as much for me, sinful as I am.” Sunday Laws.—In its review of what it calls “Sabbath reform,” which largely means “reform” in religious matters through civil law, the Christian Statesman of August 1 notes that “Louisiana is going backward in the matter of Sabbath legislation.” Ten years ago saloons and barrooms were closed on Sunday; now they will be allowed to open, except between the hours of 9 A.M. and 12 M. But this is in harmony with the old original Sunday-keeping. The same paper questions whether the same tactics in fighting Sunday laws will not be successful in Toronto, Canada. Progress in Sunday legislation and Sunday enthusiasm is noted in St. Paul, Minn., Riverside, R. I., St. Joseph, Mich., while the Sunday cause seems to be suffering in Pittsburg and Allegheny, the home of the Christian Statesman. In St. Joseph, Mich., the saloon men, who are compelled to close on Sunday, “are retaliating by closing every form of business on that day.” The above paper remarks: “We can but wish that their efforts may be successful.” Many of the orthodox Jews in Pittsburg, who keep their places of business closed on the Sabbath, “claim that for this reason they should be allowed to open on sabbath [by which is meant Sunday]. They are organizing to ask for remedial legislation at the next Legislature.” But not a word in regard to their rights does the Christian Statesman utter. The man who truly knows and believes the Gospel of Christ will not ask for religious legislation, or legislation to enforce the observance of religious dogmas. In other words, he who knows the arm of God will never seek to the arm of flesh. Three great public men, of lofty principles and unblemished integrity, have recently passed away. The world can hardly afford to lose them. Two of them were Benjamin H. Bristow, Secretary of the Treasury under President Grant, and ex-Senator Lyman Trumbull. The former was noted for his war on the Whisky Ring. He was a man of the highest integrity, and of unquestioned courage. Of Lyman Trumbull it is said: “He never sacrificed a principle, or notion of duty, at the bidding of friendship, or the call of ambition.” The third is Jules Simon, late president of France. He was a democrat, who believed in liberty, not simply for himself, but for all. He advocated the absolute division of church and state, and absolute freedom of the press. Pure in morals, truthful, and just, simple and temperate in habits, the political world needs more such men. A HUNT OF LIFE.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Don’t look for the flaws as you go through life;
And, even when you find them,
It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind,
And look for the virtues behind them. For the cloudiest night has a hint of light
Somewhere in the shadows hiding.
It is better by far to hunt for a star
Than the spot on the sun abiding. The world will never adjust itself
To suit your whims to the letter.
Some things must go wrong your whole life long;
And the sooner you know it, the better. It is folly to fight with the Infinite,
And go under at last in the wrestle;
The wiser man shapes into God’s good plan,
As the water shapes into a vessel. “What does the Lord want me to do?” Mary Gray asked the question in an earnest, troubled tone, which told that she had sought, but had not found, the true basis of life, or learned that all true service to the Lord rests upon the faithful doing of daily duties. “The best you can just where you are,
‘Who does the best his circumstance allows
Does well, acts nobly; angels could do no more,’” replied her companion. “Tho you be not called to any great work, as the world judges,—very few are—yet you have your daily duties, your home work. If you do this well, and make the little niche you fill bright and warm with loving sympathies and kindliness, if your ear be quick to hear the cry for help, and your hand ready to do whatever cometh for it to do, what more could you do anywhere?” “But others do so much wider work! They get so many more opportunities than I can!” answered Mary, still in a troubled voice. “God does not ask you to do another’s work, or to do what you might easily do in another’s circumstances,” was the assured reply. “He asks of us the use of no talent which we have not. He simply asks that we shall each take our own life, our day and our opportunity, and make it luminous with love and good-will. He will never compare your work with, or judge it by, that of another who may have wider opportunities, or greater talent. He knows us, each one, Mary; O, the comfort of the thought! knows our strength and our opportunities, and when we do the best we can, each in our own place and way, we but serve him. “It is the present work that is important and that must be faithfully done. We never come to greater work by neglect of that which lies nearest our hand. Don’t look upon your home work as being of little importance, or think you must have a larger field if you work for the Lord. “George MacDonald says, ‘If I can put some touch of a rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.’ In what better way can you do this than by making a happy home for those who look to you for home joys and comforts? Be not fearful as to results. When you have done the best you can to have the results all right, it is all that is required of you. The rest is God’s—can he not see to his own?” The talk ended here, but Mary Gray went back to her work with fresh courage, and a deeper insight into the real meaning of life and service, realizing that
“The common deeds of the common day
Ring the bells in the far away,”
