Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-21
THE BOXERS OF CHINA.
Missionaries From Philadelphia
Tell of the Fanatics.
THEIR MANNER OF FIGHTING.

Have Been Called Boxers-says the
Secret Society Meets Little opposi-
tion From the Government.
Grave anxiety is felt in Philadelphia
for the safety of the several Philadel-
phians who are connected with the
American missions in China. When
last heard from, these missionaries
were in the city of PaoTing-Fu, prov
ince of Chill, which is the center OF
hostilities. At the Presbyterian mis-
sion in Pao-Ting-Fu DIR. and Mrs.
CORTLAND Van Rensselaer, Hodge,
Rev. J. ". Lowrie and his mother,
Mrs. A. P. Lowrie; DR.. George Y. Tay-
lor, Rev. ]. A. Miller and Mrs. Miller,
and Rev. F. L. Simcox and Mrs. Sim
COX are located. At the Congregational
mission, just outside the same city,
Rev. Eorace Pitkin is stationed. Siren
uous efforts have been made to get
word from these missionaries, with
only partial success. The other day
Rev. DR.. E. B. Hodge received letter
from his son, DIR. Hodge, dated Pao-
Ting Flu, April %, parts of which are
as follows. says the Philadelphia Press:
1.-The Boxers still keep up their
camps around us, some - miles away,
but, l am glad to say, are leaving us
severely alone. They are not likely to
come any nearer to us, as there are al
ways several thousand soldiers in per-
manent camp around the city. In Pc
king recently they placarded the
streets, saying that they would destroy
the Christians OH a certain day. 1t so
happened that on that day numerous
prayer meetings were being held by
the Christians which had nothing
whatever to do with the Boxers. They,
however, when the time came around,
published other placards saying that
the Christians were ali praying to their
God to protect them and that, as he
had sent his heavenly agents down for
their preservation, it had been deemed
advisable to postpone the day of at
tack"
Do you know what a Chinese Boxer
is? Do you know that he's n blood
thirsty fanatic; that he's ignorant,
superstitious, opposed to everything
that smacks of new ideas; that he's
bent on killing every man, woman and
child foreigner in China and every
man, woman and child who sympa-
thizes with foreigners? That's your
modern Chinese Boxer, and the defini-
ton is vOuched for by Missionary L. J.
Davies. who has but just returned
from Chinanfu, the capital of Shang-
tung province, which is 800 miles from
Picking and the place where the Boxer
uprising started. Missionary Davies is
now domiciled at the College Settle
ment, 433 Christian street. The other
afternoon he chatted of the Boxers and
what their uprising meant.
'In China" he said, 1.-The secret So
ciety is rampant. They have more
kinds of secret societies there than all
the other countries combined. And
the Boxers is a secret society. Over
there we know them best as the Great
Knives or the Great Swords, by reason
of the cumbersome weapon carried.
Now, when they approach an enemy
they go through series of movements
that remind you of a boxer-side step,
throw up their arms, duck their heads
to this side and that, Jump forward,
jump backward. They have been call
ed Boxers for this reason. But the odd
that constitute their drill
have a double purpose in their eyes.
First, they make them invulnerable;
second, their odd motions thoroughly
cOnfound the enemy, cast spell over
them, hypnotic them. And, being free
from being hurt and fortified with the
fact that the enemy is incapacitated,
the Boxers think their march is to be a
series of triumphal professions.
But understand one thing at the
outset: The demonstrations now being
made in China are not directed against
the missionaries alone. In fact, the
religious side of the case is unthoughr
IF. The real disaffection has come in
the presence of the foreigner. 1t is an
movement that has started
now, and the Boxers mean to drive
every foreigner from China If the time
and opportunity are given them. There
ire two things that may lead to the |
Ultimate success of the Boxers-first,
heir own confidence in their inyulner- |
ability; second, the attitude of the |
Chinese officials Is really in favor of |
he movement. |
Il have been in China for seven |
'ears, and / have watched the growth |
u the antlIOrelSn movement, SalG /
dr. Davies. Last summer Mission /
Iries w. B. Hamilton, B. +. Partch |
ind myself wrote to the American con-
iul, John Fowler, at Chefu. and told |
lin that antiforeign demonstrations
lad begun in our vicinity. Mr.. Fow-
er was energetic to a degree and wired 4
1r. Hamilton to go TO Governor Ii at /
nee and tell that august parsonage on
,ehalf of the United States govern
nent that the slightest harm that
would befall us or our people would be
he cause of most disastrous conse-
Iuences to the entire Chinese empire.
"And Governor Ii bowed and scrap
d. said he loved the United States and
hat no harm should come to our de-
-oted heads. Now. il you bear in
In. aI.n I.i.i.,o., o..,r,i., aI.nr-o. |