6

SO

а

proper content of Christian RECORDER will, I hope, be shockdoctrine, but of the form of ed by the frank assertion that presentation. And to show that such is not the writer's view, the orthodoxy of our fellow- nor is it that by the vast missionaries was by no means majority of Christian scholars challenged or affected by the to-day. That the author of the argument, the passage was writ- Genesis had any idea of evoluten thus : Though we believe tion or of science as we underin the Trinity and Christ's stand these terms, is most implace therein, though we believe probable. He had faith in God in His miraculous birth and in as the source of all things, and the historicity of the New Testa- have innumerable devout ment miracles, we believe also evolutionists to-day. Surely no in His true humanity.'

one suggests that evolution is Why in making the quotation inconsistent with Theism. did Mr. Madeley deliberately But “why trouble about evoomit the word though, thus lution ?" is the final question making the passage mean some- asked ; as though it might be thing foreign to the purpose of some isolated or fantastic theory, the writer ?

only seriously held by such exPassing to the criticisms. The treme materialists as Mr. Robt. two matters upon which issue is Blatchford ! So far is this from taken are (1) the modern evolu- being the case, indeed, that tionary view of the world and evolution is now not merely (2) the history of Hebrew mono- good working hypothesis," it theism. These subjects, be it is the mould which is shaping observed, were referred to only all branches of human thought : incidentally in the article. It its method is pervading all would have been beside the branches of education, and its purpose to elaborate arguments terms

rapidly becoming upon them. It

was assumed familiar to the educated classes that readers of the RECORDER in China. To imagine that it would be already acquainted can be ignored, is to be blind to with the general attitude of the signs of the times; and to Christian scholars thereon, which propagate as an essential part of was all that needed to Christianity, a cosmogony inenable them to appreciate their compatible with it, is to sow the bearing upon the questions in seed of unbelief and antagonism hand. This assumption seems to to our faith. have been a mistake, at least in But again let me emphasise ; Mr. Madeley's case.

the reference to evolution was Admittedly it is questionable but incidental to the point that whether the Genesis story of the true view of God (the true creation can be harmonized with Christian view, I hold) is of evolution or modern scientific One not outside of nature, but cosmogony. But what of that ? in it, the One reality behind all Are we to proceed upon the seeming. And that this Gospel assumption that the Bible is a is not obscured but gloriously complete and infallible guide on illustrated by man's growing all matters whatsoever? Is it a knowledge of the universe, I scientific text-book, as well as a

verily believe. guide to salvation ? Neither Mr. Turning now to the other Madeley nor any reader of the question, 'What adequate basis

are

was

is there in the face of the First spirit, and in the conspicuous Commandment for attributing absence of a desirable characthe monotheistic conception teristic, the company of revisers among the Jews to the later appointed by Conference, for prophets ?' The evidence here whom he undertakes to speak. asked for is contained in many No one who has benefited by standard dictionaries and works Mr. Baller's work on the Manby recognized scholars. Among darin N. T., and his many and them I would refer Mr. Madeley justly popular books, will be to Montefiore's History of He- carried away by the tone of his brew Monotheism. Here I can

reply to my letter on Biblical not take space to refer to more Terms. than the First Commandment. He fails to grasp the point Does not this command itself which I endeavoured to make, imply the prevalence of a belief that the work of the revisers of in the real existence of other the Bible in Chinese does not gods? If not, what need to pro- seem to have included a thorough hibit the worship of them? The revision of the terms. This is a people of Israel were commanded judgment formed upon a fairly to worship only Jehovah, because exhaustive examination, for He was their God, who had teaching purposes, of all the brought them forth out of the revisions available up to date. land of Egypt. Thus, so far from I maintain that this work is so being a proof of the prevalence of necessary and so complex that monotheism, it may be regarded (1) the time for doing it is now, as evidence of the opposite.

before the revisions are cast in But the undesirability of final form ; and (2) the body iconoclastic preaching in this most capable of undertaking it country, which was the point is representative company contended for in the article, is chosen from the three bodies of not challenged by Mr. Madeley, revisers, which would consider and I am glad to see that the the terms a special and editor, whilst of opinion that it paramount issue and send the was too hasty a generalization results of its deliberations to the to describe missionary propa- three bodies of revisers. It ganda as hitherto too iconoclas- would be worth the while even tic, advocates “the expulsive of those whose constructive work power of a new affection” is not necessarily non-existent the best and quickest method of

because it has not come under attaining our end.

