Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-09-03
Chinese officials Who Came to the
Defense Of the Missionaries are
Justly Praised.
Williams Who Fabricate Stories to
Create Trouble are Found Nearly
Everywhere.
Women and Children Transferred to
Shanghai During Riots FOrmented
by MalcontentS.
4

The history of Christian missionary
work in China is full of prosecutions and
barbarItieS, which can only be compared
to the suffarings 6 the early martyrs of the
church. The reports OF riots and threat
ened revolutions, together with the accom-
panying horrors, all involving the mis-
j slOnarles and converts in the empire at
! the present time, are therefore no novelty
to those familiar with the past.
That they have called forth imperial de-
cree ordering the governor genera IS and
otdeT functionaries 10 suppress the demon
stratIOns against the Christians serves to
aIlay the fears of the friends of the mis-
sionaries, but it really affords but little
protection for the individuals themselves
so long as Chinese conspirators are en-
couraging revolutionary ideas in the cen
trail provinces.
Many theories are advanced to account
for the present demonstration against the
missionaries iii the ''Flowery Kingdom"
| Several diff rent things have a bearing
upon the matter, but unquestionably back
| of the entire trouble is the socialistic So
! ciety of the Kolaghwei or Elder
Brothers" which was formed shortly af-
the Tai ping rebeIliod in 1861.
This society is composed of soldiers who
have been retired. Until within a year or
so ago these individuals we're pensioners
Of the government. At that time, in the
interest Of economy, the government abol-
ished the pension list. and at once discon-
tent followed, The brothers" incensed
at the government for It's action and also
at the Tartar dynasty which at present oc-
| cupies the throne, have set about to retail
ate. They are against economy, and hope
10 accomplish their designs by involving
their country in war with some foreign
power, or obliging it to pay heavy indem-
mites to the countries, the property of
whose citizens or subjects they damage or
destroy.
The famine in the Yangtse Kiang couu-
try, the schemes to place Chinese en-
perOr on the throne, and several other OBJ
jects and conditions of thu people aggra-
vate the difficulty and render the present
demonstration particularly serious to the
Christian missionaries and native Christian
clergy and converts.
The true reasons for the agitation are,
of course, withheld from the mass of the
people who assist in tearing down the mis-
sionary stations and in killing the inmates.
The lower order of Chinese are particularly
credulous, and it Is an easy matter for
few daring revolutionistS to play upon
their credulity. AS is we'll known the
missionary work at present is confined al
most solely to children. They are educated
in schools first, and are taught Christian
morality and religion as they increase in
knowledge.
In China the opinion prevails that the
eyes and brains of child are regarded by
Christians as powerful remedial agent,
III fact the most potent and valued med
icine known. In some instances, as at
Woo-Hoo in May last, the report was cir
culated that the Catholic missionaries
solicitude for the welfare of children was
but subferfu2e TO gain their confidence
anu then to kill them for their eyes and
brains. Il is even said that the fomentors
Of the trouble spirited away and even kill
ed native children in order to give cred
ence to the hidcoLs lies. The looting of
the mission followed as a natural conse-
qnence.
Again, when the mission was demolish-
ed in Tang Yam Huen, in the province Of
Kiang Su, the reason assigned was that
the mission building pressed too heavily
upon the veins OF the great dragon, whom
all Chinese vererate. The weight Of the
masonry, it was said, was retarding the
flow of blood in the dragon veins-i1
was stranging. This idea was carefully
spread amorg the populace, and when
they became thoroughly aroused they
raised the building to the ground and re-
lieveo the earth dragon Of the pres sure.
It has been noted that, while both
Catholic and Protestant missions have
suffered alike, an the majority of cases
the former have more IRE quently been the
object of attack than the latter. This is
accounted for partly because the
Catholics have many more missions and
converts than the Protestant, and also
that they as a general rule, own their
property while the latter occupy their
premises by lease. The earth is a thing
divided to the Chinese. and the possession
Of any portion of it by ''foreign devils. "
as all Europeans are termed, is regarded
by the ignorant class as a PROCLAMATION.
This also has been used as a means of
starting uprisings.
Up to the present time there has been
loss of life. so bar as can be learned, in
but one instance. That was at Wusuch,
In the province of Hnpek, where an
American missionary, Mr.. Argent, and an
English customs official, Mr.. Green, were
crushed to death by having stones of en-
ormous weight heaped upon them.
In addition to the riots at Woo-Hoo and
Wusucb, there have been others at Tan
Yang Hupn. Yiang-chow, Marking, Son
wang. Soochow and numerous other
stations, mostly confined to the central
provinces of the empire.
The Rev. DR.. D. n. Lyon, who is in
charge Of the Presbyterian mission at 500
chow. which is about thirty miles south OF
he Wusuch, has written to the officials of
the board Of foreign missions Of that
church describing briefly the outrage at
his station. He says:
when the wave of excitement reached
WuSnch WE began to feel somewhat aDpre-
hensiva; though on Monday, June s, the
day the Roman Catholic mission at Woo
Hoo was burned, | preached TO quiet,
well behaved audience at my Chang-men
chapel.
On Tuesday, june 9. by 10 o'clock in
the morning. the news of riot at Wusuch
reached Soochow, and the excitement was
intense. A telegram from United States
Consul Leonard, at Shanghai, warned ug
of danger and suggested the removal of
ladies ard chiliren to Shanghai. The ex-
citement of calling boats and moving per
Il