The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-12-18

Hcu WlUl CeIUdln SeCU OF CnrlSUldflS,
and | say that the sectarianism of the
| West where it is emphasized in the
| East has an inexpressibly confusing,
and hindering and repellent effect
upon the Oriental mind. Now, /
went not as denominational mission
ary, nor did | go as diplomatic or
civil representative, nor did go as a
tourist. ! went as an ambassador of
a university upon Christian errand.
And that word university is a
word to conjure with in the East.
| Every door is opened, every heart I'M
locked, the guard is taken off, and
men speak without reserve to men
who join them in their university
circle, and they listen with earnest
ness to him who comes just as soon as
they discover that he comes, not in
the condescending spirit which too
often marks the diplomatic OF civil
approach of Western governments as
representing superior race conde-
scending to an inferior race; and just
as soon as they perceive that he has
not come there to insult and disparage
the things that are sacred to those to
| whom he speaks. the moment they
discover these things, that moment
the heart is opened. Not in the
whole course of those one hundred
and fifty lectures did | ever experience
either on the part of my audience
either the signs of WEAKNESS and in
difference or the signs of hostility.
In Japan, where to deliver lecture
with an interpreter takes two and
one-half hours, and where previously
no Christian address had ever been
allowed, have seen the students
filling the place to it's full capacity.
and the gallery around packed with
students standing thoughtfully with
| folded arms to receive the message.
Now it will give you concrete idea
of the open mindedness of the nom
Christian people to-day when | tell
you this single incident connected
with Ceylon. ! spoke in the Wesley
College Hall, the largest auditorium
in the place. You may imagine the
sense of uncertainty that / felt in
approaching the first contact with
the East | went into that hall on
the first evening, and found it. may
say, filed, fairly filled. 1t would seat
a Thousand people, or eight hundred
people. 1t was filed with an audience
perhaps ninety per cent. or ninety-five
per cent. nOn-European, and as ! was
afterward told seveuty-five per cent.
or eighty per cent. non-Christian,
Buddhist, Hindus, and Mohammedans.
They heard the lecture with patient
: attention. On the second evening
going into the hall, ! found the place
packed, all seating room was exhausted
and the standing room around the
wall was taken up. Again the
: lecture closed, and as | was to give
J three lectures only in Colombo,
found myself on the third evening il
the ante-room of the hall putting OF
my academic dress, in which one is
expected to appear always in Ceylon
in the intense heat that occurred Just
at the ending of the rainy season
| was engaged thus when was waitet
: on by deputation Of Buddhists. M,
theme which had been publicly an
nounced and spread abroad through
the whole city in bulletins was "ThC
Son of Man and the Sacrifice O
, Christ" two ideas as foreign to tn,
thinking of the Buddhist and to hi
experience as it is possible to con
ceive. This was the message of tn,
: deputation of Buddhists;
Sir, this is to be your last lecture
} were gret to learn, in Colombo. w
have observed that on the two preced
} ing evenings you have found it neces
sary to contine yourself to the hou
limited. Tonight is your last occa
sion for speaking to us, and we hav
come to ask you kindly to disregard al
thought of time limitation; and
you have any argument that you dc
sire to present in full, to be so good a
to present it to us without regard +
: time" l thanked them and went in
to the hall. If it had been packed tn
night before, l do not know how t
: describe its condition on the thir
night. All the windows were filled
the people sitting in the window seats
completely closing up the aperture
for air. The doors that lead out int
the open court where the ligh
streamed out showed the massed darl
faces of men, standing there. TIL
heat was something insufferable.
spoke an hour and twenty minute
: and then proceeded to stop, and salt
: Gentlemen, it is unfair to take ad
vantage of your patience" The or.
went up through the hall Please g
on sir" ! said, "Well, if it is you
pleasure | shall go on, as there is NOR
that wish to say"
spoke an hour and fifty-eight min
: utes in that hall, the people crowded
standing up to the platform. | shall
never forget, as long as l live, the i'm
preston of that hour, as those mel
whose whole ancestral thinking wa
far removed from my own point o
view received with thought and dis
elimination the message that l bore
| shall never forget the almost appall
ing sighs that fell from that assem-
blage as / repeated those matches
words of that hymn,
When survey the wondrous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain count but loss,
And ponr contempt on all my pride"
Ladies and gentlemen, what have