The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-02

September 30th Lust of "A Very Inter
esting Series.
1.-THE Arch Disturber in China" wa
the topic of the sermon by Rev. DR.
Mitchell at the Grand avenue Congre
gational church Sunday evening.
was the last in a very interesting ant
able course on China" DR.. Mitchelr'
sermon in full is as follows:
No reference has yet been made II
these sermons to the missionary, pur
posely A portion of chapter will no
do for him. nor a chapter He 10 the
index of all that has been and is to be
I agree with the mistaken or cynica
Chinese, the missionary is the begin
ming of the trouble, he also will be the
end of it, Chinese heathendom IL
striking the missionary of Jesus Christ
has struck the right man. Partly in
advertently, partly instinctively, partly
as a part of all things foreign, partly
with clear tuition, the Chinese heather
has struck at this man, and he is right
The one enemy of Chinese heathendom
that cannon cannot destroy, diplomacy
circumvent, nor death discourage Is
the Christian missionary. Trade Is
timid, afraid of losing its capital, edu-
cation does not conflict with immoral
ity, Chinese or other, the traveller
wants only to pass through, even the
domination Of a foreign government
tine Chinaman knows by experience he
can bend to his way, but the mission
airy of Jesus of Nazareth neither bends
nor breaks, and wherever he wins the
old morals, the old gods, the old class
privilege have got to CO.
1t is amazing how few people under
stand the attitude of the missionary.
The majority Of people seem to think
that he keeps up constant din about
the ears Of the foreign office of mis- na-
tive government, demanding protection
vengeance, reparation and assistance
The missionary of Jesus Christ asks the
protection of no human government I'M
der the sum- The missionary has rights
as a man a citizen and an individual
on which he has sometimes fallen back.
He has sometimes pressed, through the
officials of his native government for
reparation from the foreign nation for
actual property destroyed, as the Amer
lean Board now asks of Turkey the
restoration of her buildings destroyed
in the Armenian massacres, as it is pro-
posed in case the nations press for in
demnity in China, to file a request for
the bare cost of the buildings and APP
pliances destroyed here. But if any
missionary's home government chose to
outlaw him for being missionary it
would make no difference to him.
The modern idea of governments to
at IT. t., ,,1,
their own idea for their own ends. The
missionary goes in obedience to but one
voice, he looks to but one throne for
judgment, and whatever the diplomats
may decide to do with China is of no
interest to him save as it may make
smooth or make difficult his way, his
business itself remains there just the
same.
The position taken or strongly init
mated in these sermons has been that
the trader, exploiter and political ennis
sary had no right In China. Will not
the Mohammedsn merchant, the Jew
ish banker, to say nothing of our own
Christian corporation claiming to be
such benefits to humanity, certainly
demand then to know why their right
isn't as good in China as the mission
ary's. 1t is, that it must be admitted
be so on material grounds. The
Christian missionary doesn't claim any
man-made right in China. He claims
nothing, he goes there without claim,
not seeking a claim and never to es-
tablieh a claim. He goes there to give
not to receive. If the missionary, his |
character and purpose being all yet to
be proven when he presents himself at
the door of a foreign country, is posi- |
lively refused entrance he can do moth |
ing but wait and try again. No country |
ever has thus totally and finally re- |
fused admission to Jesus messenger. |
China has come the nearest to it. Once |
in the miss1onary's business is to prove |
that he Is a giver of good things. His |
essential errand being the spirit which !
is In man cannot be in moment pre-
scented Opportunities for good deeds,
therefore, which may show to the most |
foreign mind his character are much
sought by the missionary Most use
full In this respect, and so directly imi-
tative of Christ as to be above criti-
cism nave proved deeds of healing, the |
Christian physician winning when all |
else has failed. Sooner or later there
comes In6 CLASH WIFI ignorance ana Su-
perstition and the men and classes
whose position and profits are endan-
gered by the new faith and morals. In
this clash the missionary is often
Worsted, driven out or killed. His bust
mess then Is simply to try again until
he can prove not to his own satisfac-
tion nor the satisfaction of the Chris
tian religion that sent him, but to the
of those to whom he is
sent that he is a giver of good things.
The warrant for Christian missions to-
day is just this, the ultimate decision
Of the people to whom they go that they
are an infinite blessing. Any time a
Russian oil company or an English
opium monopoly can show the same
verdict won by the same methods they
have also a right to be in China or any,
where else.
In China the missionary is now pass
ing through one of these clashes, one
of many that he has had there, return
ing each time stronger than before, and
so he will return and continue to return
without asking the help of any gunboat
Or diplomat He is the arch disturber |
Of Chinese heathendom because he is a
that viii stay with her till
her heathendom is no more or till the |
asst trumpet sounds