Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-12-21
Per Contra

Gail Hamilton has an article in the
Independent, under the above caption,
in which the query Is raised rs to how
much can be put down to our credit
as the result Of our missionary labors
abroad. What have we done in the
way of Outstanding the world? And
is our mode fevangeiization the best?
We have furnished hundred of mis-
sionaries and millions in money; what
has thereby been accomplished ? Have
we demonstrated that the Christians
Christianity is better than the Pagan's
religion? We all worship ideals. BY
however much,' therefore, Confucius'
ideal god was greater than any given
Christians ideal Christ, by just so
much was bis religion better than the
Christians Christianlty--s'better in its
essence, and better in its practical pow
er upon life" 7''ii3t ostsa af
But the writer OF the article in ques-
ton aims to find out what we are doing,
and gives US the following as the result
of a portion Of our labors: soel deans z
The Chinese nations is an old and
great nation greater far than we, Ia
its own estimation. But that b o
heather trait, and only brings out In
stronger relief the superiority Of Chris
tian nations, who never think Of them
selves more highly than theyfought To
think. We send merchants and mis-
SionarieS to its shores; but it seems to
me that the merchants do not expect
great Things from the missionaries. The
situation is certainly peculiar. We go
to great expense in conveying a few
ministers to that human hive; but,
when the bees swarm on our shores, at
their own expense, we beat one, and
kill another, and stone another, which
must seem little incongruous TO the
bees. How would it do to let the
Chinese worship God their own way in
their own land, until we have Chris
tianized America up to the point OF
not plundering sandJ numbering the
Chinese when they come TO uss
A missionary from China was an
nounced ITO speak upon the work
which had been done IN China It
WdSr DItCloClH "fthL u was VI
know, and 1 took good care to be in
attendance. He was very interesting,
fall of sincerity and simplicity. He
drew a contrast between the Chinese
and ourselves. Our feet point down
ward, the Chinese upward; but tlIat
was the paradox Of our childhood! We
read book from the beginning to the
end; the Chinese from the end to the
beginning. But we learned that be-
fore we had left our childhood far be-
hind us. Here, in riding across the
country, we see church-splres rising all
around; there we see no Ichurch-SpiTes,
but that we could evolve from our
moral consciousness. Here we sleep
on beds; there they sleep on their
ovens. Every one to his taste-'sa bed
by night, q chest OF drawers by day.
is not unknown to Christendo Here
our teaming IS done by horses and
oxen; there you will see doake and
a woman working together But We
need not leave our own country to see
that. In China the ladies pinch
their feet to make them small; 4
here sthey pinch their waists. Why,
then, the Chinese ought to send mis-
sionaries to us, instead ofour sending
missionaries to them. Heather; Chi
nee, indeed! All this and much more
is very interesting; but l can draw
from it no opinio.l at all as to whether
we have really put an opening wedge
into China, or only driven q tack into
the outmost bark. When / learn that
within the last six or seven years the
missionary has numbered eighty or
ninety converts, begin to see light.
That is as many, perhaps, as his Amer
lean confreres have gathered into their
home churches in that time, and is an
encouraging sign; but Immediately
long to know what sort of person Chi
Rese convert is-how much he differs
from Chinese Pagan, what are his
ideas of uprightnes5 and honor, what
are his rank and influence in Chinese
circles, and what is the rank of q Chris
tian colony or = Christian church In
Chinese society. American merchants
have told me some OF their Chinese
business acquaintance, unmitig8ted
heather, have had as high and delicate
a standard of integrity and generosity
as any Christian community can show.
Is this exceptional, or general? My
returned missionary says he has no |
doubt that in time China will be like
A merica. In what time wonder,
and, outside of the nature of things,
what are the grounds of his belief? Be-
sides the conviction r,1,q., RI ..i., ,.-e.- |
THAT somehow good -fIf - |
6a,- VIII be the nnsl goal OF ILL.,"
Is there any actual indication that !
China will be able to exhibit, for in
stance, craftsmanship, financial |
ability, an unbending integrity, q SUI
preme regards for the rights and well
fare of others approximating these
which illustrate the government of our