Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-05-10
Wong Ching Foo.
Prom the Chicago Evening Journal.

The most remarkable eXhlDltl01
of religious zeal and missionary en-
thusiasm in modern times is seen in
the late arrival at New York of
Buddhist preacher, bearing the Gu
phonious cognomen of Wong Ching
Foo, who proposes TO do what hu-
man might can towards converting
heather America to belief in the
tenets of his own faith. Nor is this
projected crusade on his part, any
mere sporadic outbreak of desire or
intention, but on the contrary. be
has come to stay hero some time and
devote himself TO serious work in his
line. And TO further his object be
is said to have connected himself for
the time being with the famous The
osophical Society, which conducted
the cremation of the remains of the
late Baron De Palm.
The prominent aspects OF this con-
templated movement on the part of
our philosophical Chinese immigrant
are comico-serious, or serio-comical,
Just as one views them. At the first
blush it might seem TO many a de-
vout New York Christian man and
woman, that such an effort was eth
or wholly laughable or at best en-
,trsiy snperfiuous. But a sober Sec
ond thought would convince an out
side observer, il not this same Christ
ian man himself, that there was an
abundance of room in Gotham for all
teachers and preachers who have
any morality and religion them~
selves, or who have any power to
impart the same to others. If, as is
asserted, the essence of Buddhistic
morality is "to eschew everything
bad, to perform verything good
and to tame ones thoughts" then
verify the arrival ofWong Ching Foo
is most opportune, and the place of
bis labors has been most happily and
wisely chosen. He can spend long
time in Wall street, month or so
with each newspaper, and then end
up bis "season" by trying his hand
on the gamins, street-venders and
the criminal classes generally. And
if he could number up his converts
by the thousands at the close of th Q
year, the rest of the world would
begin to have some hope that even
New York, that great and wicked
city, could be saved. As 1t lie, every
one acknowledges that the case looks
exceedingly dark.
Turning the matter over, however,
there is no apparent reason why q
sincere and devout Buddhist cannot
come to this country and convert as,
the same as we go to China and try
to reform them. Of course we do
not profess TO compare now the re-
spective systems on their intrinsic
merits. or according to their effects
upon tho persons and countries
which adopt them. But looking at the
matter from propaganda point of
view, the effort in itself is perfectly
legitimate and proper. America
and England spend millions of mon>
ey each year endeavoring to Chris
tianize the Buddhists and other
eathens, and why should there not
he a return of the compliment? In
one sense, our efforts at such prose-
lyting may be said to have sugges-
ed the very idea to those who have
come TO labor for our own religious
reformation.
As all will remember, Wong
Ching Foo is now the absolute pion-
eer OF his class. 1t is not long since
All Chunder Sun invaded the regions
of Protistantism with thoughts of
mercy filed, and sought to bring
back the hayward sheep to the old,
original fold. But his mission was
not a very pronounced success. He
talked he argued, be expostulated,
he besought, and, for aught we know
be prayed and wept over Western
obduracy in the matter of religious
belief, but somehow the Occidentals
could not be made to turn from the
error of their ways at his suggestion.
We hope that Wong Ching Foo's
errand Of love will be more product
tive of results, but if it should not. be
can at least do what many another
missionary has done. namely, retire
to his native home, serenely reflect
ing upon the knowledge of duty
done, let the consequences be as
they may.
1t may not be amiss TO state in
this connection that the peculiar
form of religion known as Buddh>
ism is, in itself considered, an i'm
provement upon the older form of
Brahminism. Buddha, the reputed |
founder of the sect which still re-
tains his name, is deified teacher
who appeared in ancient times to 10
troduce a simpler creed and substi-
tute milder and more humane code
of morals for the cruel laws and