CHRISTIAN
CHURCH,
THE
(a) Suttee.—Among the changes for the better which the 19th which a narrower age of science would have scorned ; there century witnessed was the abolition of suttee or sati, -i.e., the is scope for the play of activities undreamed of half a cenself-destruction of the widow on the grave or funeral pyre of her tury ago. Among the best circles of scientific and Christian husband. This was viewed in India as a virtuous or good act; thought the dogmatic temper has given place to the spirit hence its name, Sati, from a root signifying good or pure The good or loyal wife was expected to follow her husband of the historical investigator. The statement must not beyond the grave, to minister to him in the unseen. 1 he custom be taken too widely. The dogmatic temper is still upperprevailed almost universally in India in the beginning ol the 19th most in some questions of the Church. The infallibility century In 1817 on an average two widows were burned daily which is so dear to the religionist has fostered this dogin Bengal alone. In 1829 Lord William Bentinck declared the matic temper, and alike among the unenlightened advisers practice criminal. The English Government, in spite of many petitions declaring the religious character of the custom, sup- of the Vatican and in the circles of evangelical ignorance ported Lord William Bentinck. The Christian Church led the the voice of knowledge is refused and its messengers are way in this great reform. The agitation against the custom was begun by Carey, the missionary, in 1801. The extent of the cast out. On the whole, however, everywhere except in such benefit of the change may be judged when it is remembered that there are (1895) upwards of 22 millions of widows in India, all strongholds of idolized ignorance a calmer and more of whom would have been doomed by this cruel custom to a equable spirit possesses Christendom. It is recognized that premature death, and more than 70,000 of these mere children the so-called conflict between science and religion never under ten years of age. , i x • (/3) Infanticide.—This was, and still is, largely prevalent m truly existed; the conflict was seen to be a battle between China, but Christian influence has reduced the practice, and certain theological opinions and some conclusions of Christian philanthropy, by providing orphanages, has rescued science. It was seen that in some cases the conclusions numbers of children from an early death. One missionary tells of science had been misunderstood, and in more cases the us that at Amoy there was a pond in the town known as the babies theological opinions were in no way parts of essential pond ; into it babies were flung by their mothers, the little bodies were seen floating in the water, and the inhabitants looked on Christianity, but were rather doubtful inferences, stated in with indifference. Christian teaching rendered the practice less forms incidental to a particular epoch. The wide admixture popular ; the pond is now dried up, while foundling institutions of error with truth, the facility with which mistaken provide for some 2000 children in the district. This is one illus- deductions were accepted as of equal authority with primary tration among many. Infanticide is practised in India. In the judgment of one writer, at the lowest estimate fully one-third of principles, and the diverse measures applied to language by the” "iris born among the natives are still secretly murdered scientific and theological thinkers were recognized; and with (Houghton, Women of the Orient, p. 71; Dennis, vol. i. p. 133). this recognition the most potent factors of dispute disIn Formosa and in the Pacific Islands the same custom prevails ; appeared and a happier epoch alike for science and theology in the latter not less than two-thirds of the children were put to death. Against this cruel custom the missionary exercises a was inaugurated. As marks of the changes we have spoken restraining influence. Our churches, said an agent, are practically of we may notice the totally different way in which the anti-infanticide societies. essays in Lux Mundi were received from the way in which (7) General Beneficence.—But Christian energy has not confined Essays and Reviews were met by an earlier generation, its influence to the mitigation of great evils. It has become the minister of active benevolence. Orphanages and asylums and the significant difference between the titles of two sprin0, up in missionary stations as well as hospitals and dispens- Books—one published in 1860 and the other in 1889— aries,” and on the staff of missionary societies are now found a both dealing with the relations of science and Christianity. certain proportion of medical missionaries. These are, if we mistake not, the product of the 19th century. It is safe to say Mr Draper called his book the Conflict between Science and that not a single medical missionary existed in any part of the Religion. Dr Andrew White called his far abler and more heathen world a century ago ; now there are no fewer than 217 in judicious work, The Conflict of Science and Theology. China alone. Evidence of the widespread humanizing influence of One reason for the happier spirit which now prevails such agencies may be gathered from the fact that m a single year in the province of Shantung 200,000 cases were treated {Methodist probably lies in the conviction that the battle for intellecNew Connexion Missionary Report, 1900, p. 34). Much prejudice tual freedom has been finally won. No investigator now existed at first in the minds of Christian people. _ The undertaking needs to veil his conclusions in a demoralizing ambiguity of medical work appeared to them likely to interfere with the or to apologize for pursuing truth. Simultaneously more distinctively religious aims of the missionary, but tins with this secured position of the scientific inquirer there feeling has almost entirely disappeared; and since Dr S. T. Green, a young American Presbyterian, went out (1847) to Ceylon, came faster to the world—and the fact is most signifithe value of the medical missionary has been recognized, and cant—treatises on behalf of faith from the studies and there are few missionary societies who have not some fully quali- laboratories of men of science. . fied doctors upon their staff. To take an example, the Church The prevalence of this happier spirit has brought about Missionary Society employs more than 50 medical missionaries, a more wholesome and benevolent view of non-Christian and the number of patients treated in one year (1900) was—of beliefs. The science of comparative religion has been of in-patients, 11,557 ; and of out-patients, 641,006. (iii.) The Happier Relations between Scientific and service here. The faiths of the world have been investiReligious Thought.—There has been a marked change in gated in a calm and impartial spirit. No thoughtful the general feeling of the Church towards what is loosely Christian man would use the language which was common called Science. Broadly speaking, we may say that the fifty or sixty years ago when speaking of the creeds of attitude of irreconcilable hostility on the part of the other lands. The elements of truth in other creeds are Church has almost entirely disappeared. The intelligent now sought for; crude forms of worship are no longer upon as half hypocritical; Mahommed is no longer part of the Church has now consented to give to science looked denounced as an impostor. This more temperate view of the things which are science’s. It is recognized that there men’s creeds has naturally been followed by a great is no part of the world of phenomena on which science has other tenderness of spirit, and in some quarters the fear has not a right to speak and to be heard. We must, however, been expressed that this tenderness may give rise to a remember that this is only a rough general estimate, of indifference in matters of faith. It is probable and represents rather the existence of an altered feeling kind that, in their effort to do justice to heathen religions, some than an exact measurement of results. The improved writers have overlooked or minimized the grave moral and fcelinc it must be allowed, is due both to the larger and social evils which are inextricably woven up with low more scientific spirit which has pervaded Christendom, and theological ideas; but, nevertheless, on the whole it is also to the more reverent spirit which has characterized remarkable that the generation which has learned to look scientific inquiry. The contemptuous spirit of arrogant kindlier eyes upon other religions coincides with the unbelief has passed away from scientific circles; the with generation which has shown the most ardent missionary widening range of knowledge has left room for wonders
