Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-07-25
A Miracal of Moral Reform and An Example
zx BISHOP W. A. CANDLzz.

to please the Iawless, but the enforce
ment of all laws for the welfare Of the
law-abiding.
1t is sometimes said that prohibition
laws cannot be enforced in border ssitfes
and sea ports; but China has many
ports. and yet 1t appears that her pro-
hibition of the opium-traffic has been
made effective despite her extended sea-
board and her international embarrass-
nents. The authorities Of China meant
the prohibitive edicts against the trade
in opium should be respected, and that
being so, the chief difficulty in the way
of her prohibition law was instantly re-
moved. 1t does not admit of debate that
IL China can put opium out Of he,. do
main, we can put intoxicating liquors out
of our country when our civil authorities.
who are charged with the enforcement Of
our laws, make up their minds that our
statutes shall be obeyed- It appears that
China has sacrificed a very lucrative in
terest of a commercial sort In order to
secure a higher and nobler moral inter-
est, and herein may be discovered {. diff
ference between the case of the Chinese
and some of our people. We have among
us far too many people who determine
all issues by the material values in
volved. There are men. who are not
engaged in the liquor business, but who
nevertheless favor it's continuance be-
cause they imagine il yields money for
the benefit of the commercial COM
munity They are willing for 1t to work
havoc with morals and good order be-
cause they think 1t helps trade. Hence
we see the president Of the United States
sending q costly present to the celabra-
ton OF a social function of a millionaire
brewer, and we observe his immediate
predecessor Fastening to burn incense az
the same shrine on the same occasion.
The Vice-roy Of Yunnan would hardly
have done such honor to millionaire
opium manufacturer. But then China Is
benighted and we are an enlightened
people of broad minds and liberal senti-
mentsi II is not for the chief executive
of this great republic to yield to fanati-
cism. nor our erstwhile president and
perpetual preacher OF Righteousness 70
all but himself to run to extremes IN
a matter Of temperance Certainly mott
1t has cost many a man In China pains
amounting to agony to abandon the
opium habit; but they have renowned
the vice at all cost. VIII our flprlers.
whether tipping at home or in clubs or
in the dens of blind tigers" let the
heather Chinese go ahead Of them IN
moral courage and in regard for the
public good7 f#
1t is quite possible that opium smols-
ing has been made disrepufable among
the Chinese. Does the liquor habit de-
serve less condemnation in our coun-
try? It is just as brutaiizing, just as
degrading, and just as Injurious to the
life OF the nation.
II China throws away her most de-
grading and enervating vice and we con-
tiflue to indulge our worst appetite,
what sort OF strength viii the drunken
western nations have to withstand the
awakened and reformed China when the
Celestial Empire begins to assert itself
among tne nations OF the eafth7 Home
have thought that Captain Hobgon's
warning at this point Is no more wor4
thy of attention than the unsubstantial
visions of a pipe-dream: but In this
Ley are utterly mistaken. The great
est contests of the future are going to
be between the Orient and the Occitient.
The Oriental nations are far more pop
ulous than the Occidental nations. CHI
ma, for example, can raise an army OF
five miinons or men with q srnAller
draft upon the total population Of the
Empire than the United States can
bring into the field an army OF one
million. 1t is time for the drunken ma
tons Of the Western world 10 break
their cups and renoufce their dissi-
pations, IL they. expect TO be safe wnen
the Eastern nations wake up from their
long slumber OF the centuries. And let
no man imagine that the nations NJ
the East are not going 10 awake: they
are already more than nalf awake. 1t
will be fatal to underestimate them.
Russia made that mistake, and has paid
large bill of costs for the blundsr.
The nations of the East are not saw
age peoples. They are heather nations,
but they are no more savaees than were
the armies Of Alexander and Caesar.
The Christian nations ought to Rfve
them the gospel OF Christ, and set them
an example Of every virtue. Including
the virtues OF temperance and subri-
ETY.. LIT hitherto our goddess COM
merce has propagated vices amons them
faster than our christian churches have
sent them the words OF life Christian
England forced on pagan China a traf-
flick which that ancient nation has just
now been able to throw off And ether
christian nations have sent the Chinese
intoxicants of the most infIamma4ory
Character. IT is high time we hasten
ed to send them the religion OF Christ
in order that the pure and merciful
motives Of Christianity may fill their
hearts and control the mighty ptSwer
which is surely coming to them. Other
wise We shall become the victims OF
our own sins against them The day
OF reckoning draws nigh with every
rising and setting sun.