The New York herald., 1871-12-31
unchristian Commerce.

\ Modern civilization and Christianization are
promoted or retarded by modern commerce,
and the missionaries of the various Church
societies, both of Europe and America, in
heather lands find in it either their best friend
Cr their worst enemy. Too often the latter
is the case, and the good influence exerted on
the heather minds is coupteracted or removed
by the traffic of English opium venders or
american brandy, rum and tobacco dealers.
And instead Of being aided in the spread Of
christian civilization its progress is prevented
by this kind of commerce. Who ever heard
Df rum and tobacco and opium being made
conducive to the promotion of integrity,
morality and religion? Who ever heard Of
the heather being converted by any such
missionary agents as these? Aud yet they
form the bulk Of the traffic between Christian
nnd heather lands. The Christian Church Of
England and America supports missions and
schools in India, China, Japan, Africa and
Elsewhere, and the Christian merchants of
fhose nations sustain their warehouses and
their commercial marine, at great ex-
pense, to supply those stmulants and
narcotics which, in professedly Chris
tian lands, debase and brutalize men, and
which fll our prisons and warehouses; with
criminals and paupers. Consistency, where
art thou fed2 1t may be that the very men
who send the rum and tobacco to India and
Africa also subscribe literally to send mis-
Bi0naries to those dark lands. But whether
they do or not, we know that hundreds of the
krafickers in these poisons stand high in the
Church at home and are honored and respected
In commercial communities. What strange
anomaly is presented by Christian nations
sending out on the same ship or steamer to
heather lands missionaries of the Gospel and
kegs of rum, barrels of brandy or bales of
tobacco! One keg or bale of the latter can
undo the life work of the former, and we
know that here in our own midst these things
demoralize instead of elcvating men, and yet
with our eyes open we go on year after year
pursuing the same unchristian course, and
with one hand pulling down what the other
builds up.
But, it will be asked, what is to be done?
What other articles of commerce can be found
TO supply the place of those we condemn?
We answer there are hundreds and thousan nds
of articles of commerce absolutely needed in
heathen countries, and perfectly harmless
Indeed, rather are they beneficial in their
results. Any one who has read the interest
Hng correspondence from the interior of Africa
published in the HERALD recently-and
every one who has not read it ought by all
means to do so at once-must have noted the
exception in the outfit of our Livingstone ex-
pedition Of either tobacco or liquors, or any
khing OF that character, save as they may be
Included in the medical department. And yet
without these things, and with an expedition
larger than any missionary society has ever
sent out, the HERALD's correspondent and his
retinue have travelled five hundred and fifteen
miles through the interior of Africa unharmed
md untouched. Let our religious and mis-
Bionary associations take account of this and
bring their mtrailleuses to bear upon their
members aud friends who pursue the unchrs-
bian commerce of which we speak.
Recent arrivals of missionaries from Liberia
tsnd the Cape Coast Of Africa assure ms that
Eas fast as colored youths are educated in the
EMISSION schools and made serviceable as teach
,ers, colporteurs or missionaries, the captain or
ssupercargo of some Christian merchant vessel
Iseduces him away by the offer of larger salary
or better prospects and sends him scouting
along the coast for purchasers of his demoral-
Gsiug drink Like the slave trade, as long as
1he fountain of supply was kept open in Africa
hll our laws against that traffic and all our
Henuncations of its inhumanity were Of no
avail; so until we can cut off the rum traffic
with India, China and Africa at its spring in
Old England and in New England we shall
never make much progress in civilizing or
kavorably impressing the heather with the
superiority of Christian morals. Here is
good subject for the pulpits Of our land to
work upon. Let them begin at once, and take
their text from the HERALD.