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ESTABLISHED 1821.
W Christian Index
Published Every Thursday. Cor. Ivy Street
and Edgewood Avenue.
J. C. MCMICHAEL. Pkophietor.
Organ of the Baptht Denomination in
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For the Index.
ROMANISM IN SOUTH AMERICA.
BY Z C. TAYLOR.
While Ronxanism is much the
same in spirit in ali parts, there
is a difference between Roman
ism in Europe and theU. S. com
pared with South America.
In the midst of a pure Chris
tianity in the United States she
has laid aside much of her super
stition and idolatry. Cardinal
Gibbons has even recommended
the Bible to Catholics in the
United States. But how are the
people to get it? There are no
Catholic col porters nor conven
ient deposits where the people
can find them. I will venture
an assertion that to get the
Rheims Donay, or Catholic ver
sion of the Bible, one has to go
to the priest to order it for him.
But if the priest thinks the buyer
will read and obey it solely he
will not prder it; for they give
notes to their version and he
must be known as a good Cath
olic to get the Bible.
Does not this excessive care
to have the notes rule the reader
and the scarcity of that version
show that they are opposed to
the people reading the Bible?
Romanism founds schools,
principally for girls, in the
United States, and pretends to
be a friend to education. These
schools, even here, are not for
the mental development of the
child, but as religious schools in
Vliieh tv make Catholics. See
their constant opposition to pub
lic schools. Their education is
superficial, a little wax work,
music, artificial flowers,painting,
something that will flash in the
eyes of the parent. The popes
have a saying that: “Ignorance
is the mother of devotion.” How
can they be friends to education
with such a principle? Roman
ism prospers only in ignorance,
because when a man is educated
he thinks for himself, and then
he learns it. They seek the girls
specially on the old Jesuitical
plan of 1 Teach the woman and
she will bring the man and gov
ern the family. But what are
their convents? They are pris
ons, right here in free America,
where some of her daughters are
caught, where tyranny and des
potism are taught and practiced.
Read The Convent Unmasked by
Edith O'Gorman who was for
many years in a convent in the
United States. She has lectured
in many parts of the United
States and is at present in Eng
land. She is a Baptist and her
pastor wrote me that her revela
tions were all true as far as he
knew. Some of the scenes she
draws are cruel in the extreme.
Read Mrs. Shepards books and
papers. She is at present presi
dent of the Ladies Anti Catholic
League in Chicago. Hear her
lecture and tell of the horrors
she witnessed and suffered and
from which she fled out of a con
vent, here in the United States.
Read The Converted Catholic a
monthly paper published by ex
priest O'Conor in New York
and see what Rome substitutes
for education. Romanism can't
thrive where there is liberty and
intelligence. Her progress, or
rather increase in the United
States,is only from immigration.
It is seen from statistics that of
these she has lost millions. Here
her priests and nuns dress in a
somewhat civilized manner upon
the streets.
Romanism produces no orators,
they do not preach, or expect to
gain converts by preaching. The
sham they call preaching is say
ing mass in a dead language.
As the ignorant hearers do not
understand it they imagine it
must be something wonderful
and are therefore very reverent
and believing.
The way Romanism plans to
make proselytes is in her schools
and charity institutions, which
are the traps they set to catch
Americans, who purchased their
liberty by fleeing persecution in
Europe and shedding their prec-
tile ciiristlyn index.
ious blood to maintain
Catholics profess to be the i.
charitable people in the world/
but their charity is the bate on
the hook with which to catch and
make their vassals.
This language may grate on
the ears of some, but I speak
from my heart. I once lost a
noble brother, who became a
slave to the demon drink, and I
have hated liquor ever since. I
cannot think about it, nor speak
about it,except with indignation.
Go see also what I have seen of
the ruin and desolation Roman
ism has made in history and in
South America, and you. brother
Christian, could not speak about
it softly or indifferently.
