Washington sentinel., 1900-07-21
MISTAKES But a few
MADE 5N Ameri S
NJ SSlON AHiES y realize fully

| the real cause OF the peculiarly
hostile attitude assumed by th'
Chinese toward the Christian relig
ion, an attitude which is in the hrs
instance responsible for the presen
reign Of terror in the Celestia
Empire. While the whole civilized
world is awaiting with bated breach
the next dreaded news from Pekir
which may set the Orient ablaze
with the flames Of a war such as
never has been-ItIs but proper to
inquire into the reas ms which
have combined to bring about this
deplorable state OF affairs. And il
would be as great an error to
wholly free the missionaries from
blame as to place he entire bur
ben ot responsibility upon their
shoulders. One who has had the
good fortune to gain the conf
dence oil number Of Chinese OF
the better class during a stay OF
over "a years years in Hupeh and
Human, and had, as far as possible,
endeavored to assume the mental
attitude Of the Chinese, is fully
confident that, taking into consid.
Grafton this attitude, both mission
aries and traders would have
achieved lasting results to their ad-
vantage without antagonizing the
natives. Perhaps old All Fook
Sin, an aged Chinese convert to
Christianity, has gwen the world
the very best explanation of the
causes which have brought about
the peculiarly intense hostility OF
che Chinese to Christianity:
Teacher no savey ole custom.
Ole custom good, Lettee ole Gus
tom alone. Teacher learnee ole
custom"
One OF the most deplorable
faults Of the missionaries to China
is the absolute ignorance and con-
tempt OF Chinese customs. 1t is
one Of the most ordinary sights in
China to find missionaries travel
ling in houseboats on preaching
tours. These houseboats are very
comfortably furnished, with separ-
ate cabins Tor ladies and gentle.
men. But Cinnamon consider 1t
to be the height oi immol aiity if
both sexes travel IN the same
houseboat. He requires a separ.
ate houseboat Tor women and chill
dren, as well as for men. He does
not understand the sufficIency of
separate cabins. Knowing the
peculiar ofense given the Chinese
notions Of propriety, the mission
aries, however, have Telrained
from conforming to these notions,
and if they desire to reach the
peoples hearts they certainly
ought not to antagonize them in
this manner. After the first house
boat for both sexes was introduced
on the Yang tse-Kiang every vii
lage on the river side was decor
ated with faring posters announc-
ing the coming Of the foreign
devils: Beware of the foreign
devils. They are immoraL. They
teach you shame and immortality.
Look at their houseboats-th the
shameless creatures. They steal
your children and they desecra e
your ancestors" In many in
stances missionaries have bought
Chinese children, with the very
best intentions, Of course, but the
Chinese are not quite as certain as
we are about the genuineness Of
these intentions. Thus the gentle
and loving religion of the golden
rule has become to the Chinese
the symbol OF immortality and i'm
propriety.
Another grave mistake commit
ted by the American and Euro.
pean missionaries is the preaching
OF the equality Of sexes. If there
is anything abhorrent to the Chin
ese mind it is an independent
woman. Under the teaching OF
Christianity the women OF China
have become considerably more
independent, and this iconoclastic
policy has given rise to renewed
hatred OF the foreign devils.
Teaching the doctrines OF Christ
the missionaries might have con-
sidered the advisibility OF taking
the position and the standing
Of woman at least as much into
consideration as st. Paul, who said:
wives, ODE yyour husbands. The
husband is the head OF the WI e."
Such doctrines might have at
tracted the esteem and the regard
Of the Chinaman. The Chinese