The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-29
THE SOCIETY OF BOXERS
A Delegate to the Ecumenical Con-
ference Talks About 1t.
Origin of the Organization Which Is
Causing Trouble in Chinn-Indi-
rectiy Supported by the Govern
ment - Native Christians Persc-
cuted and Their Homes PiIInged.

NEW YORK. April 2S.-Among the dele
gates to the Ecumenical Conference is the
Rev. E. f. Aiken, a missionary sent to
China by the American Board of Foreign
Missions, who has been stationed at Tien-
Tsin. He knows a great deal about the
Boxers, the society which is just now
causing trouble in China The name of
the society HO Chuan, according to Mr..
Aiken, when translated literally, means
Just. harmony. fist" more definitely it
signifies Society for the promotion of
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
it 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 The -
ciety has spread, l could almost say IKE
wildfre | have no accurate idea how
large it is, but its members must DE num-
bered by the tens of thousands. Il has
spread as far north as Tsin, waere
couple of months ago they set a day TO
destroy ali the foreigners.
Beginning of the Trouble.
ut began, as l say, in the troubles with
the Catholics, but is now directed
against all Christians and foreigners. Il is
secret society, but of course its exist
ence is perfectly well known to the author
tiles. Why don't they put stop to i:
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 Boz
ers' when the trouble first began but |
doubt if the local officials could do much
now, though the imperial Governors 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 Empress
Dowager removed him. but a few days
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 troGps
and battle was fought in which about
forty Of the Boxers were killed But. in
stead of rewarding the cC,onel who >com-
manded the troops, the Governor practi-
cally disgraced him.
The latest dispatches from China re-
port the worst outrages that the Boxers
have committed. Until recently they
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-
lion, and this is not always an easy mat |
er TO ascertain. We have TO depend upon |
our native assistants for this kind of in |
ormation. The native Christians arc |
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 a 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 |
olunder In way, it reminds me OF tue |
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 sort of military |
lril.
in most cases probably these meetings |
nlacp N a..
place which YOU find in every village. | |
I'm not quite sure about their arms but | |
believe large number of them are |
armed with rifles Others are probably |
irmed with swords. The Chinese make |
Kind of rude sword. and also 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 those who are obnoxious |
o them unless ransom is paid. But |
generally they resort to pillage They go |
o the houses of the Christian natives. |
brow out all the furniture. and take all
he grain, money, or other yaluables. Then
hey hold an auction. and the things are
old to the inhabitants of neighboring vii
ages for very small amount, as would
'e expected. The families are ruined Of
curse 1t is said that each of the Cath
lie families in western Shangtung has
ost on an average about $45-a small
mount to us but TO them everything
Belief of the Society.
Il do not know whether the Boxers
rofess any particular faith They believe.
owever. that all members of the society
re invulnerable, and can suffer no harm
rom swords or rifles. Shintoism, Con-
and Buddhism exist side by
ide in China, and the imperial DEGREES
ay that Christianity is to be allowed to
xist on the same footing as these other
eligions. The great reproach against the
is, of course, that they are TO-
owing after the foreigner
This is regarded as uniilial. It is nat
raj enough that the natives should not
Understand that Christianity is not mat
er of race. for this chapel is known as
he American chapel that as the German.
he English, and so on. We try to combat
his idea as far as possible The native
iho turns Christian is subject 10 all sorts
t annOyances The people Of the town
FOE I let his crops be watched by the town
iatchman. so that thieves steal his prod
cts, or they won't let him draw water at
he town well. But man can generally |
i've these things down
The Boxers have practically put
top to missionary work in Shangtung The |
resent governor, from whom much was |
expected, recently had three Boxers exc
uted. hut he had delayed the execution so
oag that its effect was lost. Now he says
hat he will not be responsible for the |
ives of missionaries who travel about the |
rovince. Why, our women have been in
he habit OF going about alone from village
o village, doing missionary work, and |
..rnr thnnphf of hninc, afrnil The nnl,. |