CHRISTIAN
rian in its spirit and purpose, shall
yet be positively and decidedly
< Christian in its character.” The
committee in charge of the project
announces the intention that “ this
shall be not a school merely, but a
HKBALD
9
loses much of its value when we re­ really revolutionary. Very many single exception of works of fiction.
fuse to accept heartily
is in who now pass for Christians would
It was compiled in the early part
the Jilble. It is one thing to exer- have to begin at the beginning, and of the eighteenth century byr an
cise a sort of general faith in the very much earnest reformation imperial commission under the
Bible as God’s book, and it is quite would be required from thousands orders of the great emperor Kang
another thing to believe all that is who are now regarded as shining Hi So, well known to us from the
~
___________
- m l lngpi in t a ct , as
a s w.ftw t h in tbaE hzw.lr ami U if «.Fill
' and that it will ultimately become er something else to be willing tD4 n^ne of Cln^t; ¿’jfc however rad- whom he favored and assisted, and
to the Pacific Coast what Princeton do all that that book enjoins upon ical this work would be it is just who were his instructors in Euro­
College is to the Atlantic Coast.” us. And yet, just here is where the work that needs to lie done pean art and learning. The em­
Proposals for eligible ‘Sites are in-1 much of the failure of modern The medicine may be distasteful, peror was himself a great writer,
vited.
Christianity has its starting point. but it is the only specific that will and he was struck in the course of
T
We are not likely to make others meet the case. Much of the fight his literary investigations by the
A ‘ priest ”of theChurch of believe what we ourselves “practi­
against infidelity has been beatipg alterations and corruptions which
England preached a sermon lately cally disbelieve. If the world is to
the air. It is time to look candialy were being gradually introduced
from the text, “ God forbid that I be made to feel the force of truth,
at what is the main difficulty, and into the texts of standard works.
should glory save in the cross of our those who carry that truth to the
the sooner we are able to humbly He therefore conceived the idea of
Lord Jesus Christ,” and defended world must take hold of it with a
bow ourselves in submission to the reprinting from the most authentic
... rp
the use of the crucifix as an aid to firm grip. 'The
weak, stammering tvhole will of God the sooner will editions the whole body of Chifiese
devotion. The bishop of the diocese deliveiv of the message will often
our faith become a living reality in literature then in existence. A
chanced to be present, and before take away the vital force before it
our own lives as well as an influen­ commission of high officials was ap­
the audience was dismissed rose reaches the hearts of the hearers.
tial force in directing the lives of pointed to select and classify the
and made a public and earnest pio- Faith begets faith, and doubt be­
others. Hence, while we would texts, and its labors extended over
test against the bold perversion of gets doubt. It is still true that
not wish a single effort abated in forty years, terminating in the pub­
the text.
everything shall produce after its opposition to...what in. commonly lication of the work in 1726—Ear
• • •
kind. “ Whatsoever a man Boweth known as infidelity,. we do not the purpose of printing it a com­
Skipping the Hard Places.
that shall he also reap/’ It is hesitate to declare our confiction plete font of copper type was cast
therefore
useless to hope that what that the unfaithful of those who under the direction of the Jesuits,
Is there any such an advocacy of
Hremeelve» «hrio- who probably superintended—the—
- the truth as the age demands ? It ianowtt-MJUUilian inHdelityjan..1,rofe8s
be
overcome
when
professing
Chris
­
is not doubted that there has been
tians to the teaching of the Divine printing. —----- ------------------- ——
tians
are
thus
practically
furnishing
Only one hundred copies were
some brave and earnest work done
Word is much more alarming than
the
nursery
for
a
species
of
infidel
­
in defence of the genuineness and
that outspoken unbelief which is printed, the number of which has
ity
which,
if
not
so
outpsoken
as
authenticity of the Scriptures. But
just now supposed to be so danger­ been much reduced since the time
the
first,
is,
nevertheless,
insiduous-
is this all that is needed ? Unques­
ous. Surely the time has come of the issue by various casualties.
ly
stealing
away
the
very
life
pow
­
tionably it is important to make a
when all lovers of the truth should The whole impression was distri­
er
of
all
Christian
effort.
strong defence of the Bible as a
throw aside every prejudice, and buted as presents among the princes
What is to be done ? We. an- “contend earnestly for the. faith of the imperial family and the great
whole, and especially in our contro­
versies with infidels. These do not swer without hesitation r let those once for all delivered to the saints.” State officials. The type used in
generally go into particulars. They who profess to be Christians cease Let there be no skipping of the the production of the work is sard
make their assault upon the Bible. “ handling the word of God deceit­ hard places, but let the language of to have been melted down shortly
It is true that some parts are re­ fully let them not oqjy defend the every heart be, “ Speak Lord, Thy afterward and converted into money
garded by them as more vulnerable Bible as a whole, but every part of servant lieareth.”— Christian Com­ to meet the exigencies of the
government during a financial
than others, and these are selected it; and instead of skipping the monwealth, (London.)
hard
places,
let
them
shew
their
as the points of attack, simply on
crisis, and in this way the means of
A Chinese Encyclopedia.
| strategetic grounds, in order that fidelity to the truth by faithfully
producing a second volume was
the Bible itsetf may be themore doingwhatsoever the Lord has com­
The celebrated “ Chinese Ency­ destroyed. The copies which still
surely captured. But their real manded. Doubtless, this straight- clopedia,” which w’as purchased exist are in the hands of the families
aim is to destroy the Bible, not forwaru course Would require of some months ago by the trustees of of the original recipients, from one
me part of it. And it so happens many a new com-ecration, but this the British Museum, for fifteen of whom the copy thus happily
that the apologetics of the present would be all the better for the life hundred pounds sterling, has been brought to London has been pur­
Bbentury aïe
Uentury
ate chiefly concerned with of the Churches are spiritually safely lodged in that institution. chased. So completely private is
this general view of the matter, dead, and largely because they are It forms the most important acquisi­ the ownership of copies of this en­
d consequently there is another tilled with these semi-sceptics— tion to the great national library cyclopedia in China that no copy
ind of infidelity which has, per­ uiVn and women who are there sim­ which has been made for some time is known to be accessible for re­
ps unconsciously, grown up, and ply because of circumstances and past. The work is remarkable as ference to the general body of stu­
hich is practically as bad, if not not from any real conviction. They having nothing parallel to it extant dents of that country.— Ex.
brse, than that which makes an are there also indefiancebrdefinite in other countries. It Is comprised
The Opium Trade.
tack upon the Bible as a whole, requirements which the word of in 5,020 volumes, and consists of a
e refer to the stroAg tendency God makes, but which they have vast thesaurus, into which is di­
Many Americans have been ac­
utterly
neglected
to
observe,
or
else
customed
to regard with detestation
nong even professing Christians to
gested the entire mass of Chinese
ip all the hard pluces where the as utterly refused to consider. The literature extant to the date of its the conduct of the British govern­
ible enjoins service which is not remedy for spiritual declension is to publication, classified under appro­ ment in forcing the infamous and
rertfible to the notions of modern deal faithfully with this abnormal priate headings, and accompanied ruinous opium traffic upon China;
condition, and the remedy for infi­ with illustrative drawings, plans but it would seem that the United
eligionists.
Now this we regard as a most delity in the broader sense is to cure and maps. It includes treatises States government, through its rep­
serious evil, and it is one, too, w’hich this fountain of distrust and disobe­ ranging from 1150 B. C. 1<» about resentatives, has been- guilty of as
is widespread and very influential, dience among those wlvi profess to the year 1700 of our era, and it mean and detestable an act, in aid­
fit is certainly important to contend be Christians. We are not unmind­ professes to represent every branch ing to force the no less hideous rum
Tor the Bible, but this contention ful . that such a course would be of Chinese literature, with the trajfic upon Christian Madagascar.
f