Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-09-10
The Famine in China.

Bishop Scott, of the English Church o
North China, who has just returned from
England, and is waiting for tho depart1r,
of the China steamer, preached in Grace
Church TO large congregation, taking foi
his text part of the fifth verse of the sixth
chapter of Revelations: "And when ht
had opened tho third seal, | heard the thirt
beast sny, Come" The preacher dwell
upon the opening of the sdals by the Lamb
and the appearance of tho black horse and
rider in answer to the third Come" ex.
planning that this was regarded MS the
symbol of famine. Referring to the famn,
in Asia during the last ten years, he pointed
out that tho word of God was frequently
spread by that agency. 1t was only few
years since n largo sum of money was
raised for tho relief of tho people of India
suffer- from famine, and those who fol.
lowed the history of that calamity were
aware that in some parts of that country
there was large influx to the Christian
Church. Hardly was that India famine
past than news was sent here of similar
calamity in the Northern Province of
China. 1t grew to DO the worst famine on
record, for it was estimated that from
100000 to 100000 people persisted
during the time of its prevalence. For
three years in succession no rain fell. The
heavens were rs brass above those helpless
people. The province most heavily stricken
had formerly been among the wealthiest OF
Chinn. II had been his duty to visit these
afflicted regions in order to assist in the
distribution of the bounty raised in this
country and England and by tho various
uatioualitics domicilcd in The ports OF
China, for the relief of these sufferers. A
feeling of deep gloom and sadness came
over him and his party as they travelled day
after day further into those dcsolated re.
gions. The trees were dying, many having
been stripped of their bark by the famish.
ing people. In some Of the towns whole
streets were uninhabited and every shop
closed and empty. There were villages
without one iahabtant. Houses wcro RACED
to the ground that subsistence might be
taken from the thatch, or that the ysfters
might be sold to procure last meal for The
inhabitants. BY the roadside lay the
bleached bones of some poor victim, who
had persisted months before. The wolves,
growing bold, stalked about in search of
prey. The Chinese authorities were bring.
ing grain into the stricken provinces with
such expedition as was possible; but if the
system of railroads and the telegraph failed
to insure the lives of the unfortunate poo-
pie of India, it was no matter OF surprise
that China with her mountain businesses
and miserable means of locomotion, was
compelled to witness the destruction of her
people by thousands and millions. A
greater part of the food was destined to be
consumed by the soldiers, who were main
tanned there for the purpose of preventing
violence and insurrection; but still the dis
trbution was the means of saving many
lives. Under the providence of God, such
scourge as this becomes an agent for
preparing the way for the coming of Christ.
The famne-stricken people cried to heaven
for the relief which heaven alone can give,
and powerful blow was stricken Mt
idolatry, for the spectacle of disnterested
benevolence acted most powerfully in the
minds of such people as the Chinese.
Mission work in China had been proven.
bially slow, yet it was impossible for him
not to feel that God was dealing with that
countrywide.