The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-28

nese official, has been busy for these
years writing and translating the best
Western thought into the Chinese
tongue. AS editor of the Review,
which is read by the educated and by
the official class, he is pouring upon
China an influence that can not now
be measured.
The growth of these ideas created
the progressive party that claimed the
Emperor as an adherent. The reac-
tionary or conservative party sprang
up with the dowager Empress at its
head, and with the Boxers as its fruit
age. In view of the commercial greed
and mutual jealousies of the nations
it is hard to tell what will be China s
fate. If left alone she will become a
great Christian nation, but if dis
membered and torn to fragments then
with each fragment will be found the
missionary, still obedient to the march
ing orders Of his assembled Lord.
Another statement of the editorial
referred to is as follows:
According to report, to make Chris
tan converts out of the Chinese it is
necessary for them to be fed and
clothed and given medical attention
free of charge. This is an excellent
method of getting some classes of peo-
pie to do anything or believe anything
they are asked to, and it could be used
to advantage right here in America"
This | believe is unjust to both the
church and her converts in foreign
fields. Surely there is a difference be-
tween an act done as an expression
of love and an act done to buy obedi-
ence. There is character in the one;
there is contemplate cowardice in the
other.
The whole intimation that they are
followers for the fishes and the loaves
only is disproved by their Christlike
martrydom; by their contributions to
the work in their own land; by their
claims against the government for
goods destroyed during the Boxer
movement and by the testimony of
the missionaries themselves.
That at times some of them are de-
pendent upon the church is un-
questionably true, even as they are
mere in Savannah. Where a
mission IS opened in a new part of the
country, the converts are some times
boycotted until they are unable TO find
work and living. But surely that is
no new thing in the world nor one Pc
culiar to the heather Chinese. for. I'M
less misinformed, such things occur
here in Savannah in matters politi-
cal.
Sometimes when a convert from
heathenism refuses to bow down and
worship flat-nosed. handy shanked
god hewn out of wood he is ostra-
cised. 1t likewise happens that some
times in this country when a police
man fails to hang all his personal
opinions upon the political god who is
not carved, but fashioned out of the
political needs of the hour. he, too. is
sent to wander in solitary places. Some
practical questions suggest themselves
at such time.
The supreme difficulty OF missions is
the greed Of goddess and a conscious
less commerce that for revenue, and
revenue only. carries TO the heather
the vices OF civilization Commerce
follows tns missionary as the tides the
moon II that commerce were Chris
tian. the history OF the heather would
De written after another sort Wit
ness the opium trade in China and
the whisky trade among the Indians,
Africans and the islanders.
It is my opinion that the natives of
the Hawaiian Islands will disappear
in few generations, even as the In
dams did destroyed by the vices of
civilization fostered by a remorseless
commerce. If this should prove true,
no sooner will it have happened
will rise solemnly in his
place and addressing the church will
say See what your religion has done"
Not so. 1t was the DEVILS work, and
was done by the devils gang.
In conclusion, 1t is an old, old story,
and one the church has heard full oft,
that there is poverty and sin enough
at home to exhaust her time and mon
ey. Maybe so, but that does not aboI-
ish the command to go into all the
earth, nor would it show a proper APP
probation of the labors of the men
who came to our ancestors in the for
ests of Germany, and the dells of Eng
land in the long ago. They might
have made such a speech then, but
fortunately for US they didn't
Moreover, it is a little unfair for the
world to so run itself as to break and
bruise its sons and daughters despite
the church's most earnest entreaties
and then turn and say to her, stay
here and nurse these, for here is your
duty" It's not the care of the Lords
poor that is so burdensome, for they
are not so numerous. It's the devils
poor-those made poor by violation of
Gods law-that make such large drafts
on charity and create such problems
in human government.