Every Sunday morning there was a lecture or a sermon read, prayers and
singing. We gleaned in all fields, gathering the ripest grain we could
find. For our needs the library was increased by the addition of
valuable books as works of reference, for investigation of subjects for
discussion. There were only a few novels, and by the best writers. We
always had plenty of music and singing, and in a few years our club
became quite a musical society. We had no castes, as in “society,” to
prevent Mrs. Smack, the clerk’s wife, from sitting beside Mrs. Grimsby,
the wife of the railway guard.
The intention was to vary the exercises, even the religious, so as to do
away with that everlasting monotony prevalent in the churches; to make
all of moral benefit and intellectual profit, as well as attractive and
entertaining. The subjects of the lectures, articles and sermons, took a
wide range from earth to heaven, from the physiology of plants and
animals to astronomy, the care of the homes, the health of our bodies,
the welfare of our moral natures, temperance a most prominent topic, the
restraint of our passions and the immortality of our souls, everything
that might make us cleaner, healthier, wiser and nobler. We believed in
useful work to make people happy, to fit them to live on earth, more
than in worrying them about what they might be hereafter, or in
troubling them about “the ineffable relations of the Godhead before the
remotest beginnings of time;” in making a heaven for them in this life
and trust to God and their own fitness for the one to come; not so much
in trying to penetrate the mysteries and glories of heaven, as to
realize the facts and realities of every day life on earth; less in
describing the many mansions and the golden pavements of the new
Jerusalem, but caring more about improving the homes and cleaning the
alleys of the poor, giving them good bread for which they were hungering
daily, instead of wasting time on dilated descriptions of the imagined
joys of the blessed, so very far away. It seemed to be a settled
conviction among us that if we could get our people to live good, clean,
honest, happy lives here, they would run no risk of enjoying the life to
come.
Who dare say that we had not the right to try the experiment, and to do
as we pleased in the matter?
Why should we not start our society, found our church, if we choose to
call it such, as any other set of men to found theirs?
If the church of Rome, the church of England, the Presbyterian or any
one of the other thousand heterogeneous sects could set up for itself,
why should we not do the same? They did not ask us or anybody for their
privileges, why need we ask anything of them? We were not responsible
for them as they certainly would deny any responsibility to us. Should
they say that they had divine authority, could we not make the same
claim for ourselves? Since God our father created us, as we believe He
did, as He created them, why could we not have a share in His divine
rights as well as they? We conceded to all others the same privilege,
the right to do as they deemed best, and claimed the same right for
ourselves.
If that libidinous, much-wived and wife murderer, Henry the Eighth,
could set up for himself in founding a church, why cannot other men of
better morals and less exceptional tastes start a society, a church, a
denomination? To go further back: If Constantine, who “drowned his wife
in boiling water, butchered his little nephew, murdered two of his
brothers-in-law with his own hand, killed his own son Crispus, led to
death several men and women and smothered in a well an old monk,” and
yet was the distinguished patron, and one of the founders of the
Christian church, cannot others whose hands have never been stained with
blood dare to think and act for themselves?
Much might be said of the bigotry and assumption of some classes of
people who claim like the egotistical, over-bearing Jews of old, that
they are the elect, the chosen people of God and all the rest of mankind
are to be subdued, exterminated, unless they fall into the ways and
accept the creeds and ceremonies of these self-assumed religious rulers
of the world; claiming that “God’s actual grace is limited to those who
are within the church and have the faith,” meaning thereby their little
church and their very doubtful faith, and boldly inscribe on their
portals, “Beware of imitations; here is the only genuine article;” that
there is no truth, except what is seen under their little ecclesiastical
microscopes.
What of the wisdom, justice and mercy of God in creating fifteen hundred
millions of people now living, not to consider the infinite number
passed away, if He only saves the few poor unworthy Christians, as they
style themselves, and hands over the vast majority to some omnipotent
demon to torture forever and forever, as the Christians teach?
Has God so badly bodged His work, or are these people mistaken? What
gods some of these little ecclesiastics would be if they could have
their own way! Their assumption of divine authority and wisdom reminds
one of the remark of a French critic, “The fact is, only I and my
friends possess any real knowledge, and I am not so sure concerning
them.”
