"Independent of the reproach which the opium traffic casts on the Christian
religion, we find it a great barrier in the way of evangelizing this
people. We cannot put confidence in an opium smoker. A man who smokes it
in even the smallest degree we should not dare to admit into the Christian
church. More than one-half of the men at Amoy are more or less addicted to
the habit. Of this half of the population the missionary can have
comparatively but little hope. We know the grace of God can deliver from
every vice and there have been examples of reformation even from this. Yet
from experience when talking to an opium smoker we always feel discouraged.
Although this be a discouraging feature in our operations here, it should
only be a stimulus to the Church to send more laborers and put forth
greater efforts to stem the tide of destruction which the Christian world
is pouring in upon the heathen. Independent of the principles of
benevolence, justice demands of Christendom that the evil be stayed, and
reparation if possible be made for the injury already done. If nothing
more, let there be an equivalent for whet has been received from China. It
is a startling fact, that the money which Christian nations have received
from China for this one article, an article which has done to the Chinese
nothing but incalculable injury, far, far exceeds all the money which has
been expended by all Protestant churches on all Protestant missions in all
parts of the heathen world since the days of the Reformation.