The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-04
DAWN OF A CATHOLIC CHINA.
Oldest and Most PopuIous Nation Ripe
for Christianity, Many Conditions
Favorable.

for Christianity, Many Conditions
Favorable.
The poet Whitman foretold in one
of his poems, published a quarter of
century ago, that the deep concern
OF civilization and western thought
during the first half of the twentieth
century would be regarding the Orient
and its peoples, and this poetic proph-
esq is every day becoming true.
Today the Orient and the Occident
clasp hands across the intervening
space. Gods hand is in it all We are
concerned today in the Outstanding
of the East, and if we Catholics do
our part-sustain missionaries-give
of our means and pray for the estab-
lishment of Gods kingdom in the land
of Confucius and Buddha we will soon
see the whole Orient Catholicized and
redeemed from it's false gods It
seems extraordinary, writes Thomas
G. Hagan in the New World, that the
Catholic Church in America has done
such little work in the field of foreign
missions. We certainly have the
means, but up to the present much
indifference to the great work in
Gods Church has marked the life of
the Catholic Church in America.
For we learn that the history of
China dates back 5000 years before
the birth of our Saviour. This mighty
nation, until recently an empire, has
a population of 100000 900. This
means that it holds one-fourth of the
entire human race. Even in the days
of Abraham, the father of the Jewish
nation, China was well-ordered ma
ton. The old historical books of the
Chinese speak of the Kings and EN-
perors and their glorious deeds from
22S5 before Christ, and these dates
of cid Kings and Emperors are not
mere myths, but based upon scientific
historical documents.
China, the most populous of all coun-
tries, is unique, too, in this way, that
all of it's people are of one race. Rus
sian and English territories may be
larger, but their people are of many
races and nationalities.
The possibilities of China are I'M
limited; it's future holds forth many
tempting promises; it's people are both
physically and, above all, morally
healthy, pure and strong. The home
in China is still home with all that
makes it holy and sacred.
To make this nation Catholic would
indeed be the greatest triumph of our
Holy Mother Church, new gem and
a most brilliant one added to her
crown. Remember there 400,000,000
Chinese, and if these 400,000,000 could
be added to her children, how strong
and mighty would she appear! Truly
it would be the greatest revelation of
the power Of the grace of God and Of
the strength of the truths which the
Catholic Church teaches.
You will ask: "And is there ground
for hope-reason to believe that our
vision may come true, to see some day
a Catholic China?"
Yes, there are reasons, and strong,
well-founded reasons. In the last
fifty years the Catholic Chinese have
increased from the lowly number of
10000 to over 1000, 000-truly the
mustard seed is growing, its branches
are spreading, even though there are
but few laborers comparatively in
the vineyard. China is awaking today
as never before; it's people are on the
alert, more eager than ever before
to learn; to learn anything, even to
throw off the yoke of heathenism and
to accept the sweet burden of Christ
the Saviour Compared to the Protes-
tant propaganda, which is indeed to-
day most active, helped on by many
willing hands, and strengthened by
enormous contributions from other
countries, especially from the United
States, the Catholic Church still en-.
joys some incompatible advantages
some facts which do not fail to i'm.
press most deeply the Chinese nation.
In the first place the wonderful band
of missionaries whom they see work
ing among them, not seeking their
gold and silver, nor asking a wage
for their labor, but only seeking the
souls for which our Lord died on the
cross, willing to shed even their blood
when such is necessary.
1t is worth noting, too that the pres
ent condition in China seems to be
most favorable, and it may be many
years-yes, it may never again be so
favorable for the rapid and thorough
spread of the Faith. Today China is in
state of political, social and religious
transformation. She is seeking for the
best there is in the religious and po-
litical world. 1t was because of this
that one of her leading statesmen re-
Gently wrote our Holy Father, begging
that the great Father Of Christendom
would send missionaries to China be-
cause of the influence of their teach.
ing upon morals and law and order
and good government.
Is it not plain then that the oppor
tunity of Outstanding China has in
deed presented itself, and we are rec
reant to our duties as Catholics il
we do not embrace this opportunity
and extend thereby Gods kingdom.
There are in all China 100000
Catholics, and these are scattered
throughout forty-five vicariates, the
greater number of whose Bishops are
French. There are a few German
Belgian, Dutch, Italian and Spanish
viaariafnS hIlf NO American II Will