The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-25
RELIGION IN THE ORIENT.
An Indiana Traveller Tells of the
Progress of Mission Work.

Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal
CEYLON, Jan. 15.-It is worth remark
ing that all existing religions had their
birth in Asia, and that our Christian re-
ligion has at the end of the nineteenth
century, only nominal foothold in the
land of its nativity. Ii is just beginning to
rectify Paurs mistake in going north in
stead CT south 1850 years ago. Mistake?
" as it mistake, or is it true that Chris
tianity is a religion which flourishes but
in temperate zones and among northern
races? If Paul had gone to India and Chi
ma, instead OF Europe, would Christianity
have deteriorated there it did in Arabia,
when, in the seventh century, Mahomet
arose as its reformer and cast ii out with
additions and superstitions? The Filipinos
are all Catholics, but on account of climate
| and race are vastly the interiors of the
| Buddhist Japanese $500 miles to the north
Missionaries oddly prophesy that two hun
dred years from now Asia will be a Chris
| tan continent, but the experience of Chris
tianity in India, now century old, hardly
| justifes the claim. The French and English
| have dominated the great peninsula
| for two hundred years, yet out Of a popu-
| lation of 225,0O0000. only half a million are
to-day Christians. 1t is claimed that the
| British government is hostile to missions,
but this Is hardly true. England tolerates
| perfect religious freedom in all her posses
sions, but favors no faith above others.
| And this is that missions have a right
to expect in any country. Asia has popu-
lation of S0O. 600. Counting Jews and Ar
| menians, only l per cent. of these are
Christians. This is very discouraging The
missionaries are a lovely folk. God
fearing and self-sacrificing, but the
odds are heavily against them
The religions they seek to supersede hold
In their grasp all the native Asiatic gov
ernments, as well as the far mightier
forces of fashion, heredity, tradition and
environment. 1t is as If the Buddhists
should undertake the conquest of the
United States. We should laugh at them
as so many harmless enthusiasts and keep
on in the immemorial tenor of our ways.
What would it signify if in Chicago there
were church of five hundred Buddhists
and in Indianapolis Buddhist temple with
one hundred worshipers, all Americans?
| What is true of the United States is
equally true in Asia. And yet it is only a
question of time. A religion like the Bud
dhist which has no God, but is only an ex-
quisite system of morality, whose founder is
worshiped idol must ultimately give
way TO one with an equally beautiful
morality, but with God who is worshiped
both as our creator and our father, and
what is more. is defended by race double
the intellectual capacity of the Asiatics
Then the question of heredity and environ
ment arises. The western civilization is
vastly in advance of the eastern, and as
this civilization extends those of Asia
slowly give way and will ultimately give
place to Christianity.
| There two great drawbacks to the
spread of Christianity in Asa-one is the
bad morals of Christian nations and the
other the scientific criticism which has
had such destructive results al home Our
national record for morality is bad. The
japanese and Chinese point to us as so
many robbers who first steal themselves
rich and then Christianize their victims
The facts are undeniable and hard to ex-
plain. In vain do the missionaries. point
out that the Christians of England and
the United States protest against our ma
tional vices. such drunkenness and greed.
why should We adopt religion which is
|
forces?" ask the so-called heather. Then.
again, higher criticism within the church,
| to say nothing of Herbert Spencer, Huxley,
: Mill and their associates, have made sad
; work of the Old Testament myths and the
, church has not yet the courage to point
out that such myths are not material, but
that If stricken out of the Bible the real ele-
ments and all the foundation of our reli-
{ gion would not be affected. The mission
aries abroad are no wiser than the
churches at home, and are not always able
to refute these objections which, after all
do not touch the heart of the matter.
! Notwithstanding all these things, mis-
sions in Asia are making progress, and
Christianity is steadily and slowly spread.
! ing. There are 1000 missionaries in Japan
, and $500 in China. All of these 81
} many lighted candles. Where there is G
mission there is a girls school and hos
pital near by we'll as a church, and
what is far better. self-denying. Christ
, Ike man or woman who has the love ana
reverence of the natives, and who is
4 spreading the gospel of an attractive home
: and superior womanhood. The press
too, is doing a great work. In India, ia.
pan and China millions of books and pam
2 | phlets are published In the native Ian
y guage and are read and attract attention
4 TO the new religion. Then the japanese
Chinese and Indians, when converted
! make excellent living epistles, known ant
Z | read by their associates, and whose live:
!. | commend the new gospel
e 1t takes time for a new religion to ente'
household and supersede the ancestra
e faith 1t has taken eight centuries TO con
/ | vert the English. and the work is not b,
: any means complete. There are millions
r of heather yet in Great Britain and tbs
United States. Japan has for the las
4 twenty years been open to western idea!
{ and has made mighty progress-so much 81
. that IL is practically western nation
2 These ideas, represented first by railways
r are now opening up China to the west ant
. | Christianity But it will take time-evei
. centuries Of it-as IL has in England anC
}. | the northern nations of Europe. withou
, indulging In any cant-which is the ban
OF religion-and recognizing all the draw
e backs, Ii can truthfully be said that 1
would be folly to abandon Christian mis-