America is still a mission field
for the pope, though he has had
his forces here from the begin
ning. He sends his wiliest, most
astute men to the United States.
Not one in a hundred are native
Americans. But thanks to a
merciful God, Romanism has lost
her power in all lands. She is
discouraged and leads a forlorn
battle. She is drunk with the
blood of the saints. Her joints
are stiff and she can no more
stoop to build the fires around
martyrs: the sword has been
wrenched from her hand by the
kings of the earth, and her army
disbanded. Though drunk, she
is far from being dead and can
do much hurt yet.
In Europe she has maintained
more of her errors, because the
Bible is not practiced by those
who call themselves evangelicals
as faithfully and truly as in the
United States.
If the Reformers had adopted
Bible or Baptist principles and
practices instead of a half way
reformation of the Romish
church there seems little doubt
but that Romanism now would
have been as ancient paganism,
a relic of the past. For Baptist
practices are the antipodes of
Romanism, and before them Ro
manism vanishes most readily.
Baptist principles have ruled in
the United States, and it is seen
that Romanism is diminishing
even with the constant Catholic
immigration.
Now if Romanism has proven
itself to be dangerous to charac
ter, liberty and the home in the
United States where it is held in
restraint, what can we expect to
find it in South America, where
it has held undisturbed sway for
350 years? There she has had a
fair chance and full sway. The
officials and emperers have all
been Catholics and sworn to de
fend the Catholic faith, i. e. to
keep all others out.
It was the law in Brazil, and
probably in all the other coun
tries, that all captains of vessels
should report on entering any
port every person suspected of
heresy, and was obliged to turn
over such persons to the custody
of the bishop who would exam
ine and imprison him if he were
non-Catholic.
So Romanism can make no ex
cuse for the present ignorance,
poverty and idolatry of South
America. If she loved educa
tion they would now be intelli
gent, if her belief and practices
conduce to prosperity, they
would now be rich and happy.
There may be periods of greater
or less prosperity in even a good
people, but South America has
never yet seen a day of happi
ness.
Can people continue ignorant
and be happy? or poor or im
pure and be happy? Intelligence
and riches do not insure happi
ness, but people who are happy
w’ill be prosperous. None can
be happy without purity.
As for education they have had
the best opportunity the world
could give. The priests are said
to have been the depositories of
learning during all the dark ages.
But the Jesuits built their Babel
of education and lo their cun
ningness, turned to confusion.
As to natural resources, South
America is the richest in the
world. Her climate is a paradise;
her soil is fertile; her mountains
full of gold and the precious
minerals; her rivers are embed
ded with the largest and rarest
gems; her immense forests yield
the finest woods, her plains are
covered with luxuriant vege
tation, affording room for mill
ions of animals. Her rivers are
many and broad, inviting naviga
tion. The products of the inte
rior justify many lines of rail
ways where only a few short
ones exist.
In the midst of this vast W’ealth
of nature the people are poor;
perhaps Brazil is more than the
average in education where only
one in thirteen can read and
write. The people are so poor
that one year’s drouth creates a
famine. If Romanism could pu
rify the life certainly she had
the opportunity, but the immor
ality is so great that in some of
the largest cities three-fourths of
the population are born out of
wedlock.
Os the eleven Republics of
.subs on.p«o» 1< ....«.00 } ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1895.
■■
1 South America, ten were settled
ind inhabited by Spaniards, all
Catholics. Brazil was settled by
Portugues. all Catholics. South
America was discovered and
commenced to be settled shortly
after North America.
Only one ripple was made on
the 350 years of Catholic domi
nation in South America. John
Calvin sent out twelve missiona
ries to Brazil, all of whom tied
persecution to their graves in
the sea, except one, John Bides,
who was tried, condemned for
eight years in prison in Bahia,
and executed in Rio de Janeiro.
The celebrated Catholic apostle
of Brazil.called Ancheita, helped
the hangman to dispatch him
quickly to prevent his preaching
Jesus.
