The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-08-24
OUR MISSIONARIES IN CHINA.
Natural Results of the Treatment OF
Chinese on the Pacific Slope.
pr.JM. Reed In Zion's Herald

We must wait another mail from China be-
fore we can have details of the riot itself,
which occurred, as the cable has told us, in
West China, and by which our mission prop
erty was destroyed-though the missionaries
have been graciously preserved from per-
sonal injury. Letters from Superintendent
Gamewell to his parents give the state Of
things down to about the middle Of June.
1t seems that for some time the Chinese Of
Chung King have been growing more and
more intolerant of foreigners, and especially
of Americans, because Of the maltreatment
and murder of Chinese on our Pacific coast.
Accounts of these lamentable affairs, bad
enough in literal truthfulness, reach that
distant part of the Chinese empire in exag-
gerated forms, and are perpetually increas-
ing the excitement. The usual epithets Of
"foreign devils" and "foreign dogs" have OF
late had uncommon emphasis, and all man
ner of insults have greatly multiplied. The
walls of our mission have for some time beea
bespattered with mud, and proclamations
issued by the officials in behalf of our mis-
sionaries torn down. The long continuance
of this has proved almost unsupportable.
Brother Gamewell says: "The prick of
pin is not serious matter, but if one will
sit down and take pin and prick and prick,
and prick at Just the same point, he Will lind
a most remarkable effect produced on the
nervous system. To be called q foreign
devil and foreign dog is not such trouble
some thing in itself, but when these things
meet you with unerring certainty whenever
you cross your threshold, year in and year
out, like pin, they produce remarkable
effect upon the nervous system. This is the
human side of it, and among other things,
six months of hot, enervating weather make
us conscious Ofour humanity. But there are
the promises, MY grace is sufficient etc"
The first act of open hostility described by
Mr. Gamewell was an attempt on the part OF
three men to assault him while walking
alone in the city; one of them throwing
himself in his way and trying to trip him.
Then the three followed behind, making in
sulting remarks, and one Of them attempted
to hit him, but his companions succeeded in
quieting the irate Chinaman. All this Is
narrated in a letter of May "a.
In letter dated June II, Brother Came
well saws: "FOr some weeks Dr. Crews or
have alternately remained in our place out
side where we are building, on the Sabbath:
also to preach in English in the city. 1t was
a Chinese feast day, there being three Of
these in the year. Though l said nothing,
had been little apprehensive lest crowd
might gather and create trouble. DR.. and
Mrs. Crews went into the city in the morn
ing and | remained until about / o'clock,
when l started for the city, leaving Mary
This wife] in charge. The house temporarily
occupied by DR.. Crews is right against the
wall. That occupied by ourselves is much
higher up, AID some distance back Shortly
after left Mary heard noise, but did not
pay much attention to it. IL increased, how
ever, and large crowd gathered and threw
stones and other missiles on the roofs OF the
houses and against the wall, and demanded
admittance. Mary went down and had the
gate opened and went out into their midst,
talking to them for some time, telling them
that it was contrary to all their customs and
manners to seek 9dmittance to place when
the gentlemen are absent. This is a care
fully observed point of Chinese etiquette,
and her appeal quieted them for while; but
they grew noisy again, and IN time she re
treated into the yard and had the gate
closed. The crowd, perhaps two
hundred in number, including many roughs,
finally broke the gate down and started to
rush in.
in the case under the bed, and Tor which she
had no ammunition, and started out toward
the crowd, thinking to frighten them and
keep them back for a time, It being nearly
very cowardly, and this one ran at the first
sight of the gun; but they concluded after
while that it was not loaded. and tried 10
wrest it from one of the coolest and most
courageous little women that ever walked
the face of the earth, and of course they sue
ceeded. The gun was torn from her. ana
though not seriously, she was badly hurt In
trying to get the gun they pounded her hanos
and arms, and the crowd beyond pelted with
mud and stones. Her hands were badly
bruised and cut deeply on the inside. The
left side of her face was badly bruised, prob
ably by stone. and her dress was covered
with mud As soon as the crowd saw the
blood on her hands and face, they were
frightened, for in China to. draw blood is
punishable with decapitation. So they
rushed from the place, carrying away with
them the gun. The gun was returned by an
official the day after. We are all convinced
that nothing but Mary's nerve saved the
place from being looted. DIR. Crews arrived
He does not think it will be permanent in
jury, but can tell better later on. l took the
matter to the official, and gained admission
to him by the good offices of the British res
ident He treated me courteously, complied
with our request to issue a proclamation in
our doors, but he evaded the real point Of
Furnishing the offenders. In such cases an
example is absolutely necessary. He re
turned my call the following day, and IroIn-
ised in an uncertain sort of a way-to, make
an example of some of the Offenders.
1--WE are sixteen Imiless in the interior, and
have at hand no consul. If we had, he could
not summon gunboat as at Chinkiang, some
months ago The only pressure L can bring
to bear is to threaten to report the case 70 He-
kin, which the lower officials very much dis
like. | think the official here n cans to pro
tect us, but it may be the condition of things -
in America will prevent his dstai@ GA forS avsrv-
tice. There is price te 10 % fopt some Of tie
hills 9ttiat are being run up in our western
Territories. do not apprehend more vlo,
lence but they can haraSS us in thousand
ways The anxietyeDf such an occurrence as
this causes one to live year in week. III
an example is made of some one, we Will pos
L. frn