The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-13


hare-ns and "a plurality a. wives IN the
same WAY that th.1r *crsfafners Before
them kept serag3ios snr hundreds GRen
hundreds % years. The missionaries hay
succeed TN shaking the faith # tne people
~ these various ss5atic ana African EN-
r.res in their respective FERNS ~ saith.
3ut this question ~ po;ygaGay stands "a
ths way II their acceptance - Ire oe.i-
cations os Christianity.
One ~. the last and mast characteristic
interviews that Gen Gordon had b@f0ye
leaving England 30 meet his death ~
khartoun WAS with tas present pg1wase
Of the church o. England then blShop 81
London. whose opinion he MAS anxious
70 have as i stagalarly ov0adTatrdea
rrelate On the question as - whether
poygamy could Re tolerated ~ the Chris
t3an church in Africa and IN Asia Lnc2-
dertally be painted cat what the clever
aud sasac.ous Zulu chiefs aad years be-
fore pointed cut in the same way ~
Bishop Coleaso--t1arTlsIy that ntitner tne
Old Testament nor yet the New contains
one word that condemns TsslygaD}y. the
only reference 20 the subject being the
commands conveyed by the Apostle Paul
IN one % his eplsSles thar bishops should
De the husbands o. enc wife.
Or. Temple. now archbishop Of Canter-
bury. explained 10 Gordon that. whatever
the Interpretation which either he. bishop
Ce.enso. or the Zulu chiefs might gave 70
the Scripture. s1ch a thing as plurality
~ wives was contrary . the laws al ne
Christian church GoTions face 3el when
he heard this, and he exclaimed with sad
ness: Wen. then. Il IS hopeless . look
fer the conversion c< the Sotl&an or OF any
u the various races o. Africa. or even -
Asia. TO Christianity since II IS impossible
to expect a man 20 mark his entrance 10 the
Christian church by disca-dinG his super
fiQous wives. the mothers II many q his
children" That IS why the missionary ef-
forts o. the MohannaesiAn church ate 50
.ngCa more successful IL Africa than those
ot any Christian denomination. Mohame-
danisrn. Ike Buddhism, Confucian.sm AMI
Bgahmanism. is particularly suited 20 the
customs. the traditions, and, above al. the
Climatic conditions of Asiatic and African
countries. ana. this being the case, Il Is.
from a purely administrative point of view.
better 70 take advantage Of what Is henen-
cent and edtfyIng IN these non-ChrIstian
faiths than 10 promote in any way their
destruction. since the latter seldom IN
polve any bona fide acceptance % Chris
iiaDfty and, above ali. OF the obligations
Of i5e latter
One word in conclusion on The subject os
missionaries. which / am al the more
anxious 20 add as I should be grieyed
II anything that I had written were mis-
interpreted as a depreciation OF their noble
the furtherance Of which they have fire.
Quenty shown their readiness 10 shed their
blood and 10 offer up their lives ! DO not
question their earneStness: but like many
other layinea, C2thOiic or Protestant. who
have lived In the Orient. / am tempted 10
question the policy - their work. and
whether the results are either satisfactory
or commensurate with the cast II Is need
less FOR me to go into statistics or 10 weary
my readers With figures. would recon-
mend any one interested In the matter 20
examine the annual reports that ara pub
HShed. They speak for themselves and
show how little has been achieved IN the lii
rection OF the propagation Of Christianity.
This IS due In part 10 The fact that West
ern forms Of Christianity with the occi-
dental civilization which they involve, are
not altogether suited 10 Oriental or Afri-
can races. That there are Obstacles. such
as. for instance. the question n palyganay
/ have just shown. But it NAV be asked
whether il Is nos due in a certain measure
To the class Of men who are engaged in
missionary enterprise. True they are
earnest, and both their p.cty and their
absolute devotion TO their work command
respect. Moreover. where they possess
medical ski! the good from a purely hu-
gnai1taTlan point or view which they
they may appeal 20 the iowly ana to the
poorer Classes IL is doubtful whether they
possess the intellectual CALDER % combat
those who in these Oriental and African
countries are the leaders of thought and
OF doctrine. and 80 whom the people AZ
large look for spiritual guidance. II may
he doubted whether one ia a thousand Of
the Missionaries who are sent out 10
China, to india. 70 Japan - Slam, or
Morocco IS acquainted with the ~ ryof,s
intricate points Of the native faith from
which they are expected 10 recruit tneir
converts.
The only missionary that I have eyer
known 10 achieve any success Of a rhan-
omeHal nature in the Orient vaz n c.rfa,r,
Russian Of the name ~ Nicholas wsho
f'rFnureG himself FOR no less shun fetenn
years in enc % the principal Buddhist
naonaS'eries in China for the rslry,cyse az
obtaining n profound knowledge OF the
cFeel Wh9ch Re was TO combat. and to DO
mus epap4ed To meet upon a footing OF
aoctr1naI and intellectual equality the
leading divines ~ one Of the three princs-
fiai churches Of the Orient Some ~ tho
Jssui; missionaries, too. In China hava
Q22liiled themselves for their work before
entering upon their duties s1y extensive
studies OF the Eastern creefs
But as general rule the missionaries
"-'o are sent out 20 ;,le orient not only
are ignorant Of the religion q the ,,ear,fa
whom they are expected 10 car,,o,s a.,
cAhlof even be considered as masters q The
3a1fa wh3cn iaey are seps 20 propagate. II
Nc1.C bs difficult for anyone - recall az
the present moment the name og auv cele-
UF4FeG GiFlhe or theu.oEfaa enjoying = na-
l'"f'si Tame Who has forsaken his native