The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-27
China S Attitude
I oward Religion
Selected by Edwin Markham.

Tile great apheaval that is now
going on In China has called out a
revised edition Of Colquhoun's China
in Transformation" and ! take from
the book the following interestiu :
paragraphs dealing with China and the
What are the prospects of Chris
tianity In China? to answer that We
must ask another QUESTION: What has
Christianity TO offer TO China We
IN some respects inferior to her own
Our moral system is founded on indl-
dualism, hers on the family life. Chris
tianity bids man leave father
1t breaches war even in the family.
and its founder sd ri 81 come not to
bring peace. but a sword
These are hard sayings for China,
contplish so entire a change of moral
vision as to preceive their true mean
ing. She is now able to gauge how
far the abstract principles of Chris
tianity have been abandoned In build
ing up our ethics, and she can see
for instance. in Frarce--how far the
Christian people are from EeeaaAizins
the influence with which we desire TO
supplant CONTIGUOUS, Lao-tsz. Buddha
or Mohammed.
THE Chinese are n-stlLt4a -a-sao-
pie TO be drawn away from the wor-
ship of one set Of words TO another
without being convinced that the new
form has a more vital force than the
old.
ITO them, unfortunately, Christian
doctrine must seem mostly a form OF
words. since its every propagation
among them is founded On what they
consider untruth, Christianity they
say. was permitted to be preached be-
cause it taught virtue. We find that
tx teaches great many things which
are not virtue. such as defylng the law
OF the land: and ii Is, In fact "A poll
teal and not religious propaganda.
Readers Will make. allovance.afor the
Chinese point of view
But, again. what has Christianity to
offer to China The spiritual consoia-
zion and upliftings of our religion do
not have the same appeal TO q people
whose fundamental idea of virtue is
stoicism, and whose mystical side has
never been developed.
I'm fact, when we remember how
little the Chinaman is aware OF his own
need or religion. II is hard to formu-
lafe words any exact spiritual benefit
which We can promise him in exchange
for long cherished customs and tradi-
tions- Ta rhsarTaW. ayse aHlros 81 a4 tie
conviction of SIN and the longing for
salvation do not enter into his purvtew
of life; and, when We reflect that many
things which We call sin are virtues
IN his eyes. II is hard to see how we
are to bring these things home to him
But Christian civilization, without
Christian doctrine, has much TO offer
China; and the benefits of advanced
humanitarianism, Of applied science
and of personal devotion TO an ideal
s-ru- BEGINNING 10 bear good fruit after
Il long period in which their connection
with the hatred foreigner and his Ways
was the great obstacle. -----.-,--.--,------
Title opening. under official patron
age, OF medical college even at pekin,
promoted by missionaries, but secular
In character, is one OF the signs OF IA
new order of things 1t must be re-
inferred that surgical work has been
greatly hindered by the Chinese hatred
OF mutilation. which rendered opera
tions IN hospitals the subject of fright
full mlsre representations.
This most Christian form Of teach
ing--the alienation Of human SUITE. Ing
has had to fight It's way through
many obstacles and has illustrated
we'll the wide gulf which separates the
eastern and western modes OF thought.
The whole fabric of taotsm, with its
pseudo scientific jargon of elements
and essences, breaks down before
training in elementary chemistry,
1T is notorious that a new era has
begun in China. and that the new
learning is ne-leHget- to be uvSptsed
But has become the fashion. The in
security of the Manchu dynasty in
the midst Of these new conditions
drove the court and officials into an
attitude Of great complaisance to for
Christian elected az tile head of the
republic which the reform party wishes
to establish,
lis this the beginning OF Il fresh
era in the history of Christianity Dvs-
ptte everything, the Chinese attitude,
the false position created by the extra
territorial rights OF missionaries, the
transparent political designs OF those
who protect Christianity despite all
these and many othsr handicaps are We
Yet 10 see Christianity as practical
and efficient force in the rebirth or
the Chinese people?
..lAIt.sse- ii@sef,tt, arid -frrt-ratftt arc
breaking down OF themselves before
tho impact of materaiism and dark as
the outlook has been and still is for
the spread OF the dogtnas OF Christian
ity, there is reason to believe that the
efforts OF Christian man to raise the
Chinese standard al just those points
where IL is iowest--in hunanitarianisin
respect fer women, and freedom from
deg trading superstitions---wiii eventual
Iy win for the religion which prompted
them recognition which no more doc