Henry Martyn, a missionary
on his way to India, touched at
Bahia and seeing the great idola
try of the people exclaimed:
“Crosses there are in abundance,
but when will the true doctrine
of the cross be preached? Who
will be the happy missionary to
bring the light of the gospel to
these gloomy hills of darkness?”
(Concluded next week.)
■fe'.*
For the Index
Our Naples Letter.
Napi.es, Italy, Aug. 9, 1895.
Dear Index: —For 30 miles
before reaching Naples, we had
glimpses of Vesuvius, emitting
dust and lava. For 35 miles we
passed through one of the rich
est and best cultivated countries
we ever saw —from Padua to
Napels—a perfect marvel of fer
tility. As we drove through the
city to our hotel, there off to the
left, rose old Vesuvius in full
grandeur, 10 times higher than
Stone Mountain.
What a noisy city this is! such
chatter of people, 500,000 of
them: such wonderful crowdings
and sights. We arrived at sup
per time. All along the table;
plates with pyramids of peaches,
of ripe prunes and pears, and of
delicious yellow figs. There was
macaroni—the first we've seen
in Italy or France. We had no
grapes. We had thought till
now that grapes and macaroni
made up much of Italy. We had
passed through great orchards
of olives and of vines strung on
and between large trees. Our
Hotel fronts on the beautiful
blue bay of Napels. A little to
the right—l,ooo feet away- are
anchored 0 of the finest of Italy’s
fine war-ships. At 9p. m. they
fire a 1 gun and display an ex
change of beautiful signal lights
from their masts. Off to the left
is old Vesuvius, “smoking'’ and
with great dull-red patches of
lave giving out a threatening
glare. We watch these dismal
fires, till the full moon rises over
the quaking mountain, and then
close the blinds for “ the sleep
of the just.”
This August 9th, we took early
train for Pompeii 15 miles
away. I had thought there
would be 4 or 5 streets uncovered,
and the dirt piled back on each
side. I found it a city 2 miles in
circuit, entirely uncovered. We
saw its tragic theatre for the
rich, to hold 15,000, and its comic
theatre for the poor, to hold
1,500; its wine-shops, meat
shops, residences some splen
did its gardens, baths, Forum
and Temples. In an enclosed
new building, we saw some dozen
bodies of men and women and
some of dogs in the agony of
death.
Taking carriages most of us
went to Vesuvius. Here again I
was surprised at the magnitude
and threatening condition of the
volcano. We drove up the moun
tain for three hours, most of it
through vast beds of old lava,
along a zigzag road, planned by
an expert civil engineer. At
last the road was blocked by new
lava. A month ago the moun
tain had blazed out in a hundred
places. Lava had covered the
road 25 and 60 feet deep for 630
yards. With great sledges they
had broken up the lava so as to
make a road to walk over. Four
days ago even this was partly
overflowed again and had to be
rebuilt. We walked over all
this. It was hot and emitted
sulphurous fumes. Some stones
were so hot we could not hold
them in the hand. The heat
steamed up as out of a furnace.
After passing over the 630 yards,
we climbed on up the roadway
to the station about 4,000 feet
above Naples. Close by the path
we could see, along-side of us,
and below us, great red spots
where the glowing lava was
pouring out. All the night be
fore up at the station there were
earthquake shocks. From that
station there is an incline rail
way fully as long as that at
Lookout Mountain. From the
terminus, a few minutes of climb
ing brings us to the crater and
a forty-five minute’s walk around
it. In coming down we traveled
again through several miles of
new and old lava; and looked on
the red-hot fires and rolling
lava, inhaling, too, the sulphur
ous lava. After one and a half
hours of trotting, we w< re once
more at the base, glad that we
had been on Vesuvius, but un
willing ever to repeat the expe
rience.
