Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-02-25
WOES OF MISSIONARIES

A Shanghai dispatch to the London
Standard has the following: just now
there is arecrudescence of the old fanat-
ical hatred of Christians in China, more
particularly in Szechuen. where a mas
sacre Of Christians occurred few weeks
ago. of which we have only just got
particulars, though the scene is only a
short distance from Chun Khing, which
is now treaty port The converts of
the Franciscans and Lazarists are very
numerous in Szechuen, and we fire.
quently hear of trouble between them
and the followers Of the popular re-
ligions, Confucianism, Buddhism. and
Tauism; but it Is seldom nowadays that
the fanaticism of the prosecutors pro-
ceeds as far as killing its unfortunate
objects, as was the case with the small
Christian community of Longti Tsin. in
the Ia Chu prefecture. The Christians
in this district are not recent converts,
but have inherited their faith for several
generations The spread of the Western
religion has long been opposed by a
brotherhood or league among the fol-
lowers of the three sects above named,
who are covertly encouraged by the
mandarins and openly befriended by the
literati, although the Ko Lai-hai, as the
society is termed, has been interdicted
Is an illegal organization
This society held great feast recently
In honor of the tutelary deity, with
whom is associated famous oracle.
After the religious ceremony the elders
of the society inquired OF the oracle
whether it would he safe to make raid
upon the unfortunate Christians, and
there was great joy when the oracle,
which may be taken to represent the
views Of the literati, gave favorable
reply, for the Christians Of Loongti
Tsin, unlike most Of their fellows in
other parts of the empire. are a well to
do class, and their property afforded
tempting object for plumber. In the
middle OF the night an attack was made
by several thousand of the worst dregs
of the populace, infuriated by fanati-
cism and egged on by the hopes Of rich
booty.
They raided the houses of 80 or so
Christian families, set the buildings on
fire, and carried OF everything port
able. The wretched owners were pow
erless to save their homes from the ma
rauders, who openly feasted in the viii
lagos for four or five days, at the expi-
ration of which the oracle was again
consulted, and the result of its advice
was that more bloodthirsty and fanati-
cal spirit was infused into the mob No
lives had been taken up to this. but now
n. -
were reused, and the mission premises
were surrounded and burned, amid the
howls Of infuriated villains, who threw
q number of Christians into the burning
buildings, where they perished in the
most horrible agony, which proceedings
were watched with devilish pleasure by
their erstwhile neighbors The murder
ers seized upward Of 20 more victims in
the neighborhood, and butchered them
in cold blood and with ell the revolving
refinements of cruelty which the placid
looking Chinese understand 80 well
Most Of the bodies Of the murdered peo-
pie were hacked or cut to pieces and
thrown into the river.
During all this time the officials were
invisible, and the impression in well
informed quarters is that they kept out
of the way ON purpose. The magistrate
Of Ia Chu kept himself locked up in his
yamsn, though he knew what was go-
ing on outside, for the European priest
In charge of the mission fed to the
magistrates residences for safety. An
other village, not far of, and which
contained many Christians, was also
raided, and the property Of the con-
verts either burned before their eyes or
carried of by the thieves In China,
pillage of this kind is capital offense
under ordinary circumstances. but in
cases where tie victims are Christians
the legal tribunals make very light OF
the matter So far none of the ring
leaders of this murderous attack have
been arrested, and the project of the
district has taken no steps 70 discover
their identity. Generally speaking, the
feeling against foreigners d very bitter
Just now in and about Chun Khing, and
the official class are terribly exercised
and exasperated over the arrival Of
European commissioner Of maritime
customs, whose advent is the forerunner
Of the closing up OF many Of the old
channels Of peculation.