The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-05
SIX HUNDRED CHRISTIANS
MASSACRED AT HUMAN.
Venerable Bishop and His Three Assistants Ruchered With
Native Converts by Government Troops Sent to Pro-
tect Them-Slaughter Took Place in Church.

nons. There were also nine seminaries with
40 semnarians: likewise 3l2 schools and
twenty-seven orphan asylums. During the
last year 41,2i9 pagan children were bap-
tized. There We're, In the same period. 9Os1
converts and 5322 catechumens or persons
under instruction. Twelve thousand one
hundred and seventy-five children were put
In orphan asylums or in native schools, or
i'll the hands of Christian families.
Torture of Catechfst Nan.
In another letter, which has been received
at the monastery, the writer of which is
Chen Long. an eminent Chinaman. partic-
ulars are given of the murder by Boxers
of Catechst Nan. an assistant to the
priests. and which is a sample Of the way
in which $50 others We're put to death.
After being stripped of his clothing and
bound he was asked:
Are you Il Christian?'
Il am. was the reply.
Then one ear was cut off.
A second time the inquiry was made in the
same words as before. and again he de-
clared he was Christian. and his other
ear was severed. ~ +
The third time he was asked:
Are you still Christian" and. his reply
being in the affirmative, the unfortunate
mans head was severed from the body.
In a private letter to member of the
Franciscan order here Father Zono Moult-
Whence comes all this inveterate psrse-
cution of the Christians In China?" And
then he goes on TO answer his own ques-
ton. 1T comes from the hatred of the
great majority of the Chinese to everything
that is foreign, which, he says has been
known for years" Proceeding. the writer
says:
Superstitions of the Fanatics.
THE secret society of the Great Knife
which has recently come to be known as the
Boxers. claims that a spirit whom they
adore descends and operates upon them in
such :, way that they are not responsible
for their actions. Possessed by this spirit,
they say they are invncible and invulner-
able. Disdaining the use of weapons in
which powder is used. they fight only with
the sword and spear. They claim to have
banded together for protection against rob-
bers. but soon they threw off the mask and
showed that their true purpose was the eX-
tinction of the Christian missions. In their
paroxysms of fanaticism their faces take
on an ashen hue. their eyes start from their
sockets and their voices become hoarse and
harsh
THE Boxers of three heather villages. ia
order to spread their propaganda. invited
the residents of a neighboring village to
meet with them on a day appointed and
witness the descent OF their spirit When
the time for the meeting arrived. the COM
mons in the neighborhood of the meeting
place swarmed with people. In spite. how
ever, Of the most desperate exertions on the
part of the Boxers. the spirit did not ma
terialize. and the meeting ended in a gen.
eral riot.
soon after this the Boxers descended on
200 Christian settlements and urged the in
ha bitants to deny their faith, and when
they refused, burned all their property, not
n single house being allowed to escape the
torch"