Page:Journal Of The Indian Archipelago And Eastern Asia Series.i, Vol.3 (IA in.ernet.dli.2015.107696).pdf/535

 officers. And further, that the effects of opium smoking on the population have been ascertained to be most pernicious and ruinous both morally and physically, although the latter point may not be at all times apparent.

Consider now the position of the whole trade as may be shewn prominently in one instance, namely, at the port of Fuhchow. At that port the only foreign influence at work (if we except the Consular officers) consists of a considerable band of Christian missionaries and the contraband opium trade, for no other foreign trade there exists. Christianity and the opium trade are here apparent as conflicting interests on one common field, they are in strong and palpable contrast as principles of good and evil, and their bearing on the whole of China though more complicated, so as to confuse and confound men's minds, is not the less reducible to these two simple elements of good and evil.

Let it be further considered whether any inducement however lucrative would lead us to incur the solemn responsibility of attempting to introduce this insidious scourge of opium smoking into a new and untried field, for, if it would not, the same responsibility rests upon us for participating in an old established evil when time has developed its true character.

But indeed argument is needless. Every Christian who will take the trouble to examine into the matter will find that the opium trade to China cannot for one moment be defended on Christian principles, that by applying such a test it is at once disclosed to view in its true colors as a monster evil which is devastating the east, and which if he have the courage to confess his faith, be can no longer be conscientiously engaged in. 



To ascertain the influence of Mahomedanism on the lives and literature of the Malays and other islamised inhabitants of the Archipelago, we shall from time to time draw the attention of our readers to such of the principles, doctrines, habits, traditions and literature of Mahomedanism as appear to us to exercise or illustrate this influence. In this, as in other parts of our miscellaneous contributions and extracts, we shall aim at presenting the impressions made on different orders of minds by the facts observed in connection with the subject, sometimes with and sometimes without comments of our own. This apposition of views will excite more inter-