and its opposing systems, Buddhism and Taoism, have long since passed their zenith and are rapidly approaching their dissolution? The unpalatable principles of the "Great Wise Man of China," however beautiful and good, and however much good they may have been to the generations of past ages, they can not change the heart of their people nor satisfy their present aspirations. Confucianism has been tested for twenty-five centuries, during which time it has added nothing to the spiritual life of the Chinese people; while its opponent systems, which had some semblance of spiritual life in their beginning, have always been a thorn in the flesh to the highly cultured Mandarin, and often a ridicule to the people. But even in the face of all this decay and the obvious advancement of Western ideas, there are no signs of uneasiness noticeable upon the part of these religions about the wonderful progress of Christianity. And we believe it quite safe to say that no serious obstacle will be placed in its way as long as its propagation gives no cause of suspicion through political interference. No thought is of greater importance to-day in the propagation of the Christian religion than the maintenance of the integrity of the Imperial Kingdom, and carefully avoiding all interference with political questions. The stigma that once rested upon the missionaries has been removed. The Protestant missionaries are no longer looked upon as emissaries of their governments. The officials have come to see that the dominant desire of the missionary is to see the cause of Christ advanced and order and loyalty promoted.
It is indeed pathetic to see such a great mass of human beings so wholly absorbed in things temporal and yet unable to rise from the crushing burden of poverty and misery. If hard labor and diligence could have brought relief they long since would have risen to wealth and happiness. But vastly more pathetic is it to see them in their efforts to satisfy the soul's longing, and in their penury spend millions of dollars
in making pilgrimages to far distant shrines, bringing sacrifices to the dumb idols, involving self-sacrifice of which in Christian lands we have no conception. It must be terrible to be so poor that life no longer is life, but only an existence; but infinitely more terrible to be fettered down by superstition to gods that need to be appeased by such sacrifices, and yet bring no blessing. It is hard to be a heathen! Surely, if God could be found by mere searching for blessings and bringing sacrifice, these people would long since have found Him and rejoice in Him. But their systems to which they trusted, and now hoary with age, have not lifted them upward nor led them to the truth, but estranged them farther and farther away from the truth, and led deeper and deeper into superstition and misery. The only joy these visits brought to me was the convictions of thereby becoming better prepared to guide some of these wandering millions to find the way to Him who is the Light of the world and rejoice in the living God.
