OUR GROUNDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
REV. SAMUEL SCOVILLE, STAMFORD, CONN.
[Mr. Scoville compared the work of the Association to the river which went out of Eden and became into four heads, the Pishon, flowing to the land of gold and the Havilah of the East, representing its Chinese work. After forcibly depicting the importance of the work as involving the regeneration of China, the good name of the Christian Church, the honor of Christ, and the perpetuity of our political institutions, the address closed with a statement of the grounds for encouragement that this work can and shall be done. It is this latter part only for which we have room, as follows]:—
I turn now to the grounds we have for encouragement that this work can and shall be done.
1. The first is found in God’s word. We ask ourselves, Is it His purpose that this work shall be done, that those heathen on our Western coast and in China shall be converted, or must they be given over to destruction? And we read the promise of God to His dear Son: “I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance,” and that means the people of California, a large part of them, “and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession,” and that means China.
Is there anything special about the Chinese nature that puts them outside the recuperating, renewing forces that exist in Jesus Christ? And I read: “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” and again, “that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” And I know that in that humanity and in that provision the Chinese are included. I hear Him say, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden,” and I know that the wretched millions of China are meant.
But may it not be true that the Chinese are so lost to spirituality that this whole power of renewing forces will be lost upon them? I read: “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.” And I know there is a sweet attractiveness in the Saviour of men dying for them, that is able to break up the dull apathy of Chinamen as well as others.
But is there power enough to wake up the Christian churches as well as the Chinese from their apathy? And I read that prayer for us, “that ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when he raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the Heavenly places,” and I know that individuals and churches, even the whole Christian land, can be breathed upon and quickened by that resurrection life. And then the Divine Commission breaks in upon all our delay, saying, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,” and I know that that means us, and that the time is now. I am confident that we have God’s word for it that this work can be done, and that we are to set about it without delay; and having this foundation I care for little else. But we have more if we require it.
2. We have God’s providence. His providence that has pushed the column of progress forward from the moment the Life came forth from the tomb in the garden, and began to be preached to the nations, until now its head occupies the slopes of the mountains that overhang that distant continent, and looks upon it inevitably as its next field of conquest. That providence that has pushed this advance forward upon two parallel lines, that of spiritual and of political liberty, and has made them converge and come together for the first time in history upon this broad domain; that has brought along in the slow conflict and march, institutions and rights, the spoil of nineteen centuries of conflict, and planted them upon this continent, and opened the door of invitation to the East through a sea-coast line of twelve thousand miles, and another to the far West of four thousand. These providences of God, making our duty clear, are endorsed by those others that have broken up the seclusive habits of that people, and have turned the thoughts of her educated men, and the hopes of her commerce, and the needs of her industrious poor, toward our shores.
This writing of God’s providence seen in the majestic progress of events from the East and West meeting here, seen in the configuration of the continent, seen in the harsh language of war breaking open closed doors, and in the voice of peace, endorses that other word which God has given us, and proves that our interpretation was correct, and that we have an especial duty to this people, both at home and abroad.
3. Another ground for encouragement is the character of the Chinese that are now in California. They have the mind and disposition of the mother country; nothing less, not much more. And what kind is that? We answer, it is that which created and still keeps the most ancient literature in existence. It is that which worked out for itself most of the inventions that made the fifteenth century remarkable in Europe, but more than a thousand years before. It is a mind and spirit that has obeyed, and does now obey, the fifth commandment more thoroughly than any nation upon the earth; that educates formally but more widely than any other people. It has had the tenacity and recuperative power to hold on to its ancient seats while Babylon was rising and falling; while Greece was coming to the zenith and sinking behind the Western horizon; while Rome was growing and dying; while mediæval Europe was going through its changes, and modern nations were being born and attaining their growth. All this time it has held on. What think you of the natural capacity of a soil that has produced such results, that has such staying power? It has lain long fallow, but let the process of breaking up their exclusiveness go forward; let the Gospel, not as a destructive force, illustrated by brick-bats and cannon-balls, but as a quickening power made beautiful to their eyes by the kindness and sympathy of those who profess its truths, be brought to bear upon them like the sun-light; and what harvests of righteousness shall not that great field bear for enriching the Redeemer’s kingdom!
