Page:Who is God in China.djvu/15

 key-note of discord among the Christians in the island was: "Are you for 'Deviyan' (Eloah), or for 'Deviyanwahansè' (Elohim)?" so also at present in China, not only do the preachers of the "Gospel of Peace" strive among themselves, but, may be, one of their flock, a good "Christian boatman, who plies across the Yang-tsze-keang, or in the harbour of Canton, may think fit, after taking his fare, first to inquire if you be for "Shin" or for "Shang-Te," ere he consents to spare your life, and to land you safe on shore.

Such a state of things is partly excusable, perhaps, at the outset of a mission, when everything is strange, and the language is as yet little understood. But when kept up, as it seems to be in this case, it injures materially the cause of Christ's Gospel abroad; and at home it does, assuredly, no good.

Here is, for instance, a "life-member of the Parent Society of thirty years' standing," who appears in the ranks with the very best intentions, as a peace-maker, armed with a ploughshare and a pruning-hook, in token of his errand. But while he preaches peace, he does not seem aware that he wounds his neighbours right and left, by brandishing around him his peaceful weapons. For, in his zeal, and while sparing no pains to impress upon the Committee of the Bible Society his own very decided preference for "Shin," he blames, in round terms, that benevolent and influential Body for giving a premature verdict against the term of his choice, in order to escape the