The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-21
BOXERS"

In London, referred to the present troupie
In China and urged the necessity OF eau
ton on the part of Christian missionar-
les. The murders in China, he said 'as
reported by cable). are not due simply TO
the dislike OF the Chinese for the Chris
tian religion. There is no other nation
so Indifferent rs China to the subject OF
religion. The uprising Is caused because
IN that country and other countries the
people have formed the conclusion that
missionary work IS a mere Instrument OF
secular government. The conclusion II
utterly erroneous, he added, but caution
and prudence are necessary to overcome
a..
This question of the relation of mission (
aries TO the Chinese insuTrection has also /
led To some severe reproaches between !
Catholics and Protestants in this country. !
The daily papers nave been quoting
member of the Presbyterian Board OF
Missions. who attributes the present
strife to an abuse, by the Catholic mis-
sionaries. OF the privileges secured for
them by the French Government. Under
the terms OF the French treaty, ecclesi-
asts Of the Roman Catholic church rank
In China with Niceroys, Governors, ana
magistrates. 4 ais gives them civil
power which they have used to induce ma
cases promising even criminals protection
from punishment The situation Is thus
described 10y Prof Isaac Taylor Head
land, Of the Methodist University of Pc
'sing. in Harpers Weekly June 80. He
says:
About three years ago the Roman
Catholic priests, through the influence of
the French Minister. were given official
rank corresponding to that OF the various
Chinese ofiicials-Niceroy, Governor, Tao
tai, etc.-and IL was made obligatory up
on the Chinese officials. when appointed
TO new or leaving old post, to call
upon or send his card to the bishop or
priest. while at the same time IL put into
the hands Of the clergy no small power
when they met an official, especially in
cases Of litigation.
! "The Roman Catholic Christians were
| often oppressed by non-Christian MEM
\ bers of their community, and as a result
/ the church appointed two of her priests
/ to attend to no other duties except the
investigation of evidence in cases of liti-
| cation, and the conduct of such cases as
they thought unjust before the official
The fact that they had official rank, and
| the other very important fact that they
were foreigners, both added to their pow
er, and they were thus able to meet the
official not only on his own ground, but
with the additional power Of understand
! therefore enabled TO obtain justice.
| But IL Is supposed by the Chinese that
they sometimes obtained more than JUS
tice, and that the priest was more than
a match for the official, and sometimes
obtained decision in favor of his clients
when the decision should have been
against them: however that may be. both
officials and people began to develop a
secret hatred for the foreigners and the
Christians. IL must not be hastily con-
cluded that the priests were wrong and
the Chinese right, nor at the same time
Is there warrant for concluding that the
Chinese were wrong and the priests al
ways right. The right and wrong of IL
II is not our intention to discuss. but
only to account for the present condition
Of affairs. For proof that this is the true
explanation of the present situation we
need only examine the attitude of eX
Governor Yu, the conduct OF his success
or Yuan. and The various expressions In
the edicts issued by the Empress Dowa
ger some four months ago. in which she
mentioned the difficulties which were
constantly occurring between her Chris
tian and non-Christian subjects, and ad
vised that they e settled in accordance
with right and Justice"
Professor Headland, by the way, die
, not think, when writing, that the foreign
, ers in Picking were ia danger of beinl
murdered. The Chinese. he thinks, full,
understand the power OF foreign nation
3 to punish such murders, and those which
/ have already occurred were "a mistake
r and not sanctioned by the Boxers them
4 selves. lie deplores the possibility of
g partition OF China. and thinks that tina
would be a calamity even greater thai
e a general quarrel among the Europeal
: nations. The triumph of the progressiv
n party of young Chinese will do a thou
IcAr nj for he arfff 10
I among European nations can affect.
The charges against Catholic mission
: aries are. Of course, resented with som
: heat. An explanation given in The Sur
= after interviews with some of the Cath
ole clergy. is TO the effect that the pow
:, ers conferred by the French treaty ar
= purely ceremonious. intended to max
. personal Intercourse possible between eC
4 ciesiasts and the Chinese officials. a
! explanation furnished by the editor c
l. The Messenger of the Sacred Heart Is I
the effect that II has been the aim {
l. the Catholic missionaries to have II
n spiritual. Industrial. civil. and militar
q forms OF civilization go hand in han'
: and had the Protestant missionaries 70
IT lowed the same course they would NJ
r be In such terror now. AS soon as Il
y habitants of a certain district are col
m verted to Catholicism, the priests see
IL that they are famIliarized with the u.
- OF modern arms. This Is necessary
y order to protect themselves from the NJ
~ merous robber bands. The result h;
been that every Catholic village has b
"a come sort OF stronghold to which Il
peaceable element among the people fie
n for protection In time of danger.
40 The Standard and Times CPhiladelphi
N Rom. Cath.) stigmatizes "a maligna
ID lie" the assertion already quoted from
as member of the Presbyterian Board, al
@ says June 1G):
q. "Sober-mnded lay Observers find Z
be different reason for this alarming recr
=. descence Of nativism In China. It finds
ne In the sudden development of the spil
ed of militarism on the part of England a
IL this country. and the avarice of the re
y, OF the Western Powers in the scramt
ui for commercial supremacy in the East.
4. Is more than ordinary flesh and bio
~ could endure to behold set of outsi
20 governments cooly dividing up a va
~ country into so many spheres of inf
10 ence,' without as much as by your lea
Ia 10 the party most interested"
or The Catholic News Cune 1O insists III
M the cprising Of the Boxers is anti-Chr
ay tian rather than anti-Catholic, and II
ct both Catholics and Protestants have dc
nd all in their power to protect their o.
wrt-