The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-10
"CAN THE WORLD BE CHRISTIAN
TZED ?"

From the Beverly Weekly Visitor.
This question was debated some weeks ago
in the Hall of the Young Mems Christian
Association, and the many ideas expressed at
that time as to what "Christianized" might
mean, and also the opinion with some that
such thing was possible, have induced us to
make the following remarks on the subject
AS to what is "Christianized, to our
mind, ought not to be a difficult question.
The etymology of the word requires that for
a community, country, or world to be ''Chris-
tianized" majority of the people at least
should profess and practice the teachings of
the Christian religion. For example, we
majority of its citizens were voting or acting
with an opposite political party. To be 'Re-
publicanized" there ought to be at least one
majority acting with the organized Republi-
can party. Or for an island to be "Ameri-
canized," it would be supposed that ideas and
customs peculiar to that part of America un
derstood, should prevail among the people
of the island Therefore, for a world, or
country, or island to be Christianized, ma
jority, no matter how small, should profess to
practice the teachings of Christianity, as re-
quired by its founders Any other inference
would be untenable. 1t is therefore evident
to us that the world cannot be Christianized,
from the following facts:-
First. The past experience of eighteen
hundred years is against it, Christianity
was then first introduced into the world by
miracle, by one hundred and twenty inspired
men, on the day of the Jewish Pentecost
The scene of that remarkable event is now
inhabited by a peo pie worshipping Mahomet
as the greatest prophet ever sent by God to
man. The Christian religion spread in all
directions, through the zeal of the new
Church, and was for q time received every
where-north, south, east, and west. The
teachings of that holy religion are now dead
In all places where it was taughtsin its begin
ming. Towards the west of Europe a great
political power was made out of it, thus
slaughtering its principle by wholesale, and
for thousand years the so-called Christianity
of Europe could not boast of purer morals
than China or any other heather country of
equal intellectual and social attainments
And Christianity exists to-day in Europe, to
a considerable extent, only in name.
Passing over to America, the English came
and taught this religion to their children and
to the native savages of the soil. For time
they were listened to and its precepts largely
practised. To-day the Indians, as a class,
know nothing, even theoretically, of that reli-
gion, and the descendants of the teachers
almost nothing of it practically But in place
of it, on the one hand, is treachery, rapine,
and murder, as national characteristic with
the red man; and on the o'her supreme sell
fshness, covetousness, pride, love of distinc-
tion, and war are ruling elements among the
enlightened citizens of the United States;
both conditions being equally at variance
with Christianity.
The Christian religion may be yet taught
and received among people who are strangers
to it, as among the islands of the sea; but
with growth and prosperity, individual and
national, it will. die out, leaving only the
name to live behind it. 1900 years is sufi-
cient time, If not to Christianize world, al
least nation or town, but no evidence Of
such thing now exists.
Secondly. We argue that the world canno
be Christianized from the fact that the grea
majority of men are opposed to its princi
pies. It is not natural to them, and though
in the excitement of new theory or doctrine
many for a time may embrace it, the straiI
it imposes on mems lives will ultimately Civ