— "Prospecting for a Religion." —
Dr. Pentecost, whose remarkable work among the Brahmins of India has become famous, recently made tho following interesting observations regarding the war in the Far East from a missionary's point of view:— "Would you mind telling me," asked the interviewer, "what you think the influence of the war will be on foreign missionary enterprise in Manchuria, Corea, and Japan?"— "Of course, if Russia succeeds, it will be the end of all missionary enterprise in Manchuria; if Japan succeeds it will be the opening up of that country, because Japan is absolutely tolerant, and, indeed, more than tolerant. As you know, Japan has abolished all State control of its own religions, and has put all of them on a free basis; and, as a matter of fact, while the Government does not patronise Christianity, and is officially supposed to cold-shoulder it, it is beginning to recognise that there must be some new ethical basis of civilization which it cannot get out of Buddhism or Shintoism. They have adopted Western civilization, which is the product of Christianity, but find it cannot be put on to Buddhism and Shintoism, because they will not fit, and it is going to be a serious question whether or not the Japanese Government will introduce the ethical element. In a sentence, the Japanese are prospecting for a religion. Civilization is never the product of material forces, but always of spiritual forces. For it is not civilization that determines the religious character of a people; it is the religious character of the people that determines their civilization. That has been true all through the ages. Therefore the question of Christianity, which most of our politicians and statesmen overlook entirely, is really the question at the bottom of the whole matter. There are two great dynamic forces in this world— one chemical, the other spiritual— gunpowder and ideas. The latter, in the long run, is the stronger, and it is Christianity that will finally determine this great Eastern question."
—Russia's Intolerance.—
"You think that Russia is very intolerant. Doctor?"— "Yes; I saw some of our Scotch missionaries in Manchuria, and they said it is only by the skin of their teeth that they are holding on. I look upon Russia as the greatest menace to civilization that we have— infinitely worse than the Turk. If Russia is victorious there will be no end to her arrogance. It will be the extinction of Japan and the absolute dominance of China, and that means the dominance of Asia. Russia, that murdered Poland; Russia, that is strangling the life out of Finland; Russia, that looks on at the Armenian atrocities; Russia, with her horrible history in Siberia, to presume to take the supremacy in China and direct its civilization! Russia is a thousand times more of a menace to the peace of the world than ever Turkey was, for Turkey is dying. If Russia should beat Japan. I think there is nothing for it but for England and America to step in and save Japan, and at the same time to save China. Just now the struggle is between Japan and Russia, but if Japan is beaten there remains but one step from Port Arthur to Pekin; for not only would the Russian bear establish herself firmly in Manchuria—which she has pirated from China— but she aims at the control of all China. Controlling all China, Russia would control all Asia, and then the Russo-yellow peril would be upon Europe. The question now coming to an issue is not wholly one of political empire. Underneath what we call the China question, or the Russo-Japanese question, is the larger question, in the providential order, of the civilization of 700,000,000 of Asiatics—a little more than half of the population of the world. Is the type of civilization which Asia is to take on, in consequence of her new contact with European nations, to be Anglo-Saxon with all the ideals which have made us so great a people, or is it to be after the fashion of the Slav? Those are the only two possible types of civilization. German, French, Italian ideals simply do not count in this struggle for race supremacy."— Illustrated Missionary News.
Register (Adelaide, SA : 1904,)http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55618327
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