I have got somewhat ahead of my story. These thoughts were prompted by a
conversation with the Chaplain. We had not met since his first and only
call. At his approach he greeted me very respectfully with a
condescending air, and I saw from the frigidity of his manner that he
had a purpose in coming. I was not left long in doubt what it was. He
said, “Mr. Japhet, for some time past none of the Eurasians have come to
church.” He waited for a few moments, as if he expected me to say
something, but I remained silent. This rather disconcerted him. Then he
continued, “Since the opening of your club these people keep entirely
aloof from us.” I said nothing, and this annoyed him, as I saw by his
fidgeting and the reddening of his face. Then he struck me hard by
asking: “Do you think, Mr. Japhet, as an Eurasian, with an influence
over these people, you are doing right in keeping them away from the
church and from participating in the divine ordinances, without which
there can be no salvation? The church was ordained of God, He
established its ordinances. Is it not wrong, then, to interfere and
prevent people from attending that which is for their eternal welfare?”
He stopped for my reply, which was: “You are making a very severe
accusation against me. I have never uttered a word to them against your
church. They have been entirely free in the matter. As for God ordaining
the church, my belief is that He has ordained it as He has everything
else, no more no less. All that we know about it is what some men say,
and what some can affirm others can deny; the statement of one set is as
good as that of the other.”
“But,” he interrupted, “did not our Lord Jesus Christ establish the
ordinances and command us to use them?”
“What ordinances?” I asked.
“Why, baptism and holy communion.”
“No,” I replied, “not at all. Baptism was an old rite used at the
initiation of men into some society, or to signify their attachment to
some leader or principle. Only to mention two instances: Were not people
baptized unto Moses, and were they not baptized by John, the forerunner
of Jesus? Jesus only continued the old rite, or custom among his
followers with the same significance. The church, assuming to know more
than Jesus did, has changed this rite into a regenerating and saving
ordinance. Let me read what one of the Bishops of your Church says about
it:
“‘In this church, the body which derives life, strength and salvation
from Christ its head, baptism was instituted as the sacred rite of
admission. In this regenerating ordinance, fallen man is born again from
a state of condemnation to a state of grace. He obtains a title to the
presence of the Holy Spirit, to the forgiveness of sins, to all those
precious and unmerited favors which the blood of Christ purchased.
Wherever the gospel is promulgated the only mode through which we can
obtain a title to those blessings and privileges which Christ has
purchased for his mystical body, the church, is the sacrament of
baptism. Repentance, faith and obedience will not, of themselves, be
effectual to our salvation. We may sincerely repent of our sins,
heartily believe the gospel; we may walk in the paths of holy obedience,
but until we enter into covenant with God by baptism and ratify our vows
of allegiance and duty at the holy sacrament of the supper; commemorate
the mysterious sacrifice of Christ, we cannot assert any claim to
salvation.’
“Every man of common sense will reject such a statement as false, no
matter who made it. It is the teaching of priests to clothe their
performance with power and mystery. It is utterly opposed to the plain
statements of the Bible and contrary to what any true man must believe
of the character of God. I would rather accept the sentiment of the
poet:
“Leave polemic folios in their dust,
But this point hold, howe’er each sect may brawl,
When pure the life, when free the heart from gall
What e’er the creed, Heaven looks with love on all.”
“As to the communion. This was a ceremony observed among the heathen
long before Jesus was born, signifying friendship and a devotion to each
other’s interests, and it is observed even now by the wildest tribes of
men as a sign or proof of kindness and friendship. Among some people it
is customary at their funerals for a cup of wine to be passed, and each
one present to take a sip in memory of the dead. At first it was only a
simple custom, a rite in memory of friendship, but how it has been
transformed and degraded! At a Roman Council, Berengar, who had denied
transubstantiation, was compelled to swear that ‘the very body and blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ are not only sensibly in the sacrament, but in
truth are handled in the hands of the priest, and broken and crushed by
the teeth of the faithful.’
“What can be more sacrilegious and disgusting than such a doctrine? Is
it strange that thinking men become infidels when such stuff is forced
upon them? or that a Muhamedan sage remarked: ‘So long as Christians
worship what they eat, let my soul dwell with the philosophers.’