The soil here or at home has not lost its native force nor its receptive power. Yung Wing, picked up by a missionary in the streets of Canton, converted by the faithfulness of one of the mothers of New England, sent to Yale College, where he stood among the first in his class, especially in English composition, returning to his own land to reach one of the highest places in the government, and now leading one of the greatest educational enterprises in the world, and Jee Gam as a disciple and a preacher, are but illustrations of what this soil, found among the common ranks of the Chinese, is capable of producing.
The twelve thousand dollars saved by the Chinese of California out of their hard-earned wages, and sent to the sufferers from the yellow fever in the South, proves that the common sentiments of our humanity are still surpassingly strong in them. The numbers and faithfulness of those who have joined the churches prove that they are susceptible to the influences of the Gospel, while the very tenacity with which they cling to their old faith but proves the toughness of the fibre that may some day be employed to conserve the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom.
4. Again, we may gather courage from the experience we have already had in conquering difficulties. If this was the first difficult matter the American Christian people had ever faced, we might expect them to be puzzled by its intricacy or appalled by its magnitude; but it is not, for from the moment our fathers planted their feet upon these shores, we as a people have had to face obstacles and to overcome them. A color-line, black as night, lay in the way of citizenship, education, and Christian labor, but we have crossed it, and we can cross the yellow line as well.
5. Again we may take courage from the very strait and necessity to which we are brought. When God brings His people down to the sea, and all ways are shut up, and still His voice and command are to go forward, we know that the waters of the sea will be divided, and we shall go over dry-shod and singing songs of victory beyond. We cannot shut out the one hundred thousand Chinamen now here, nor prevent others coming. We cannot go back to the old Chinese policy of exclusiveness, neither can we permit them to remain as a foreign element, unsubdued by our institutions or our religion. Only one thing remains, and that is to subdue them by the power of the living Saviour brought to them by patient, loving, faithful Christian hearts and bands. Brethren all, shall this be done?
6. And last of all, I mention the moving forward of Christian thought and Christian feeling in this direction.
When the plan was devised to exclude the Chinese, and the President vetoed the bill, the Christian public upon the Atlantic coast waked up to the importance of the matter. They opposed his action, they began to look at this immigration in its true light, to see in it a grand opportunity, and to lay their plans to avail themselves of its advantages for the cause of Christ. The greatness of the work is touching the imagination; its difficulty is awaking a spirit of heroism, and it is believed by many that we stand upon the threshold of one of the grandest missionary movements, one of the grandest crusades that the world has ever seen. Asia, that once responded to the call from the West, “Come over and help us,” is now herself uttering the cry, and the Christian world will not long be insensible to her voice.
In view of the importance of this work in California among the Chinese, involving the interests of that great nation beyond the Pacific, involving the good name of Church and Redeemer, involving as we believe the perpetuity of our institutions: in view of the encouragements afforded in God’s word, endorsed by His providences, by the excellent elements found in the Chinese character, and by the trophies already gathered; in view of the very necessity that is laid upon us, and the quickened attention of the churches toward that people, what is your answer, Christian brethren, to the practical questions: “Can the Chinese of California be conquered for Christ? Can the waters of that wide-spreading river flow to them here, and beyond to the continent of Asia, and shall they do it? Can the work be done? Will you do it?” These are the questions for this time, made solemn as the closing hour of your deliberations, councilings, and prayers.
I look along the ages, and all is changed. We no longer sit here in the darkness, the dust, and the noise of the conflict, but stand upon the Heavenly heights above. The world, in alternate shade and sunshine, rolls at our feet, and its song, the song of salvation, pulses up to our listening ears. Both the question that is here asked, “Will you do it?” and the answer, which I see in your looks you are giving, “By God’s grace we will!” are mingled with the sounds of the far past, and in their place rises the word, half song, half benediction, “Glory to God! we have done it.” To those high seats we are moving; for that good word we are working and waiting.