Hiram Stevens Maxim - Philosophy and Religion

Philosophy and Religion

In addition to his Civil, Mechanical and Electrical endeavors, Maxim "compiled and edited" a book he titled "Li Hung Chang's Scrapbook". This book was addressed to Li Hung Chang (also spelled Li Hongzhang and Li Hung-chang) and endeavored to address a belief that "The Chinese were generally puzzled as to how it was possible for people who are able to build locomotives and steamships to have a religion based on a belief in devils, ghosts, impossible miracles, and all the other absurdities and impossibilities peculiar to the religion taught by the missionaries" (Op. cit. Foreword page x).

Maxim held European missionaries in China in low esteem, for reasons described in the scrap-book. He stated "...it was my aim, in compiling for His Excellency a scrap-book with explanatory notes, to put the Chinaman right in this respect. I wished to show that we were not all fools." (Op.cit. Foreword page x). His scrap-book comprised some 400 pages with 42 illustrations, presenting his views on The Nature of Christianity; Christianity in China; and his conclusions on subjects including Miracles, Spirituality, Faith; and the influence of the Bible on the civilization of Europe and America. He concluded his scrap-book with an appeal to the Missionaries and his thoughts on the reason for the failure of what he described as "Missionary Propaganda" in China.