Chapter XXXVII Winning the World to the Worship of the One God
There is a cry in Burmah, and a rush
Of thousand footsteps from the distant bound
Of watery Siam and the rich Cathay.
Not for food
Or raiment ask they. Simply girding on
The scanty garment o’er the weary limb,
They pass unmarked the lofty domes of wealth
Inquiring for a stranger. There he stands;
The mark of foreign climes is on his brow;
He hath no power, no costly gifts to deal
Among the people, and his lore perchance
The earth-bowed worldling, with his scales of gold,
Accounteth folly. Yet to him is raised
Each straining eyeball, “Tell us of the Christ!”
And like the far-off murmur of the sea
Lashed by the tempest, swelled their blended tone,
“Sir, we would hear of Christ. Give us a scroll
Bearing His name.”
Mrs. L. H. Sigourney.
Before concluding the pleasant task upon which he has been engaged so long, the author feels that it will be necessary to meet the expectation that he should say something about the work of bringing the world back to its first worship. At first, we have seen, the world worshiped one God; then many gods and idols were introduced. Repeated efforts to restore the pure worship of primitive times ended in failure. Zoroaster tried and failed; Buddha tried, and he failed; Mohammed tried, and he failed; Jesus the Christ tried, and He did not fail.
WHY GIVE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD?
The ground of the success of Christianity lies in its superior character. Its revelations are clearer and fuller, its motives are purer, and its hopes are higher than those of any heathen system. One may glean the choicest sayings of the masters of religious teachings, and in comparison with those of Jesus the Christ, their light is as that of a candle compared with the light of the sun. Undoubtedly this conviction has forced itself upon the mind of the reader as he has considered the various systems of religion; that there is not one among them all that can do for the world that which Christianity can accomplish. Compare the founders of religions with the Founder of Christianity, in their lives, characters and teachings. Compare together the sacred books; the Vedas, the laws of Manu, the Zend-Avesta, the Tripitakas and the Koran, with the Bible. Compare the effects of these religions upon the political, social, civil and domestic life of the people with the effects of Christianity; compare Christian and heathen lands, Christian and heathen homes, Christian and heathen governments. Compare the best parts of the best of heathen religions with any part of Christianity. One cannot but see the marked contrasts, and the infinite superiority of Christianity. This being so, then does it not follow that they who are seeking to give the Gospel of Jesus the Christ to the world are rendering a service to the cause of humanity? And they are but obeying the command of Jesus Christ to “preach the Gospel to every creature.” A young curate, who had fed on Sydney Smith’s diet of sarcastic witticisms, once approached the Duke of Wellington with the question, “Do you not think that the work of converting the Hindus is all a fanatical farce?” “Look to your marching orders, sir!” the stern old Iron Duke replied. Common gratitude moves us to desire that the world shall be made to know of Jesus Christ. When we read of the worship of our heathen ancestors, and remember that we should have been doing to-day as they did, had it not been for the Christian men who took the Gospel to England, we feel new obligations resting upon us. Further, all things are working to this end. Inventions, explorations, the discoveries of science, progress in government, everything waits upon this work.
It began 1,850 years ago. A Christian man named Paul went among the heathen of Asia Minor and South-eastern Europe—among the worshipers of the gods of Greece and Rome—to tell them of Christ. He was accompanied by other Christians. They met with considerable success, though they were made to suffer for it.
In later years, from Rome, that had then become the centre of Christianity, other Christians went to Western Europe. From Greenland, of the Arctic Zone, to the West Indies, of the Tropics, Christianity was extended. Nation after nation gave up its idols, cruel customs were abolished, and a purer life and worship was begun. But it was left for the last hundred years to witness the development of this work to its greatest extent.
THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE CHRISTIAN ARMY.
The Christian camp-fires are lighted and the tents of the Christian army have been erected in almost every land of the globe. The conquering army pursues only peaceful methods; it does not seek to drive but to win; not to harm but to help. In gaining its present position many lives have been lost, many sacrifices have been made. It has had to contend for the ground it occupies, inch by inch; the forces of idolatry have been mustered against its advance. The giant Goliath, Heathenism, has counted on a speedy destruction of the stripling David, Christianity. One country after another has opened its doors to the coming of Christianity. India, in the year 1705, opened her doors only to close them again after a little; since 1830, however, the work has been prosecuted vigorously. China, in 1807, and Japan, in 1859, welcomed the first Protestant Christian missionaries. Thus, too, other countries of Asia, Africa and the Islands of the Pacific have received the Christian heralds, within the last hundred years. Now behold them marshaled for the fight. Let us hastily glance at the various fields in succession.
