Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-10-12
Is 1T Race or Religion!

Few statements are more often as
ser'ed from the pulpit Or the press
than that the progress, refinement
the spread oi Christianity. Orators
and writers would lead us to believe
that the .tference between English
and Turkish civilization is to bc ac-
counted Tor Wy tie difference in tile
religious belief of the two people.
The French live in palaces and dress
in the most beautiful aud becoming
garments, because they are Chris
tlais; the Hoiientots live in mud
huts and go naked because they are
not. We recently heard most dis
tlnyulshed clergyman dec.are that
the waters OF the Nile were not more
potent in changing the desert into a
garden, than were the doctrines of
Christianity i'll changing the habits
anu modes Ot lite among t.e barbar-
GUS and heather nations. In his
view, nothing was needed TO nitro.
luce German philosophy, French art,
English mechanism AID American IN
yenuiLy, among the most barbarous
and uncivilized people on the earth,
nut to sent Christian missionaries to
visit and dwell among them. The
words and examples OF Christ would
not only lead men TO more moral
aud religious lives. but would induce
them to study science and to cuiti-
va,e all the arts that tend TO ciyi.lza-
llon and refinement.
Now, while we acknowledge the
superiority OF the Christian religion
"ver ali other forms OF faith, We
question wi ether the civilization OF
ne enlightened nations is solely or
mainly due to it; and have doubts
whether races OF men, who are not
Caucasians. will ever become hike the
people OF Europe and the United
.ota,es,seven it they heartily embrace
Christianity. There seems to bc Il
strong argument that the people OF
he Caucasian race embraced this re-
.iy.oE because OF their superior ntel-
,lgcnce. They possessed the pecu-
liar mental organism tha, enabled
them to clearly comprehend its ines
unable value THIS same high and
comprehensive order ot lnte eligence
caused them 10 pufsac scientific stud
.es, and to cultivate the arts that
lead to the highest degree o! culture
and refinement. This explains why
,hc progress OF Christianity has been
..apid among the nations that belong
% the Caucasian race, and very SLOW
among all the peobic OF the other
.our races, The people who precelv
Ell nothing in the teachings OF Christ
oelter than IN the counsei oi common
men, would Dc slow to study the
causes OF the various phenomena i'll
nature, aud long III constructing la
oor saving machinery.
The hopes that were early enter
lain,d OF civiiizing and Chrlstianizing
TIC least enlightened peopl. on the
globe, have not becn realized; not
Toes it seem likely they ever Will be.
4 comparatively lew embrace Chris
,lani,y, and leave off such OF their
former practice as are Incompatible
with its teachings; but their prog
ress in the arts ol European cisiliza-
ion is extremely slow. But recently
the account was published that the
C.risl,anlzed inhabitants of one oil
The Pacific islands had returned TO
the old custom OF eating human flesh.
La most places IN India, where mis-
slons have been longest establ shed,
t would not be safe To Withdraw .hc
missionaries lest the converts relapse
into their former ways. Not thus
was the progress OF Christianity
among the people OF the Caucasian
race. Whole communities We're con
vcrted in day and ever afterwards
held to the iaith. They seemed to
possess an aptitude 10: receiving
these peculiar doctrines that is not
ionnd among the members of other
races. TAe same is true of their
readiness 10 adapt themselves to i'm
proved modes OF living, and OF their
tendency to study science aud to
practice the useful arts.
That our civilization is not due to
our religion, but TO our race, seems
evident, also from another example: !:
The Jews are allied To Us in race but
not in religious faith. Nothwi,h-
standing they have been the victims
ot persecution tor many generations,
and a:e in many countries dcharred
from all professions and trades that
tend to expand and elevate the mind,
still il IS no. too much ~ say that
they have done as much, according
to their Numbers, to aid in the cause
OF civilization and aesthetic culture as
Christians have. they number but
ti.e millions in all. halt nt whom live
III the countries where they have nc
bllfi t.rn,i N9.fl. lul