To-morrow weturn northward,
going to Florence; then to Venice
and Milan, and then into Switz
erland. Truly yours.
A. T. Spalding.
w.r
For the Inpex.
Our Florence Lettr.
Dear Index: —We are how in
Florence, a city older than the
times of our Savior; bts,,fallen
somewhat of late into decay. We
are in tin* Hotel which w; s once
the Palace of the Medici family
—rulers of Florence for 300
years. One of the Medici women
constrained her son Charles to
order the massacre of the Hugue
nots 500 of whom were killed
in Paris in one night. Some of
us slept in royal rooms and beds,
ami under royal frescoes. Over
the door of the Hotel is the coat
of arms of the Medici family.
Florence is about t.vice the
population of Atlanta, and has
some splendid modern improve
ments. Three weeks ago an
earthquake shook down a large
part of one corner ot our Hotel.
I walked a mile this Sunday
morning, seeking the American
Baptist chapel. I found the
place to which I was d’rected,
but it was an English Episcopal
chapel. I walked a mile in an
other direction, to find myself at
an American Episcopal mission.
But not far away I found an
American Methodist chapel. The
sermon was evidently listened to
with good interest by the con
gregation of 66 persons, includ
ing the sexton, except that be
was asleep, which made me feel
the more at home; for I had often
put my sexton to sleep. The
minister was an Italian and
spoke just as you have heard
Italians talk—all gesture and
action, and quick, excited words.
Although it is Sunday and all
these people are good Catholics,
the shops are open, and there
are some who buy and beg and
sell; some do carpenter work
within doors, and in the country
some plow the fields. And the
fat old priests sing and drone
and gather in the shekles and
leave these poor people ignorant
of God’s way of salvation through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Naples there is some.abso
lute n-.’Jrr-dr-.-'flw ‘*<r. "
years old and younger. Many,
over 8, wear only one garment
and that is short and scant and
rent. The streets are constant
ly swept and cleansed, but the
filthy habits of the ignorant poor,
keep them in a constant state of
defilement. Fleas abound and
give much worry and suffering
to the tourists unaccustomed to
them. There are, however, very
few mosquitoes or Hies in all
Italy where we have been. In
the country the laborers are very
poor. The heart sickens at the
sight of life of unending toil and
privation. The poor farm wo
men do the heavy farm work.
The farm men wear oftentimes
only one garment, —eit her a cot
ton sack from the shoulder to
the knee, or a very short pair of
drawers —no hat, no shoes —the
bronzed body naked except about
the middle of it.
Papal Rome builds splendid
Temples, at a cost of millions of
money; but she grinds her poor
to powder and withholds from
them the Bible and the public
school. These, for a thousand
years, she has kept from her
people and would withhold from
ours.
All along our route yesterday
from Naples to Florence, we
travelled through central Italy
and were charmed with the fer
tility and culture of the soil. We
passed many old, old cit ies going
into ruing, many old hills capped
with old castles where devils
called Dukes and Counts ground
the faces isf the poor, made them
fight their battles, and invaded
the sanctity of their homes for
purposes of lust. These castles
are ruins now —monuments of
times that [wrought ruin and of
an age, thank God, at last gone.
So mote it be.
The old statuary of ancient
Romans was nude: there was no
drapery, no fig leaf. But now'
by order of the King, a tin fig
leaf protects the statues in the
Public Galleries, and even the
Pope has had to cover with cop
per the nudity of marble women
in his big church of St. Peter’s.
American Art is leaving the fig
leaf off; but America had best
leave it on. The end is Pompeii
whose beastly, unnameable pol
lution is shown to men only in
the secret gallery of the splen
did museum of Naples; a room
which one leaves with a sense of
profound defilement and over
whelming shame.
C The end of Pompeii was hot
ashes and fire and brimstone. I
do hope for Italy that she may
arise now in this her time of now
life, to higher, better things.
May God greatly bless her.
Yours truly.
