The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-12
MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
GREAT INTEREST TAKEN IN DIS
CUSTOM AT ST. LOUIS.
Doom of the Ruling Chinese Dynasty
and Downfall of the Anu-Foreign
Element Predicted-Glorfous Des-
tiny in store for the New china.

ST. LOUIS, Oct 1.-THE attendance at
the annual meeting OF the American board
Of commissioners for foreign missions,
which is holding three days session IN
Pilgrim Congregational church, was con-
siderably increased today.
Great interest was shown today in the
discussion of the boards work in China.
Rev. Judson Smith. foreign secretary OF
the American board, read an interesting
paper on China. the Situation and Out
look" He said in part:
THE doom of the dynasty ana OF the
anti-foreign policy IL emhodies is pro-
nounced; no diplomacy, no force OF arms
can save them: the powers. even II they
should wish to prolong their life. will
fight against an irresistible fate. The
future will reveal a new China, and that
will be new world, with a glorious des-
tiny before II. The mission property. to-
gether with the personal effects of mis-
sionaries. has been destroyed at Tung-
chow, Picking. Kalgan. Paotingfu and
Linchng; undoubtedly everything in
Shansi is gone: one missionary residence
in Tientsin has been burned; chapels by
the score in our stations have been de-
stroyed. The total loss. at low estimate.
must amount to hundreds of thousands of
dollars. For the loss of missionary life
there Is no money value. For the whole
there is also no compensation The awful
fact that confronts us is the death by yio-
lence OF thirteen of our missionaries. with
Ave children. involving the extinction of
the Shansi mission
II speak for Protestant missionaries
and particularly for those of our own
board, when / say that the missionaries
are not the cause of this outbreak. They
are in China with China's knowledge and
virtual consent. enjoying plainly stipu-
lated treaty rights China has made no
complaint Of them; she has not asked
for a revision of treaties In order that
she might be freed from their presence.
Duties of Missionaries.
But missionaries. we are told. have no
business in China. forcing foreign and
hateful religion upon the people; their
very presence and work naturally arouse
sentiment and hatred. This charge strikes
back to One who brought heavenly
glory to the earth which repaid Him with
a cross and crown OF thorns, and
charges Him with folly, and seems 10
OF Christian history. the noblest names
upon the rolls OF the nation. What ia now
TO be done? Are our missions to be closed
up and the work of evangeiizing China
abandoned? Not unless we have decided
TO give up all missionary work. For much
as has been destroyed there Is much more
that remains. Our two missions In the
south are essentially intact. And in the
north there are still native Christians
who have held their faith, who are now
In hiding, but with peace Will come forth
to form the nucleus OF the new churches
and Christian community. The Bible and
Christian literature and text books re-
MAN.
Unless all signs fail. this day OF blood
shed and loss Is sure to be followed by an
immense enlargement OF our missionary
opportunities In China"
Horrors Faced In China.
DIR. Smiths paper was followed by
general discussion OF the subject by mis-
sionares and officers of the board. Among
Der who passed through the recent out
breaks in North China and some of the
hair-raising experiences recounted by
them seem beyond belief.
Those who spoke were Rev. G. A. STAN
ley. Rev. @. Henry Ewing, Rev. Il. +.
Aiken. Willis c. Noble NJ D.: Rev. c. j.
Atwood. ". D., missionaries OF the North
China mission; Rev. Henry A. stimson.
D. d. and Rev. Harlan Il. Beach.
President Edward ID. Eaton. ID. D.. OF
Beloit college made an eloquent address
In the course OF which he said the disas-
ter 10 Christian missions In China opened
up new hope for the work there. After
the ruin. he said. comes the rebuilding.
and the board has the materials for the
work In the Chinese themselves
Rev Henry A. Stimson, ID. d, OF New
York recording secretary OF the Ameri-
can board read letter from Rev. Henry
Rlodget the first American missionary In
North China and founder OF the Peking
mission. After expressing regret at his
inability TO be present at the meeting,
DR. Blodget recounted the suncrings OF
missionaries from the recent prosecutions
in China and said:
This will be an unexampled meeting
in the history OF the board. The uues-
ton win come. who Will follow In their
train?'
Not There for Vengeance.
DR.. siinson declared they were not