The Opium Wars

It is almost inconceivable that the sale and distribution of illicit drugs, on the one hand, and the sending of Christian missionaries on the other, could be connected. Yet this, in fact, was the case in 19th century China during and after what came to be known as the “opium wars.”

The Chinese, by the terms of the Treaty of Nanjing (1842) and the British Supplementary Treaty of the Bogue (1843) and eventually the Treaty of Tianjin (1858), were compelled to open ports to trading, allow the sale of opium, allow foreigners with passports to travel to the interior, and permit western missionary societies to spread the Christian faith and hold property inside China.

Seizing on the opportunity, missionaries were sent out by British, American, and German missionary agencies as they sought to bring the good news of Christ to the “heathen of China.” Yes, Protestantism arrived in China at the barrel of a gun as thousands of missionaries arrived on ships laden with chests of addictive, ruinous opium.

The Rev. John Liggins, an Episcopal missionary to China, campaigned against the opium trade, but for the most part Christians were silent...