Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-28
nrsMEMprRMrNr A BLESSING.


some effective plan of sufficient mng-
nitude for the civilization and en-
lightenment of China, 1t would Of
course be far the better way to adj
vance her inhabitants In the scale of
being. But such an idea is, of course.
utterly unfounded In any existing pos
sibIllty. Such union for such II pur-
pose can never occur prior TO the dawn
of the Millennium. In all that the
leading nations do that will effect the
relations of the people of China to the
civilization OF modern times, they will
be instigated by desire to aggrandlze
themselves and oppose, harrass and
checkmate each other.
But 1t seems like the Ruler of all ma
tions has decreed that the days of
China's exclusion from contact with the
rest of the world must end; that
modern enlightenment must penetrate
the morally and intellectually dark
regions of her vast domain; that her
people must be made acquainted with
art, science. literature and higher prin-
clples and forms OF government, human
and divine. than they have ever known,
and that the homogeniety OF all hui
mainly which modern civilization surely
advances, shall embrace the barbarlc
hordes OF the Celestial empire In an.
effort to raise them to a higher plane.
1t further seems that the same great
Ruler, in the absence of all unity
among the leading nations looking to
such an end is about to utilize for the
q. nd
enmities. All appearances indicate that
Russia, Germany, France and England
are about to divide the Chinese empire
among themselves. 1t seems tolerably
certain that Russia and Germany are
fully committed to the proposition. and
are now in the very act of SELLING the
portions they covet; but just what
France and England ore to get is not
quite clear as yet though that they will
omit to present their claims is scarce
ly credible.
With China divided up among the
great powers of Europe, and It's seq
regated parts ruled by them respec-
lively, Chinese exclusion Will be a
thing of the past. Railroads will in
tersect its provinces, telegraph, tele-
phone and electric light wires VIII
make n net work over them, courts
will administer justice in higher form
than the ignorant masses have ever
known 1t. a comprehension of human
rights and of the elements of ethics Will
soon begin to dawn upon them. and ere
long the folly and inadequacy of their
religion and philosophy will become
apparent to them. and they will be
willing and prepared to receive some
thing higher The printing press, the
school teacher. and after n while the
franchise, will exert their wonderfully
potent influence, and these great moral
derricks will operate to raise the Chi
nese race to a plane of existence and
Of intelligence far higher than the one
they now occupy.
This progress will not be free from
Evil features. When the people OF
China become the subjects of European
powers. there may be more drunken
ness and less reverence for parents
among them than there are now; but
on the whole the swarming millions
who now know no better than to wor-
II
fees to the devil, viii he the gamers
1t seems hard thing to say that tn,
Acknowledgement of a nation is a bless
ing to II, but in the present case o.
China and the powers OF Europe IT car
no doubt be said with truth. Th'
Chinese race has place to I'LL In thu
economy OF the Creator. That 1t may
better fill that place it must be en-
llghtened. and that this result may b.
achieved it must be placed under gov
4rnmental influences more advanced
than the ones it now has. The evi
that is in human nature, NATIONAL!
aad individually, is overruled to hrini
to pass the purposes Of the Creator am
the wrath OF man is made to prais
Him.