The Great City Devastated - "The Kings . . . Committed Fornication With Her"

 In the early 1800's  European merchants were smuggling large quantities of opium into China.  In March 1839 Chinese officials tried to stop the illegal trade by seizing 20,000 chests of the drug from British merchants.  This led to the tension  between Britain and China.  As relations between the two countries deteriorated, some Protestant missionaries  urged Britain to go to war, with statements such as the following: 

"How these difficulties do rejoice my heart because I think the English government maybe enraged, and God, in his power may break down the barriers which prevent the gospel of Christ from entering China." -Henrietta Shuck, Southern Baptist missionary.

Finally war broke out-the war that is today known as the Opium War.  Missionaries wholehearted encouraged Britain with comments such as these: 

"I am constrained to look back upon the present state of those things not so much as an opium or an English affair, as the great design of Providence to make the wickedness of man subserve  His purposes  of mercy toward China in breaking through her wall of exclusion." - Peter Parker, Congregational missionary.

Next time: The Great City Devastated - "The Kings . . . Committed Fornication With Her"

From the jw. org publications