Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-01
GRATITUDE TO CHINA
An Address to Ii Hung Chang by
Thirty Clergymen.
PROTECTION OF TIE MISSIONARIES
Violence Never Connived at and
- Often Prevented.
THE AMBASSADORS REPLY

NEW YORK. September LII Hung
Chang was presented with an address this
morning by thirty ministers representing
the Methodist Episcopal north and SOUTH.
Baptist north and soutn). Presbyterian
north and south), Congregational. Pro-
testant Episcopal and Reformed churches
These churches maintain T33 missionaries
i'll China. of which ninety-seven are med;-
cal missionaries.
The address to Earl Ii was quite long.
After reciting the fact that the American
missionaries in China have always been
granted just and even generous treatment
by the imperial government of China, and
expressing gratitude for this course, 1t
concludes:
while we send missionaries 10 China
We are not unmindful of our duty to those
OF your people who have come to our own
shores. They have in many Instances been
rudely treated by certain classes amongst
us. mostly immigrants from other lands,
but our Christian people have uniformly
shown them kindness. They have been
gathered into Sunday schools and evening
schools: their rights have been defended
In tho courts and many times have depu-
tations from missionary boards and other
benevolent societies pettioned our govern
ment in the interest of just le5isla ton for
the Chinese.
Were you to visit our Pacific coast you
would observe with interest the homes and
refugees which. with the cooperation of
the Chinese consul general. the Christian
women of that coast have provided for I'M
fortunate Chinese girls, who have been
sold into the most debasing slavery. We
believe that all these best impulses of phil
anthropy which lead our people to forget
all divisions of nationality a1d of race,
and to stretch out their arms in true
brotherhood to your people. whether here
or IN China. are the direct fruits of the
teachings of the divine founder of Chris
tianity Having. through the influence of
the Christian faith. received so rich an in
heritanCe of blessing. We feel constrained
IN gratitude to God to regard ourselves as
debtors to all men. For this reason we
strive to proclaim to all lands the knowl-
edge OF our divine teacher and only Savior,
Jesus Christ
The AmbassadOr's RenpOnse.
The ambassador responded at once as
follows:
"Gentlemen: 1t affords me great plea sure
to acknowledge the grateful welcome to this
country offered to me by you az the repre-
sentatives Of the various boards and So
cieties who have engaged in China in eX-
changing our ideas of the greatest Of all
truths which concern the immortal des-
TIMES Of men.
In The name of my august master, the
Emperor Of China. 1 beg to tender to YOU
ms pest thanks for your approval and ap-
probation Tor the protection afforded to
the American missionaries in China What
We have done and how little We have done
en- our part is nothing but the duties of
our government: while the missionaries as
sought for peeuniary gains at the hands of
our people. They have not been secret
emssaries of diplomatic schemes. Their la.
bors have no political significance, and the
last. but not least. if l might be permitted
TO add. they have not interfered with or
usurped the rights of the territorial all-
thorities.
I'm philosophical point of view, as far
as l have been able to appreciate Chris
tianity does not differ far from Confuc.an-
ISM as the golden rule is expressed in a
positive form in one, while it Is expressed
in the negative form in the other. Logi-
cally speaking. whether these two forms
of expressing the same truth cover exactly
the same ground or not / leave to the in
vestigation OF those who have more philo-
sCphcal tastes.
1t is. at the present, enough to con
cluce that there exists not much difference
between the wise saying of the two great
est teachers. on the foundations of which
the whole structure of the two systems Of
morals is built.
AS for the material part Of our consti-
tuition, your societies have started hos-
pitfalls and dispensaries to save not only
the souls but also the bodies of our coun-
trymen. / have also to add that in the
time of famine in some of the provinces
you have done your best to the greatest
number of the sufferers to keep their bodies
and souls together.
Before bring my reply to a conclusion
L have only two things to mention The
first. the opium smoking, being the great
est curse to the Chinese population your
societies have tried your best To eradicate
and to stop the craving for the opium.
Il have to tender. in my own name. my
best thanks for your most effective prayers
to God to spare my life when it was i'm
periled by the assassin's bullet, and for
your most kind wishes you have just now
ably expressed in the interests Of my
sovereign, my country and people,
At the close of the formal address, the
ambassador engaged in conversation with
those present. asking many questions. He
Is suffering from a slight cold which he
caught several days ago.
Other Callers.
After the representatives of the mission
airy societies left, a number Of the callers
were admitted to the viceroys presence
Among these were Coils p Huntington,
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Lauterbach. the
Rev. DR.. Inglehart and Col. John J. Nc
Cook and q party of ladies'.
Mr.. Huntington came to invite the vice
roy to go to the Pacific coast over the
Southern Pacific railway. and he rendered
the use of his own private car. The vice.
roy said that he regretted that he could not
accept Mr.. HLntingtons invitation, but the
route for his return had been laid out by
the Chinese government before he came to
America.
There was, however. a very interesting
conversation between the viceroy and Mr.
Huntington, which may possibly have i'm
portant results in the future.
The ambassador questioned tine railroad
nlagnate regarding railroad matters and
also about Pacific steamship affairs. He
tried to impress the American with the OPP
portunities offering in China for developing
the country through the construction of
railways there. and pressed Mr.. Hunting
ton to pay visit to China and to become
his guest there.
At O'Clock Earl Ii was the guest Of the
Merchants Club at luncheon.
TOOK HIS NAME IN SIBERIA.
Fannie SchwfetchnekOR Applies for