Messrs. Wright, Dickey, O'Conner and Murch, of the select committee on
the causes of the present depression of labor, presented the majority
special report upon Chinese immigration.
These gentlemen are in great fear for the future of our most holy and
perfectly authenticated religion, and have, like faithful watchmen from
the walls and towers of Zion, hastened to give the alarm. They have
informed Congress that "Joss has his temple of worship in the Chinese
quarters, in San Francisco. Within the walls of a dilapidated
structure is exposed to the view of the faithful the god of the
Chinaman, and here are his altars of worship. Here he tears up his
pieces of paper; here he offers up his prayers; here he receives his
religious consolations, and here is his road to the celestial land."
That "Joss is located in a long, narrow room, in a building in a back
alley, upon a kind of altar;" that "he is a wooden image, looking as
much like an alligator as like a human being;" that the Chinese "think
there is such a place as heaven;" that "all classes of Chinamen worship
idols;" that "the temple is open every day at all hours;" that "the
Chinese have no Sunday;" that this heathen god has "huge jaws, a big
red tongue, large white teeth, a half-dozen arms, and big, fiery
eyeballs. About him are placed offerings of meat, and other
eatables--a sacrificial offering."
No wonder that these members of the committee were shocked at such a
god, knowing as they did that the only true God was correctly described
by the inspired lunatic of Patmos in the following words:
"And there sat in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks one like
unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white
like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and
his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace; and his
voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven
stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp, two-edged sword; and his
countenance was as the sun shining in his strength."
Certainly, a large mouth, filled with white teeth, is preferable to one
used as the scabbard of a sharp, two-edged sword. Why should these
gentlemen object to a god with big fiery eyeballs, when their own Deity
has eyes like a flame of fire?
Is it not a little late in the day to object to people because they
sacrifice meat and other eatables to their god? We all know that for
thousands of years the "real" God was exceedingly fond of roasted meat;
that He loved the savor of burning flesh, and delighted in the perfume
of fresh, warm blood.
The following account of the manner in which the "living God" desired
that His people should sacrifice tends to show the degradation and
religious blindness of the Chinese--:
"Aaron therefore went unto the altar and slew the calf of the
sin-offering which was for himself. And the sons of Aaron brought the
blood unto him. And he dipped his fingers in the blood and put it upon
the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the
altar; but the fat and the kidneys and the caul above the liver of the
sin-offering he burnt upon the altar, as the Lord commanded Moses, and
the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. And he
slew the burnt offering. And Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood
which he sprinkled round about the altar.... And he brought the meat
offering and took a handful thereof and burnt upon the altar..... He
slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offering,
which was for the people. And Aaron's sons presented unto him the
blood which he sprinkled upon the altar, round about, and the fat of
the bullock and of the ram, the rump and that which covereth the
inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver, and they put
the fat upon the breasts and he burnt the fat upon the altar. And the
breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave-offering before
the Lord, as Moses had commanded."
If the Chinese only did something like this, we would know that they
worshiped the "living" God. The idea that the supreme head of the
"American system of religion" can be placated with a little meat and
"ordinary eatables," is simply preposterous. He has always asked for
blood, and has always asserted that without the shedding of blood there
is no remission of sin.
The world is also informed by these gentlemen that "the idolatry of the
Chinese produces a demoralizing effect upon our American youth by
bringing sacred things into disrespect, and making religion a theme of
disgust and contempt."
In San Francisco there are some three hundred thousand people. Is it
possible that a few Chinese can bring "our holy religion" into disgust
and contempt? In that city there are fifty times as many churches as
joss-houses. Scores of sermons are uttered every week; religious books
and papers are plentiful as leaves in autumn, and somewhat dryer;
thousands of bibles are with in the reach of all. And there, too, is
the example of a Christian city.
Why should we send missionaries to China if we cannot convert the
heathen when they come here? When missionaries go to a foreign land,
the poor, benighted people have to take their word for the blessings
showered upon a Christian people; but when the heathen come here, they
can see for themselves. What was simply a story becomes a demonstrated
fact. They come in contact with people who love their enemies. They
see that in a Christian land men tell the truth; that they will not
take advantage of strangers; that they are just and patient; kind and
tender; and have no prejudice on account of color, race, or religion;
that they look upon mankind as brethren; that they speak of God as a
universal Father, and are willing to work, and even to suffer, for the
good, not only of their own countrymen, but of the heathen as well.
