The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-28
A SCATHING SERMON
DELITERED BY BISHOP POTTER IN
ST. PAUL'S

On the Treatment of Christian Nations
Toward China-says Capitalists and
Mercha nts and Ban ers Are to Il lame
characteristic Brutality of Travellers
concluded with Striking Tribute TO
the Memory ofthe Queen.
In his sermon last night in ST. Paul's
church Bishop Potter delivered scath-
ing arrangement of the treatment OF
Christian nations toward China, ana ea-
pecially attacked the travellers in China,
of whom he gave what he SAID We're
characteristic instances of their brutal
conduct toward the natives. On the
Y latter point he said: Before our mis-
sionaries can convert these people we
have got to convert the traveller, who
almost invariably INDUCES his brutal
passions upon the natives, and we nave
got to make him accountable to pubic
opinion" The sermon closed with
striking tribute to the memory OF the
queen.
Bishop Potter said in part:
"Your rector has asked me to talk
to you tonight on the present aspects
of the work in the missionary nelos
and the present outlook of the church
In that work; subject which seems to
me particularly appropriate during
this season Of the epiphany.
II recall in the scriptural reading to-
night from the fifty-ffth chapter OF
Isaiah the verse which reads: IN
stead of the thorn shall come up the
fir-tree, and instead of the briar snail
come up the myrtle-tree' and TINS, L
hope. is surely the image of what Chris
tendon is to accomplish in Pagan lands
all around the world I wish that it
could be true and believe it will be
more largely true than it is. The, fg-
IRE. as would interpret it, indicates
no miraculous change but rather the
good growth that succeeds the clearing
&c the ground and the planting OF the
seed.
mo Christian disciple can look out
on the world to-day and see what mas
been going on in the east during the
last few months without recognizing
the fact that vital changes nave come
IN our relations with China, and that
vet greater changes shall come to pass
IN that gerat empire. We are not at
one among ourselves as to what we
shall do in the future in regard to the
eastern empire, but of one thing no IN
telilgent man is in any doubt-that our
relation to that country, involving the
interests of four millions of people, IS
to he a more intimate one than ever
before
ssIt belongs to us as to what shall De
U fhe policy Of Christendom in CHINA.
q This is the question to-day peIore our
nation supreme above all others anu ~
nust be said that however our poilcy
shall be shaped it has not been nappy
Il SO far.
"rhe protesting Christian engineers
and capitalists and merchants ana
bankers in China are responsible loi
what has happened there IN the iast
wear. If were to defend any nation
-agafsast uniform un-Christian outrages
4 would take brief for China.
"Nothing could have been more brutal
than the policies of Christian nat1ons
in dealing with this pagan people. we
have trampled under foot everything
The Chinese deem most sacred. Tne rail-
road that could have passed round the
ancestral tomb has torn 1T down ana
runs over the sanctif1ed spot
.fWhile travelling in Ceylon, asking a
stranger the direction of a certain
steamship office. I had occasion to dis
miss my jinricksha man. l asked the
man what were his charges and he re-
piled, two annas about five cents IN our
money very small charge for the
distance he had taken me. Whereupon
this stranger who stood by, ana whose
business it was not, exclaimed You
scoundrel, 1t is only one anna and
with that struck him blow in the race
that Knocked him down. That Is the
way our Christianity translates itself
to the pagan.
II saw a young woman, or rather a
brute in the guise of woman, jabbing
sharpened end of stick into the back
of a jinricksha man to accelerate his
pace as he dragged the vehicle along.
If I had had horsewhip with me
should have applied to the woman the
proper treatment for this kind OF saw
agery.
"Oughtn't we to despise ourselves
Before our missionaries can convert
these people we have got to create
public opinion that will lift to an entire
~ new level the present idea of the
black or the brown or the yellow man,
got to convert the traveller, who also in
variably INDUCES his brutal passion up
on the natives, and we have got to
make him accountable to public opin-
ion.
"In this era of a new century, with
these new relations with this people,
we must recognize the fact that if we
are to carry to them anything it must
be the conduct of Jesus Christ in our
daily life.
"Also. an idea that we have got to
get rid Of Is that the pagan has no con-
ceptfon of religion. When Paul stood
in the midst of Mars hill and said. 'Ye
men of Athens. / perceive that in ali
things We are very devout.'-the true
meaning devote has been viciously
translated too superstitious'-and also
when he said, When therefore We ignor-
antly worship, Him declare I unto you,
All At~nup@ Vnee