“Baptism and communion are only rites, with a meaning, and well to be
observed, but have no power in themselves, and are no more divine than
are the various ceremonies among men. I claim that all forms and
observances that tend to elevate and bless mankind are in a sense
divine, good or Godlike, the one as another. We might say that the light
of the sun, or the rain, or the cooling winds, are among the divinest
gifts to mankind. So any good impulse in the hearts of men, and every
noble deed, is a divine gift ordained or given from God, our Heavenly
Father. Why restrict His divine gifts or ordinances to two mere
ceremonies, and not include all that is good? The universe is alive with
God. The thing that is natural is none the less divine and worthy of our
love and reverence. Every scientific fact, or we might say, everything
good, all is of divine origin.”
He asked, “Don’t you believe that the Church was specially established
by God?”
“No,” said I, “not more than any other good society. In fact, I have
more faith in the divinity of an association that would establish a soup
kitchen to feed the starving poor, or one that would clothe the naked,
or another that would help them to a means of livelihood, or for the
education of their children.”
“Does not the church do this?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered, “in a great measure, to its credit, but does this
prove that it has the only and exclusive right to help mankind, or by
doing so that it was established by God to the exclusion of all other
good societies? Just so far as it performs good deeds it is of God, as
any society or an individual that does the same kind of work.”
He replied: “Then you degrade the church into a mere human society?”
“Yes, it is only a society founded by men, but there is no degradation
if it does the work of God. It is to be judged as any other human affair
by its works, as your Scripture says: ‘the tree is known by its fruits,’
or as Jesus said, ‘not every one that saith Lord, Lord, but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ When God sends His
sunlight equally upon all mankind, are you going to confine His
spiritual light to any one society, called by men a Church? We should
have more liberal views of God’s justice and loving mercy than that.
“One of the beautiful expressions of Charles Kingsley is this—“God
demands not sentiment, but justice. The Bible knows nothing of the
religious sentiments and emotions, whereof we hear so much talk
nowadays. It speaks of duty. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to
love one another. We must live nobly to love nobly.”
“God sends His teachers into every age and clime
With revelations suited to their growth.”
“I want to admit the fact that the Church in its principles, as
indicated in the teachings and example of Jesus is the grandest society
on earth for the amelioration and salvation of mankind, but what is it
in practice? Go into the large, fashionable churches in any country,
where are the poor? In many of them not there at all. If a few of them
happen to be present, they are on the back seats, in the corners, while
the rich and influential are on the best seats in front. Take your own
church. The highest of rank in the station are honored with cushioned,
carpeted pews in front, where they get the first draughts of the
unskimmed milk of the word and so on down, caste by caste to the doors,
where the poor may find a few plank seats if they can. Have I not seen
some of the poor who have gone early into the front seats, ordered into
the rear? Are there not ranks and castes in the House of God, as you
call it? Did not the first missionaries in India for many years, as may
be some do now,—have different cups for the communion, some for high
castes, and others for low castes? Was this following Jesus in the true
spirit of the communion? Jesus did not establish a church; then why
should any of his followers do what he did not even suggest, and
besides, claim infallibility for what they have done? Certainly in human
affairs organization is essential, but principles should be first of
all, and instead of wasting time over dogmas and trivial rites and
ceremonies, the church, as a society, should follow and imitate Jesus in
doing the work he did.”
I went on rapidly, and my caller did not seem disposed to interrupt;
whether he thought my remarks worthy of his notice or not, I did not
know or care.
He said, “I will not answer you, but come to the subject again,” putting
on a humble, unctuous, clerical manner. “I am sorry that through your
club these people are kept away from the church.”
I replied: “Let us see how far this is the case. There is a large number
of Eurasians in the station. How many of them ever went to church? Not
more than a score. Why the others did not attend is not for me to say,
only to mention the fact. Where were the rest? Some out shooting; others
at their games; the most of them in their miserable homes, spending
their time in idleness, frivolity and vice, drinking the wretched cheap
liquor that Government has provided for them. You have never been to
their homes; you know nothing of their poverty and squalor; you have no
idea of the social vice and drunkenness among them, unfitting them for
any work. They seemed to be forsaken of God, as well as by their fellow
men.
