The Topeka state journal., 1900-07-23
POLITICAL MISSIONARIES.
Largely Responsible For the Chinese
Situation.


New York, July 2s-Rev. DR.. "A.
Woodruff Halsey, secretary of the Pres
byterian board of foreign missions,
speaking of the Chinese situation, said:
THE missionary has had his share in
fomenting this trouble and must bear
his share of the blame. Some Of the
missionaries have been politicians as
well as Christians, and their grasping,
selfish attitude has helped to bring
about the present condition.
Very significant is the attitude of
the Chinese toward the Roman Catholic
missionaries. I know of many Roman
Catholics who have done really good
work. But it is true, unfortunately,
that the whole Roman Catholic propa-
ganda is political as well as religious
This has been prominently exemplified
only recently in the Philippines, where
all the influence of that great church of
the ages was used for self-aggrandize-
ment- So it is in Peru, Chilli, and Bra
zil. Their missions are simply mon
asterieS of the middle ages over again.
I'm China the Roman Catholics have
suffered first because they meddled
with Chinese politics You would not
tolerate a band of Chinese missionaries
coming to New York and preaching
Confucianism and meddling with the
government.
Il point this out because want you
to understand that there are two ideas
to this question. OF the 1874 Presbyte-
rian missionaries who were in the dan
gerous zone, all but 10 are now in places
of safety Notwithstanding the great
commotion, the persecution has not
been directed primarily against the
PrOteStants, because as a rule they do
their work as peaceable servants OF
Christ.
I'VE have now 1000 missionaries in
China, 1,50O schools and 124 hospitals
and dispensaries, at which latter last
year were treated 100000 persons. You
cannot go through a village in China
without meeting some one who has been
blessed by the Christian church,
Rev. Robert S. Macarthur, preaching
in Calvary Baptist church last night, on
the subject why Do the Heather
Rage?' said:
1.-THE heather are raging, that is GER
tain. China amazes the world. Five
years ago Japan alone annihilated her
army and navy. Now she def1eS all the
European nations. China has been call
ed the riddle Of the world; the jest of all
nations.
Doubtless some missionaries are
largely responsible for the present up
rising in China. All the missionaries
who refrain from civil functions and
confine themselves simply to preaching |
the gospel are not responsible for these |
upriSings. They follow the American
idea of separation of church and state. |
They do not interfere between their |
converts and the Chinese authorities.
il authority with their religious instruc-
ton are partly responsible for the con- |
dition of things in China. More than |
300 years ago in Japan the Roman
church prosecuted the Japanese who |
refused to accept their doctrine. At !
this moment similar things are at work |
in China. Bishops of theirs have titles |
which excite the jealousy of the Chi |
nese.
Some missionaries actually sit as |
justices in civil cases and impose fines |
and other temporal penalties. They |
surorund themselves with all the dig |
nifty of kingly rulers. and the native |
heathens do not distinguish between the |
ecclesiastical and civil rule. The result |
is an anti-foreign feeling. An anti-for- |
eign spirit has been developed and no |
made upon the missionaries who have |
assumed to exercise civil power.
Il was in China five years ago this |
month, and many OF the conditions |
examined on the spot. I also have the |
testimony of missionaries on the ground |
at this moment. They declare the bish-
ops secure the release of their converts /
when brought before the courts and |
that the authority of the French consul |
is often invoked to emphasize the de-
mandS of the priests and bishops.
1.-THE same thing is going on in the |
Philippines at the present time These
things lead to uprisings. The war with
Japan put an end for a time to a con-
templated uprising of the boxers. Only
simply to their religious duties can do
any good. Those who do not only pro-
woke uprisings on the part of the jeal-
Gus ASiatic.
Nothing is clearer than that it is the
duty of the United States government to
protect the lives and property of it's
citizens. Great Britain has invoked the
admiration of the whole world because
of her army and navy and is ready to
protect her citizens with them.'