Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-04-08
DEFENDING JOSS.
Bob IngersOll on the Anti Chinese Con.
gressiOnal Report.

To-day Messrs. Wright, Dickey,
OConnor and Nurch, of the select
committee on the causes of the pres
ent depression of labor, presented the
majority special report upon Chinese
immigration. These gentlemen are
in great fear for the future of our
most holy and perfectly authenticated
religion, and have, like faithful watch
men from the walls and towers of
Zion, fastened to give the alarm.
They have informed congress that
''Joss has his temple OF worship in
the Chinese quarters in San Francisco.
! Within the walls of a dilapidated
structure is exposed to the view of
the faithful the god of the Chinaman,
aud here are his altars of worship
Here he tears up his pieces of paper ;
here he offers up his prayers; here he
receives his religious consultations,
and here is his road TO the celestial
land" That "Joss is located in a
long, narrow room in a building in a
back alley, uyon a kind of altar"
that she is wooden image, looking
as much like an alligator as like a
human being;'' that the Chinese
"think there is such place as
heaven;" that "all classes of China
men worship idols" that "thc temple
is open every day at all hours" that
"the Chinese have no Sunday" that
this heather god has ''huge jaws, q
big red tongue, large white teeth, q
half dozen arms, and big, fiery eye
balls. About him are placed offerings
of meat and other eatables-a sacri'
fetal Offering"
No wonder that these members OF
the committee were shocked at such
an image Of God, knowing as they
did that
THE ONLY TRUE GOD
was correctly described by the in
spired lunatic of Patmos in the follow.
ing words:
And there sat in the midst of the
seven golden candlesticks Cne like un.
to the Son OF man, clothed with q
garment down to the foot, and girl
about the paps with golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like
wool as white as snow; and his eyes
were as flame of fire and his feet like
unto fine brass as if they burned in :
furnace; and his voice as the sount
of many waters. And he had In his
right hand seven stars; and out of his
mouth went a sharp, two-edget
sword and his countenance was 81:
the sun shinetE in his strength.
Certainly large mouth filled will
white teeth is preferable to one used
as the scabbard of a sharp, two edges
sword. Why should these gentlemes
object to a god with big fiery eycball'
when their own Deity has eyes like ,
fame of fire? Is it not little late il
the day to object to people because
they sacrifice meat and other catable'
to their god! We all know that TO
thousands Of years the ''reaP' Goo
was exceedingly fond OF roasted meat
that He loved the SAVIOR Of burning
flesh, and delighted in the perfume o
fresh, warm blood.
Congress has nothing to do witt
the religion of the people. Its mem
bers are not responsible to God 70
the opinions of their constituents
and it may tend to the happiness o
the constituents for me to state tina
they are in no way responsible for TIN
religion of the members. Religion i
AN individual, not national matter
And where the nation lnterteres witt
the right of ofconscience, the libertie
of the people are devoured by tn
monster superstition.
Ifyou wish to drive out the Chinese
do not make pretext OF religion
DO not pretend that you are tryin;
to do God favor. Injustice in Hi
name is doubly detestahle. The as
sassin cannot sanctify his dagger b.
falling on his knees, and it does no
help falsellood if it be uttered as
prayer. Religion used to intensif
the hatred Of men toward men unde
the pretense of pleasing God ha
cursed the world.
A portion of this most remarkabl
report is intensely relig There
in it almost the odor of sanctity; an
when reading it, one is impressed wit
! the living piety of its authors But o
the twenty-lilih page there are ie'
, passages that
MUST PAIN THE HEARTS OF TRUE BIZ
LEVERS.
r Leaving their religious views, til
r members Immediately betake then
n selves to philosophy and prediction
Listen:
y "The Chinese race and the Amer
!, |, can citizen, whether natlve-born {
who is eligible to our naturalizatio
laws and becomes a citizen, are in
state of antagonism. They canno
nor will not, ever meet upon commo
- ground and occupy together the sam
social level. This is impossible. Tl
paoau and the Christian travel diffel
b ent paths This one believes IN Ii,
ing God that one in the type Of mo,
sters and worship of wood and ston'
Thus, in the religion of the two race
of men they are as wide apart as Il
poles of the two hemispheres. The
cannot now, nor never (slc) will, al
proach the same relious altar. ii
Christian will not recede to barbarisn
J. nor will the Chinese advance to Il
enlightened belt whatever it is)
N civilization. He cannot
II converted to those modern ideas
rs religious worship which have been a.
;i ;i eepIed by Europe and which crow
If the American system"
Christians used to believe tn
through their religion all the natioI
of the earth were finally to be bles
L In accordance with that belief mi
L sionaries have been sent to evel
land, and untod wealth has been e.
pended for whist has been called Il
spread of the gospel.
l am almost surc that I have re:
some where that "Christ died for 6
+! men," and that tGod is no respect
of persons" II was once taught tn
it was the duty d Christians to tt
all people the .tilings Of great joy.
s. 1 have never believed these thin
- Il