The Holt County sentinel., 1898-07-08


toners who attend my gambling saloons.
Do not imagine that because you do not
| play yourself, you do not, by your pres
ence IN my grounds, contribute very ma
tcrially to my revenue. Numbers of
| persons, who would not have thought of
entering my establishment. feel them
selves quite safe in following you into
my garden: and from thence to the
| gambling table the transition is easy.
| After heard that said Mr.. Spurgeon
never went near the gardens. There is
a healthy suggestion for the soul in this
suited to every one.
Without developing this further We will
go on to note again that to preserve true
faith in our own land and to have part
in the evangelization of the world the
Lord has set US in large place"
There is no religion suited to all the
nations of the earth except Christianity.
1t is, and our prayers and efforts should
be tn the end. that the thrill of eternal
life, might be the experience of the peO-
pic to the rcmotest ends of earth. May
knowledge of God as revealed in Christ
soon become universal and the inventors
skill of the 10Th century, is evidently,
Fastening matters on in that direction.
We are constantly coming into closer
and more intimate relations with the dis
tant and hitherto inaccessible and com
paratively unknown regions of earth.
This improvement in intercourse and
communication is making us feel more
and more like citizens of a common
world. This simply means that there
must be increased aggressiveness made
in behalf of the Christian faith. The
false faiths must give way but they will
not give way until they are compelled to
do so. 1t is to be expected that they
will not give way without a struggle.
Hence we find Il tendency now to com
pare Christianity and heathen systems
of religion, hoping to make excellcncies
appear in the heather faiths in this
comparison that will reflect upon them
favorably But take buddhism, for in
stance. 1t is 2i0 years older than Chris
tianity. 1t is the religion today of four
hundred million of the human race. III
it is the best religion, it has had ample
time and opportunity to demonstrate its
superiority. But what has it done for
the nations of the East? Why are not
China and Japan the centers of civiliza
ton instead of Europe and America?
Our Savior said 'by their fruits We shall
know them. Buddhism as a religion would
elevate us as Il nation to the level of
China: Mohammedanism to the level of
Turkey and Roman Catholicism to the
Spanish and Mexican standard of intel
ligcnce and prosperity. Wouldn't such
elevations be glorious? May the Dark
Ages and spiritual bondage never he the
heritage of our people. Let our Bible
remain open and our press and schools
be free. We are the freest, most intelli- |
gent and most prosperous nation on the
face of the earth today because of our
Protestant Christianity. These outside |
trees do not show fruit that would JUS
tify us to supplant what we have by |
what they would give.
Then rs we look away from home to
other lands we long to see the people re- |
deemed from the night that is now upon
them. Says Mrs. Isabella Bird, Il distin |
guished traveller and authoress in re-
cent address on the religions of Asia: |
AS n traveller and not as mission
worker. do speak of what | have seen |
of the desperate needs of the unchris
world have visited the Poly
ncsian Islands, Japan, Southern China,
the Malay Peninsula, Ccylon, North In
,lia, Cashmere, Thibct, Central Asia,
Persia, Arabia and Asia Minor. | lived
much with the people in their own
houses and among their tents, always
with trustworthy interpreter, sharing
their lives rs much as possible and to
some extent winning their confidence by
by means of Il medicine chest which |
carried. Wherever went | saw sin and
sorrow and shame.
think we are getting into sort of
milk and water view of heathenism, not
Of African hcathenism alone, but of Bud
lhism. Iiindooism and Mohammedanism.
come home and they refrain
rom shocking audiences by recitals of
he awful sins of the heathen and Mos
EN- world. When travelling in Asia
says Mrs. Bird it struck me
;ery much how little we heard
now little we know rs to how sin is en-
hroned and defied and worshipped.
There is sin and shame everywhere. I
is corrupt to the very
'ore. The morals of Mohammedan coun
ries are correct and the imaginations
ire wicked. Buddhism is the same. Just
me or two remarks as to what these
alse faiths do. They degard women with
IN infinite degradation. have lived in
enanas and harems and have seen the
laily life of the secluded women and
an speak from bitter experience of what
here lives arctic intellect dwarfed, so
hat women of 90 or 30 years of age are
more like the child of eight intellectual
y while all the worst passions of human
nature are stimulated and developed in
fearful degree. The whole continent {
f Asia is corrupt. 1t is the scene of
tortures, brutal punish
nents and oppression
Evidently the Lord has set us in a
argc place that we might give these
oriental and dark nations of the earth
ur religion as well as our science, arts
nd arms.