and trying to make their chiming sweet and clear.—Zion’s Watchman. THE Czar of Russia belongs to the Greek Catholic Church; the Sultan of Turkey is a Mohammedan; the Emperor of Austria, the King of Italy, the Queen Regent of Spain, the King of Portugal, the King of Belgium, and the President of the French Republic, are Roman Catholics; the Emperor of Germany belongs to the Evangelical Protestant Church; the Queen of England is an Episcopalian; the King of Denmark and the King of Sweden are Lutherans; the royal family of the Netherlands belongs to the Reformed Church; the Mikado of Japan is very liberal in his respect for both Shintoism and Buddhism; the Emperor of China is a follower of Confucius; the Shah of Persia is a Mohammedan; the Queen of Madagascar professes the Christian faith of the London Missionary Society; the President of the Mexican republic is a liberal Roman Catholic, as are each of the Presidents of the Spanish-American republics and the President of Brazil; most of the lesser rulers in Africa and Asia are Mohammedans; the King of Siam is a Buddhist; the Presidents of the United States have all been Protestants.—New York Sun. GOOD RULES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
The rules of Elizabeth Fry, the benefactress, are especially appropriate for young people. They are as follows:— Never lose time. I do not think that lost which is spent in amusement or recreation every day, but always be in the habit of being employed. Never err the least in truth. Never say an ill thing of a person when thou canst say a good thing of him. Not only speak charitably, but feel so. Never be irritable or unkind to anybody. Never indulge thyself in luxuries that are not necessary. Do all things with consideration, and, when thy path to act right is difficult, put confidence in that Power alone which is able to assist thee, and exert thine own powers as far as they go.—Selected. The Zopherus melicanus is the only known species of American beetle that has strength enough in its mandibles to cut metal. This curious faculty of the zopherus was accidentally discovered by F. W. Devoe, a member of the New York Microscopical Society. A friend had sent Mr. Devoe some specimens of this queer species of bug from the northern states of South America. The microscopist was busily engaged when the insects arrived, and simply provided temporary quarters for the creatures in a glass jar having a metal top, in which the porcelain cap was wanting. Within less than forty-eight hours they had cut holes in the metal sufficient to get their heads through, and would soon have escaped had their operations remained undetected. By careful experiments Mr. Devoe found that the force necessary to do such cutting was equal to 369 grams, the power exercised by this brass cutter.—St. Louis Republic. “Thanks, I do not sing,” and the politely offered hymn-book was declined. Ella Talbot was but a young girl, absorbed in her school work, scarcely bestowing a thought upon the use she was to make of her talents and acquirements. Some years afterwards she found herself a missionary across the waters, needing all the ability of a well-trained mind, but constantly called upon for knowledge of simple, practical affairs she used to consider trivial. And, of all things, she was expected to sing—not merely to play the tiny organ in the chapel, but to sing a hymn, solo fashion. The preacher who asked this of her saw refusal in her eye. “Altho the door stands open, and we wait here ready to teach, you see the people are passing by. If you should begin to sing, I believe they would come flocking in; then we might have a chance to offer them the message of salvation.” Ella turned over the leaves of the hymn-book, printed in a foreign tongue. She saw, “Jesus, I my cross have taken,” and at once she took up this new cross bravely. “No wonder the people came trooping in,” she said afterwards, “for you know I have no voice at all. But they, poor things, tho nature may have given them voices, could sing no better than I—indeed, many had never heard a song. Such a hubbub as they raised! And when I stopped, they would have gone crowding out, but Mr. Harris promised that when he was through speaking, I would sing again. He told of Jesus our Friend, and I sang ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus!’ They were perfectly quiet, and must have understood the simple words. Since then I have never refused to do what I was once sure I could not do.” How many gifts are there among your classmates? Did you ever ask one to consecrate her talents to the Lord’s service? Why are you taking lessons in music year after year? If some one should ask you to choose a song, or to start the tune at the next missionary meeting, would you refuse?—Kind Words. AWE-INSPIRING AND APPALLING.
THERE is something so awe-inspiring and so appalling in the visitation of a tornado that man, realizing his absolute helplessness before the forces of nature, stands in abject terror at the contemplation of a disaster like that of recent date. All the much-vaunted human power becomes the puniest trifle. Man’s life and his greatest works vanish in a moment. There is no escape, no protection, no palliation. Nothing can stay the whirlwinds when they descend upon the earth. Yesterday it was the proud city of St. Louis that was visited with relentless fury. To-morrow it may be some other metropolis. The storm was probably the worst in the history of the country; for it is the first that has ever devastated a great city. Its record will stand as one of the saddest of recent times.—Denver Times. Empty Heads and Empty Barrels
“You can tell an empty barrel by the sound. How about heads?” ROMANISM IN CHINA.
