The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-17

YoSCerOay LOU k11S experiences
to Congregations of Second and
Green Ridge Presbyterian Church.
es-He Says That Horrible as
Were the Chinese Atrocities There
Was Great Provocation for Them.
Rev. Courtney Fem. of West Pitts
ton. who was one of the missionaries
in China, and went through the terrible
siege of Pekin. yesterday morning viv-
idly described his narrowing experi-
ences, at the Second Presbyterian
church. and last night at the Green
Ridge Presbyterian church.
He left Pekin with his wife, August
81. u few days after the entry of the
allied troops, and arrived at his home
on October 10. He declares that. far
from being discouraged by the result
of mission work in China, he intends
returning again to the Orient, at no
very distant day. He takes very lib
eral view of the causes leading up to
the war, and says that atrocious as
were some of the actions of the Chinese,
still there was great provocation FOR
the outbreak. He said, in part:
When the allied troops reached Pekn, Aug.
H. the chief of the British engineers made the
rounds Of the Notifications and declared that ne
found them of wondrous strength. But yet the
uc,lstion is often asked, GLOW could handful
OF men, women and children keep at bay that
strong force Of Chinese? can think ct no
better answer than tho one given at the time
itself by an English officer. who said: 'Ncvcr
't,r;u
a volume Of prayer go NJ IRON around the
entire world as for the lives OF these bcleagucrtd
people" For your part in these prayers, my
friends. ! thank YOU.
My story is wonderful manifestation of Gods
power This was first shown in the warnings
We received. First the young emperor teliev-
ing that conservatism would prove the ruin OF
China, made several important changes and IN
novations. changes which startled the outside
world, and were still more startling to the
Chinese. whcsc voneraton !cr their ancestors and
antiquity prevents any attempts at altering the
order Of things as they are. The cmperors $
attempts resulted in the dowaser empress seiz-
ng the rcins and affairs. rcvertins to the oid
order. Then came prosecutions OF the Ihristians
followed by Il temporary lull attcr which came
an edict from the dowager. one OF the strang-
est ever Issued and an awf Il bow ut rciorn
II ordered that any young man taking the eAi'n-
nations for an official position, and setting 10Th
in his essay any idea known to his forefathers
be dsbarred from competition and. moreover,
run the risk Of execution.
THE BOXERs.
And then the Boxers began iici wild career
Establish the empire and eNtcrminatc the for
cigners" is their motto. and backed by the
dowager empress, they became a most potent
factor in the crushing Of foreign power. But
....i.. tl,nt tlp
this uprising can not he entirely attributed to
religious causes. The Chinese are not far
sighted people and the SCATTERING of all their
ideals was largely instrumental in bringing on
the trouble The scxing of their forts by for
cign powers was much a shock to them as 1t
would be to Americans if the Celestials pounced
on western port and garrisoncd it to prevent
any anti-Chinesc uprising
And then what did they think about the rail-
road? The railroad running through their graVe-
yards which the Chinese reverence as the holi-
est spot on earth. the railroads cutting mp the
the country, running citrs and towns, ana
throwing out of employment thousands OF men.
The Chinese can't ahead, and behold the ul-
innate benefit. All they can see is the present
loss.
The class Of foreign devils they divided into
three grades, foreigners themselves, devils OF tile
first water; native converts, devils of the second
water; native servants, de'lls OF tlie lh'o "a.e
Tie Boxers. playing upon the credulity OF the
people at large relI'se''eu u,'i'sei,ss w. " ~
'u'he'aoie ai'u "N,'e' anu "''".,' Wv! Nv
with any reverses they were smoothly explained
to the innocent ialls by the Boxer leaders. En-
co,,raged by the empress they tore up railroad
tracks. burned railway stations and shut OFF all
means of escape. Then the foreigners with
about five hundred native converts moved into
the Methodist mission where abundant supplies
,ld oeeh s.oreu away I"e'e We "e. ''.t =. ~
TIC 'Ihe. we o"''t WHY ''''"" '''"," ~ w N''
were sa'e IRON, a''",". III, noNe .,'e.'' "S,
armed win khi'e ana s"o'u a'o'e anu anu 'iooyeu
'he rue Us io'e's" '",."'''"' l' ,'.'i,.a,
'a'l'She" thous" VIE" tme M u"'p.ese 80;
threw open t''e 'rsenu'' me noNe's n'aue .,eH
entry anu IL geherai coh''aR'".'o'' VI '"u'e"'''
hospitais ana all our p'oper'y ,'''oMeu'
"ut t'ia' was as "u"sn' " '.I o."e. u.."s "
tiat n'st h'sh'' ro''o"eu ny ''e l'"pe''"' eo-
diery ana CARRYING o'ach l's.s p'ep"'eu pe'o'e'
'hey Vistea inc ho'es Vi 'ne i''N' to"Nsit'
anu ,"''! eisn! 'e' ',"' v, w." W., -.
sacred' or carried away III trae aa.h' o"rh h'sn'
never 10 return oh June ~ al 1oie'sne'S were
oraefeu 'rol' reh'''' '"'" ~ "''' ''"' W. ne Wv
man minister "''' ~, ''e'e'ee W." Wv
,h'hese "u'hor'''eS' anu WIS ''"'.! ''"'ue'e. ~
the streets u ''f >l"eS' 'ap''' w N''.
no'ihca''oh OF 'n' oc''l was WIEN n's S","es'
interpreter erawled oach 10 n' "o""oea 10
death. .,.,..,,.,,
lNlo ihE rAhANE VI r"'NN| "''
We then moved into the British legation, ard
found accommodation nearby in the palace OF
Prince Su for the converts. We were four
thousand souls in all, and throughout that siege
managed to subsisr on the supplies we had laid
in and the more abundant ones which God sup
piled us These were found in vacant build
ings near the legation, stored with wheat and