The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-11

lowest depths of degradation. The family rela.
ton was unknown among them. Two thirds Of
the children born were strangled The mission
aries began their work. 1t was not long until
the influence of the Gospel The peo-
pie became sober, Industrious and virtu-
Gus. Fifty years after the mission
was opened 1t was closed. The work
was done. In 1850 the islanders formed society
to carry the Gospel to other islands in Polynesia.
In the Fiji islands the work began in 1885, The
people were not only sayages, but cannlbals, as
low IN the scale of being as brute beasts Now,
out OF 10000, lO2 900 are found III the churches,
40, 900 children attend the public schools, and the
Paganism that still exists is found only in the
mountain districts, where the people are difficult
to reach. The people of these islands have been
elevated, ennobled, sanctifed, justified by the
spirit OF the Gospel. Take India. The East India
Company was bitterly opposed to missionaries,
asserting they would only stir up strife, create
difficulty with the natives, and disturb trade.
William Carey was compelled by the Indian gov
eminent to remove to the Danish settle
ment at Serampore, and died there IN
der the Danish flag The East India Company
not only kept missionaries out but supported
idolatry. When the company government was
suppressed by that of Great Britain the way was
opened to the missionaries. Six hundred are
now at work. with million and half of con-
verts under their care. This among apeople
fixed strongly in their prejudices. Henry Martin
said, IF ever see Hindoo more than a NOM
inal Christian | will see something representing
the resurrection of man that is dead" This
| people, that build asylums for infirm dogs and
cats, and never think of the poor, the suffering
and dying, are being taught the gospel of Christ.
Suffice has been abolished; infantlcide has been
made crime. They have been brought to be-
| lieve that the worship of cows and monkeys Is
| not the worship for human beings.
1t was not until the close of the first opium war,
| in 1912, that five ports in China were opened to
missionaries; At the close of the war in 1860 the
al ,,x.f
| sionaries go everywhere, and the people
| free to hear them. China has been the Gibral
tar of Paganism. - The people were proud of
their religion, their past history; proud of every
| thing they had They regarded Confucius I'M
measurably superior to Jesus Christ. Yet, in
spite of their difficulties, the gospel is triumph
| ing in China, and souls being brought to the
| light 1t was not until 1889 that missionaries
were allowed to enter Japan. Not until 1872
that the gospel was allowed to be printed In
| 1872 there were the first converts in Yokohama,
| eleven; now there are nearly seventy
churches with about five thousand
converts. Recently all the edicts against
| Christians have been removed, and the
natives may be preached to everywhere, and
| may embrace religion, confessing their faith.
| Turkey, Greenland Labrador, New Zealand,
| Persia--go where you WILL you will find the
| herads of the Word. There is no country
| where it may not be preached, there is no
tongue in which it may not be heard. The
| missionaries are in all Chimes teStifying to the
people the promises of God. Danenhower found
] the natives with the cross far to the North.
| William Carey stood up and pleaded for mis-
sions, but those in authority held that the Lord
| would convert the heather when he saw proper
| Sidney Smith who might have been bishop,
set all England laughing at Carey, whom he
called the ''consecrated cobbler." Four hundred
| and thirty millions The task seemed hope
less one. England laughed. Now she has
| thousand missionaries in the fields, and con-
tributes 49, 500 900 for the support of their mis-
| sions. David Livingstone sleeps in Westmin-
| ster Abbey among kings, mobiles, statesmen the
| mighty ones of the earth, and is the recognized
peer of the greatest of them.
When Judson came to India he was told to
go home-he would injure the interests of the
| East India Company. Now the English officers
testify to the great work that has been done, and
| is being done, by missionaries in preparing the
natives to be better citizens of the great empire
| of which India is dependency.
The Church of Scotland feels differently to-
| day. The whole church is pervaded with the
missionary spirit 1t is felt that the first policy
was wrong one, and she takes pride in Duff
| and Livingstone, as she does in Wallace,
and Bruce, and Scott, and Burns. If
| the apostles had adopted such policy as that
encountered by William Carey they would never
| have preached outside of their own country, and
| Christianity would have persisted in it's cradle.
| 1t has been discovered that civilization cannot
go forward without the gospel. Now the whole
| American church is pervaded with the mission
| airy spirit. The meadow into which those young
meh went is to-day no less sacred than
| Plymouth rock and is inclosed as a
memorial park There has been change, in
the hearts of the pagans themselves
| in regard to missionaries The uniform
kindness and upright treatment they have re-
| ceived from the hands of the missionaries have
| broken down their prejudices, and they are
ready to receive them and hear the truths they
speak All can helpin the great work of send
ing the gospel abroad. Much has been done,
| but the Efforts to send the knowledge OF Christ
to the whole world will tax the energy of the
| people of Christ for a century.