The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-22
REASON so LITTLE IS HEARD OF
THEM, THEY ARE ALL
FOREIGNERS
ONE ONLY IS AN AMERICAN
They Enjoy Special Privileges From
the Chinese Government, Yet
Some of Them Have
Been Tortured.

|
troublesome times In the East is because
very few if any of the Catholic mission
aries in China are Americans, but are
sent from the European countries. Con-
sequently, as there are many American
| Protestant missionaries, the interest in
this country naturally centers around the
welfare Of those more closely identified
with our home life. But that there are
many Catholic missionaries in the Flow
cry Kingdom statistics received by the
| Washington Post during the week from
the Jesuit Fathers Of ST. Francis Xavier's
! church, In West Sixteenth street, Man
| haitian, and the Lazarist Fathers, of st.
| Johns seminary, Lewis and Willoughby
avenues, this borough, show conclusiyely.
| Members of both these orders of mis-
| sionary priests, as well as several other
! religious orders, are and have been en-
| gagged In teaching the Christian religion
| to the Chinese for several centuries. AS
| far as known, however. there is only one
| American priest engaged in missionary
| work in China at the present time He is
the Rev. Father L. Hornsby, S. j., of st.
Louis. Mo, who is at Zi-Kawei, below
Shanghai It has been stated that the
Rev c. Kennedy, who Is also engaged
in missionary work in China, is an Ameri-
can, but this is not so, as he was born in
| Ireland. The priests brother, however,
is in this country and thus the confusion
has arisen.
The statistics at hand are taken from
the Messenger of the Sacred Heart and
the Pilgrim Of Our Lady of Martyrs, two
monthly religious magazines published by
the Jesuits. A list of stations, with resi-
dent priests and institutions supported
| and conducted under the direction of the
Lazarist Fathers has been supplied by
the latter priests. The reports were the
| last compiled from the official ''Missiones
Catholicae," issued by the Propaganda
at Rome, and represent the state of the
Catholic missions in the Chinese empire
| at the beginning Of the year 1898. These
reports give the number of native Cath
! olics as 532j 448; churches and chapels,
| $780, European missioners, 759; native
! Chinese priests, 400, total of 1,16S priests.
| There were besides ISIS schools under
] the direction of the priests, and 40 semi
naries for the training of young men for
! the priesthood
| The figures above quoted, however, are
! said to be far below the condition of the
| Catholic church in China, universally, at
the present time. Since the compiling of
/ these statistics the Catholic bishops have
I received an official standing in the Chi
nese government and rank as viceroys.
/ This has greatly increased the mission
| er's influence with the natives, and it is
| stated by those who are in a position to
know that the Catholic population has
! more than doubled during these three
years, and Is now figured at over q mil
I lion In Of Ioe- Hoa h IL,
crease that in letters received recently
! from the missions 1t was stated that
there was field enough among the new
| converts to the faith for at least 800 more
priests.
Although the Catholic missionaries and
native Catholics have suffered persecu-
| ton for many years, particularly since
1897, from the enemies of Christianity,
the most pleasant relations have existed
between the emperor and Pope Leo XIII.
and the Catholics in general This is
shown by the very gracious greeting
which the Chinese emperor sent to the
pope on the occasion of his ninetieth
| birthday, and also III his action in be-
slowing the rank of vice1oy on the vi
cars apostolic of the church In his king
dom. This latter honor, it is said, was
secured to the Catholic representa- tives
partly through the intercession of the
French government but at the request Of
the bishop, so that they might have a
standing by which they could personally
deal with the Chinese representatives In
the various provinces, OF which they
would otherwise be deprived, thereby do
ing away with the necessity of appealing
to the representatives of the foreign gov
ernments whenever interference with
duties by their enemies compelled them
TO seek aid. This concession, however, to
the Catholics may, 1t is said. have
4i1 T. Al Two
fanatics.
The decree of the emperor giving the
| distinction of viceroys to the Catholic
prelats, which appears in the August
number of the Messenger of the Sacred
Heart, Is as follows:
The imperial government having for 2
long time authorized the propagation OF
the Catholic religion, and Catholic church
es having, in consequence. been establish
ed in all the provinces of China, we ara
DESTROYS to see our people and CHRISTIANS
live in harmony; to insure reader pro-
lection, 1t has been agreed that the local
authorities shall exchange visits with mis-
sionaries according to the conditions spec
fed in the following articles:
First-In the ecclesiastical hierarchy
bishops shall be entitled to the same rank
ard dignity as viceroyS and governors
and shall be privileged to interview vice
roys and governors In case a bishop is
called away or dies, the priest In charge
shall be privileged to interview the vice
roy ana governor. Wears general ano
archpriests shall be privileged tn In
terview provincial treasurers and judges
as we'll as intendants Other priests shall
be privileged to interview projects Of the
first and second class; projects independ
ent, subprefects and other functionaries
Nfceroys, governors, provincial treasur
ers AMI judges, intendants, projects Of
the first and second class, projects indie
pendent, subprefects and others SHALL OF
course, return courtesies, each according
to his rank.
Second-Bishops shall make q list Of the
fairs and authorities, giving their names
and locations of their missions. This lis
shall be sent to the viceroy or governor
who will direct under officials to receive
them conformably to this regulation
priests reque sting an interview with tn
pointed to take charge of affairs, Shout.
be European. If however, European
priest be not converSant with the Chimes
Language, he may be accompanied by
Chinese priest acting as interpreter.)
Third-It would be useless for bishop,
living away from cities to visit the pro
vincial capital for the purpose Of befns
received by the viceroy or the goyernoi
# they. have no business on hand A
the installation of new viceroy or gov
or upon any occasion of ceremony, a!
New Years day and the principal feasts
bishops shall be privileged to write pri
. vate letters to the viceroys and gov
ernors, at the same time, inclosing thei
cards Viceroys and governors shall re
turn the courtesy Before leaving o
! upon arrival. other priests shall, provid
ed they have a letter from their bishoD
be privileged to interview proyfncia
treasurers and judges, intendents, pre-
fects Of the first and second class, pre-
fects independent. subprefects and othe
| funct1OnarieS according tn their oooJaof