All this the Chinese see and know, and why they still cling to the
religion of their country is to me a matter of amazement.
We all know that the disciples of Jesus do unto others as they would
that others should do unto them, and that those of Confucius do not
unto others anything that they would not that others should do unto
them. Surely, such peoples ought to live together in perfect peace.
Rising with the subject, growing heated with a kind of holy
indignation, these Christian representatives of a Christian people most
solemnly declare that anyone who is really endowed with a correct
knowledge of our religious system which acknowledges the existence of a
living God and an accountability to Him, and a future state of reward
and punishment, who feels that he has an apology for this abominable
pagan worship, is not a fit person to be ranked as a good citizen of
the American union. It is absurd to make any apology for its
toleration. It must be abolished, and the sooner the decree goes forth
by the power of this government, the better it will be for the
interests of this land.
I take this the earliest opportunity to inform these gentlemen
composing a majority of the committee that we have in the United States
no "religious system;" that this is a secular government. That it has
no religious creed; that it does not believe nor disbelieve in a future
state of reward and punishment; that it neither affirms nor denies the
existence of a "living God;" and that the only god, so far as this
government is concerned; is the legally expressed will of a majority of
the people. Under our flag the Chinese have the same right to worship
a wooden god that you have to worship any other. The constitution
protects equally the church of Jehovah and the house of Joss. Whatever
their relative positions may be in heaven, they stand upon a perfect
equality in the United States. This government is an infidel
government. We have a constitution with man put in and God left out;
and it is the glory of this country that we have such a constitution.
It may be surprising to you that I have an apology for pagan worship,
yet I have. And it is the same one that I have for the writers of this
report. I account for both by the word superstition. Why should we
object to their worshiping God as they please? If the worship is
improper, the protestation should come not from a committee of
congress, but from God himself. If He is satisfied, that is sufficient.
Our religion can only be brought into contempt by the actions of those
who profess to be governed by its teachings. This report will do more
in that direction than millions of Chinese could do by burning pieces
of paper before a wooden image. If you wish to impress the Chinese
with the value of your religion, of what you are pleased to call "the
American system," show them that Christians are better than heathens.
Prove to them that what you are pleased to call the "living God"
teaches higher and holier things, a grander and purer code of morals,
than can be found upon pagan pages. Excel these wretches in industry,
in honesty, in reverence for parents, in cleanliness, in frugality, and
above all by advocating the absolute liberty of human thought.
Do not trample upon these people because they have different conception
of things about which even this committee knows nothing.
Give them the same privilege you enjoy of making a god after their own
fashion, and let them describe him as they will. Would you be willing
to have them remain, if one of their race, thousands of years ago, had
pretended to have seen God, and had written of Him as follows: "There
went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth; coals
were kindled by it.... and he rode upon a cherub and did fly?" Why
should you object to these people on account of their religion? Your
objection has in it the spirit of hate and intolerance. Of that spirit
the inquisition was born. That spirit lighted the fagot, made the
thumbscrew, put chains upon the limbs, and lashes upon the backs of
men. The same spirit bought and sold, captured and kidnapped human
beings; sold babes, and justified all the horrors of slavery. Congress
has nothing to do with the religion of the people. Its members are not
responsible to God for the opinions of their constituents, and it may
tend to the happiness of the constituents for me to state that they are
in no way responsible for the religion of the members. Religion is an
individual not a national matter, and where the nation interferes with
the right of conscience, the liberties of the people are devoured by
the monster, superstition.
If you wish to drive out the Chinese, do not make a pretext of
religion. Do not pretend that you are trying to do God a favor.
Injustice in His name is doubly detestable. The assassin cannot
sanctify his dagger by falling on his knees, and it does not help a
falsehood if it be uttered as a prayer. Religion, used to intensify
the hatred of men toward men, under the pretense of pleasing God, has
cursed this world.
A portion of this most remarkable report is Intensely religious. There
is in it almost the odor of sanctity; and when reading it, one is
impressed with the living piety of its authors. But on the
twenty-fifth page, there are a few passages that must pain the hearts
of true believers. Leaving their religious views, the members
immediately betake themselves to philosophy and prediction. Listen:
"The Chinese race and the American citizen, whether native-born or who
is eligible to our naturalization laws and becomes a citizen, are in a
state of antagonism. They cannot, nor will not, ever meet upon common
ground and occupy together the same so-called level. This is
impossible. The pagan and the Christian travel different paths. This
one believes in a living God; that one in the type of monsters and
worship of wood and stone. Thus in the religion of the two races of
men, they are as wide apart as the poles of the two hemispheres. They
cannot now, nor never [sic] will, approach the same religious altar.
