. ■
i ¡p i / ■
1076
THE KING’S BUSINESS
After the revolution in China, says a writer in the Christian Herald, multitudes -seemed to lose faith in their idols, and many developed iconoclastic tendencies. Temples were desecrated, and idols torn from their positions and thrown in the river or trampled under foot by jeering crowds. However, although the temples were swept of their idols, the missionary force was not adequate to take advantage of the new conditions, or to meet the op portunity for Christian teaching which the new order afforded. Gradually the old customs have been revived. New tem ples have been built, old ones repaired, and the idols, once despised, have been rescued from their places of banishment, repainted, rerobed, and amid great pomp carried by admiring crowds to their old temple homes and again placed in the seats of honor. At Liuchow, recently, an old idol that two years ago had been pulled from its ancient seat, badly battered and then thrown in the river, was recently patched up, repainted, and placed in the seat of honor in the renowned temple of the Southern Plains. Hundreds have flocked daily to,do it honor. A friend of the Rev. John W. Butler, of Mexico City, found in an interior town in Mexico a boy who seemed very different / from' the “lounging, heavy crowd” in the plaza. After talking with the boy a few minutes he realized that he had discovered a “real jewel amqng pebbles.” When the boy told him that he did nbt smoke or drink, the stranger asked him why. “Oh,” he said, “we, have a book at our house, and in this book are many things that make one think about things. I read, and then I wonder if it is wrong to do this or that; and I think it is wrong to use stimu lants, because it makes one dizzy and lazy. It is the Holy Bible. It makes us different from the rest of the people. We are' hap pier, we are more healthy, we are better in every way, and I wish there were more of these books here. I wish that more might read, and understand, and be dif ferent.”'
Three-fourths of the membership of the Christian Church in Korea is Presbyterian. Methodists constitute the balance of the total 95 per cent, constituting the two de nominations. Dr, F. £. Clark, at the late World’s Christian Endeavor Convention, called for two coming years of work to result in : “A million new converts. “A million new Endeavorers. “A million new Church members. “A million new dollars for missions, “A million new members of the Peace Union.” Evidently the good doctor wants to see all things new. The Hebrews have been among the greatest sufferers- in the European war, says The Missionary Review. Over half a million of them are actually fighting against each other in the opposing armies. The Jewish settlements in Galicia, Lithwa- nia and Poland (including Austria, Ger many, and Russia) are being devastated byt the bloody battles. It is estimated that nearly 2,000,000 Jews have been driven from their homes, and reduced to (errible misery in consequence of the war. Be sides this, the Jews in Palestine and Arme nia are suffering from famine and oppres sion and deportation. One result of this suffering by the Jews is that they are more bitter than ever against the so-called Christian nations, and debit the present eviC times against Christ. The Jewish rabbis and the Jewish press are venting their rage against Christ and Christianity. What is the meaning and what will be the outcome of all this suffering? The darkest hour precedes the dawn. From the most terrible experiences of Israel in Egypt they were, led forth into the Prom ised Land. When their exile became al most unbearable in Babylon, they were led back- to Judea by Zerrubabel and Nehe- miah. May -not the present agony precede a deliverance—not immediately complete, perhaps but leading on to the promised consummation ?
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker