Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-10

the highest, and find their most successful
field among the great middle class mer
chants, farmers, etc. Other societies have
found in the upper clsss-the scholars-the
best teachers for native work in the prov
| inces, and as it is the scholar class which
| is the most powerful enemy Of Christianity,
| they thus carry the war directly into the
| enemy's country in more senses than one.
| Meantime, while all the systems are being
tried, the number of missionaries is perpet.
ually increasing; even Quakers are coming
out and funds are continually pouring in to
| carry on the work. More money was de-
voted to China missions alone this last year
both Catholic and Protestant, than was,ever
before appropriated in any year for all the
| foreign missions combined.
The Power of Present Methods
Fourteen years ago thought that China
dripping of the water of Christianity would
never wear away the stone of heathenism,
but now that the water is applied with 9
steam fire engine and the principle OF hy.
draulic mining is introduced, it is apparent
to nv unpreiudiced mind that the stone
will ultimately be forced bodily from ita
bed.
Of all the MISSIONS the Roman Catholic
is first in point of importance and efficacy.
1t is the longest established, it has the best
organization, and its teachings are the readi-
est of absorption. A map of China, show
ing the location of its posts, appears as If it
had been systematically peppered over.
The objections to it on the part of the
Chinese are said to be mostly due to the
amount of property it holds All the
Roman Catholics are by treaty under the
protection of the French Government, but
both Germany and Italy are now asserting
their right to take charge of their own
missions England has the greatest in
terest in missions, and the United States
comes next
Probably q Million Converts.
There are now over a thousand foreign
Protestant missionaries scattered through
China Probably the number of converts of
all kinds is in the neighborhood of !, 600, 900.
This is only about one-quarter of per cent
of the population, but the question of the
number, genuine or claimed, Is not of much
importance as bearing upon the present sit
uation.
1t is doubtful if genuine Chinese
Christian with longing for immortality
will be produced in China for very many
years. The Chinese as a race care nothing
for the hereafter except perhaps to haunt
their enemies in a spiritual form. In the
lower classes, especially, owing to genera
tions of servitude, human life is so cheap
that there is almost an entire loss of in
dividuality; the man himself sets the same
small value on his life that his rulers do,
hence is presented the extraordinary
anomaly of mass of human beings, who,
though timld, have no fear Of suicide, and
who will not help each other when drown
ing or exposed to other danger They do
care for the comforts of this life, however,
while they are in it, and the inevitable re-
suit of Christian teaching is to show that
life is worth living, which is undoubtedly
the first step toward the achievement of the
Western form of civilization; the desire for
Immortality will come in due time.
system About the Riots.
1t is the learen of Western civilization
which is the remote cause of the late riots,
tie immediate cause being the publication
of infammatory documents against Chris
tianity in the province of Human, which
have been circulated in all the other
Yangtsi provinces, combined with the
movement up and down the river of design
ing characters belonging to the Kalon-hui
and other societies composed of discharged
and pensionless soldiers unemployed since
the TAPPING rebellion. These have stirred
up the people, trusting to the local vaga-
bonds and beggars (ot which there are
great number in China) to apply the torch
for the sake of loot A translation of one
of these documents, entitled, 1.-The devil
doctrine ought to be killed" fell into my
hands recently. 1t is full of false charges
of immoral practices and indefensible doc
trines.
The riots have occurred in the following
order: Wuhu, May 12;' Marking, MAY 25;
seems fairly evident that it was a concerted
scheme, and the Yangtsi ports were prob
ably chosen because Of the great mass of
junk population whose bust
ness has been sadly curtailed during the
last dozen years by the introduction of
steam navigation. OF course, it is the old
battle of hard labor and machinery which
has been long ago fought out at home, but
here it comes particularly hard on those
who are ousted as other walks in life are al
ready filled to overfowing. The Chinese
itself owns the principal line
Of steamers, but it is not probable that this
fact has any bearing on the situation.
Competition in Business.
The Chinese expect to drive foreign COM
mercial people out of the country by sheer
business competition, and they are in fair
way to succeed, but the missionaries can
not be reached in that way; their societies
are now established institutions in Europe
and America; they are well organized on
business principles, with paid officials, and
are backed up by the great body of staid,
substantial citizens in all countries. The
societies handle large amounts of money
and have extensive dealings with other
great business corporations, and obtain
special rates on railways, steamers, etc.
The spectacle of the heather Chinee
being pursued by the missionary and his
family In parlor car is rather startling at !
first sight, but analysis shows that it cor
responds with the spirit of the age, and is
doubtless economical, and certainly anyone |
who is willing to live in this country and |
devote the greater part of his life to the |
teaching of Christianity deserves to be we'll |
cared for while here. All this without |
noting the undoubted benefit that they are |
upon the people from the stand
point of Western civilization.
The Government Policy as to Foreigners.
The exact amount of responsibility of the
general Government in the riots is difficult
10 determine. There are clauses in the
reaties binding the Government to protect |
foreigners, and particularly missionaries in
he peaceful pursuit of their vocation. but
could China have realized so years ago the
condition of affairs that exists now, the
clause would probably have
never been admitted. 1t must have b cen ad-
nitted, even then, only because China, as
Fhole, is pantheistic and could see no OBJ
ection to adding Christianity to Confucian-
sm, Taoism, Buddhism and Mohammedan-
SIN, which already existed. Probably the
lificulty is not really with the religion, but
rith the nnuertul elennents of INocto.r L