A. T. Spalding.
For the Index.
ARE YOU REGENERATED?
Regeneration, the new birth
from above, lies at the very
threshold of the Christian life.
It is the only true basis of real
prosperity of soul. Is it not im
portant to be sure that the Bible
foundation for a spiritual temple
is laid in Christ Jesus? Ollier
foundation can no man lay than
is laid in Christ Jesus, the Lord.
Let us see whether you have
laid the foundation in regenera
tion upon which to build for
eternity. May your heart ex
claim: “Search me, O God, and
know my heart; try me and know
my thoughts; and see if there be
any wicked way in me and lead
me in the way everlasting.”
Let me give you some tests
from the Word of God, by which,
in all humility, you may decide
whether you are one of the re
generated born into the true
family of God. through the new
birth. Remember who said “Ex
cept a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.”
1. “lUAosoever licZierctA that Je
sus is the Christ is burn of God"—
I John 5:1. A sincere and hum
ble reliance upon the merits of
Christ, for acceptance with God,
is an element of true faith. This
is more than a mere historical
belief in the facts of the New
Tastament. No facts in all the
world's history are better estab
lished by secular history, aside
from the Bible, than are the
facts relative to the birth, life
and death of Christ. Saving
faith includes reliance upon the
Savior's atoning merit, as well
as belief of the simple facts re
corded about him. The faith, es
sential to regeneration, is a hear
ing, approving and accepting
faith. What avails it that Jesus
is a Savior, if he be not a Savior
to me? “For ye are children of
God, by faith in Jesus Christ”
—Gal. 3:26. It must be faith
from the heart. “With the heart
man believeth unto righteous
ness” —Rom. 10:’10. “If thou be
lievest with all thine heart, thou
mayest”—Acts 8:37. A consent
ing heart is needful to the divine
life.
2. “Ye are my friends, if ye do
ivhatsoever 1 command you."'
John 15:14. A spirit of ?ue and
■m wc'-rviag olxsdteucjj -a..., '■ >th<£
regenerate soul. It is the basis
of real soul —prosperity. The
regenerate soul desires to know
ttod’s will in order to do God’s
will. “Faith without works is
dead.” —Jas. 2:20. Obedience is
then the Bible test of faith. Obe
dience is also the Bible test of
love. “If ye love me, keep my
commandments” John 14:15.
How false is the reasoning of
those who, in effect, say: “Lord,
I know you have commanded me
to do one thing and set me the
example, but, I feel that some
thing else will do as well.” There
is much idle talk about essen
tials and non-essentials. If sim
ple obedience to the clear and
unmistakable commands of God’s
word is not essential to true and
vital spiritual life where, pray
tell me, il’ the absolute, unre
served surrender of mill, that
God demands? lam old fash
ioned enough to believe that
asking the burning question,
from the heart and in all humili
ty, “Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do? (Acts 9:6.) and, then,
doing what God commands, is as
essential to conversion in the
nineteenth century, as it was in
the first.
3. “/ delight in the law of God,
after the inward man.” — Rom.
7:22. David said, “Oh ! how I
love thy law? —Psa. 119:97-
The truly regenerate man re
veres the Bible. He clings, with
unyielding tenacity, to it as the
inspired word of God. He ac
cepts it as such and loves it as
such. There are some, who do
not believe in its full inspiration.
They tear down a statement here
and entirely eliminate a passage
there. Such are the greatest
enemies of Christianity in the
world to-day. But, meanwhile,
the Bible stands and will always
stand. Many who have tamper
ed w’ith God’s word are moulder
ing in their graves and, still,
God’s word lives. The regener
ate soul believes reveres, loves
and studies the Bible. He feeds
his soul upon it, rejoices in its
rich assurances and rests upon
its precious promises.
There are other portions of
God’s word that will help you to
decide the question. “Am I one
of the regenerate? We know
that we have passed from death
unto life, because we love the
brethren.” —IJno. 3:14. “I hate
every false way.”—Psa. 1 19:104.
