The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-21

NEW YORK, June 21-while many meet
ings for special prayer in behalf OF the
missionaries and missions in China are be-
ing held in various cities Of the United
States, a considerable number Of Chris
tians are discussing the proposition that
uneonsciously Christian missionaries may
have aggravated the friction between the
Christian and anti-ChIistian Chinese.
Ernest de Bowler, a merchant of Shang-
hal, China, but recently arrived from tie
East, when asked in regard TO the present
situation said:
The Boxer Society is made up OF mall
contents and extreme conservatives, op-
posed 20 railroads and foreign ideas of all
kinds. The first We knew of them they
were destroying property along some Ger
man railway lines in Shantung province.
The Empress has allowed the outbreak to
get beyond her control. Her soldiers will
fight the Boxers with great reluctance, II
at all She dismissed her generals, and
that shows me that she took sides with
the anti-foreign element. But she is not
bitter in her opposition to foreigners. She
knows that the Chinese peop.e are rot
ready TO go ahead at the rate planned by
the extreme progressiOnists, who b ID made
Of the Emperor a ready tool. There is JUS
tice in the natives hatred OF those coming
from other lands. Miss .Onaries, with he
best of meaning, do much TO cause I'D
increase this feeling.
"A heather Chinaman pays his taxes
without protest \ Christian native often
complains 10 a neighboring missionary
about the large amount he has been as
sessed. Then the missionary writes to his
nations Minister in Pekin, who appeals TO
the Tsung-H-Yamen. This board, in order
to avoid further trouble, tells the manda-
rim ia power to reduce the natives taxes.
This. Of course, causes envy and leads 10
bitter feuds. The Chinese taken into the
foreign colonies also have been exempted
from native obligations. Now as 10 re-
suits:
The Society of the Large Knife and
the Society OF the Patriots will Join the
movement which will spread to southern
China and embrace the whole Empire,
There Will be massacres-at least in Pekin
and Tientsin. Armed intervention is about
the only hope. Russia alone, / believe. il
the nation in a position to settle matters.
She and Japan alone have the troops at
hand but she will never permit japanese
intervention. Russia can, and / think will,
do the work for fair compensation, even
II 1t is stipulated that she shall leave Pc
kin as soon as the trouble is over"
G. S Garrison of the sacretary's office
of the Presbyterian Foreign Mission Board,
said:
Il DO not know how il is with the Catho-
lies or any other denomination but our
own. Still. l do know that the Presbyte-
rian missionaries do not interfere between
a native and his Government Here is the
action of our board taken February 8. 1896,
that covers the case. and / do not believe
the MethOdists, Congregationalists, or Bap-
hob r,1 nc tn sc
- Relations of missions 10 governments.
A." Care IN securing indemnity and IN in
terfe-ing in legal matters.
A" That. while believing firmly that the
missionary. in the unselfish efforts to give
TO the people of mission fields the gospel
and its blessings, does not forfeit rights
accorded TO the trader, however harmful
his traffic. the board would still urge upon
its missionaries the wisdom OF reliance
rather upon the cOnciliatory message with
which they are charged and upon Him in
whose name they are sent forth than upon
the arm of Government (meaning their
own Government. While having conf
dence In their prudence and judgment, 1t
would emphasize its fear OF the effects Of
demands for indemnity which. either to our
own Government officials or the people
shall seem extreme And II would express
its hope that. while encouraging justice
and discouraging injustice, they will care
lulIy AVOID interference with the proper
legal processes Of the lands in which they
reside. No demand for indemnity should
ever be made by an individual missionary
on his own responsibility. but should be
advanced only after most careful considera-
ton by the mission OF its executive COM
mittee, and, when possible. not until after
correspondence with the board. The board
would commend TO those who have to de-
eide questions of duty in connection with
the relations of the native converts to their
own governments, the wise suggestion