Mr. Baller's eye in the form Yours sincerely,

which his delicate wit suggests, G. W. SHEPPARD.

to send in suggestions to such a NINGPO.

company.

I feel more and more convinced

that if the work of the revisers MR. BALLER AND BIBLICAL

concentrated upon TERMS.

a

as

as

were

one

mother and two daughters- reasonable and Catholic-minded harmonious in rendering and con- inquirers. sistent in the use of thoroughly My attention has recently been revised terms.

called to Dr. R. F. Horton's Yours sincerely,

My Belief-Answers to CerJOHN STEELE.

tain Religious Difficulties (Jas. SWATOW.

Clarke & Co., London, 1908), in which in chapter three : “Is

Christianity the Best Religion?” COMPARATIVE RELIGION.” may be found within the comTo the Editor of

pass of twenty-two pages a full

and a temperate discussion of "THE CHINESE RECORDER.'

this topic on broad lines with DEAR SIR: At a time when so

fullness of knowledge and symgreat and so intelligent an inter- pathy. I desire especially to est is taken in the study of

direct attention to this particular comparative religion, it is not

chapter, but every reader of strange that some of us

these lines would be stimulated liable to be somewhat bewil- and helped by a perusal of the

whole sixteen essays. dered as to the point of view which ought to be adopted by

ARTHUR H. SMITH.

are

Our Book Table.

The object of these Reviews is to give real information about books. Authors will help reviewers by sending with their books, price, original if any, or any other facts of interest. The custom of prefixing an English preface to Chinese books is excellent. Drugging a Nation. The Story of Mr. Merwin is an able man, China and the Opium Curse. A

and is said to be an expert personal investigation during an extended tour of the present con

novelist. In this book he shows ditions of the opium trade in China

that he knows how to make use and its effects upon the nation. By of his varied talents, and his Samuel Merwin. F. H. Revell Co.

verdict is most damaging to the 1908. Pp. 212.

apologists of the opium traffic. The eight chapters of which The strongest impression made this book is composed were orig- is the deadly power, not merely

, inally published during 1907- of opium, but of money. "China 1908 in the “ Success " Maga- has the opium ; India gets the zine. They record the observa

money."

Had there been no tions of the versatile editor of revenue question, the opium that Journal. The book has the question would have been autoexcellencies and the defects of matically settled long ago. But utterances by the astute man of there is a revenue question, and the world, who is able to see its adjustment remains difficult. everything at short notice and But it will in time be overcome, get the right perspective on just as will other age-long evils. each occasion, because he is There are several grievous mis"trained.”

prints, as cure” for “curse,”.

source

no

wor

Taiku (twice) for Taku, and need to catch the fascination of there are such wild overestimates exalted communion with God. as assigning (without provoca- The book throughout has the tion given) 950,000 persons as quality of winsomeness ; the glow the population of Tientsin (when of reverent at-homeness with half a million ought to satisfy), the Father in heaven, as the and, even worse, 272 millions (!) personal

of tranquil for Canton. It is interesting to strength. hear that the Tartars“wear differ- It consists of fifteen sections, ent costumes, and speak, among each with a text of Scripture, themselves, a language wholly a meditative paragraph or two, different from any of the eight- and a prayer which has been een or twenty native tongues,” born not made. And added to when for all practical purposes this there is a useful index of Manchu is (or has been) a dead 286 classified texts on prayer. language. Still more eccentric The fifteen sections cover the is the information that there is ground of the two New Testa

government coinage what- ment terms: the one for ever; the mints being all private! shipping approach," the other Of course they are provincial, for “ heart's converse." It hardbut that is “ a horse of a different ly includes the third element of color."

