The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-09-13
M HUNG oHANo,s REBuKF.

III HUNG CHANG'S REBuI1F.
The. chinese Premlel's eating Remark to
nm American aIiaSlonnryrTh Geary
Law Reversed.
WARRINGTON. D. O.. Sept 12.-The
Rev. Gilbert Reid, missionary recent
" returned from China, occupied the
pulpit OF the First Presbyterian church
Sunday evening and delivered an I'D.
dress on the relations Of tho miSnion-
aries 10 the mandarins OF the Celestial
empire. The Rev. Mr.. Gilbert Is q tall
man, with olive complexion and dense
IL black hair and eyes, 80 one can
readily believe his having masquerad'
ed in Mongolian attire in order to get
acquainted with the better classes Of
Chinese.
BY way Of Introduction to his re-
marks, Me- Reid quoted from a speech
of Congressman Geary, the author Of
the Chinese exclusion act, to the effect
that he only wished the Chinese would
retaliate by driving all the missionaries
out Of their country; that they we're in
reality anarchists, seeking to overthrow
Chinese institutions, and had no busi.
ness there. This statement Mr. Reid
repudiated vigorously. Missionaries
we're never anarchists. but in contormt'
" with the laws OF the countries they
visited they preached salvation and
sought to ameliorate the conditions OF
the people. The emperor oil China dlu
not condemn the missionaries as an
archists, but recognizing their good IN
tentions toward his people, he sane
toned aud. protected them az lar as ne
could bv edict. In this respect he had
proved himself more enlightened than
some Of the lawmakers OF this country.
The Rev. AIr. Reid explained that the
reason OF the anti-missionary riots was
that many of the maudarins, or mobiles,
who derive their rank and authority
from the emperor, are rabidly anti
foreign, and by ne9lecting to enforce
the laws the encourage the rabble in
their riotous and often murderous pro-
ceedings. Therefore, Mr.. Reid early
found II advisable to cultivate the ac'
ouaintance OF the mandarins. At first,
he said, this was difficult, stnce they
are very exclusive, aud only at treaty
ports will they hold communication
with foreigners. However, having
made some friends in this class, he
speedily gained introductionst to others,
since friendship is cardinal virtue
among the Chinese, and for the past
few years he had labored almost ex-
clusively among this class.
OF course, being educated in the reli-
gion OF Confucius, very few mandarlns
become converted to Christianity, but
by securing their favor he had been able
Loprotect the missionaries in their work
among the people.
AS an illustration Of this work the
speaker told how lie had gained foot
hold in city from which ull the miss
sionaries had been expelled. Through
his friendship with the governor Of the
province he was enabled to go there
himself in safety, and property being
purchased, there are now four FAM lies
OF missionaries living there in peace.
At last, Just before he left China, he
was enabled to meet the great premier
and practical ruler OF the empire, Ii
Hung Chang. Their conversation was
significant. The discussion, Mr.. Reid
said, had, OF course, bean upon religion.
He explained that the missionaries
were trying to reform the Chinese and
help them to lead better lives.
The premier insisted that the teach
ings OF Confucius were just as able to
do this as those Of Christianity, to
which Mr. Reid responded that they
only wanted chance to See which was
ELn ~ nrn nOtnNk fnF Unn6
"When do you expect to sail?" in.
quired the PREMIER with a peculiar
"Bythe next steamer" was Mr.. Reds
"WelI, you needn't come back. " said
tho minister. "You had better stay tn
the United States and see II yon cannot
reform your own people so that they will
treat our Chinese laborers better"
Mr.. Reid intends to 60 back, but he
hopes that in the meantime the Geary
law will be repealed SO that the rebuke
of the Chinese premier may no longer
be nerited.