The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-09
wu Ting Fang. address.

The Chinese minister followed. lie saio'
TT is a mistake to think that China has
been stationary. Compare China OF tne
present day with China of fifty years ago.
and the progress she has MADE viii be at
once apparent. Though China may not
Western point OF view in times past, there
are signs everywhere at the present day IN
dicative OF a general awakening among the
people The most important questions with
which the Chinese government has 10 deal
arise from the spirit of commercialism ana
the spirit OF proselytism. In all the treaues
which China has concluded with Western
powers, there is an article generally known
as the federation Clause. This article
provides In effect that Christianity lncut-
Gates the practice OF virtue, and that those
protesting or teaching ii should not be
hafassed OF Perseeuted Inns hn.d app4hreInuxy hIrsy
to further the cause of Christianity In
China. Ii must be borne in mind that this
Official recognition of Christianity was first
obtained from her after disastrous war.
The clause was doubt inserted with the
best OF intentions. But IL had the apparent
effect of exciting in the native mind the
unfounded suspicion that deep-laid politi-
cal object was intended under the cover or
relislon Inc provision Itss 81 ,,'.rS va Tzray e,
power are all protected under the general
provisions which apply equally 10 mission
occurring I'm China have arisen from riots
against missionaries. Hence II has been
said by some foreigners in China that. with
out missionaries, China would nave no Tor
elgn complications. j am not In position
to affirm or deny this.
But let US put the shoe on the other foot.
and suppose that confucian missionaries
were sent by the Chinese 70 foreign lands.
with the avowed purpose OF gaining prose-
lytes and that these missionaries establish
themselves in New York. Philadelphia, san
Francisco and other cities, and that they
built temples held public meetings and
opened schools. IL would not be strange II
they should gather around them crowd OF
men. women and children OF all classes and
conditions. IL they were TO begin their work
by making vehement attacks on the doctrines
OF Christianity. denouncins the cherished In
stitutons OF the country, or going out or
their way TO ridscule the fashions OF the
day and perhaps giving a learned discourse
on the evl effects OF corSets on the general
health OF American women, il Is most likely
and rotten eggs for their pains
WHAT MIGHT RESULT.
What would be the consequence n. In
stead OF taking hostile demonstrations OF
this character philosophicaIly. they should
lose their temper. call in the aid of the po-
lice. and report the case TO the government
at Washington for official interference? I
verify believe that such action would render
the missionaries 30 obnoxious 10 the Amer
ican people TO put an end TO their USE
fulness, and that the American government
would cause a law TO be enacted against
them as public nutances. Can IL be won-
dered at then. that now and then we hear
OF riots occurring against missionaries I'm
China. Notwithstanding Tire precautionary
measures taken by the local authorities TO