A FLIGHT OVER THE FIELDS.
Let us rub our Aladdin’s lamps, and summon the genii to bear us away over the world. Let us on imagination’s swift wings fly over the battle-fields.9
In Japan we see Buddhism being galvanized into a new life for the moment, and Shintoism cast off by the government and in great part by the people. We see a few new temples being erected, but many old ones falling into ruins. Western ideas have been introduced, and western civilization is making rapid progress in this most eastern land. One hundred and twenty-three Christian missionaries have won 3,000 Japanese to join their churches. The Japanese have the New Testament in their own language. Corea has just been reached by missionaries, and the New Testament is being published in the Corean language.
Old China is being brought to the childhood of conversion to Christ; her conservatism is passing away; her exclusive policy is being yielded up; her hatred of the foreigners (the “foreign devils” and “barbarians”) is being overcome and replaced by respect and in some cases by love. To-day a man behaving himself properly and not bearing himself insolently, can travel unmolested in any part of China, even where foreigners once were murdered. Every one of its provinces has been visited by Christian missionaries; in almost all they reside. The language (said to have been invented by the devil to perplex missionaries) is very thoroughly understood and used. Their false science and law is being replaced by true instruction. Christ is taking Confucius’s place, as it is seen that his teaching can never regenerate China. Buddha’s dreary faith of annihilation, and Lao-tze’s superstitious materialism are being slowly yielded up by the people. The taking of this Gibraltar of heathenism is by no means accomplished; yet her walls are being scaled, and a foothold on their summit gained. They that have turned the world upside down have gone thither also. By unique and unexpected providence, God is aiding His workers. The recent terrible famine was such a providence. Yet while the number of converts is not great, a very great deal of unseen work has been accomplished. It seems as though a whole legion of devils catch up the seed of the Gospel sown in China, almost as quickly as it touches the ground; still some, and much, brings forth good fruit. Considering the powerful opposition, the gigantic obstacles, the almost insurmountable difficulties, that there should be 19,000 living Chinese Christians to-day, and probably 85,000 nominal Christians, is surprising. To-day 496 missionaries are at work in China, seeking to convert its 400,000,000 people.
Moravian missionaries are preaching the Gospel of Christ on the borders of Thibet, the stronghold of Buddhism. It is here that the Buddhist Lama or Pope resides.
In Siam great changes have recently occurred. The country is now open to foreigners; a missionary is in charge of the government school and this nation, like Japan, seems to be progressing toward the light. Twenty-four missionaries (one among Chinese colonists), with 631 converts represent the strength of the church there.
In Assam “the light of a brighter day gilds the hill-tops and spreads along the valleys, ripening the long corn-fields for the reaper’s sickle.” Long and patient toil has not as yet been rewarded with great harvest gatherings, but the missionaries look forward in patient waiting for a better day. There are 13 churches, with 1,800 members; 26 missionaries, and 75 native preachers.
There are European missionaries in Borneo, Celebes, and the Moluccas; among the aborigines of Australia, and in the Island of Mauritius.
What a grand work has been done in Burmah, where missionary labor has been so emphatically blessed; among Burmese, Karens, Shans and Kakyens. The young mission at Bhamo is in a precarious condition at present, owing to the relations of King Thee-bau to England; yet the missionaries there stand by their posts. The Buddhism of Burmah seems as yet but little affected by the presence of Christianity; the work among the Karens has made more rapid progress than among the Burmese, because of the preparation for the Gospel by their singular traditions and prophecies. There are 23,000 Christians, the nucleus of a Christian community of about 75,000. There are 103 missionaries in Burmah.
India has been very thoroughly evangelized. The opposition of the representatives of so-called Christian nations, the strength of caste, and the attachment to the elaborate system of Hinduism were the principal obstacles to the progress of Christianity. Five-sixths of all the converts are from the lower castes or ranks of the people. By education in mission-schools, but mainly by direct preaching, about 115,000 converts have been made. There is a native Christian community (M. A. Sherring says) of a half a million. Six hundred and seven missionaries were at work in 1875. One of the most extraordinary events of all modern missionary history was the sudden turning of the thousands of Teloogoos to Christ. The people of India have been greatly enlightened, thought awakened, and a wonderful transformation is occurring. The sacrifice of infants, the horrible practice of suttee, the Juggernaut festivals, are no more tolerated. English and American ladies have gained an entrance into the zenanas, and the women of India are becoming aware of a new life of which they never dreamed. All over India, Christian villages and churches dot the land; and before another generation has passed away, if the increase shall be proportionate to the recent past, India will be a Christian country. The Brahmo-Somaj, a sort of reform on Brahminism, has recently drawn very near to Christianity, and as illustrated by Keshub Chunder Sen’s recent remarkable address may soon become a Christian body.
