The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-25
FAULT OF MISSIONARIES
Or. Alexander kenfs Views Upon
the Crisis in China.
The Pastor of the Peoples Church
Speaks Uron the Causes of the Out
break in the Grient-CoEmerce and
Prosc!ytiES Have Stirred Mandarin
Hnte-Whnt America Might Do.

Ut. alexander hSEt, O! TIE IeSr-e
Church, spoke yesterday morning on C, ne
and discussed the international Gu. s.ion:
growing out Of the present crisis in tia
country. Ee depicted at scme length TIL
special conditions under which tAe C..inss'
civilization has grown up, ana hos it "a
finally come into contact with ire c1rlmei-
cislism OF the Western nations, ard seem!
about to enter into a mortal conlbat viii
what she regards as a menace to the p q
and prosperity of the Empire. Dr.. Ken
said in part:
The peoples Of the weird are getting &C
quainted with marvellous rapidly. WhE
commerce fails 10 accomplish in the gene: a
miX-up of trade the nations are doing b!
war. The Empire just row is the theatit
OF this douSie activity. Commerce axe
Christianity having failed to acaisve theii
ends in China have become the disturbing
elements in the peace of the word. Per-
haps there is no better time to study ttt
nations OF the world than when trouble
brings them to tie front. Our knowledge
Of Spain, Cuba. Porto Rico, Hawai-, and
the Philippines has bsen wonde: fully aug
melted within the past two years BY / c
disturbances which have taken place IL
them. Nov China Is coming in for her
share of attention.
The troubles existing there have ben
growing in intensity for years. Great din
Guilty has been experienced by the outside
nations in carrying Western ideas INFO TIE
conservative circles Of China. Thsre las
seemed to be TO response on the part OF
the higher classes in that country to tee
appeal of what we have always considered
the higher ideals of civilization. Taey
have opposed the coming CT the foreigner.
On the other hand the missionary and The
agent OF trade have been aggressive Tie
desire 20 carry religion into China and the
greed for gain have been SO intense during
recent years that the intelligent people OF
China have come to look upon beth as a
growing menace to the peace and prosperi-
ty of the country. The mi: sionary and The
agent Of trade have sought assiduousiy TO
make market for their religion ard the il
commerce, and it has often happened tat
the same ship has carried the B.b.e md
rum to China.
China having the largest population II
any of the heather countries has been tie
theatre of this p-oselyting ard tbs e2p.oi-
tation. Now the Chinese are alarmed at
the growing power OF the foreigner. AID
have risen TO destroy the devils who have
brought discord to tEeir shores. There are
many explanations offered TO account for
the present outbreak in the Celestial En-
pire, but the truth undoubtedly is that the
Conservative element OF China, which
hates foreign aggression, now regards
Western civilization a menace TO their
own. and the religion of the missionary IS
hostile TO that Of Confucius."
DR.. Kent then quoted at some length
from the address of one of the SPEAKERS at
the Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
This speaker said that the duties of a man
as citizen, husband, brother, and friend
should occupy him all his life. Why con-
Germ ones self, he asked, about the things
of the past, which at best can assume to
US nothing definite and tangible? In this.
Or. Kent remarked. the speaker had refer
ence to the teachings Of the Buddhists.
Why concern ourselves about the unkn 5wn
future world about which We can of neces-
sity know nothing?" The speaker heie,
DR.. Kent thought had reference to the
teachings of the Christian missionaries.
The man who lives right, the SPEAKER con-
Iinued, has already entered into heaven.
and he who allows the lusts OF the flesh TO
rule him has already entered into he'll.
According &c DR.. Kent, this speaker
showed that the missionaries in China for
the last thirty years have come in contact
only with the lower classes They have
gent and the better people of the Empire.
The diplomatic agents have aided and
backed up the missionaries. At first the
Buddhists thought that the missionaries
did not represent the intelligence of the
American nation, but when their minds
were 6isabused of that idea by the action
of the diplomatic agents they gradually
began to look upon them with hatred and
alarm. This has been growing for years
with the higher classes in China.
The turbulent element, according to the
same authority, find it to their liking and
interest to embrace the Christian religion
Every outbreak in China against the mis-
sionaries, this speaker thought could be
traced TO proselyting. In his view mis-
sionaries should be chosen who have other
qualifications than merely those OF re-
ligious teacher. The missionaries gener-
ally are Of better character than the priests
OF the country, and by the exercise of
common sense and better methods he
thought they could have a controlling in
fuence in China.
this speaker said. between the missionaries
and the people Of China was the question
of paying the annual assessment to the
procession of the town or city where they
live. The Christian converts, he said re-
fuse 10 pay this assessment because they
are taught by the missionaries that It is
wrong to do so. This ends in about the
same sort of trouble that it would to refuse
to pay taxes in this country and the people
who should publicly countenance and
teach that it was wrong to pay taxes
might be mobbed in some parts of Chris
tian America
Resuming the thread of his address. DR..
Kent said in part: Another cause of
trouble in China is the low morals which
prevail in business transactions. Honesty
among foreign merchants in China is diff
ferent from that required in this country.
There the foreign merchant does not think
for a moment that his word to citizen of
the country must be Kept. The practice is
10 misrepresent and cheat unblushingly.
The same ships that have carried ont the
and the bibles to China have
had on board rum to brutalize the heather
and guns and knives with which they
might kill each other. as it paid to carry
such merchandise. and commercial America
does not care rap for the effect these
wares may have on the natives"
DR.. Kent then spoke of the opium trade
and showed how Great Britain had fall
owed up the dishonesty of her merchants
by naval vessels and infantry and had
'orced oft of reluctant China the coutinu-
,nce of the opium trade. the cession OF
he island OF EonSRong. ana the opening
# seven of the Chinese ports.
DR.. Kent then gave an extended descrip-
ion OF the civilization Of China and Of the
eachings of Confucius, showing that the
Groundwork of her civilization was not
10 much worse than ours. But while the
heory was good, the practice was rot so
,ood. Official corruption, he thought, has
cached proportions there nowhere else |
;nown, and to this fact is due what is |
worst in modern China.
Dr. Ken; closed by saying that problems |
4 immense importance are before the I
world today. 1T will take the largest in |
diligence and the wisest craftsmanship of |
he world 70 enlvo than What mart nur