Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-29
A PRACTICAL RELIGIOUS PROB


LEN.
The founder OF christianity expected that
the religion he taught would spread to the
most distant nations. His idea, evidently,
was that. when hls sacred messengers had
made the truth known, such would he the
influence of the example of whole nations
bound by the bonds of christian affection,
Just, peaceful, pure, and overlooking with
holy charity, that all other nations would be
won by the force Of the example OF those
who $50 let their hight shiae before men as
TO giorify our father who Is IN heaven" The
long Centuries until now have passed away
and. as yet, the very natural expectation OF
the divine teacher Is unful6lled. Not being
able to win the heather By shOloiHg the ex-
eellenee OF religion IN practice, what was
considered the next best thing was adopted,
which was TO send persons to tell the heather
Of its superiority. Sometimes christians
had made war upon the ignorant slaves Of
error and taken their lands from them; In
China way was made for the entrance OF
the christian teachers through compelling
the government of the country to sanction
the sale OF opium to its subjects,
by the merchants of a christian nation, a
thing that heather authority, in ignorance
OF what eeclesiasticism and sectarianism &C
oomplish by their errors, had forbidden.
Whatever christian people and governments
might have done not calculated to raise their
religion in the eyes of those sitting in dark
ness, messengers were sent to tell them that
christianity is just, merciful, peaceful reli-
-,
these messengers have gone forth, often
suffering, sometimes sealing their faith with
their ives-men of whom the world is not
worthy. With many failures there have
been brilliant successes. The greatest hin
ORANGES In these mems way has been the
conduct of their brother christians, as is
seen to-day among the Indian tribes of our
own country. Instead of God being glori-
fed by good works, there is robbery, cruelty,
and the soul-destroyIng whiskybarr One
of the most able and honored of the modern
messengers of the cross was the Rev. R.
Moffatt, whose daughter DIR. Livingstone
married. Mr.. Moffatt was very successful
among the natives of South Africa; the ma
tives were won over in large numbers, and
the Lords song was sung Ia a strange land,
not to silent harps, but with joy and
gladness. His converts were among the very
Zulu nation with whom the English are now
at war. When christian influences were pro-
ceeding so successfully, it was pitieul that
christian settlers around them should be
guilty of what has always been done toward
savages; but such was the result. The Zulus,
finding that they were becoming victims, as
our own western Indians have been, arose
against the injustice. Those who had learned
the missionaries religion had learn ed with it
that they also were men, children of the same
Father as those who sought to Cypress them,
and they resisted the intruders who were mis-
using the power they had obtained That
resistance was not wanting in manly courage,
as the hapless fate of the recently conquered
soldiers has demonstrated. Among the spoil
taken from the Zulu wagons are found bibles,
prayer books and hymn-books in abundance.
Though going to fight for their independence
against the white man, the converts did not
forget the God the white missionaries had
preached to them. When they went out to
battle the bible and the books of their worship
were taken with them, showing how deeply
the lesson Of religion has struck its roots into
their souls. For there they sought courage
in their extremity, there they looked for aid
when death found them in the battle. There
is something very touching in this, and no
good man can help but deplOre that the land
that sent the bible, now sends sword that
will perhaps destroy all that Motfat built up
so grandly. Natural as such a regret APP
pears, there are expressions of very different
feeling. In the st. Louis Republican we
find the. following: "The son of prominent
Presbyterian clergyman of Illinois, writing
from Cape Town, South Africa, under date
of February 11th, says: AT Kuruman, we'll
known as an important field of mission WORK,
there is nothing left but the evidence of
good intention. 1t is said to be one of the
pretticst spots in Africa. 1t was the home
OF Rev. r. Moffat, who tried for many years
to enlighten the natives. but apparently all
his work has been thrown away. At
Thurman there is splendid block of
buildings, costing over one hundred and
twenty five thousand dollars. Many poor lit
tie child in America and England has contrib
utsd its mite toward this mission, but, ap-