The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-14
EMPEROR CHINA A MARTYR,
INTER ESTED IN FOREIGN az
FAIRS.
Tried TO Make Many Important
Changes In Hts Country-Opposrd ny
the Empress.

|
The Chinese emperor, Kuang Hsu,
deposed two years ago by the empress
dowager, is in some respects one OF the
most remarkable characters in the EN-
pire at the present time. He is not
what we are accustomed to term a
strong character. As a boy he was in
terested in all kinds of foreign toys
and considered everything brought
from foreign countries, from railroad
train, a. monograph, an electric car 70
fine Swiss watch, as toy to be
played with. Like many other rlch
children, he was INDUCED in every i'm
aginable want and the populace re-
garded him in the light of spoiled
child.
The Chinese of the betbter class who
! were in touch with those connected
with the palace, either as eunuchs ser
wants or in official relations, We're fun
of stories about his bad temper, and
looked upon him as one who Ought to
bbe spanked" 1t was said that his
own private apartment was a museum
of all the most wonderful Inventions,
the most intricate machinery and the
most complicated productions of mod
ern art. science and invention that he
had bbeen able to gather, and that his
will must not be crossed in any circum-
stances, for he was just az liable TO
dash a fine Swiss watch to the floor,
bbrcbaking it into a thousand pieces as
a peevish child is to destroy its doll
knowing the disposition of the boy,
the officials sought out all kinds of i'll
tricate and peculiar machines as pres
ents to him in order to enhance their
official interests and prospects, and in
doing SO they troubled us at the Pekln
university until we let them have our
monograph to make as present to his
majesty. Doubtless these toys awak-
ened his interest in foreign affairs gene
rally.
But as the child grew he bebgan to
! develop other notions not less peculiar
perhaps, but more in harmony with his
position, duties and responsibilities.
When the ladies', bboth Chinese and
foreign, presented the empress dowager
with a magnificent copy of the New
Testament printed on the finest paper
with new type, specially manufactured
! for that book, bound in silver incasad
| III d SILVER DUN, NEbCu Was atG an III
closed in a fine plush case, the thing in
terested his majesty, to Judge from his
conduct, more than it did the doWager
empress herself.
The day after the present reached the
palace an order came to the American
Bible society in PelSin, which attracted
the special attention of the agent of
that society. The man who brought
the order seemed very particular to re-
tain the little slip of paper on which
the order was written, and insisted
upon it's return to him after it had been
copied. They then discovered that the
order was from the emperor and thai
it was for Bibles-both Old and NV
Testaments-such as the society Vas
selling to his people.
The society, of course, did rot under
stand the import of such a move on the
part Of the emperor, but it was not
long bbefore we discovered what the
young man was doing.
/ was personally well acquainted ard
associated with a horticultur!st and
gardener who for many years went dali
ly to the palace with his flowers ana
vegetables, ard have received from him
ed chrysanthemums-s as he took
to the palace. He discovered that there
was a change of sentiment among the
eunuchs, not only toward him, but also
toward all foreign governments and
foreign affairs as a whole. The eu-
nuchs We're constantly introducing tha
subject of Christianity in their talks
with the florist and, as he was Chris
tian, they urged him to explain its doe
trines to them, and, in consequence he
often sat and talked with them for
hours. OF course they discovered that
this was consuming large amount of
his time, and fearing lest this might
lead him to lose interest in the matter
and in them they of their own free will
advanced him three hundred taels
Ohree hundred ounces Of silvel) to in
vest in his bbusiness, telling him they
did not wish BIN to pay it back, bbut |
that they would take it out in flowers |
and vegetables
on one occasion, when they had kept |
him longer than usual-and it is to be |
remembered that all the time they were
conversing on subjects related to Chris |
tianity-he made several excuses to get |
away, but was unable to do So He |
finally said
But I must go. have not yet had |
my dinner and it is now late in the
dav."
ooh that is all right" they answered.
eve can give you your dinner which |
they proceeded to do, ana be remained .
with them until evening telling them
about the nature of Christianity.
During one of these conversations I
one of the eunuchs was especially in
terested, and in conversation with my
friend told him that the emperor daily |
had parts of the gospel of Luke written
in large characters on sheets of paper
and that he thus studied them. This |
eunuch was the emperor's personal /
servant, and he stood in the room all
the time he was studying the Bible
That this was true cannot be doubted \
for it was impossible for the eunuch to
know anything about the gospel of
Luke had he not learned it in that way.
The fact that he was able to tell the
was studying the gospel of
Luke was proof that he was doing so.
1t must not be inferred from this that
the emperor was becoming Il Christian. |
had ordered a number of the eunuchs to
me with this same horticulturist for the
of seeing a foreigner, and to
...y . r l,s-,-,-