The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-04
kAH0ysTAsS Of CHINA.
Their Relations with the Government
Have Been Generally Harmonious.


Have Been Generally Harmonious.
From the New York Tribune
II there Is truth In the report that comes
from China to the effect that the Ma hom-
etans are resisting the Boxers the Chris
tian forces have received allies worth
having. The Maa0metans In China num-
Der in all probability q. 600 10 or 5000 0'0
These figures are not, OF course. exact.
but they are doubtless well within the
truth. The provinces OF the north and
west are full of the followers Of tie
prophet. In SZeehuen they form nearly
one-third Of the population. and In Pekin
Itself there are more than t00Oo Of them.
Mosques are To be found all over the en-
pire. Canton has as many as four. al
though the city is not A Mahometan dis-
trict
Tradition has II that MahOmets uncle
introduced the religion. and that his name
was Nos kasSin. Mahometans give a.
evidence OF the truth Of this story the
tomb OF the missionary. which Is just out-
side OF Canton However the faith Nas
introduced. IL must have been very nearly
az the time OF It's foundation. and il has
nourtshed ever since. Conversion has been
slow, but there have been no sathacts.
and the religion has never been perseelt-
ed In any way. Ii is not In the nature u
the Chinese 10 seek to stamp out any
falth that may be preached I'm the en-
pire. To the ordinary middle or lover
class Chinaman religion Is thing apart
II certain men like TO indulge In sIecula-
lion and philosophy. he has no objection
as long as they let him alone to worshiD
MS ancestors In peace. He would never
nave become incensed against Christians
ity mad there been less truth I'm The prov
tfb, FIRST tne missionary. then the con-
SUI 30 Mahometanism was free 20 work
as II chose. Ii offered 10 the thinking
Cninaman religion better than that I'm
@hISh ne had been reared. and from such
men recruits were drawn. The state re-
llglon mas not been I'm the least influenced
ny the le1ehlngs Of the Mahometans
Pork Is the chief meat Of the people and
they will eat il forever while the causa
OF toial abstinence from wine is not likely
70 draw supporters In country where
drunkenness is practically unknown.
one concession has been made 10 Chi
nese custom. In every mosque Is a tab
let inscribed, May the Emperor live
forever Those who attend the mosque
are supposed TO worship this tablet As
me doctrine of one God, who alone
should be wOrshiped, Is openly proclaimed
by the Mahometans. they are driven 20
the device OF inscribing the prophets
name on the reverse side. as some pal
ildtIOh OF tne OHense- IL Is doubtful II
the tablet Is ever really wOfshiped II
serves merely as a convenient proof OF
loyalty 10 the reigning house. The form
OF worship used is that ordinarily in use
among MahOmetans. but the Koran is IN
lntelligibe 10 them, as strict law forbrs
IT'S translation and, Of course few
Cinnamon ever think Of learning Arabic.
Pilgrimages 10 Mecca. however are NOT
unknown, and are of increasing fire.
quency.
More than once the government and the
hahometans have been on bad terms.
but this has been for political, rather
than FOR religious reasons The Ma
hometans became so numerous In many
towns that they wished Ia take the gov
ernment Into their own hands, and in
this attempt have been opposed by the
imperial authorities. For the last du4r-
ter OF a century relations between tie
two parties have been with one excep-
ton. harmonious. Followers Of the
prophet are allowed 10 nod Office With
out prejudice, and are IN every respect
well treated. The holding Of Office en-
tails the performance Of certain acts e.-
Joined by the state religion. which. oi
course. Is that Of Confucius. bus they are
not such that a MahOmetan may not
perform them conscientiOusly- In fact
the harmony existing between the gov
ernment and the followers OF MahOmet
would seem to suggest the thought that
Christians must have been somewhat
tactless 10 arouse such general resentment
against the religion of Christ