“If any man have not the Spirit
of Christ he is none of his.” —
Rom. 8:9.
May God help you to examine
the foundation, upon which you
are resting your hopes for etern
al life. Wiil you not, this mo
ment, say, as I do, humbly, ear
nestly, sincerely: “Create in me
a clean heart. OGod; and renew
a right spirit within me.”—Psa.
51:10. O. C. P.
Wartrace, Tenn.
For the Index
PASTORS AND MINISTERIAL ED
UCATION.
BY DR. J. B. GAMBRELL.
I wish every pastor who reads
the Index would let me have a
tail: with him about ministerial
education, a plain talk about the
practicalities of it. Generally
speaking, we all agree as to the
importance of it; we need now
to come directly to the doing of
t he thing.
Georgia, let us remember, is a
great Baptist State. We have in
round numbers 1 SOO white church
es and 163,000 members. The
State is rapidly developing. New
towns are spring up in every di
rection, and a flood of new peo
ple are at our doors. General
education is rapidly on the in
crease and higher education is
growing.
To meet such a situation we
had last session 28 ministerial
students in the literary courses
in Mercer and less than a dozen
in the Seminary. Some of our
Mercer students were greatly
hindered for lack of money. Put
these humiliating facts along
side of that other fact, that our
fathers left us an invested fund,
which yields nearly all the mon
ey spent on ministerial educa
tion in Georgia. Os the'giving,
one single church does more
than half of it.
This is a very simple state
ment of plain facts, and it is far
from creditable to us as a peo
ple. It is difficult to write about
it without using great plainness
of speech. I forbear and only
ask that pastors ponder the facts
It is amazing that intelligent
pastors and churches should rest
supinely on what the Fathers
did, while the vast majority of
the future pastors of the church
es are going into their life work
without preparation, and that,
too, when the need for prepara
tion will certainly be greater
than it has ever been. We must
wake up or go to the rear. No
where on earth have Baptists a
fairer field than in Georgia, but
we are endangering our future
by lack of a practical handling
of our resources.
There are two sides to the
ministry; the divine and the hu
man. We are taught to pray that
God will call men into the minis
try—a greatly neglected duty
and privilege. God does call
men and gives them to the church
es. They are of unspeakable
value to the churches. It is not
for men to select God's minis
ters; but they may ask him to
select such men as he will use
and give them to the churches.
That is the divine side of it. The
human side ought to begin in
prayer for ministers, and contin
ue by recognizing the gifts of
God and go forward in the way
of training, use and support. If
a man were to give one of us a
young mule we would train him
for use, what inspires folly for
us to allow God’s ministers to go
into the world without training
or care.
Working on the human side, it
is our duty to look out the called
of God in our churches. There
is no scripture for, nor sense in,
the idea, that, if a young brother
is called to preach, he must make
his way by the force of his in
ward convictions without human
help. Many are timid; their ex
periences are new andwondrous
ly strange to them. They need
instruction,advice and encourage
ment and help. Pastors ought
to look them out, and the spirit
ual members, with the pastor,
ought to be nursing fathers and
nursing mothers to the 'young
preachers. And they ought to
be impressed deeply with the
greatness of their work in the
need of preparation. Then the
churches ought to direct the
training of young preachers.
We at Mercer are willing to act
for the churches to the extent of
imparting instructions, but it is
not for us to lift this precious
burden from the churches. We
ought not to wrong the churches
in that way.
I beg to repeat what I have said
before: there are no less than
100 young preachers in Ga. now
who wish to enter Mercer. Near
ly all of them are poor. God has
nearly always called the poor,
rich in faith, to preach his gos
pel. These brethren need help,
not for their sakes, but for the
sake of the churches. They
belong to the church. The
churches should help them on
the same principle of common
sense that a sensible man follows
when he pays to have his axe
ground.
