WITH CHRIST IN INDOCHINA - IndoChina1911

CHAPTER XV
CAMBODIA
T H E entrance of the missionaries into the king-
1 dom of Cambodia is another story of "The Lord
working with them." The King of Cambodia is the
High Priest of Buddhism for his country. He is a
Buddhist enthusiast and is using all his influence to
further that religion. Buddhist temples are to be
found everywhere, even the smaller villages have at
least one. They are almost always imposing structures,
many of them gilded with gold. The saffronrobed
priests, who walk along the highways in
groups of ten or twelve, are to be seen in every
town, and are one of the first features of Cambodian
life to attract the attention of the traveler. Their
temples and monasteries are well kept, and the
priests are always prosperous looking. The education
of the country is committed to them, and their
influence reaches every home. At least one son,
usually the eldest, from every Buddhist family becomes
a priest.
For centuries Protestant missionaries were rigidly
excluded from Cambodia. The king did not want
an invasion of foreign religions. He considered Buddhism
to be the Cambodian religion and wanted no
other. Even when the country became a protectorate
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