The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-13
virtuous or it would not have been


tutions They are more promising
people than were our ancestors i'll
Britain before their conversion to
Christianity through the preaching Of
Augustin and the graceful influence OF
Queen Bertha. the wife of Etheibert.
They have Vol their way by venerable
age to everything which Occidental ma
tions can do for them. ConfucianiSmt
with its negative virtues, and Bud
dhism, with its intangible mysteries,
have been tried and found wanting.
May China not he nation which is
to be born in day? There is ira
lition that the Apostle Thomas carried
the Gospel first to China. AS early as
1888 Pope Nicholas sent missionaries
to China. There is God in Heaven
who has not forgotten the Chinaman.
What shall say of Japan, the land
of little people and Of great deeds; or
culture and courtesy, with population
of 100000 living among 1000 islands
whose area is 10000 square miles
about three times the size of the State
of New York? A phenomenal nation.
Only thirty years ago it was a crime
to accept Christianity in Japan. In
1860 an English sailing ship just re-
turning from the Orient reached the
Thames. On board were two japanese
youths, who had worked their way
before the mast. DiscOnsoIate and
alone, they went to bed supperless that
first night because all the crew had
gone ashore. A few months ago one
of those Japanese boys again returned
to Great Britain. This time he was
welcomed by the Lord Mayor and a
distinguished company of such men
as the Duke of Argyll and Lord Rose
berry. He came as the guest OF the
city. of London, and was lavishly en-
tertained at the Mansion House. He
was Marquis Ito, who has been four
times the Prime Minister Of Japan.
This is romantic epitome of the ma
ton of Japan. Many of its statesmen
are Christians. Admiral Togo has a
Christian wife, and is himself not
pagan. In the recent war the bravest
generals were Christian men. Japan
was pagan yesterday, it is agnostic to-
day, tomorrow it will be Christian.
Doubtless among the Kingdoms OF
this world which the ecstatic John saw
becoming the kingdoms Of our Lord
and Of His Christ was the great en-
pire of Russia. The Russians are
mighty, mysterious, paradoxical, provi-
dental people Their ancestors are
found among the ancient Scythians in
Southern Europe five centuries before
Christ, worshiping sword fixed in the
ground as an image Of the god of war.
Under the reign of Vladimer. 1000 A.
D., the Russians became Christians,
getting their religion not from Rome,
but from Constantinople; hence they
are Greek Christians.
The Russian has clear religious con-
victions and is devoted to the rites Of
his church. Senator Beveridge says:
1.-The religious side Of Russian is all
sides of him" His faith is serene
and steady; the holy icons are rever-
emily protected, and the devotion of the
soldier is marked. Like Cromwelps
army they often rush into battle with
sacred songs on their lips.
Russia is in process of evolution.
She is not "a bear that walks like
man." as Kipling said, but she is
man who has been acting like bear.
But it will be remembered that another
nation in its developing history be-
haved so much like quadruped that it
will probably always be referred to as
Johnny Bull" Russia's medievalism
is being rebuked. and her virility, and
integrity, and faith, and enterprise
will yet bring her forth into q full
orbed Christian nation.
By their men ye shall know them!
If there have been cruel and heartless
rulers, there have also been epoch
making leaders. A nation must have
permanent qualities of greatness which
can claim among its master minds such
men as Prince Kuropatkin. De. Witte,
Verestchagin and Leo Tolstoy.
The Anglo-Saxon and the Slav are to
be the two great regenerating lnfiu-
ences of Asia-the former moving
westward. the latter moving eastward.
The future of the world must reckon
with the Russian. Other races have
had their chance and failed. The two
great peoples who could emancipate
their own slaves are destined to teach
the liberty Of Christ to the nations at
the ends of the earth. 1t Is true of the
Russian as it is true of the Anglo
Saxon that he not only conquers, but
he asSimilates.
At the end of the first century there
were in the world 100000 Christians;
at the end of the tenth century 10000
900; at the end of the fifteenth century
100, ,OOO,0OO at the end of the eighteenth
century 2OO,OO0,OOO, and at the end Of
the ninteenth century 500.000,000 Chris
tians. In 1900 the inhabited surface
Of the earth was 43,79S,600 square
miles, of which only 3,4S0,0Q0 was
Christian. In 1906 the inhabited sur
face Of the globe is 53,401 400 square
miles, of which 44,G19,1 is Christian
and only S.7S2, 300 non Christian Truly,
"the Kingdoms of this world are be-
coming the kingdoms of our Lord and
His Christ"