New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-05

suited to the customs. the traditions and. above
all. the climatic conditions " Asiatc and Afri-
can countries. and. this being the case it is,
from purely administrative point Of view. bet
Ter TO take advantage Of what IL benehcent and
edifying IN these non-Christian faiths than to
promote in any way their destruction since the
latter seldom involves any bona-hde acceptance
Of Christianity or. above all. Of the obligations
Of the latter.
one word in conclusion on the subject ~ mis-
sionaries. which am all the more anxious to
add as l should be- grieyed If anything that
had written were misnterpreted as a deprecia-
tion Of their noble ana Oft self-sacrdcing efforts
efforts In the furtherance Of which they have
frequently shown their readiness To- shed their
blood and to offer up their lives. | DO not ques-
ton their earnestness. but. like many other lay
men. Catholic OF Protestant who have lived in
the orient / am tempted 10 question tho policy
Of their work AMI whether the results are
either satisfactory or commensurate with me
cost
OBSTACLES TO CHRIsTIANIZATIoN
This is due in part 10 the fact that Western
forms u Christianity. with the Occidental civ
ilization which they involve are not altogether
suited to Oriental or African races. That there
are obstacles such as FOR Instance the question
OF polygamy | have just shown But it may be
asked whether it is not due in a certain measure
to the class Of men who are engaged in mission
airy enterprise. True hey are earnest and both
their pi"ty and their absolute devotion To- their
work command respect Moreover whore they
possess medical skill the good from a purely
humanitarian point of view which they achieve
is beyond all praise But while they may appeal
To the lowly and 10 the poorer classes IL -
doubtful whether they possess the Intellectual
calibre to combat those who in these Oriental
and African countries are The leaders ~ thought
and of doctrine and 20 whom the people at large
look for spiritual guidance. II may be- doubted
whether one In thousand Of the missionaries
who ar sent out u China 10 India. 10 japan.
o. Siam Or Morocco is acquainted with the var'
Gus intricate points Of the native faith from
which they are expected to recruit their con-
verts.
The only missionary that have eyer known
to achieve any success of phenomenal nature
m the. Orient was a certain Russian Of th~ name
of Nicholas Hho injured himself for no ess
than fifteen years in one Of the prIncipal
Buddhist monasteres in China for the purpose
Of Obtaining a profound knowledge 0t the creed
which he was to combat and to be- thus enabled
10 meet upon a footing Of doctrinal and intel
lectual equality The leading divincs Of one Of the
three principal Churches Of the orient some d
tn, jesuit missionaries. too. in China have quail
fled themselves for their work before entering
upon their duties by extensive studies OF me
Eastern creeds But as general rule the mis-
sionaries who are sent out TO the Orient not Only
are Ignorant IF The religion Of the people "h'm
they are expected 10 convert. but cannot even
h.. considered a. masters u the faith when they
.,,. -. ,.r,,s,,te EX-ATTACHE