Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-02
Timely Letter From China.

Miss Nellie n. Russell, a Wisconsin
girl in the missionary work in China,
in writing to her friend Miss M. ID.
Wingate of Chicago, shows that the
Boxer rebellion was a dangerous
reality last May and that the mission
aries and foreigners who stayed in the
interior we're tempting fate in doing
so. Miss Russell has sister living in
Merrill and number of acquaintance
in Grand Rapids. The letter follows:
You have heard of the Boxers
and what they have done. Since
February they have been coming
north and all our out stations are now
going through the same terrible per-
Secutions. The past three months
things have grown steadily worse.
Every day the past ten days, church
members and helpers have been
coming in and their SCORES and eX-
periences make our hearts ache beyond
words to express. Mr.. Ament has
Just returned from trip to four Of
our out stations. His experiences
remind one very much OF some of
John G. Paton'S. The good hand of
our Father was over him and though
plans were made to entrap him at two
places, word reached him in time for
him to avoid and 60 round them.
Last Saturday the London Mission
Chapel at Kung Tsun, ten miles from
Che Chow was attacked, the helper
was literally cut to pieces, after suffer-
ing great torture and insult: they also
killed one church member.
At one place, five miles from emo
Chow, four Catholics were killed aud
at another village three miles from
there three Catholics were killed.
Last Tuesday hundred men went
to the home of Mrs. Ling Ding. a
young widow and one of our Ono CHOW
church members. After insulting her
and her daughters, they were going
| to kill her, when the nelghborlng
| women all came out from their homes,
went down on their knees to the men
and entreated them to spare her. said
she was good woman, woman faith
| full to the memory Of her husband,
and had many virtues. In the midst
of the confusion the poor woman
| tainted away and the other women
| promised if they would spare her life
| for her children'S sake she should give
them money and put up her kitchen
god. She is poor widow and it will
take nearly all her farm to pay the
money they require of her. Many of
our church members are in hiding.
Houses left, and they scattered north,
east, south and west. Some have had
to pay large sums Of money and some
have had to fly and dare not return
home, as they are to be killed at sight.
Word was sent to our chapel on
Tuesday that the Boxers were on their
way there: forty or fifty came, drew
their knives, but after looking around,
the leader said, 1--WE go out for the
present." That night word came
from the official that he could not pro-
tect them and they had better go.
Mrs. All and her children and the
helpers wife came on Thursday. The
Boxers" say they are going to take
our place there tomorrow and establish
camp there. The helpers wife and
daughter. from Ping Ling, came this
morning; they fed in the night and
report that Monday the Boxers are tC
take the Chapel.
| Five church members came from
there and all are certain evil days are
before them. In one place about
thirty miles southwest of Che Chow.
sixty Catholics were killed in one day
and it is reported that from all about
that region they are getting ready fol
a big battle. -,
i Our work in the country is at q