The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-21
CHINA AND ITS PEOPLE.
=. pruitt's Picture of the Great Con.
filcian Empire

Paw C, W. Pruitt rapidly sketched China,
&c ,aople and their condition. There Gas a
large congregation present
NJ Pruitt, who is a native Of Georgia
80, basn engaged in missionary work in
. north OF China for the past twelve
80 When he returns Mr.. King, who
ssnt out by the Baptists of Savannah.
Iii he associated with him,
china proper, stated the missionary, Is
=. large as all the United States east Of the
Eirgjssippi together with the four largest
k-.tss vest Of that river. The entire en-
80 ia probably as lsrgs as the United
ststes and Alaska. The inhabitants nuns
Ss- over 400, 00O, 900 and it has resources
~bich make It's future one of great material
,~-oroise At present II Is rich in natural
produotions. Everything raised in the
sonth can be raised in China, together with
many other products of the soil. The land
a extremely fertile and the country has
vsst mineral wealth, which ia practically
totally undeveloped. Coal can be found in
every province, and silver and gold abound.
development is extremely difficult owing to
the gross superstition Of the people.
The mass Of the Chinese are in a condition
.bst we would term wretchedly poor This
e due TO no other cause than their neRle t
70 take advantage Of the opportunities at
hand. or, as DR.. Pruitt expressed it, "be-
nauge LleY hTb OOuuu up Ala She SCI FlCo OL lnb
feyiln China has no railroads, and the
reople are loathe to adopt them. Because
Fl this lack of means of rapid transporta-
tiop hundreds of thousands perish by fam
inc, as food cannot be got to them in time
10 stay its ravages. They have no SAL
itarY arrangements and no scien-
sidc medical attention, and
tbis adds 10 the frightful and unnecessary
mortality. It is stated that fully one-third
- inf ntS hja oil
alone. AS a result OF these inroads of
famine and epidemics the population is not
increasing as rapidly as that Of America.
The great extent Of territory, the fertility
of the soil. the multiplicity Of the industries,
the vastness of the population, make
China the greatest of heather nations and
give it the command of Asia. The Chinese
people are not the people Americans sup
nose them to be. They should not be
Judged by the uneduoated few, the
Goodies" who come to this country. These
donot represent the best element OF the
nation, the culture and thought of the peo~
Dle In the United States there is not the
widespread education that there is in China
and not the same high esteem for
intellectual! sttainments. In that country,
almost any man will undergo
sacrifices that his children may be educated
They are decidedly an intellectual people
and have proved the high quality Of their
brains by coming over to America, and
going 10 Europe and carrying or high hon
Ors IL the universities. They are the peers
q any people intellectually and with re-
gard TO shrewdness in business.
All classes keep posted in all things of
every day business life. If they don't they
are sure to DO cheated The moral state Of
the people necessitates shrewdness on the
part of all in this respect. Outside Of this,
though, they display high ability in COM
marcal life and are able to take the leading
lines Of business out OF the hands of the
natives in the lands surrounding them
They can be found in the front
ranks of business In Japan and
other Aslatic countries. In dipIo-
macy, too, they are Noted for their
acumen and foreign ambassadors have dis
covered that it is no easy matter to cope
with them. With such fine natural gifts
developed under existing circumstances
how much greater would they be as a race
asked DR.. Pruitt, il they were to become
Christians and become actuated by higher
and no bier motives9
In morals they do not compare at all fa-
vorablY with the people of the United
States. OF course, there are many really
moral men, especially among those,welI edu-
Gated in the principles OF Confucius, but
he mass OF the people are addicted to many
vices Opium eating and smoking, the
degradation Of woman, infanticide, whole
sale butchery, and lying, these were
charscterized as national features that
Christianity alone eau abolish. II any
one wants to know the real
condition OF the Chinese morally and
spiritually, Or. Pruett recommended the
reading Of the lst and ID chapters Of
Romans. Paul" he said, chad written
picture there hat was true to the letter So
lar as the Mongolians OF to-day are con-
cerned. They chose light but don't live up
tot. They have fine moral ideas and can
talk about them in pleasing way. but they
donot furnish a motive sufficiently strong
life"
doletry prevails, but the missionaries
see Wany evidences where the gospel has
Teen preached of growing shame Of its
ialacles There is strong feeling
ALREADY that they are in error as re-
gard to multitude OF gods existing.
ana that after all there NAV be
but one supreme bong. Fundamental
teaching is required and It is necessary to
.n,e3'n. with the intoxicating Of the idea of
tuS single God. New ideas as t. the future
nave to be established. The Chinese believe
la tuture existence, but IL is but q slight
Improvement on this life Those who are
puIlhlstS hope to reach that exalted state
hereafter when they will be free from care.
N' 40 tAeIT highest IDEA OF bliss, now or In
eternity. Some Of those who can afford
sucI luxury have servants TO put the food
~. N tne!r mouths, and to place their pipes TO
.leE mouths until they take a puff, and
.ueh 70 withdraw them. This condition of
ease OF utter absence of exercise, a state
VI y. existing and yet almost not existing, is
eueF conception of perfect bliss. tits natu-
"a. any difficult to displace this by the Chris
"uhs conception OF heaven.
AI'nough conversions are not as numer-
W., tuS as might be desired, the impression on
ue public spirit of the preaching of the
sOpel has been tremendous, and is appar-
ra. IN the aspirations Of the new progressive
P'ay which asDires to make China what its
o @s resources entitle it to be. The mobs Of re-
cosI ears are but the reflex movement. The
II5lsserVative element hates progress Of this
a aul, and is endeavoring to stop it by these
4 VIZ esional exhibitions of brute force, but
"Tloqt permanent avail.
,,.DI' FTuitt is endeavoring to awaken an
Ti'. Nest throughout the state In the China
Sosns' 1t is desired to have 100 new
wSAers sent out from the south, fifteen of
T p,G ne holds, should go from Georgia.
Mr. u'ght he speaks at Duffy Street church.
S SIIa Ftruitt will address the ladies at that
N1uTCQ IN the afternoon