wrestling supplication (so promDespite these blemishes Mr. inent in the Scriptures), but Merwin's is a useful book, accu- will help to form a basis for the rate in the essentials of its chief exercise of

prayer when it is topic so far as one can judge ab prayer indeed; the mighty utterextra. It is not equal to Rown- ance of a mighty need,” as R. tree's “The Imperial Drug C. Trench defines that term Trade," but it is a useful con- deësis, “entreaty." For the imtribution to the literature of a portunate strenuousness with subject which has been volumi- which the Lord's Prayer is to be nously treated, and with which prayed (Luke xi, 5-8), for “the we are unhappily far from done energised supplication (or the yet.

prayer toiling earnestly)" of James A. H. S. V, 16, we must look to other

books. This is, as it professes

to be, a restful book. It does PE # (an adapted translation of

Dr. J. R. Garrison's work) “ Alone not represent prayer as “the with God,” by W. Remfrey Hunt,

most intense act

perF.R.G.S. Chinese Tract Society. 51 forms" (J. R. Mott), but deals pages. Price 10 cents.

rather with the “ whispered se"No prayer, no religion, or at cret” of the Lord, as heard in least only a dumb and lame one, quietude. It is not a morning says Thomas Carlyle. And this

trumpet-call to the militant praybook of Mr. Hunt's will be a er-campaign, but rather an evenhelpful addition to the native ing invitation to rest in the Christian's bookshelf of little Everlasting Arms. volumes in aid of the all-essen- There are just one two tial prayer-life. It is to be com- blemishes which may need to be mended to those who wish to removed in a second edition. preserve the gracious influences (1.) The book is twice described received in the various local re- 'Volume I," yet at the end vivals, as well as to all who is said to be complete. (2.) The

(

a

man

or

as

author's preface says that the Mission were compelled to rechurch in Europe prepared forms linquish all support from the of prayer for worshippers, but home Society, and afterwards later on affirms that The Church being transferred to Tengchow, of Christ by no means uses prayer Shantung, on account of health, books,' which is rather rough on he with his wife labored over the C. M. S. and W. M. S.! (3.) fifty years for China, and lived The translator's preface says to see marvellous changes in the that, spite of the idiomatic diffi- country which so stoutly defied cultes of the English original, the the Gospel on their first arrival. whole has been rendered -with- Dr. Crawford was nothing if out the loss of a hair ;' while not peculiar and a theorist. But in the descriptive columns we with it all he as so genial, so read that in consequence of the hopeful, and withal so resourcedepth of the original, there has ful when it came to an emerbeen a judicial selection. (4.) It gency, that it was a great pleasure is a detail, but Psalm xlii in our to know him and hear him talk, Old Testaments is headed 'Sons even if one could not agree with of Korah,' and does not profess his views. He was doubtless to have been one of David's. It perfectly sincere in his ideas of is true that the sanest modern self-support," but his arguscholarship accepts the psalms ments would not carry convicattributed to David as originally tion to the minds of most mishis in substance, but those def- sionaries, and were not sustained initely attributed to other poets by his own Society, so that he are not regarded as his. (5.) afterwards became dissociated The terms and the from them in order to be perfectare not in accord with accepted ly free to carry out his own standards.

ideas. Doubtless he did good, W. A. C.

however, in acting as a check

upon those who might have Fifty Years in China. An Eventful

gone too far in the opposite direcMemoir of T. P. Crawford, D.D.

tion. The memoir shows the By L. S. Foster. Bayless - Pullen difficulties he met with in enCo., Nashville, Tenn. Illustrated.

deavoring to carry out his views. 377 pages.

The last page of the book gives All who have ever met Dr. an interesting illustration of a Crawford, and many others as phonetic system which Dr. Crawwell, will be glad to see this ford devised for writing the memoir of one who was in many Shanghai Dialect which, howrespects a remarkable man. Com

ever, never came into extensive ing to China in 1851, and as- use; its sphere of operations being sociated with Dr. Yates for a too limited. It is ingenious, and number of years in opening up might, with modifications, be the the work of the Southern Bap- basis of a system for writing tist Mission in Shanghai, pass- Mandarin. Mrs. Crawford still ing through the Taiping rebel- labors on in the new field, to lion, during which he with others which they both went in their had some exciting experiences, old age, and is a wonderful exand afterwards coming to the ample of wisdom, fidelity, and time of the Civil War in the faithful work, even down to States, when all of the mission- old age." aries of the Southern Baptist

X.