The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-13
THE COMING STRUGGLE IN CHINA.

The Charleston is under orders to join the
Chinese squadron, and smaller man-of-
war now in Behring Sea has already been
dispatched in the same direction. The OBJ
lect is to protect the lives of American mis-
sionaries in China. 1t is to be hoped that
the ships employed will be able TO accom-
plish that object, though it must be remem-
bered that the localities where rioting has
taken place are far out of reach of their
guushot. 1t is the interior missions which
have been threatened, and no vessel of the
draught of the Charleston can ascend the
Pearl or the Min rivers, or the Yang-tse as
far as Marking, or the Peiho as far as
Teintsin. They eau only accomplish results
through the moral effect of their exhibition
of strength.
So far as the punishment Of the rioters is
concerned the Chinese Government is at
tending 10 that with some appearance of
vigor. The murderers of the Englshman
Green and the American missionary 4 rgent
we're caught aud executed; their heads were
exhibited on poles in front of the Protestant
Church at Wu-Suh-a rather CHASTITY orna-
nlent for religious edlfice. The trouble is
that in China subordinate Government Off
cials fancy that il is their policy TO pander
to the passions of the mob, and are-to say
the least-lukewarm in carrying oat the
commands of the Picking Government TO
protect the missionaries.
The public at large are seldom admitted
to view of affairs behind the scenes in the
drama Of Asiatic missions. Bishop Good
sell of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who
arrived here on Tuesday in the Oceanic, lets
little light into places which were obscure.
He says that the strongest mission his
church has is in Fooehow, y hich was thrown
open to tie missionaries in 1912; there, he
adds, the church membership numbers 1900.
Fo0chOw is in the province of Fuh-Kien,
which has population of IL, 100000 people.
The Bishop attended the annual CONFER
ence of the Methodist missionaries in Japan.
He says that there are almost 1000 cum-
lubricants in Japan" 1t is understood
that there are nearly if not quite 1000 Chris
tan missionaries in Japan; they have been
laborins faithfully in their noble cause for
thirty years. 1t seems that their converts
average tour per missionary. This is the
more curious as seven or eight years ago
there were indications that the whole peo-
pie of Japan, with the Mikado at their
head, were about to embrace Christianity.
Mir. Fuki. who was then Japanese Minister
at Washington, was so convinced of the
urlIt OF opinion among his people that he
had his children baptized and brought up in
tie Christian faith. But strangely enough,
the leaning toward Christianity died ont
almost as quickly as it had sprung up. Con-
troversies arose, and the Buddhist priests
were not slow to take advantage of the dis
cuSSion, and the favor III which Christianity
had stood gave way. The Emperor stated
that ne was not inclined to adopt the Chris
tlan faith, nor to promote Christians to
posts of trust around him. The keynote
thus given, the japanese papers famed the
anti-Christian feeling among sthe people,
and they began TO indulge in ominouS
threats. Japan is better ordered country
than China, aud riots are not so likely TO
occur there as in the middle kingdom. But
it is not improbable that the missionaries in
Japan may be invited to transfer their ser
vices TO some other country.