By John Ross
BY REV. JOHN ROSS, MUKDEN, CHINA. The history of the Roman Catholic Church in China is one laden with lessons as to the character of that church, and one which gives the only satisfactory key to open the mystery of Chinese hostility to western peoples. The Jesuits, who zealously push their way to the foot of the throne in China, were men who were guided by wise counsels, and men trained in all the learning of the west. Professors of the Sorbonne, with men of leading minds among the Jesuits of Paris, were sent, under royal auspices and with regal gifts. By their mathematical learning they procured for themselves the control of the observatory in Peking, the construction of the all-important annual almanac, and the respect of all who loved learning. Never in any court had they so thorough a hold of royalty as they had during the long reign of Kanghi. Had they been able to get him baptized, as they had hoped, or had they continued the policy which guided them into and retained them in his favor, China might have long ere now been virtually a vassal of the pope. From among the most brilliant scholars of the empire they had numerous converts, and some of the best books ever written in favor of Christian doctrine were the product of high officials converted to Romanism. That church was not then wholly given over to the idolatry of Mary, as it is now. But the nemesis of Jesuitry, despite that splendid commencement, rapidly followed in the wake of prosperity. The successor of Kanghi did not reverence them with the affection of his father. A younger brother was a great friend of theirs. With other younger brothers the Jesuits conspired to dethrone the emperor and set this friendly younger brother on the throne. The emperor was aware of the treason, but left it alone till some of the leaders retired into Mongolia to take steps to collect an army. Then suddenly the chief conspirators were apprehended. The Jesuits were banished to the west of Kansu. The intercession in their behalf of a special embassy of Portugal, which then possessed the commercial supremacy in the east, was the cause of the death of the prisoners. For learning, by overland mounted courier from Canton, the design of that embassy, the government sent messengers to the west, and the Jesuits were put to death. Steps were taken to prevent the high-handed proceedings of converts all over the empire. The administration of justice was impossible where the Roman Catholics congregated in any numbers; for they went in a body to the yamen, and terrified the magistrate into acquiescence to their will. No Roman Catholic convert, accused of any crime whatever, could be brought to justice. Measure after measure was adopted to stop this constant overawing of magistrates; and, as nothing else availed, the persecution began, which put an end once for all to the unbearable authority which the Roman Catholic Church had arrogated to itself in the interior. From that time the Roman Catholics were under a cloud more or less dark till the French war dispelled the cloud and gave them as much liberty (1860) as ever they had to carry out their will—which they could now do without any fear of resulting persecution. The manner in which they have acted in China since has produced the fire of anti-foreign feeling, which has roused every riot which has occurred in this land. The Chinese are as yet incapable of differentiating between the peoples of the west. Americans are as much foreigners as French; and the hatred is against the foreigner on account of the doings of the French. The Chinese dread the spread of the foreigner into the country—for every foreigner is a center of more or less disturbance. If, therefore, an American missionary is mobbed when building a foreign house or church after the western fashion, let no one think that the mob is opposed to the teaching of Christianity. The Chinese have nothing but respect for the Christian system; but they hate, because they fear, the foreigner. Not as a missionary has any one ever been attacked, but as a foreigner. The story is too long to relate why this anti-foreign feeling is so deep-seated and widespread. But it is all to be laid at the door of the Roman Catholics. That church is said to be semi-political. In China you must omit the “semi” before you can understand the truth. The Roman Catholics never preach to the heathen. They rarely preach to their own people, who are grossly ignorant of the elementary principles of Christ’s teaching. They don’t preach; but if a convert has a grudge against a neighbor, he goes to the priest and tells him that so and so is “reviling the Roman Catholic Church.” If the quarrel is serious, he takes with him the fragments of the cross worshiped by the converts instead of their former idols, and accuses his enemy of having broken the cross. In nine of ten cases the Roman Catholic breaks the cross, and goes with this story, as the common people dare not quarrel with a Roman Catholic. The priest sends a document to the judge, purporting to proceed from a high official, by imperial authority, stamped with a formidable-looking official stamp. This document demands the punishment of the offender. That man is imprisoned, and gets out again only after the Roman Catholics are satisfied with the punishment received and the amount of money paid; for in all cases money is the chief concern. If the judge is slow in carrying out the desire of the priest, the latter waits upon him in person, and will not leave till his object is attained. In very exceptional cases the judge is unable to bring himself to carry out the outrageous demand. Then the priest goes in person to the governor general, lays his complaint against the judge, who has at last either to yield or to be degraded and succeeded by one who will decide according to the pleasure of the priest or bishop. Often, however, the offender is taken to the Roman Catholic Church, where there is a place of