The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-14
MILLIONS ASKED TO RESTORE THE
GREAT Loss WROUGHT BY BOXERS
Appeals Made for Funds-Forrnal Notification Of
the Week of Prayer-NeW American Car
dina - With Pulpit and Pew.
tWrittea Tor the Times.

NEW YORK. October 13,-gsll churches
of all religious bodies are receiving this
week a formal notification from the Rev
Or. r. p Mackay, of Toronto, represen-
11iiYe of the joint committee of the rec mt
conference of missionary societies, re.a-
tive TO the week of prayer for missions,
TO begin October 2Sth. Many churches
have already planned to observe the week,
but the Rsy. DIR. NackaS's call urges
also the making of offerings Tor the pur-
pose of rebuilding destroyed churches in
many parts Of China. It is now. estimated
that the value of the property destroyed
will reach: Roman Catholic. SI2,'10.tft
and Protestant. sG,001oGa. Demands Tor
decentralization viii not. It is said. attain
to such big figures, and even if they dlo
il viii be a long time before indemnity
money IS received.
Accompanying the call to the churches
is u formal but Interesting statement pre-
scented by eight China missionaries, All
men who have been there for years.
They represent every part of China, ana
are. perhaps, as we'll qualified TO speak
g conditions-past, present, and future
as any eight that could be chosen. Here
are points from their formal statement
to the churches Of America and Canada:
missionaries are charged with BRING
ing on the late violent outbreak by
imprudent assaults on the Chinese reiis-
ions. by forcing on the people new and
unwelcome religion. and By taking advan-
tage of the natives in legal and financial
matters. Speaking for all Protestant
missions, we solemniy declare this charge
TO be untrue. The three parties in the
outbreak Were the Dowager Empress, the
Boxers. and the common people. The
Empress was actuated by an intense
hatred Of foreigners and reform. The
old corruption suits her and hcr coun-
sellers The second were in ii for plum
der. and perhaps other sinister purposes.
The common people We're not actuated by
hatred of the Christian religion, nor by
hatred Of the missionary as such.
RACE HATRED.
we believe the common people to have
been inpelied by two rlotiyes-race
hatred, which is developed to un unusual
degree among Chinese, and apprehension
for the loss of territory and occupation.
So far as race hatred is concerned, the
missionary has ever been on the side
of its mitigation. AS for apprehension,
the missionary cannot justly a5e accused
of anything, except as he is (wflether he
wills or not) the forerunner Of machinery,
commerce. and oth&r component parts of
Christian civilization These things com
ing in, all good and helpful, but not yet
recognized by the natives as such. menace
the means of livelihood TO millions. Add
to this the sight CT successive seizures
of terTitory-Hong Kong, Tong-king,
Tsn-tau. Port Arthur, Wei-lIai-Wei, and
the long-discussed spheres of influence.
"1.et no ore regard the present inter
ruption to missions as permanent. The
work will go on with increasing power,
1ustifying the assertion taat China is still
the crardeIst mission field on earth. No
caste prejudice or state hierarchy array
themselves against Gospel effort. The
vast mass of the people reside in villages
and are easily accessible. Many Imperial
cdicts have Teen published affording the
rights of missionaries 10 preach. and OH
Gals have been many time instructed TO
afford all needful protection 10 churches
Idolatry is utterly powerless, nnorganized
as it is, against the persistent, aggressive,
and organized attacks Of Christianity.
Converts have been made from al classes,
including many scholars OF high literary
attainment
THE Reform party in China originated
with men who acquired a TASTE for true
learning through publications and teach
ings of the missionaries. hundreds of
thousands Of books and tracts have been
sold, covering not alone religious topics.
but the moral and sociological literature OF
the Western nations. Hundreds OF church.
es. chaDels. schools and scores of nospi-
tails have been established. and more than
one hundred thousand communicates and
hali a n1ilIlG0 3QAefentS are pin3i tiat
our labor has not been IN vain The
Chinese, thoroughly turned from their old
ways, become peculiarly tenacious in their
grasp of truth. and have given 10 the
world ample proof of their willingness to
die for their faith They are idoiaters
through ignorance. Once convinced OF the
folly of idol worship, they will give moth
Ing TO its support. and the hundreds OF
millions annually thus wasted SO into
Christian channels.
NATIVE PREACHERS
s.The work OF covering a mighty nation
like China must be accomplished chiefly
through native preachers, and here the
outlook is peculiarly encouraging. China
has tens of thousands of scholars in every
province Who are thoroughly trained in
their own classics. and The most influen-
fial body Of men in the empire MANY of
these men have been reached and are
doing excellent work as teachers and
preachers The Chinese are among the
most Industrious, economical and peacea-
Bile peoples on earth Under righteous Of
ficiaIs they would be most easily governed.
Such officials are the product Of a Chris
tja1l--neyer of "a l,agan--ciViliEation Con-
fucianism has made of the Chinese sta
HE people; Christianity will make them a
righteous people
every inch of the late disaster must
he retrieved. Every building DESTROYED
INNS; be rebuilt. More than mere recoY-
ery, there must be advance. The blood
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