Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-02-15
The Overtum of Ancient Ideas.


matte disruption of ancient faiths in reli
gion, of ancient ideas in philosophy, and Of
ancient customs Of daily hie going on, as at
the present time. For ten years past civil
war has been raging in China, and although
nominally subdued it is not so far subdued
as to allow the revolution to go on quietly,
and without so much bloodshed but really
far faster than ever. 1t was the decay of
the ancient faith in the old religion of China
before the superior light Of Christianity,
and the superior strength of Christian civil
ization, that caused the whole of that rebel
lion; and it has ended not in the triumph
OF the Rebels, but in the adoption OF Eu-
ropean customs of war, and all the ideas OF
Christian countries.
This alone has secured the conquest of the
rebellion. Wheaton's international Law,
an American work, translated by a Chris
tian missionary, has been adopted as the ba-
SIS of the foreign policy, OF the Chinese
Empire, henceiorth and formally. The
higher classes of China were cold, Gtbets-
tic race, the lower orders full of superstition.
The higher faith in Christianity, while yet
it has hardly reached the masses, has now
begun that work Of overthrow which can
never cease until it has abolished all faith IN
idols by eleyating i'll its place the purer,
higher faith, in one true and living God, to
whom nations and individuals are alike ac-
countabe The heavy guns of the Chris
tian have done much to effect this.
In India, ever since tie putting down OF
the great rebellion, the whole fabric OF Hin
doc faith has been giving way. Not only
do whole villages cast off their former faith
and become Christians; but all the great
festivals and sacred places are so widely neg
lected, that the priests and eXpOunders OF
the ancient faith cannot find support, and 1t
seems as If caste and everything heretofore
held most sacred is utterly giving way. In
Burmah it Is the same. In fact the whole
of Asia, containing half the inhabitants of
the globe, is rapidly changing its faith and
customs and social life. The more lmmedl-
ate occasion of all this seems to be the su-
perior physical science OF Christian nations.
1t is the superior fighting qualities of our
soldiers in India and in China that has Civ
en- weight to the words OF our missionaries
the discipline the drill, the weapons Of
range and Of precision and power possessed
by European nations have made all they
have said respected. The railroads and tel
egraphs and car ais of India are cutting
principles, and giving them higher ones in
stead Thus while the Gang.s canal was
being cut, the Hindoo priests prayed that
the sacred waters of the Ganges might hot
flow in the artificial channels cut by Chris
tians But it does flow, and now the Hin
docs have lost all faith In the prayers of
their priests
Persons of high caste, for the sake of the
convenience of riding in railway cars, viO-
late the traditions and forfeit the pride Of
thousands of years in caste. The petroleum
of Burmah will overturn the customs Of
that country and AmcrcaGiZe them. Our
method of boring for oil aud DR.. Judson's
bible will each aid the other.
In these days of steamboats,, railways and
telegraphs, there is no great improvement
in arts, or arms, or science, but seems to
produce some certain, bat incalculable, i'm
provements in morals, manners and religion
OF nations where they touch. sAnd so there
is no great religious movement but will e
yentually lead to thousand new forms of
civilization, liberty and social progress.
The reformation commenced by Luther
was the prelude to the political revolutions
that afterward ensued. Ii all this be true
and clear it may well be asked, what are the
changes which the present civil war in this
country Is about to produce? One thing at
least is clear, that it was the loss OF faith in
the righteousness of slavery by the North,
while the South chung to it. which has been
the cause lying at the bottom OF the pres
ent intense strife. 1t would also seem that
the great danger in respect to all these
changes is in attempting to resist by force
those growths of opinion which should be
met by reason or quietly submitted to.
All these changes may transpire peaceably
enough in due time, provided, only they are
not violently resisted. 1t Is the attempt to
do by force the work of reason which makes
all the trouble. Be it a truth in politics, IN
II. - ny, II Il
harm if it is only left alone 1t is only
when confined and obstructed that it is dan
gerous. Be it an error, and if let alone it
will soon die out like an empty bombshell
with a lighted fuse In Europe itself, faith
in ancient system of government is fast dy,,
ing out, and respect for the more liberal
forms of civil institutions is rapidly making
its way and producing quiet revolutions.