1. There are two sides to the question. Many Christians, both laymen and ministers, are earnestly opposed to Chinese immigration, for reasons which seem to them ample and even imperative. As against such reasons, vituperation and contempt fall powerless. But it should be observed that these reasons do not—with, at most, two exceptions—apply to Chinese immigration alone. The Irish laborer underbid the native American, and crowded him out of the field. In some cases great suffering temporarily ensued. But the American at length found other and better fields to which, indeed, the Irishman’s toil prepared his way. It would be so again. The Irish, French and German immigrants have brought with them principles and practices sadly at variance with those which gave us free institutions, our Christian Sabbaths, and our happy homes; and thoughtful Christians viewed this influx of an alien element with great alarm for many years. For the same reasons, and some others, they cannot but view with anxiety an influx from the heathen nations over our Western sea. But what did we do about it in the former case? Did we lock the door? Did we attempt to dyke back the incoming tide? No; but we said, We will meet these people with the Gospel; we will bring their children into our public schools; we will make the very air they breathe redolent with the principles of a genuine Christian liberty, and thus we will make them no longer Irish, or French, or Germans, but, in the second generation, if not the first, Americans all. And this process is saving the nation’s life. Why not try it again with the new immigration from the old Orient? 2. But there are two _special_ reasons for opposing this Chinese immigration; one is, that it consists of unmarried men, homeless and vagrant, and our country needs homes; the other is, that they are exceptionally clannish, refuse to associate and assimilate with us, and remain, after thirty years, as much an alien race as when they first arrived. I feel the force of these facts, but is there not a cause? They are, it is true, a very conservative race; slow to change, and ardently attached to their native land; but if it were otherwise, I submit whether the courtesies they have received are of the sort which would specially incline them to fall in love with our country or ourselves. The Chinese _can be Americanized_; and in response to treatment such as European immigrants receive, would long ago have begun to make homes and to identify themselves with us. And, by the grace of God and the power of the Gospel, they might have been, and may yet be, educated into intelligent, patriotic and useful citizens. He who doubts this ought no longer to profess and call himself a Christian.