“I am one of their race. I know their condition. I have been down among
them, and for years have seen their degradation, and have assisted them
in various ways. Seeing that the church did not attract them, and did
little for them, and that they were going from bad to worse, I started
this club, believing that I had as much of a divine right and commission
to do so, as any man or men had to start a society called a church. I am
most happy in believing that if God ever sanctioned anything, He has
bestowed His blessing upon us. I have no doubt of this. The change
already seen in the condition of these people is wonderful. They have a
clean, beautiful place, which they can be proud to call their own, to
which they can resort without fear of being considered intruders—a home
to them where they can be free from degrading influences. There are
plenty of good books and papers, music to attract them, and in which
they are instructed. There is the best of food and drink that the
poorest can afford to purchase. Their ambition is stirred, their energy
increased, their pride and self respect stimulated, and every tendency
given to lift them up and make them better. What is this but God’s work?
Besides all this help is not for one day in the week, but for every day
and night.
“We go further than the church in many things, but especially in this,
ours is a strictly temperance association. Every one among us is urged
and required to be a total abstainer from all intoxicants. This is one
of our chief principles, and is lectured, practiced and talked about,
until it has permeated every life. If our enterprise has done nothing
more than this, it is worth all it cost. You cannot talk in favor of
temperance when you take liquor yourself, nor can you preach on total
abstinence to your people in church, so how can you reach these people
on that subject?
“Shall I tell you what was said in regard to you? Several of our younger
men thought that our rule about drink was too rigid, and one of them
said, ‘Why, the Chaplain takes wine and beer.’ I told them that we were
to govern ourselves regardless of what other people did.”
He winced under this, for it was a common report that he was more often
under the spirituous, than under spiritual influence. As from his office
he should be a seeker after truth, I thought best to give him a little
of it. I was surprised that he made no answer to this, but asked, “Would
it not have been better for you to have worked with the church and had
its influence to aid you?”
“When—how?” I quickly asked. He said, “I would have been delighted to
assist you, and some of my people would have done the same.”
“Yes,” I replied, “they would have favored us with their presence, to
direct our affairs, domineer over us, patronize us and give us advice as
if we were a lot of paupers in an alms house, or charity school
children. There has been already too much of this. No, the better plan
is to let these people be separate and govern themselves.”
Then he inquired: “Is not that creating a class feeling and a spirit of
caste?”
This touched my tenderest spot. I instantly grew hot, and abruptly
asked: “Who began this class feeling? Who created this caste? It ill
becomes you, one of the dominant race that is responsible for the
creation of these people, who always sneer at them and oppress them in
every possible way, to ask such a question. Take myself, for you called
me an Eurasian. I am one, a half caste, but who made me such? An
Englishman, a member of your church, took a Mussalmani, my mother, not
as his wife, but as his mistress, deceiving her with a promise of
marriage. When he saw fit, he threw her aside to die of a broken heart,
and left two of us, his children, to starve for all he cared. Who made
me a half caste, who started this class feeling in me, but that
distinguished gentleman, my father?”
He stopped me suddenly by saying that he had no intention to be personal
or cast any reflection by using that word. Such gentlemen are always
innocent after the mischief is done. “’Tis like a pardon after
execution.”
I concluded to say nothing more. He had listened to me with that bland
suavity of manner, that assumed superiority of race, as if he was
dealing with a simpleton, or a truant school boy, or that anything I
might say was not worthy of his notice. I waited with repressed scorn
while he continued to talk of the church, its divine origin, its divine
ordinances, as if God was shut up within its walls, and nobody could
have access to Him except through its doors or through the mediation of
its priests. It was the church, and nothing but the church, as if it was
the only divine infallible thing on earth, and he was one of its
infallible popes.
Had he been a really spiritual, noble-minded man, working among the
poor, my feelings would have been somewhat different. He was high
church, so very high that he never came down to common humanity, a
ritualist of the rankest kind, and cared more outside of the church
walls, for good living, and inside of it, more about his intoning, the
singing of his choir, the folds of his gown, and for the order of his
services, than for the moral or eternal welfare of anybody. Could he
have got our association to be as a tag in the tail of his church kite
for his own glorification, he would have been a happy man, not that he
cared the value of a pin for the soul of any of us. He went on with his
church rhetorical parade until my breakfast bell rang, when he took his
clerical hat and himself away, to my great relief.
This was the last I ever saw of the Chaplain.