torture, which no native ever leaves without bitterly repenting ever having called in question the power of the Roman Catholics. The Roman Catholic priests are high officials with civil rank. They assume a style and dignity superior to that of a county judge. The bishop has the dignity of a judge of appeal. The cardinal is “king” of the church, and the pope “emperor.” The demands of the Roman Catholic Church—at least in Manchuria and in Szchuen, not in Shantung, I understand—are the demands of civil officials acting under imperial authority. What know the Chinese of all this? They only know that France upholds all these pretensions, and has once and again refused to curtail the action of the priesthood in this dictation to the native officials. These latter are degraded in the eyes of the people because of their subserviency to this foreign despotism which has gradually enveloped them round. The people are indignant that there is no appeal from the unrighteous tyranny of Roman Catholics. Is it specially wonderful that there should be occasional riots? Would such action—and far worse, which I care not to mention at present—be tolerated for a day in America or in any of the nations of Europe? For a quarter of a century I have resided among the Chinese and Manchus. The outcry against them is a libel upon one of the most sober, diligent, gentle races on the face of the earth. My sympathies are entirely with the Chinese, despite the blind folly of the means they take to get rid of the foreigner. They believe the missionary is a teacher of religion only as a pretext under cover of which he carries on political aims to subvert Chinese subjects from their allegiance. However long those have been in China who declare that this hatred is confined to officials and literary classes, they are ignorant of the facts of Chinese present life and past history. In the open ports you can never come to understand the Chinese. You must live among them, and come into contact with all classes. There are few of the poorest families in China who are not connected with or interested in some one or more of the literary and official classes. There is no caste in China. Did the common people not regard the foreigner with at least as great a hatred as the official and literary classes, no riot would be possible. They would not run the risk of losing their life merely to act on what they considered the falsehoods of the ruling class. Chinese are exceedingly ignorant of us; not a few of us, missionaries and merchants, are equally ignorant of the Chinese. What is the practical outcome of this hurriedly written paper? It is the desire to earnestly entreat every one directly interested in the conversion of the Chinese to manifest Christian forbearance instead of worldly revenge; to show the Chinese in practical life what is the real meaning of Christ’s teaching and of Christ’s example. Instead of the ready fault-finding—for which there is reason enough—let there be the quiet sympathy which will endeavor to understand the Chinese mental attitude. Let, above all, the desire be everywhere manifested in our dealings with the Chinese to remove from their minds the root of all the mischief,—the belief that we are political agents. Never let any one lightly move the foreign power. Appeals to Cæsar, and cries for the gunboat, for ministerial dictation in Peking, or consular action in the provinces, should be resorted to only in the most extreme cases. There has been lately on the part of many an unexpected eagerness to cling for protection to worldly power, instead of leaving all in the power which is over all. To me it is saddening in the extreme to discover how much it has been forgotten that the “weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” Every resort to carnal weapons is but another proof to the Chinese that we are political agents. Remove this belief, you open the way for the best classes of Chinese—those who most love their country—to become Christian.12 No Chinaman will be found who is ready to object to the teachings of Christianity. The most bigoted Confucianist, in coming face to face with Christian teaching, can but explain, “Jesus is the sage of the west, Confucius the sage of the east; you follow yours and allow us to follow ours.” There is but one great seriously mighty barrier at present against the speedy advance of Christianity, and that is the belief that we are political agents. China sorely needs Christianity. Confucianism is an ethical and political system. . . . Buddhism is an atheistic pessimism holding out the cessation of being as the ultimate hope of man’s greatest and holiest efforts. Taoism has degenerated into a poor magical system, worthy, perhaps, in many of its exhibitions, to be placed side by side with the absurdities of “spiritualism.” These three systems, despite the lunatic attempts of some westerners to galvanize one or all of them into something like life, are utterly unavailing before the heart cries of this nation. Heart sickness everywhere in this land can be cured only by that which is foolishness to the wisdom of this world. Here, as elsewhere, it is true that Christianity alone contains and alone bestows the highest promise and fulfilment for the life that now is and for that which is to come.—Missionary Review of the World. WORKERS AND WINNERS.
By Eben E. Rexford
Keep striving; the winners are those who have striven And fought for the prize that no idler has won; To the hands of the steadfast alone it is given, And before it is gained, there is work to be done. Keep hoping; the clouds hide the sun for a time, But sooner or later they scatter and flee, And the path glows like gold to the toilers who climb To the heights where men look over landscape and sea. Keep onward, right on, till the prize is attained; Front the future with courage, and obstacles fall. By those, and those only, the victory’s gained Who keep faith in themselves and see God over all.