Now, brother pastor, go about
VOL. 75--NO. 35.
this matter in a practical way.l
Look up the young gift in your
church, instruct and advise him.
If you are well convinced thathe
is called of God, then see that
his ideas of preparation are
right. Have the church to>rec
ommend him for education. But
do not recommend a doubtful
man. We must depend on you
to send us good men. When you
•send your preacher to us, find
out what his church will do to
help him. Open a subscription
and see how many will give SI.OO
a month., 50c. 25c., etc. Put this
subscription into the hands of a
good brother or sister for col
lection and send the amount ev
ery month to C. B. Willingham,
Macon, Ga. Write down that ad
dress in your book, so that you
will not forget it.
This is all practical. We have
all agreed on the theory, now
let us do it and do it as to the
Lord.
But many pastors will say
truly, we have no young preach
er in our church. Very well,,
that is no reason why you should
not help. Many of the best gifts
come from the weakest churches
financially. Those who are
strong ought to help the weak.
And all ought to help, that there
bo equality. No given church
educates a minister for itself,
but for all the churches —for the
world for Christ's sake.
I am writing the plainest,
simplest truth. It is all common
place, but like the air we breathe,
the water we drink, common
place blessings and common
place truths are the most im
portant.
For the Index.
Corea—The Hermit Nation.
Much has been recently writ
ten of Corea in war connections,
hence many inquiries are natur
ally suggested as to this land,
its people, its physical features,
climate, resources and religion.
Corea is a peninsular project
ing from the eastern coast of
Asia in a south-easterly direc
tion. It has 84,424 square miles
of area, and a population of 10,-
519,000, which gives 124 persons
to the square mile. It is more
than one-third larger than all
the New England States, or
about the same size tus Great
Brittain.
“Spirit worship and Confu
cianism are the basis of the faith
of the Coreans. They worship
the invisible powers of the air,
the spirits of earth and heaven.
They believe in genii of hills,
rivers and caves, and especially
reverence the morning star. The
breezes are thought to be the
“breath of spirits,” and a tem
pest is a “Devil wind’’raised by
a demon for mischief. Many
centuries ago Buddhism was the
faith in Corea; but it has been
long since overthrown and dis
placed, except in remote moun
tain districts where old Buddhist
monasteries are still found, and
a few monks perform their me
chanical devotions before gilded
images of Buddha in which they
themselves, in common with
their countrymen, have long
ceased to believe. No Buddhist
monks are now allowed inside
the cities, a prohibition which is
said to have originated in the
Japanese invasion three hundred
years ago, when the invaders
crept into some of the towns in
monastic disguise. Among the
upper classes the only form of
religion is ancestor worship; de
veloped by familiarity with Con
fucianism, and by long connec
tion with the Chinese. A man
of the ruling class has no higher
ambition than to leave male de
cendants who may w’orship his
name and offer sacrifices at his
grave. Besides these oriental
faiths, there exist no general re
ligious forms or beliefs among
the masses, save that of spirits
and the invisible forces of
Nature which they ignorantly
worship; and it has become liter
ally true as the old Dutch navi
gator put it; “ As for religion,
the Coresians have scarcely
any.”
The history of Christianity in
Corea is remarkable and even
marvelous. It has been intro
duced twice in that country, first
about the close of the sixteenth
and the second time near to the
close of the eighteenth century.
Its first teachers and converts
in Corea were utterly extermi
nated, but Christianity was again
re-introduced in a most remark
able manner. Some Chinese re
ligious tracts had been brought
from Peking, among which were
some expositions of the Chris
tian religion by French Catho
lic missionaries, w T ho had estab
lished stations in China. A
number of Corean students being
engaged in a critical study of the
text of Confucius, found these
tracts. One of their number es
poused the Christian faith and
became a prominent teacher of
its doctrines. He was soon
joined by friends, and in this
Continued on Bth page.