The Christian will not recede to barbarism, nor will the Chinese
advance to the enlightened belt [wherever it is] of civilization.... He
cannot be converted to those modern ideas of religious worship which
have been accepted by Europe, and which crown the American system."
Christians used to believe that through their religion all the nations
of the earth were finally to be blest. In accordance with that belief
missionaries have been sent to every land, and untold wealth has been
expended for what has been called the spread of the gospel.
I am almost sure that I have read somewhere that "Christ died for all
men," and that "God is no respecter persons." It was once taught that
it was the duty of Christians to tell to all people the "tidings of
great joy." I have never believed these things myself, but have always
contended that an honest merchant was the best missionary. Commerce
makes friends, religion makes enemies; the one enriches, and the other
impoverishes; the one thrives best where the truth is told, the other
where falsehoods are believed. For myself, I have but little
confidence in any business, or enterprise, or investment, that promises
dividends only after the death of the stockholders.
But I am astonished that four Christian statesmen, four members of
Congress in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, who seriously
object to people on account of their religious convictions, should
still assert that the very religion in which they believe--and the only
religion established by the living God--head of the American system--is
not adapted to the spiritual needs of one-third of the human race. It
is amazing that these four gentlemen have, in the defense of the
Christian religion, announced the discovery that it is wholly
inadequate for the civilization of mankind that the light of the cross
can never penetrate the darkness of China; "that all the labors of the
missionary, the example of the good, the exalted character of our
civilization, make no impression upon the pagan life of the Chinese;"
and that even the report of this committee will not tend to elevate,
refine and Christianize the yellow heathen of the Pacific Coast. In
the name of religion these gentlemen have denied its power and mocked
at the enthusiasm of its founder. Worse than this, they have predicted
for the Chinese a future of ignorance and idolatry in this world, and,
if the "American system"--of religion us true, hellfire in the next.
For the benefit of these four philosophers and prophets, I will give a
few extracts from the writings of Confucius that will in my judgment,
compare favorably with the best passages of their report:
"My doctrine is that man must be true to the principles of his nature,
and the benevolent exercises of them toward others.
"With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and with my bended arm
for a pillow, I still have joy.
"Riches and honor acquired by injustice are to me but floating clouds.
"The man who, in view of gain, thinks of righteousness; who, in view of
danger, forgets life, and who remembers an old agreement, however far
back it extends, such a man may be reckoned a complete man.
"Recompense injury with justice, and kindness with kindness."
There is one Word which may serve as rule of practice for all one's
life. Reciprocity is that word.
When the ancestors of the four Christian Congressmen were barbarians,
when they lived in caves, gnawed bones, and worshiped dried snakes, the
infamous Chinese were reading these sublime sentences of Confucius.
When the forefathers of these Christian statesmen were hunting toads to
get the jewels out of their heads to be used as charms, the wretched
Chinese were calculating eclipses and measuring the circumference of
the earth. When the progenitors of these representatives of the
"American system of religion" were burning women charged with nursing
devils, these people, "incapable of being influenced by the exalted
character of our civilization," were building asylums for the insane.
Neither should it be forgotten that, for thousands of years, the
Chinese have honestly practiced the great principle known as civil
service reform--a something that even the administration of Mr. Hayes
has reached only through the proxy of promise.
If we wish to prevent the immigration of the Chinese, let us reform our
treaties with the vast empire from whence they came. For thousands of
years the Chinese secluded themselves from the rest of the world. They
did not deem the Christian nations fit to associate with. We forced
ourselves upon them. We called, not with cards, but with cannon. The
English battered down the door in the names of Opium and Christ. This
infamy was regarded as another triumph for the gospel. At last, in
self-defense, the Chinese allowed Christians to touch their shores.
Their wise men, their philosophers protested, and prophesied that time
would show that Christians could not be trusted. This report proves
that the wise men were not only philosophers, but prophets.
Treat China as you would England. Keep a treaty while it is in force.
Change it if you will, according to the laws of nations, but on no
account excuse a breach of national faith by pretending that we are
dishonest for God's sake.