Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-15
PROSECUTIONS N CHINA,

The American Bible Society claims 10
b. In receipt OF information 90 tho ef-
feet that. nu "a result Of the revolution
in china. whereby the Empress
uuwuror assumed control Of AFFAIRS, a
persecution against missionaries was
started in various parts NJ tho empire.
The story ls told OF two Bible colpor-
tcurs So ho were seized. bound and tcrri-
bly houten.
Tho agents Of the Bible Society, Il h
uudrrtood. will cndcavor TO obtain re-
dress from the mandarlna Of the dis
ttict where this occurred. Whether tho
AID NJ the United States government
viii be sought, b. not stated. but With
out such aid redress viii be difficult
n not impossible. 10 obtain.
II 10 doplornhlo that the civilization
Of tho Chinese empire. after 20 many
yeats OF persistent efforts. has not pro-
ccCded % FAR that religious liberation
~ more general than u iA But the
agents OF the Blble society should not
fudge rlch outbreaks Of race hatred
ana religious biEotry too harahly. as
long os there are enough of these roles
of nn iEuorant age In our own. 20 highly
favored country. The book they cir
cuintc has severe rcbukc Tor those
that iudsc others. For wherein thou
iudgest another thou condomncut thy
self, Tor thou that iudgcst docst the
same things"
Il is not 70 very long ago since the
la
accounts OF threats and actual violence
ln some sections, against Mormon"
Elders. Tor no other reason than their
proclamation OF the truth. as they have
rcrn given 10 zee H. n this can take
place in "a country where the citizens
are guaranteed religious liberty by
law. " o. not strange that prosecutions
can occur in the pagan world.
The christian" missionaries In
china arc the Victims OF miarcprcacntn-
uoi,r wen calculated TO arouse popular
piejudic, against them. one story ok
touEvuly circulated and believed by the
ignorant MASSES is. that tho mission
aries 60 about stealing children. and
undoubtedly this IMPORT. though false.
u supported by plausible evidence. dis
tortcd and tcpcatcd until Il has be-
come as current 40 truth. The meth
ODDS b. which the flames of persecution
IN the pagan world are kindlud, are not
essentially different from those en-
ployed tor the same purpose In Chris
tendon. by pulpit ana press.
Those Interested In missionary efforts
should first do some missionary work
nt home Ia the interest OF religious
liberation How much more effective
would their efforts be-, especially among
the educated pagana, II they could point
TO the results or their teachings at
home na o confirmation OF their doc
trlncsl The discrepancy between theory
and practice 10 the great stumbling
block 10 tho progress OF modern Chris
uanity. Al pagans are not Hlmplotons.
Many OF them know. nrurnuyoly
speaking the difference between gold
brick and the genuino article. Japan.
az nrst anxiouH TO accept the. 20 that
country new religion. ia now turning
O. deaf ear 20 the teachings Of lu Voc
tnries, chiefly because Go people have
noon with their own eyes what so-cllled
Christian countries are. IL is tho aame
experience everywhere OF course the
no-cmlod Christian civilization 81 max.
Ing prugresA People are slowly learn
ing the ways Of the great nations OF the
world thry oro learning TO live. travel,
curse drink aln, aud mako war. 90
"chriauiua' do. but religion is not
making much prlgroas, and this la bs-
yond doubt due Go the fuct that thore
To- Zoo much difference between theory
ana practice whore the fruits OF the 70.
lFlon OF Jcsus-'poaco. JOY, and
rlehtcouaneas'-uhould DO most Ia oyi-
dgnoe,