Evening star., 1922-12-10
Conduct of Christian Nations
Deters Growth of Christianity

educated in the schools and COL
leges OF the occident. Into their
young minds are instilled the
basic principles Of democracy:
service their faith in the Christian
religion. These young men catch
a vision of 4 better system OF
civil government than theirs At
home. They unconsciously obtain
an idea that Christianity spells not
only democracy. but peace. They
imbibe the belief that nations
which govern themselves are COM
mitted to the principle Of self
government for tho entire world
and that the Christian religion is
not to be imposed upon peoples by
any human power. They return to
their native land filled with zeal
for our governments and with con-
fdence in the avowed faith of the
people Of the west They begin
the teaching Of democracy. They
announce the doctrine of self-de-
termination. They advocate the
formation Of q peoples govern
ment guided and controlled by the
people. They proclaim the Loc-
trine of the freedom Of religious
thought.
Assuming that in the human
religious view Of a man has
nothing to do with his right to
self-government. these orientals.
with occidental insight. ack nowl-
edge with confidence to the French
and English Of the orient that they
are converts to the theory OF the
right OF people to alter and re-
form their government at their
own will. and courteously suggest
that all westerners withdraw and
permit the easterners to try as an
experiment what westerners pro-
claim to be an assured success.
What answer do they receive?
Only this everywhere and always:
that there are exceptions to all
rules and your case is an excep-
ton. We have a zone Of influence
from which we cannot afford to
withdraw lest some other Chris
tian nation should Immediately
occupy 1t to our detriment, say the
French. the British or some other
occidental.
And right at this point civil
government as theoretically de-
fined and practically controlled
enters as q prevailing factor In the
progress Of the Christian religion.
The man of the orient has diff
ferent mind from the man of the
occident. He is far more spiritual
and religious In character. but
when the oriental is asked to con-
template the truths and virtues Of
the Christian religion he views
them from the standpoint. not OF
books upon religious philosophy.
but from the standpoint OF actual
occurrence in the course Of life.
He cannot disassociate the religion
of the west from the civil govern
ment of the west. He feels that
democracy and Christianity go
hand in hand. He cannot under
stand how 1t can be that he is
denied his democratic right of
government and then solemnly
warned it il his duty to accept
with full faith democratic religion.
cares anything about consistency
can satisfactorily grasp why
democratic Christian people should
attempt to force Jewish rule upon
a country overwhelmingly Moham-
medan in religion. The Japanese
are unable to understand why we
have any more right to talk about
the "yellow peril than they have
to talk about the white peril.
Christianity and business and
statecraft may form a partnership.
but it will be a bad business It will
conduct unless Christianity IS the
majority stockholder and as such
elects the board OF directors and
controls the business of the firm.
Christianity will have its free rein
and uninterrupted course just as
soon as western nations realize
that they can't teach q people one
principle and follow another in
their dealings with them. 1t de-
mands the withdrawal from all
territory Of those persons who
prate about democracy and yet in
its name seek to establish their
sway over others. The orient is
to be converted to the truths OF
the Christian religion when the
men who say they believe In Il get
out Of the orient and stay out.
This IL not q question exclusive
ly Of religion but Of international
politics as we'll. These zones OF
influence may widen until the
people Of tho east will confuse
government with religion. and
should that unfortunate time ever
come we shall have what some
persons even now are speaking of
in whispers-a holy war.