Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-27
THE SITUATION IN CHINA.
A Very Timely Sermon by Rev. Carl E. Granmer
on the Text, "Why do the Heather Rage and
the People Imagine Vain Thing?"

should be kept at home.
The true cause of the present out
break Is to be found in the pressure OF
Western civilization. with it's new and
progressive methods of trade and life
and Its intense competitions upon the
differently organized, stationary and
isolated civilization of China. This
pressure began early in the Nineteenth
Century. when the Mandarins tried to
restrict English trade with China. and
particularly to shut out the deadly
opium. Trade was seeking new out
let's and the English government, be-
lieHing that the extension of trade was
necessary to the wcll-being of its peo-
pie and for the best interest of man
Kind. went to war in 1910, and in the
so-callcd "opium war" defeated the
Chinese and compelled their govern
ment TO admit the pernicious drug.
Before that time opium smoking was
rare In China: since that date is has
become the national vice. so rapidly.
IKE noXiouS weeds, do vicious customs
spread themselves. But not only did
the opium war set free the sale of
opium: 1t also set loose the terrors of
ciNil war. The overwhelming defeats
or the Chinese at the hands of the Brit
lSn so weakened the authority and
prestige of the Tartar Dynasty, that on
the death OF the Emperor in 1850 an
effort was made to overthrow his son
throne The result was the Tai ping
rebellion. raging from 1850 to 1862 and
wasting some of the faireSt provinces
OF China. 1t is true that the leader
Claimed to be u convert to Christianity.
but his faith was merely personal
popularity. The uprising was due to
the revival of Chinese hopes after the
defeat of the Tartars by Britain. and
the rebellion was finally put down.
whether or Christian character or
not. by 1.-THE evcr-victorious army of
chinese Gordon, who was lent to China
ior tho purpose by the British Govern
mcnt
about 1854 another blow TO the pres
tiSe OF the Chinese Government was
dealt by the French, when Jules Ferry
was IN the foreign Office and was try
ing by brilliant and aggressive CO.
'onial policy. TO give his Government
strength and open up new fields to
French enterprise His ambitious pro.
Jects led to the war. by which the
Chinese Emperor was compelled to
cede TO France Tonquin. a stu
heavier disaster occurred ten years
iatcr. when the cncroachins civil
i2ation of the world was seeking to
unlock TO trade the doors OF Korea,
The Hermit Nation" France Rus
sia. and America had tried their hand
In vain. but with Japan the opening of
these doors was more vital question.
conflict in which China lost whatever
military prestige remained 10 her, and
Korea was taken from her as even "a
nominal dependency. the island of
ioimos;t was annexed by Japan, and
heavy indemnity was eXactcd. No
Government could sustain such diSaS-
tcrS without losing face" az the
Chinese express 1t. without a diminu-
ton of the reverence and loyalty OF Its
subjects. But the European Govern
h,a nj
anarchy and rebellion. continued to adj
minister these heavy blows to its uu-
thority. Russia made itself master of
the North. and seized n valuable har-
hor: England, not to be left behind,
seized another: Germany seized an
other: France acquired the large island
OF lIanun. and the diplomatic bodies
OF the world were discussing whether
China should he dismcmbercd, conceal
ing the partition under the phrase.
Spheres of influence" or whether the
Government should he preserved ana
compelled to remove restrictions on
trade. the so-callcd "open-door policy"
DO you wonder that after such Il re-
cord OF disasters the government Is
weakened in China, or that after such
aSgressiuns the foreigner is hated and
feared? In central China the reprcsen-
tation of n foreigner Is a man With n
ball OF opium in his hand. The opium
war" was one of the greatest crimes in
history and. like all great crimes. it
was also n colossal blunder. lesseninG
the needs and dcbasing the natures of
The Chinese, so that Il few pounds of
tho drug suffice for the wants of the
man who. If untouched by this ruinous
narcotic might have been n purchaser
of the arts and appliances of the West.
Whcr Will the merchant and the trader
learn that such articles as opium and
liquor. though profitable enough to
SnpctDl n "a. t,i, nj
In the extension of their sale and use
to the development and extension of all
other II AIDES and industries?
The Chinese statesmen see this and
feel this. and must. IL they be men. be
indignant that their country was com
PEELED to give free license to such a
commodity.
All these humiliations have been in
ricted upon one of the proudest and
most conceited people in the world They
are profoundly conscious of their in
conceivable antiquity. of the great sta
billy of their institutions in former
years. of the grandeur of their litera-
ture. of the greatness of their teachers
Confucius and Lao-tse. They are no
barbarians: their civilization is highly
developed along certain lines. Their
society is admirably constructed TO
allow that rise and fall of individual
In the social scale in proportion to their
.'.Ni 80 " i4N'' IL ~ iicCtSSilS TO the best
interests of society. Their mere num-
bers make them world in themselves
Their business relations are wonder
fully systematiZcd.
Junks crowd their streams. roads are
cut in the rock for the passage of
travellers, great highways thread the
country. noisy with the creak of the
barrow's wheel and thronged with
coolies. The country for miles and
miles is so carefully cultivated that
an obserVant traveller says that IT
looks as II it We're plowed with a pen