Little has been undertaken in Afghanistan, Beloochistan or Arabia, as yet. There are 29 missionaries and 1,376 converts in Persia. The converts are principally from the Nestorians, who have long been nominally Christians. Access to the Mohammedans is becoming easier.
In Turkey, momentous changes are occurring. The despicable, despotic government is losing its power. Here the first triumphs of the first missionaries were won. The old Armenian race, the Anglo-Saxons of the East, who received Christianity in the fourth century, have in later years shown a remarkable readiness to receive Protestant preaching. The Mohammedans, here as elsewhere, are almost inaccessible. In Constantinople alone, a city of the size of Philadelphia, they have 300 mosques. There are 158 missionaries in Turkey, and 7,200 converts, and 14,000 children in their schools. In Syria there is a strong missionary body. It is difficult to reach the Jews, Mussulmans and Christians (Greek and Roman Catholic churches), because of their exceeding religiosity. The American Congregationalists and Presbyterians, and also the Church of England, have missionaries here. There are 1,317 Protestant Christians, 110 missionaries, and 12,057 scholars in Syria.
Central Asia is almost the only part of the world yet closed against the Gospel, though even here a little has been done by the brave old Joseph Wolff and English officers.
Africa, the dark continent, has a population of about 200,000,000. Mohammedanism has thoroughly overrun Africa, especially the northern portions. Fetichism, the lowest form of idolatry, holds the great mass of the African peoples. There are two missions in Egypt; the British, with one missionary and two stations, and the American, with twenty-two missionaries, thirty-four stations and 1,000 members, mainly from the Copts, an old Christian sect. The children in the mission-schools are mostly Mohammedan. In South Africa twelve or fifteen societies have not less than 40,000 converts. The western coast, from Sierra Leone to the Gulf of Guinea, is fringed with Christian missions. At the mouth of the Congo, on the west, and on the Niger and Zanzibar coast, on the east, the missions are flourishing. The greatest interest attaches to the very recent occupancy of Central Africa. On November 15th, 1876, Stanley’s famous letter, mentioning King Mtesa’s request for Christian teachers, was received. A few days after, $20,000 were offered to found a mission at Victoria Nyanza. Within seven months a picked party of seven missionaries stood on the eastern shore of Africa. They have experienced great difficulties and met with slight success.
Madagascar may be called a Christian country now, as may also the Sandwich Islands, the British West Indies, and, perhaps, the greater part of the islands of Polynesia. In Mexico, and in South America, as in the Papal lands of Europe, Protestant missionaries are laboring.
“The field is the world;” the motto is—the world for Christ and Christ for the world. The great triumphs of the past are being eclipsed by the greater ones of the present. The old decrepit and deformed sects of Christianity, long sleeping if not long dead, are taking on a new life. The Pagan religions are attempting the impossible task of preventing the incoming of Christianity; but their thraldom is broken, and everywhere the dropping of the broken fetters is heard. Mohammedanism alone is gathering itself with vigor to resist and repel and overcome Christianity, but its sword has been wrested from its grasp. The conquests of Christianity have not been won by might of sword; her victories over old faiths have not been gained by worldly wisdom. By love, by persuasion, by patient toil and suffering, the self-offered but God-called missionaries have done this work. God be praised for their lives, their works and their successes. May the day soon come when, his “Gospel having been published throughout the whole world for a testimony to all the nations,” Christ, by whose command they went forth, shall come and gather out of all nations His own!
Footnotes
1 In later ages the scribes of Babylonia wrote important matters on both burnt and unburnt bricks. One would be left unharmed by water, while the other was made permanent by fire.
2 Lenormant, the eminent French scholar of Assyrian antiquities, is our authority for the main part of this chapter, and we have quoted liberally from his writings.
3 King of Congo.
4 Contributed by the Rev. R. M. Luther, of Burmah.
5 A crore is 10,000,000; a thousand thousand crores would be 10 million millions.
6 Monk.
7 Abbot.
8 Bayard Taylor writes thus:
“Till the sun grows cold
And the stars are old
And the leaves of the Judgment Book unfold.”
9 The facts and figures that follow are gathered from the latest reports of over seventy missionary societies of Germany, France, Great Britain and America. These are in the writer’s possession, and from them he presents the latest ascertainable returns to March 20th, 1881.