The New York herald., 1869-03-15
MADISON SQUARE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. !.
China and Observation-Disclosures by Rev. DIR.
Martin.


China and Observation-Disclosures by Rev. DIR.
Martin. 8N
The Madison square Presbyterian church REV.
DIR. Adams') was numerously attended last evening
to listen to lecture by Rev. DR.. w. A. p Martini on
"China and Its Claims on Christians OF New York"
After the usual devotional exercises Rev. Dr. Adams
Introduced the lecturer with few appropriate pre-
fatory remarks In which he alluded 10 the fact that
twenty years ago Rev. DR.. Martin was commissioned
by the Board Of Foreign Missions missionary TO
China, ana had so well performed his work that he
now returned on visit professor at the Imperial
College in Pekin. Rev. DR.. Martin, referring
to the subject OF his discourse. the claims
OF China on the Christian people or New
York. said that he would first take brief
retrospective view, to take an account Of our
obligations to the Chinese, OF such can be traced
In the form OF benefits received. We acknowledge
our debt to the people OF Great Britain for our ma
tional blood and our peculiar institutions; to the
Romans and the Greeks for our mental culture and
our literature, and our paramount obligation TO Ju-
dea Tor the Bible, the book OF books, the OF
our spiritual Illumination and moral training. We can
trace portions OF our language back to India, the
cradle OF the Arlan race; and we may trace 1t
to China, for people so ancient cannot have ey-
listed SO long without exerting some influence on the
rising civilization OF the West. AS seeds OF plants
carried by the waves, the Winds the birds distant
lands and no human eye can discover the path BY
which they came, so the migratory people through
Central Asia carried the germs of future civilization
with them and no distinct trace of Its path is left
But some OF the more recent discoveries and arts OF
the West can be traced to their origin and in all
honesty we must award to China what Is due
The art Of printing and the manufacture Of
paper was first known in China where xsted
volumes 500 years before Faust and Guttenburg. IL
cannot be believed that travellers from that lar on
art to the West, inst as by the same means the
lkWorn, the art Of manufacturing silk and the seed
Of the mulberry tree, on which the worm lives,
very name OF which stamps its origin from "China,"
we owe to the Chinese. Gunpowder they knew long
make it, and it is said that Byzantine Marcus
Gr0ecus had introduced it, some ascribe its origin
to the Arabs. but it Is probable tlfat 1t came from
China where 1t was known and used In torpedoes
in war even before the Christian era, twelve GEN.
turies before IL came into In Europe. Chemistry
II existed six centuries before Christ SO is also
with astronomy which sprang from the astrology
e s 81 we 70
to Columbus motive as well as the guide for his
voyage OF discovery the wealth Of the ancient en-
on, and the magnetic needle guided him IN
his course; ard although the books ascribe the dis
eleventh century 81 our er The Chinese nad eevsS
centuries before Christ though with them az their
books show, It pointed SOUTH and they employed it
was known in the West. He could say more, but
this bill Of obligations was heavy enough to put MS
debt we owe 20 China : we have two things to con-.
municate to them IN return-scence and religion.
SCIENTIFIC and religious truth s alone adequate to
need Of both. Three hundred years ago . European
traveller found them In many respects in advance: !
the Christian religion they have not progressed and
are now IN the rear. We can now give them the two
grown. AS IN chemistry they have ptp not ADVANCED s
astrology, 60 they have remained stationary
OF crude empyrIsm and need an infusion
from the West. The government is active. An in
st1tute OF learning has been f0unddd at Pekn as a
normal school for the education OF teachers. and
similar schools have opened at different seaport
towns. But something more Is wanting 10 enable
science to take fructifying root. The same tree
which raises its majestic foliage to the heavens on
the slope OF tho Sierra Nevada Is stunted shrub IN
advances the one case and depresses in the other
the growth OF the tree. Even so the sum OF right
religion creates that intellectual atmosphere with
out which science cnnnot flourish Give them, there
fore, the boon OF science and cvilizatongtve them
iy were abortive. The HISTORIANS from Persia camo
from lower grade or civilization and could not
succeed: me Roman catholic missionaries, though
many OF them did good work a1d were jealous Chris
tians. failcd they did not give them the Blole nor
were they supported BY political power or commercial
enterprises. Fow things have greatly changed
China Is feeling her increasing connection with the
great powers OF the world. Russia England and
France have become near neirhbors. but they are
dangerous and encroaching rivals. The
Americans are looked upon as the national friends OF
China, and the empire Is desirous Of entering into
closer relations with US. The treaty OF 1858 secures
the privileges OF missionary labor, and while twenty
aNo there were not four hundred native Chi
nese Cnristiails, their nuInber now exoerus four
thousand They contribute to MISSIONS and schools
aud some OF them even support Chrsllan ministers
of. thcir own illQlllityt The lecturer then gave
some ineTesp.g details OF his own missionary expe
llense kJ.Dng them aud gave graphic description
D. tue Chinese character. lie closed by impre ssng
upon his hearers the necessity and importance for
ourselves. aud especially for New York a. the eye
ana heart oi the American continent, OF planting
Christian civilization on the west coast OF the Pacific
lace 70 face % our own shores.
81. lON's, TRMIY PAalSa.