The Portland daily press., 1900-07-23
Much To. Be Feared From the
Present Situation.

Rev. DR.. Fem of the High stree
church spoke last evening ON the crisis in
China His address was Of unusual in
terest and his discussion of the question
scholarly and entertaining. He said that
we are without knowing it passing
through as great crisis as the century
has known. We are IN the midst of a ter
rible conflictyin China in which heathen-
ism is pitted against Christianity, stag
nation against progress, partial savagery
against civilization. We have many
things to fear from this conflict. We fear
that we may for many weeks yet be kept
in suspense as to what the real issue is to
be. We are now ignorant as to what it
will be, We are cast now on one prong of
doubt and then upon the other and are
in the meantime left in total darkness.
Our foe is shrewd enough to cut off the
means of communication, and it is I'M
possible to arrive at any facts. How is it
possible to make use of the usual spies
and scouts when their language and color
would distinctly mark them as such from
the foe. The Chinese desire to hamper
us and so they have cut off the railroad
and telegraphic communications. We
have great occasion to fear that the result
will be one of war. Whether the empress
or Prince Tuan is to rule it means war to
the knife against the foreigner, the white
against the yellow, the destruction of
legations, the cutting off of missionaries
and it means the prevention of the in
gress of civilization.
ties the problem. A people of four hun
dred millions can stand at bay the civil
lied world for long period in case of
war. We have great reason to hope that
war may be averted and that the police
movement now on foot may be ragarded
as nothing but that.
We have to fear that our Intervention
may BIZ misunderstood, That we may be
regarded as in that class of the great
powers who are inspired by greed and con-
quest for commercial advantages and ex-
pansion of territory. We are not one OF
these nations. We desire merely to push
on to Pekin not for vengence but for JUS
tice to save those who are dear to us fro IN
death. Whether we shall be able to min
gle with the other nations without being
considered as working for the same OBJ
jects as they seem to be remains to be
seen, but we have reason to fear that we
shall be regarded as are the others. On
this great occasi on God grant that thes
civilized nations may cooperate ard
work together, that they may not be di-
vided in their counsels. 1t may be weG ks
and months before a forward movement
can be, and there is great danger in de-
lay at this time. We have reason to fear
that the nations may hesitate to exploit
the advance of any especial nation on
Pekin for fear that some one nation may
obtain more advantage than the others.
We are especially jealous of Russia who
may delay the move ment on Pekin by
the allied powers, while she masses an
immense army on the northern border
and then sends them forward to hold all
that they may get How to combine
these armies into one formidable mass,
to secure harmony and expedition. How
are the Americans for example to be led
by a Russian officer who controls untu-
tored sayages, whose ideas are so foreign
to our own. Can any one name a general
in France whom the Americans can fol-
low. Oh for a day of such a man as we
have known, for Sheridan for example,
all push and fight who could rush to the
rescue of the imprisoned ones at Pekin.
The rumors are that the Americans must
be forced to take the initiative by Conger's
despatch. Oh for leader. What Lead
er can accomplish the world we'll knows
How long England was kept at bay until
Lord Roberts appeared in the field in
South Africa. Much delay may result in
China and therefore much loss How
long may the men for whom we pray so
much be able to stand in defense. How
our hearts feel for them, these noble
men, lovely women and innocent chill
dren at the mercy of a savage foe.
DR.. Fem went on to say that the dan
ger was that the movement forward
might be SO long delayed as to enable the
mob rule to overcome the established
government, to delay the punishment of
the criminals so long that they would
collect an immense army and defy civili-
zation. What is needed most is that
civilization may unite and inf1ict a moral
lesson that generations viii not forget.
Delay will nullify what might be accom-
plished hereafter.
We have to fear that not only will the
missionary cause be broken up for a long
series of years, but that it will afterwards
be Invested with some prejudice. This
means much to China. 10 be deprived of
Christian teaching, schools, hospitals and
the contact with civilization win smother
the generations of children yet unborn
with superstition and prejudice. For
years China has had the gospel To be
deprived of it now means much loss to
that nation.
The American Board informs us that