The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
A CHINAMAN,s SERMON.


WaRg Chin Foo, rich Chinese mef
chant and speculator, who is a master
Of English and French, has been lee
sHFing in St~Louis. He is only twenty
six years old, speaks fluently and with
out notes. His purpose, he said, was
to correct gross misapprehensions of
the character, habits and religion
Of his country. He confessed
that the Chinese-in the United States
are the poorest and meanest of the race,
and that most of them are thieves or
other criminals, whom the emperor
gladly sends abroad. Fifty thousand
of these depraved Chinese have been
shipped to San Francisco. Wang
Chin Foo would not have us sup
pose that these wretches repre-
sent the masses of his country
men in morals or intelligence.
On the contrary, they are the most de-
graded of 45O, 600, 900 of their compat-
riots. There are Chinese in the United
States having capital and intelligence,
but these find it difficult to adapt them
selves to American habits of living and
thinking, and therefore Americans
have very incorrect notions of Chi
nese morals and philosophy. Amer
lean missionaries encounter the
same difficulties in China. Finding
themselves driven into association with
the servile classes, they make deduc-
tons from their conduct and habits
wholly unjust to the masses of the
Chinese. The government of China,
our lecturer insists, is the wisest in the
world. Controlling absolutely $50, 600,
600 of people, it knew nothing of wars
and revolutions till the white race
camc with priests and cannons and |
opium and bibles. The Chinese were
printing books one thousand years be-
fore English or French or Roman his
tory began. They built a suspension
bridge before Christ came, and used
Steamboats, and cannon and gunpow-
lder two thousand three hundred years
90. No practical use was made of
pm and other machinery because it
Rived the poor of employment. In
Tact, China was civilized before Egg
land was known to exist. The two
f1ccs-cr China and America are so ut
terly disAmilsr' in history, manners.
language, literature and religion that
they cannot comprehend one another.
1--WE Chinese" said the lecturer
.sare recovering somewhat from these
blunders. Many Americans are IN high |
position in the government there, and
their influence is felt throughout the
empire. The change was brought about
by such Americans as Secretary Seward
and Minister Burlingame. A like
change will yet be made in America.
me time WI come when Americans
will look up the philosophy and the
scientific teachings of Confucius. Chi
namen do not worship idols any more
than Catholics or Protestants, no mat
ter what Christian missionaries may
say to the contrary. The Christian
has an idea that God smiles upon only
one religion, and that ono the Chris
llan religion. and that the people
Of all other religions are to be
eteknally damned. / cannot see, the
lecturer continued, how any intelligent
'iaen can respect such religion.
The Christians make great mistake
when they neglect their own people to
save Cinnamon. The two great things
which struck the lecturer on his arrival
IN America were Mrs. Winslow's sooth-
ing syrup and the Christian religion,
.,r rather the amount of advertising
ahoy received The religion of the
hinaman didn't need so much bolster
up. It stood alone and the leo
er thought IL the Christian religion
uldn't command admiration among
people without the constant putting
deceived, it was time to change it for
iher religion. China never sent out
ngle missionary, because the Bud
sts didn't believe in it. The reli-
..oh, however, commanded the admi-
l6tion Of all the people at home. 1t
nas.such = religion that, when proper
y understood, it never failed to make
s deep impression on the man and to
tonVinee HIM of its genuineness. Chi
nese tfa6esmen don's put their promises
on paper. The word Of man Is sacred.
and nobody swears. A Chinaman
<onIdnf be hired TO swear. Buddha
nf<ceded Confuclus 600 years. the lat
-. .,rara5fnrr Christ AZ vs.~s m. 1