The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-18
Crisis at Hand Which
Involves the World.
United States May Be Forced
To Act.

esting address last evening in the High
Street church on the situation in China
and his opening thought was that every
man is inclined to sympathize with
China for the ills she is enduring. Re-
Gently weakened by the attacks of semi
civilized psople she was made subject TO
greedy and rapacious nations. From
time to time one slice of her territory
went to Germany, another to Russia,
then to England and to France. Any
people of ordinary love of country could
not but be humbled and suffer a crucifix-
ion of pride at their own fall. She is in
the position, so it would seem. OF
melon that is to be cut and the nations OF
this world want slice Of it for where
the carcass is there will the vultures
gather. This greed, Of course, must be
justified on the ground Of interest, OF self
defence, and the demand of citizens
whom the rulers say would call them
derilict unless action was taken.
America had an interest in China ao-
cording to treaty and should see that the
commerce opened to her shall be kept SO.
China has been cut up into spheres OF
influence TO the end that the open door
shall be respected and that commercial
law. as to free trade shall prevail. The
people of China have the usual antipa-
thies of many people to foreigers and
the so-called Boxers" carry these anti
pathies so far again st those who wish to
dwell in the provinces as to light the
torch of instruction. Strange that they
should not have seen that the future of
China depended on peace and order and
AN administration that gave protection
to property. They have given way to
their emotions and crisis is on.
DIR. Fem said that it was sLlange that
they attacked missionaries but he men,
toned an attack some time R., ~
German mission when 1T was singled out
as the object of stoning and destruction.
Not the missions alone but the various
legations, means of transportation ETC.,
were broken and destroyed because OF the
movement TO expel foreigners from the
land.
Everything now portends a crisis and
it was the duty Of all nations as matter
of self defense to see that lives be saved
and If lost they must be indemnifie1. A
police movement on the part Of the ma
tions of the world was suggested to break
into Pekin and bring out the mi ssion-
aries but in this movement DIR. Fem
recognized the liability of contests for it
was impossible for joint bodies to carry
out this plan because there were 80 many
accusations of selfishness to be denied.
1t would be difficult to secure a lead and
particularly dangerous for any one body
TO undertake it. 1t may be, however,
with unity of action way will be broken
into Pekin without any great battles.
1t may be that the Dowager Empress
will turn over the empire on the guaran-
ZEE of peace or it may BE- that there is
behind this something yaster, for it looks
as If sedition was rife in every section.
Perhaps at the very gates of Pekin
every missionary and foreigner will be
killed and If this be inevitable our
Christian sentiment viii be raised TO
God. That these lives are not shed in
vain for the missionary cause Is holy
one representing us on foreign shore
and teaching us that we must ever keep
in mind.
On the streets we hear people say,
what did you send them there for, why
did you not keep them in their own
countries and If cut up it served them
right All such people do not know
the true life Of Christianity and heed not
the words of our commander who said
$50 We into all the world, etc.
II our missionaries are put in peril
~ l., s,,E thAi.
enemies to flight. Martyrdom was
the mark of discipleship in the olden
times and if they perish no one can por-
tend the results for Christianity is no
dream, it Is the greatest of all moving
powers and new life would be given it
should there be any widespread crueifix-
ion Of our beloved band.
DIR. Fem referred to the life and death
struggles between Russia and Japan and
called to mind the time when Japan was
deprived of the fruits of her victory over
China by thu combination of Russia,
France and Germany. Japan has been
preparing for the. struggle for many years
and when 1t comes it would not be sur
prising that ranged along side of her was
England. 1t might be Japan and Eng
land against France and Russia and thus
the great problem of the East would be
carried to the "Great East, transferred
from Turkey and Persia, etc., to the
doors of China, involving the loss of
much life and change of the map Of
the world. In recent events Russia has
been acting in secret and it may be she
As behind the Dowager Empress for not
single Russian has been harmed nor its
Concluding his very interesting a d.
dress DIR. Fem referred to America as
having keen called on Of late TO establish