The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-01-19


had reached an abnormal condition" &c
have no space to notice this, but it is man
ifestly insufficient to account for its appear
ance, or to lead us to expect its disappear
ance in less crowded state, aOhich oCe ha0
since the TAPPING war
There is one point still which wish tt
note in this long but necessarily imperfec
review of this people,sas connected with thi'
question. All observant Christians probably
regard the hallowingsof the Sabbath as ont
of the most hopeful signs of national pros
perity, (see Jer. xvii: 24-27.) And one o.
the darkest spots upon our political as vel
as moral heavens, is the disregard of the
Lords day, introduced by the German free
thinking element. But introduce million
of Chinese year, as the writer for the Col
ary estimates, and do they not add just SC
many Sabbath breakers to bring down the
wrath of God on the nation? And if giver
the privilege of the ballot, it is at least prob
able they will :ow their immense numbers
into the scale wa .Se Ssbbath breakers
who are now assuming an organised form.
Is there not enough here, then, to make
the lover of civil prosperity and religious
liberty pause before inviting this immense
immigration? | know there are dificultie;
in the way of staying the tide, while on the
other hand protesting to be the asylum fol
the oppressed of all nations, and on the 9th
er hand claiming the privilege of our mis-
sionaries and merchants entering China
But even here more is granted the China
man in the United States than is conceded
to the foreigner in China. For the merchant
cannot tresdein the interior away from certain
treaty ports, and the minister in France
thinks they have misinterpreted the clause
in their treaty by which, through the "fa
vored nation clause" all classes of mission
aries have been permitted to reside in the
interior.
Still, as Christians, should we not desire
the Chinese to immigrate to the U. States
for their own good if for no other reason
Certainly, if thus they will be evangelised
and the time hastened when "all shall know
the Lord from the least unto the greatest.
With wise and equitable laws guaranteeing
the Chinaman the rig hts of other aliens, hi
doubtless would be temporarily benefited by
contact with Christianised civilization. Bu
it is still question, Would they sooner be
come Christians by emigration or by re
ceiving foreign and native heralds of tht
cross in China? What direct efforts have
been made for the conversion of the Roman
Catholic Irish congregated on our railroads
Will more be done for the larger and NOR,
clanish mass of Chinese emigrants? II
San Francisco they have five temples, while
the Gospel has made little progress. Their
is dassger then lest heatben temples and al
tars crown the hills of our own native land
among Chinese settlers, rather than churche
of the living God
But should it be probable that the cauS
of Christ will be advanced among them, AM
not retarded among the other races, l tbinl
by all means the Mongolians should be adde'
to the Caucasian, Ethiopian, and Indial
races in our Heterogeneous population. Blu
let not the Christian, in view of the China
mans coming to him, forget that the com
mand of his Lord is, Go ye into all tn
world" &c. If the Chinaman IS introduced
the people of God have not only the colore
race, but also these Asiatics, with who's
evangelisation they are in great part charged
But be the decision of this question what
may, time alone can reveal the full effect
of this momentous problem; for hidden in tn
counsels of Him who "doeth according
his will in the armies of heaven and anon
the inhabitants of the earth" are man
causes and their results, overlooked or un
known to man, yet determining, contrary t
the expectation of the most sagacious states
men, the final results of great national pre-
blems. Respectfully yours, B. H.