Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-05-26
MISSIONS ARE IN DANGER
Presbyterian Representatives in
China are Warned.
Methodists Appeal to President
Cleveland.

and missionary societies, has given
the home officials no little concern.
The Presbyterian Board Of mission
aries, at a recent meeting, in addition
to sending a cablegram, ordered the
Rev. DIR. Ellywood, who is Ill, to write
to the mission stations. There are
four missions of the Presbyterian
church of the United States in China
the North Germ mission, at Picking:
the Shan Tung mission, at Chefoo;
the Central mission, at Shanghai,
which extends up the Yang Use
kiang river, and the Southern mis-
sion at Canton. There has recently
been established a separate mission
at Hal Nan. To each of the missions
the cablegram and the following
letter were sent:
"The Geary bill has been declared
constitutional by the United States
supreme court, but there seems to he
considerable hesitation on the part
OF the cabinet with reference to its
execution, and as there has been no
sufficient preparation for the neces-
sary expenses of carrying out the pro.
visions of the law, 1t is possible no
action may be taken for the present,
and that matters both here and in
China may be quiet for a few months
at least. In the meantime the coun-
Gil has thought best to send you tcle-
grams giving information as to the
present status, and urging prudence
and watchfulness in view of possible
troubles in China, in cas- the govern
ment should. proceed to extreme
measures here. We know that you
on the ground will exercise your oest
judgment if emergencies occur, and
yet we have thought that both the
kilograms and also a communication
by mail should be sent to you, to let
you knew of our solicitude and to
urge that every wise precaution be
taken for the safety of life and prop
erty. We also feel that it is due to
friends in this country that we should
be able to assure them that we have
had prompt communication with our
missionaries, and that they are pre-
pared to act as circumstances NAV
dictate.
"lt seems to us desirable that while
matters are in suspense all our mis-
sionaries should be in a situation
where prompt communication would
be possible, and that visits to the in
terror should not be undertaken
unless proper precautions r taken.
We are authorized to say that Mr..
Dulles is about to send extra funds to
each mission, to be available when
needed.
"Wc trust that Providence will
guide You and preserve our mission
aries and all interests of our Lords
kingdom in China"
The Rev. Dennis, in speakingof the
action of the council, said he did not
apprehcnd danger, but wished to be
prepared. "Thc danger is that exag-
gerated reports will get out in China
and that the populace may do injury
before the government can step in
and prevent it. For instance, a wild
report might spread through the in
terror that hundreds of Cinnamon in
the United States had been wantonly
massacre1 on account of race prcju.
dice. OF course China is deeply
stirred on this subject, and the peo-
Pile there might be disposed to resent
violence and cruelty"
The Methodist Foreign Missionary
society has decided to make a final
appeal to the President and cabinet
against the immediate enforcement
of the law, and to recommend that
Sunday, May %, be set aside as a day
of special prayer that the missionary
interests of China may be saved from
disaster. In accordance with this
action, the Rev. DIR. S. L. Baldwin,
recording secretary, yesterday issued
the following address, a copy of
which win be sent to President
Cleveland:
"The board of managers Of the
Missionary society of the Methodist
Episcopal church, has heard with
great regret the decision by the SUI
preme court of the United States,
that the Chinese exclusion act of 1852
is constitutional. We profoundly
regret that the repeated rcmonstranc-
es of this board, of many annual con-
ferences of u church, and the rep
resentative bodies of other churches,
have been pcwerless to stay the tide
of unjust and oppressive legislation
in violation Of our solemn treaties
with the empire Of China and that it
is now declared to be the constitu-
)tional law Of the land that Chinese
persons are liable to be imprisoned
and deported for the offense of being
in this country without the certifl-