The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-09
MISSIONS IN THE ORIENT,

Eloquent Address by Rev. DR.. Barrows
Last Evening.
At the United Church last evening
Rev. DR.. Barrows Of Chicago lectured
to large audience on observations
and Studies of Oriental Religions and
Christian Missions" He said in part:
1.-THE notion that Asia does not need
the gospel of Jesus Christ is founded
on ignorance of the religions of India,
China and Japan, and the work of
Christian missions in these countries.
My own conviction of the universal
need Of Christianity was greatly
strengthened by my travels and OBJ
servations in these countries. In
Japan, the one Oriental nation which
has made marked progress, the people
are greatly lacking in morality. To
the superficial observer the Japanese
may have the appearance of being vir-
tuous, but this is only so in appear
ance. On close acquaintance you will
find them devoid of honesty, while the
gross animalism and immortality which
prevails in the empire can be no more
than mentioned. The scandals con-
nected with the worship of. Brahma are
notorious. There is every reason why
Christianity should continue it's benefi-
cent advance in the empire
my observations, however, were for
the most part confined to India. Here
Christianity has much to contend with
in the strong hold which family and
caste have upon the people. have
every reason to think that thousands
people in Indian are secretly cherish
ing the Christian religion on account
of this same feeling OF family and
caste I had a chance to observe the
religion of the people and addressed
many of the most intelligent of the
people. I endeavored to place before
them the vast superiority of Christian
ity over all other religions using the
comparative method of argument
which possesses the advantage Of be-
ing the fairest and gives the best re-
suits. In this way I endeavored to
show them the great superiority of our
Scriptures over their Vedos, that Christ
is infinitely higher than their Buddah,
and the universal nature of Christian
ity as compared with their religion,
which is only national. Had / adopted
another method of addressing them,
doubtless should not have called forth
SO much dissent or awakened the criti-
cism Of the Hindoo press which criti-
cized my argument at great length.
The Hindoos are very fond of discus
sion and at the close of an address sew
eral Of them would rise in various parts
of the room to ask questions or an
swer what have said Almost with
out exception, however, I was treated
courteously.
Some ask how it was I was able to
address so many of the Hindoos 1t
was because many Of them know the
| English language. Probably 100000
| people of India understand it. 1t Is
necessary that the scholars understand
1t In taking their government examin-
atoms. Classic English. as found in
! Shakespeare, Milton and the Bible is
| the English they learn. This leads
| them into making some curious mis-
takes when using the idioms of our
every day speech"
OF the religion Of India DR.. Barrows
had little to say of a complimentary
nature AS commonly seen it consists
of the grossest superstititons and prac-
tices while the people are most credu-
lous as to accepting all that is told
them. AS an example of this credulity
DR.. Barrows stated that story to the
effect that several bishops and many
of the prominent men of London had
been converted to Buddhism by the
preaching Of a Buddhist was believed
without hesitation, when the fact that
such man had ever spoke in London
was but slightly known there.
The condition Of the people he de-
scribed as especially sad and deplora-
BILE and gave as one of the causes the
ill treatment of women. In closing he
compared Hinduism and Christianity
the former to the Dead sea and the
latter to the river Ganges, giving life
and beauty all along It's banks.