The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-14

A large attendance filled the chapel
of United church yesterday afternoon
at the November meeting of the New
Haven branch of the Woman's Board
of Missions.
The feature of the meeting was the
address delivered by Miss Mary E. An
drews, who has recently returned from
the scene of the Boxer uprising in
China, Miss Daggett in a short and
feeling address introduced Miss An
dreWs, who for more than thirty years
has represented the New Haven branch
as one of the most devoted missionaries
in the China field Miss Andrews
spoke in part as follows:
wherever I am asked to speak in
America L feel that have a mission to
deliver, as I now do to you. 1t is q
message of prayers that are answered
and promises fulfilled of the Lord. In
the midst of our sufferings in China
we knew little how the eyes of the
world were turned unon us, or that
prayers were ascending from all Chris
tendon that we might be kept safe,
except through the providence of God
that did preserve us
Some of the most remarkable an
swers to prayers came in the way we
were able to keep our native Christians
with us. 1t was through them that we
got our first news that the Boxers had
risen in earnest. But SO many rumors
had come of the Boxers that we had
ceased to regard them, and when final
| ly, in spite of repeated warnings, we
learned of the burning and the driving
out Of Christians in surrounding viii
lagos we were found unprepared The
Boxers offered to spare the lives and
property of those native Christians who
would renounce their adopted religion,
but in spite of many of them martyred
and all of them bereft of their goods,
they chung to the faith.
"On the 7th of June the storm burst.
Three villages were plundered and de-
stroyed by fire. The officials of the
town tried to protect U.S. but in vain.
The national soldiers who arrived took
sides with the Boxers. Our only course
was to leave the scene of our long
years of prayerful struggle and accom-
plishment, and turn sorTowfully toward
Pefin. We left our schools and col
lege, theological hospital dispensary,
our new church and chapel and most of
all the helpless native Christians. This
cut us most to heart, leaving them as
we must to certain martyrdom, but we
Were relieved when we discovered that
many of them had gathered together
their little all and were following us
up to Pel1in. This, too, was a special
providence, for without these devoted
followers we should never have been
able to- maintain our Notifications dur
ing the siege.
1--WE started for Pekin under the |
guard of a handful of American ma !
rines which Minister Conger was able 1,
to dispatch to us. Within three days !
after we left our house it was destroy /
ed. Hardly had we left when the Box I
ers began their work of murder and pill
lage of the native Christians. Except [
for these faithful souls all the work of /
weary years was undone. OF our college I
ard schools and other buildings not
one stone was left upon another.
Once within the walls of the town
we repaired to the largest church in
Pekin, which we converted into a reg
ular fort. The walls were fortified and |
In the miner courts We're strung pieces
Of barbed wire and trenches were dug
filed with pointed stakes. Everyone
turned out for this work, the native
their preachers and teachers
and the coolies doing efficient work.
The Boxers waited nearly two weeks
before beginning operations on the
town, until a certain day should ar
rive when their gods would overpower
The spirit which guarded the town. This
of the Boxers also protect
ID us during the siege, when the great
er part of their shells flew over and not
INTO the town, aimed at the great white
1ings which foated above us and
made us invulnerable.
eve We're ordered by the government
officials to prepare to go under escort
o Tien Tsin. 1t was while on his way '
% negotiate in this matter that the
German minister was set upon by Chi {
lese soldiers and murdered. So, with {
we'll founded suspicious of treachery, it ]
vas decided among the legations that {
We should remain in Pekin. Just
lcross from the English legation we
Yer correspondent, and Mr.. James, |
the Catholic refugees who J
lad come to Pekin. They received our ]
native Christians Hospitality, while we
vent on to the American legation.
Winding our quarters there too small, ]
We returned to the English legation,
where we We're to make our abode dur l
ng the stress of the next two months"
Miss Andrews continued with the re- l
ation of her experience withon the
walls, how under the providence of God
hey found a great granary which sup |
lied them with breadstuff how they {
we're blessed with wells of pure water }
nd We're supplied with flesh of horses e
nd mules. TO fortify the town every !
valuable stitch of cloth in the town !
fas seWed into sandbags. The noise
{ the firing was constant. Shot and II
hell fell all about them, and the bull '
It's found their way into the sleeping >
ooms. The men going to and from /
mong the legations were constantly y
xposed. There were mines and coun- o
ermines. yet not a single missionary :
'as killed Through the heat of sum- y
Ter and in one of the filthiest cities in
le world they We're kept from pesti