The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-29

NEW YORK. April 2S-Among the dele
gates to the EcumenicaI Conference is tn
! Rev. E. f. Aiken. a missionary sent {,
| China by the American Board Of Foreigl
! Missions. who has been stationed at Tien
| Tsin. He knows a great deal about tn,
| Boxers, the society which is just nov
| causing trouble in China. The name O
the society, Ho Chuan, according to Mr.
! Aiken when translated literally, mean.
| just. harmony, fist" more definitely il
| signifies Society for the promotion O
| justice and harmony by means OF the
fist" Another name for the same organi-
cation is the Big Sword Society" but the
news dispatches from China referring. to
! ii use the simple term Boxers derived
from the word 'Chuan."
The Big Sword Society" Mr.. Aiken
said, had its origin in the troubles with
the French Catholics in western Shang-
tung about three years ago. The Cath
olics erected a chapel on the site Of one Of
the Chinese temples. and the Chinese de-
stroyed the chapel. Since then he Sc
ciety has spread, l could almost say. like
wildfre. / have no accurate idea how
large it is, but its members must De num-
bered by the tens of thousands i has
spread as far north as TienTsin, where a
couple Of months ago they set a day TO
destroy all the foreigners.
Beginning of the Trouble.
1T began. as l say in the troubles with
the Catholics, but is now directed
against all Christians and foreigners Il is
a secret society, but of course its exist
ence is perfectly well known to the author
tiles. Why don't they put stop TO 10
Well you have no idea how little back
bone Chinese official has When the
Boxers cause any trouble, they say:
'Pacify them; give them rice, tea The au-
thOrities could have suppressed the Be-
ers when the trouble first began, bu. |
doubt if the local officials could do much
now, though the imperial Goyerno.s Of the
provinces could put stop to the troubles
if they would.
When England, France. Germany and
the United States demanded that the Gov
ernOr Of Shangtung be removed because
he had allowed Outrages to be committed
on their citizens by Boxers the Empires;
Dowager removed him. but a few dlys
afterward she appointed him Governor Of
another province which was a better Office
than his old one. II was really a reward
you see. In western Shangtung last De
cember, the Governor called out the trclps
and battle was fought in which about
forty Of the Boxers we're killed But. in
stead Of rewardiug the cC,onel whO>com-
manded the troops the Governor pfapI-
cally disgraced him.
The latest dispatches from China re-
port the worst outrages that the Boxers
have committed. Until recently thev
stopped short of murder and gave most
Of their attention to the native Christians
Doubtless the troubles have been agra
waited by lawsuits The Chinese are con
stantly having lawsuits over boundaries
Of land, money and so forth. and it is a
great temptation, Of course. for the native
Christians TO appeal to the missionaries
when they have a lawsuit on their hands.
The missionaries can only interfere
when the case is evidently one of persecu-
ton. and this is not always an easy mat
er TO ascertain We have to depend upon
'ur native assistants for this kind Of in
ormation The native Christians are
empted to assert that they are being per
secuted whenever a lawsuit is brought
against them. and this is doubtless often
he case.
The Boxers Banner.
The Boxers carry banner with this
egend Yung Ching. mich Yung. which
means maintain the dynasty: down with
he foreigners But many of the Young
men join the society not so much be-
'ause they are opposed to the foreigners
Is because they want to share in the
'iunder In way, it reminds me Of the
I'D volunteer FIRE companies-the young
men join it to gain an outlet for their
activities. They have regular meetings
md are nut through a sort Of military
lrill
In most cases probably these meetiug=
axe place in threshing floors. open fiat |
,lace which you find in every village. |
I'M not quite sure about their arms. but [ |
relieve a large number Of them are |
irmed with rifles Others are probably |
rmed with swords The Chinese make a |
lind Of rude sword. and also a rude rife /
allied the gingal.' which it requires two |
men TO shoot. Gingals were used in the !
ate war with japan
In many cases the Boxers have used /
hreats to attain their ends They threaten
o carry away to their camps members Of
he families Of hose who are obnoxious
o them unless a ransom is paid But
generally they resort 10 pillage They 20
0 the houses Of the Christian natives.
brow out all the furniture, and take all
he grain, money, or other yaluables. Then |
old to the inhabitants Of neighbori1g vii
ages for very small amount. as would
"a expected. The families are ruined Of |
curse. II is said that each of the Cath
Tic families in western Shangtung has |
)st on an average about S45-a small
mount to us but to them everything
Relief of the society.
81 do not know whether the Boxers |
rofess any particular faith They believe.
Owevor that all members of the society
re invuluerable and can suffer no harm
rom swords or rifles. Shntoism Con
Icianism. and Buddhism exist side by
ide in China. and the imperial DEGREES
ly that Christianity is TO be allowed to
yist on the same footing as these other
aligious. The great reproach against the
hrlstians is. OF course. that they are TO- |
wing after the foreigner
This is regarded as unilial IT is nat
raj enough that the natives should not
Understand that Christianity is not a mat
'r Of race. for this chapel is known as
NJ American chapel, that as the German.
ne English, and SO on. We try to combat
bis idea as far as possible. The native
no turns Christian is subject to all sorts
annOyances. The people Of the town
on { let his crops be watched by the town
atchman. so that thieves steal his prod
cts. or they wont let him draw water at
he town we'll. But a man can generally
We these things down.
The Boxers have practically put "A |
op to missionary work in Shangtung The
resent governor. from whom much was |
Spectod, recently had three Boxers exc
Ited. but he had delayed the execution so |
ing that its effect was lost. Now he says
nat he will not be responsible for the
yes of missionaries who travel about the |
roynce Why. our women have been in |
be habit Of going about alone from village
village. doing missionary work. and |