Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-11-06
CHANGED BY KINDNESS.
Disinterested Charity Overcomes Preju
dice and Hatred,

| DIsinterested Charity Overcomes Preju-
| dice and Hatred.
| The old fable of the sun and the wind
striving for the mastery has been we'll
! illustrated by recent events in China
/ The wind blew its fercest upon the
| traveller without any other effect than
causing him to wrap his cloak tighter
about him. The sun, however, simply
shone upon the man with such gentle
| force as to make him speedily throw
aside his cloak. China has for many
centuries carried out, so far as it was
possible, policy of rigid exclusiveness,
| which the Western nations have en-
| deavored to overcome, when peaceable
measure failed, by force of arms.
Though in the course of the last fifty
years many of the odd restrictions On
| foreign intercourse have been removed,
| yet the mass of the people still regard
| Europeans and Americans as 'foreign
devils;" while the government in its
official dealings with the representa-
tives of Christian pewers has always
assumed a certain air of contemptnous
superiority which has been at times
both laughable and irritating.
Such was the condition Of affairs
when, in 1883, terrible flood, followed
by an equally destructive famine, desc
lated the province of which Shanghai
and Nanking are the principal cities
The sympathies of the English who
lived in that part of the empire were
deeply touched by the sight of so much
suffering, and they made urgent ap-
peals to their countrymen to aid them
in supplying these starving millions
with food.
Generous responses came from all
parts of the United Kingdom and India
The Queen headed the Mansion House
fund in London with a subscription Of
one hundred pounds. The money re-
ceived was expended in the most care
full and judicious manner, all engaged
in the work giving their services.
This was not the first time that the
English had relieved similar suffering
in China, but all previous charities had
been accepted with a gracious conde-
scension on the part of the rulers, as II
it were kind of tribute paid by vas
sails. A very different feeling, how
ever, manifested itself on this occasion
on the part both of high official and
of the Emperor himself.
The Viceroy of Nanking sent me-
mortal to Peking by special messenger
last autumn, in which he expresses the
warmest recognition of the assistance
given by the Shanghai relief commit
tee.
They spread the intelligence" Of
the famine, it said, ito the gentry and
rich people of foreign countries, who,
thinking upon the goodness Of tha
Sacred Dynasty pervading the uni
verse, did, even in the most distant
places, with one accord readily, and
with joyful love Of charity, give dona-
tions."
The Viceroy calls especial attention
to the fact that the committee "devot-
ed every iota of the amount collected to
the public good, without charging any
thing for expenses" He recommended
In closing that a letter be written by
the Yamen of Foreign Affairs, thank
ing the Queen of England for the
mark of her sympathy for our people"
and that Mr.. Drummond, the chairman
of the relief committee, be decorated
with the button of Mandarin Of the
third rank.
A few years ago Governor who had
dared to write such a dispatch and to
make such recommendations would
have been instantly recalled to Pekin
in disgrace.
Upon this memorial the Emperor.
using the 7ermillion pencil, wrote:
LET it be as requested, and let the
Yamen take note thereof Respect
this" The power of disinterested char
ity in overcoming prejudice and hatred
as has rarely been better illustrated
than BY this incident-Youth tbs Com
pa uion
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