Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-01-14

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ficient interest, print i'm the CHRON-
| ICLE this brief abstract of two most
interesting lectures on China. Rev.
Mr.. DuBose is a gentleman of fine
presence and delivers himself with
the easy grace of a Bayard Taylor.
The two discourses occupied fully
three hours in their delivery. This
divine's remarks were well worth
| the best efforts of the stenographer,
and you could have heard a pin
drop, so wrapt was the attention of
theintelligentand appreciativea audi
! ence. His appeals in the morning
and especially III the afternoon to
the educated young men of this
community, were enough to arouse
many to put on Christ in the mis-
sionary field. It is not generally
known that GAINESVILLE is noted for
its liberal aid to both foreign and
domestic missions
The Rev. gentleman said:
The country of China, in Asia, is
probably Cinia spoken of In the
scriptures. Its extent is immense,
equal to the United States and Mex
leo. The population is so dense
that you may well say with SO
many people how is there room for
trees. There are 1900 cities with
populations of from 100000 to
100000. There are 10000 market
towns, ranging in population
from 5000 to $4,000. The territory
contains 419,000,000 square miles,
twenty times the extent of Europe.
Total population about 100000, 900.
1t is a mistake to think that Chi
ma is retrograding, she is progress
ing in many ways, and is the great
Asiatic giant which is contending
with Europe and America for the
mastery of the world. She has at
her chief capitol, Pekin, universi-
ty with full corps of professors and
modern works up to the times on
literature and science. The .bser-
vatiOns from scientists show their
planetary calculations, which are
numerous among their ancient
manuscripts as in all but ten cases,
correct. They prove date of II
centuries B. c., and were known at
a very ancient date TO the Greeks
and Romans, probably through the
PhNnecians those great mariners,
who frequented all the then known
seas.
Her language is the antithesis of
that of Greece and Rome. Her
climate is as varied as the most nor
thern and southern portions of
Europe, and producing the same
vegetables, plants and flowers, with
many strange to us.
Two hundred years ago the Tar
tars overran the empire, and took
possession of the places of trust.
You all have heard of one of the
wonders of the world built to eX-
clude those powerful foes.
The physical aspect of eighteen
provinces, containing 100000
square miles, mountainous with al
so vast prairies as on our own
healthful table lands. One province
comprises mountainous archipela-
go. She has magnificent river
running through the heart of the
empire, the Yangtsz Kiang and an
other the Yellow corresponding in
extent to our Mississippi.
Where America has her railroads
she has her perfected system of
canals and vast inland seas and she
has lately introduced both railroads
and telegraphs. She has five arse
nails also navy yards, and where
twenty years ago the shipping of
the United States was to be found
in abundance, the Chinese flag has
taken its place entirely.
Forty years ago her ports were
sealed, then five ports opened, now
twenty-five; since which time
mighty cities have been built there
by Europeans. She has a complete
consular system, they send home
accurate Journals of what they see,
hear and learn. Foreigners of lear
ming, as teachers, are encouraged to
settle through the interior.
The Chinese are the great coloni-
zers of the East. They go to the
Straits of Malacca, Australia, the
western coasts of North and South
America and Oceanica is full of
them.
Francis Xavier, three hundred
years ago, rapt at the wall of China
the learned Jesuits were to some
extent admitted, the sanity man
prayed for the walls of rock to be
removed, and until some fifty years
ago had done much useful Christian
work, but were at that time driven
out of the country. Since then
France and England have forced
China to open her ports and enter
into treaty to protect the mission
aries, who have the privilege of in
structing in their religion and
building chapels. There are from six
to eight hundred native teachers
and so differently from the impul-
sive negro they doubt, consider and
then accept and hold fast to Christi
anity and at once constitute them
selves as local and domestic mis-
siOnaries.
The government of China is per-
sonal, in the male line, and is class
ed as an empire. She has tried
every form of government known
to Europe, and, since the rebellion
of 1856, had a strong substantial
government, which seems necessary
in a country. containing a dense
population Of O,000,00 .
The belief in the influence of
spirits has led to the neglect of the
mines of wealth, gold, silver, copper