The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-23
WORK n FAR AUAI IH|B[T.
Trials Of the Christian Missionary
Are Numerous.
DANGERS HOVER AROUND HIM.
AFTER Three Ysars' Labor, Chris
tianity Has Practically Gained
/. No roothold-Thoss Engaged I'm
the Cause Travel Only when
Acconpanied ~ an Escort Of
CAinese soldiers-How Started.


The Incubation Of the Christian religion
IN heather lands Is fraught with many
hardships privations and trials The name
missionary often Implies more than the
average layman Is at first thought prone
to accept. 1t is only that class Of workers
IN the cause Of Christ who have spent an
allotted apprenticeship in the land Of the
barbarian that has full appreciation Of
the labor and Its attendant dangers Of dis
case and assault.
Among the fast increasing numbers
who have given up home and its comforts
for service In spreading the Christian re-
aigion in semi-civilixed and pagan lands, Is
w. w. Simpson, Of the Christian Mission
ary Alliance, Of New York. who on Thurs
day last returned from a seven years
service in China and Thibet. In 1899 Mr..
Simpson was a young man who had just
finished his theological course. He sought
and obtained work with the alliance, and
IN few months was assigned to a sta
ton at Picking. China, there to prepare
himself for work among the ThIbetans,
people OF the Buddhist faith and customs.
Only on one occasion before had the field
BEEN invaded by missionary, and then
without result. In 1892 lady missionary
In the service of the alliance arrived at
Taocheo. With the courage OF her con-
victions she started into the interior and
opened up a mission about 100 miles west
Of the chinese border. She had only fairly
started, however. when the natives and
Mohammedans showed a warlike spirit
Their demonstrations became so bolster
GUS that, fearing trouble. the Chinese au-
thorities conducted her to the province Of
Ehensi. in China. and the work in Thibet
was abandoned. 4,
Il was with a fun knowledge Of the
dangerous country In which his work lay
that Mr.. Simpson In 1888 arrived In Picking.
China, and began preparations for the la
bors that more than once placed his life In
danger. The story Is best told in his own
words:
First Missionary Work.
my first work was to learn the Chinese
language" he said yesterday at the
Northern hotel. This was necessary, as
Thibet Is under Chinese rule. and in that
land are many Cinnamon, through whom
we were aware we must first work. After
year and half preaching the Gospel in
China and studying, / had mastered 1t suf-
ficiently to begin my labors. and in April,
1895. arrived at the town Of Taocheo on
the Western China border. where head
quarters were established.
'sThen found the people composed OF
Mohammedans, Chinese and Thibetans.
While had learned to read the Thibetan
language in China found an entirely diff
80 had to begin all over again. So It was
that entered a monastery at Taocheo and
was retaught the Thibetan language, as
spoken by the Lamas.
AFTER leaving this institution my first
work was to get acquainted and find an
opening to work among the people. This
| did through the Chinese officials. in
troduced myself to the captain. and he.
calling up a leader of one OF the clans of
Thibet. introduced me to him. This man
was then known as my friend and to the
Chinese authorities he was personally re-
sponsible for my safety.
working Through ssTriends.-
''This friend then introduced me to- his
clan, explaining that harm must not be-
fall me, and so 1t was that in the begin
ming was afforded the privilege Of travel
ssThe Thibetans, when you are so pre-
scented, and so long as you are in the GUS
tody Of your friend are very hospitable,
but as soon as he lets go of you. then you
are placed in exactly the opposite posi-
zion.
II first began work in tent near Tao
Chico, and close to the Chinese fortlfica-
ton. AS the men of the village came in
I treated them to cup OF tea with but
ter In 1t and some barley flour dough.
held them in conversation sang to them.
pleased them, and when found one suff-
GENTLY interested, who could read, pre-
scented him with tracts, printed In Thbet-
an. explained the faults and failures Of
w. "A
first they were interested as a child with
\ q play toy. Then the priests. who at first
were attentive listeners, began to grow
wary. They at first cautioned the people,
and then when they began to realize the
Influences of Christianity, forbade under
threats of dire punishment. the people to
learn or believe in the gospel Of Christ.
Then began open hostities to missionaries.
in 1898 we had established two missions.
One was attacked by an armed party and
destroyed, as told you yesterday, but
the. other, a few miles from Taocheo, Is
''The destroyed mission will probably
never be rebuilt The priests of the clans
about it, site have have, We, worked up such an
too great. I might say a hostile feeling to
our work prevails throughout all Tibet.
and after three years hard labor We can
look back and see no converts and but
one native at all interested. There are
now five missionaries in the field there,
and they will continue on until the gospel
religion has secured a foothold.
Dangers of the Work.
Eyes, there are many dangers at all times
about missionaries in Thibet. When we
wish to travel we notify the Chinese off,
Gals who usually furnish us with an es-
cort of soldiers Sufficiently strong TO in
sure our safety. When these cannot be
furnished we dare not venture far away
from the barracks
.The constant theme about the mission
is Buddhism, its degrading morals. under
which the Thibetans have been raised We
try to point these out to the ignorant mass
es. and If they could once free themselves
from the influences of the priests our work
would be much easier and We would make
better progress.
ION the border they have adopted the
Chinese custom OF foot-binding, which we
have vigorously opposed, and which sew
eraI tinaes has threatened us with trouble.
We have also tried to inculcate into them
that woman was not born for slave, but
they are told by the priests that we are
trying to make women rulers over them.
This is so foreign to their ideas of woman
that our work SO far has been without ef-
feet.
"Many of them, however, are trying to