The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-03
FORCED TO WORSHIP IDOLS.
Further Details of the Murder of
Missionaries I'm China.


VICTORIA. B. c., Nov. More stories
of missionaries murdered or tortured In
Shansi Province in China by Boxers reach
ed here today by the steamer Queen Ade-
laide. Among them were some transia-
tions made by Mrs. Archibald Little for the
Shanghai Mercury of a packet of letters
received by her from the interior. One
letter written in August. which reached
Shanghai in mid September, gives the proc
lamation of the Governor Of Shansi, who
says:
The foreign religion is detestable be-
cause it depises the gods and harnesses the
people. Boxers will burn the houses of all
Christians and kill them
The writer continues: lon account OF
the proclamation the Anon people have
taken possession of all the goods CT the
mission people at Ho Tsin. Shensi On
July Is, MIR. and Mrs. Mcconnell with tteir
little girl. Miss King and Miss Burton.
together with Mr.. and Mrs. Young. came
down from Kikichow. On their arrival
at 81 Yai Koo they were attacked and
surrounded and on July 16, they were de-
coyed to the banks of the Yellow River
where they were all killed. No details OF
the murders are given and what happened
between July Is and July 16 is left to the
Imagination"
Another letter. dated Shi An August II.
says that on July "a the mission prem
ises were burned down, and on the fol-
lowing day the Pingiang Ladies Home
was also burned down. The Boxers took
Mr.. Pcng and killed him and burned five
houses of Christians, using violence to
make four of the men worship idols. The
ha tcrft nf
local officials, who commanded them to
recant They thereupon decided to re-
cant.
The Boxers then ordered them to draw
lots before the idols. If the lot came up
ward, it was to be proof that they were
sincere in recanting, but if downward,
the Boxers would consider that they were
insincere and would kill them. One Chris
tian then worshiped the idols and drew
out, fortunately obtaining the upward lot.
The others were killed with torture in
the Temple of 700.
On the west side of the Yen River near
Pingiang, the people took all the Chris
tians, men and women, and with KNIFE
cut a cross On their foreheads. Then they
tortured them to death. The number OF
those who persisted is unknown. Ihe p.l-
layers then destroyed all the property Of
the Christians.
The Christians of the Hongtong and
Chao-cheng districts have escap-d to tie
hills.
I'VE do not know" says the writer.
whether they have been killed or not.
My own home has been looted and have
escaped with my family to Shi An. l have
sent two men with silver to Dr.. Duncan
Mackaye to see whether he wishes to
leave or not. In Shansi there has not
been sufficient rain, and far very much
that there will be a famine, and do not
know how the poor Christians will be
able to get through. AS l write l am in
tears. for We have not eaten for three
days"
On August % the same writer says:
The hiding place of DR.. Macakye has
been found Some local rebels pretending
to be Boxers captured him and are holding
him for ransom. The elder and the evan
gelist of Kuhu have both had to flee and
we cannot, therefore. communicate with
the doctor. Miss Chapman and Miss Way
are in hiding in Kiang Shien Mountain, but
all the Christians have had to fee and we
have no one to take silver to them. We
are negotiating with Mohammedans to
bring the ladies to Shi An and have prom
ised them 400 taels for so doing.
THE prosecutions of the native Chris
tians in Shansi are indescribable. The Ro-
man Catholic Church at Kiang How was
burned down on August II, but the mis-
sons from Kuhu on TO Uin-Cheng are still
intact. All the Christians at Pinglangfu
have received an official paper, which they
are required to paste on their doors, an
nouncing that they have renowned Chris
tianity. All the homes of Christians in the
country about the city have been Destroy
ed The wives and daughters of the Chris
tians have been shamefully treated and
tortured.
mo steps have been yet taken to punish
the taotai who handed over to slaughter
the Thompsons and their children, the
Wards and their children. Miss Sherwood,
Miss Manchester, and Miss Desmond. He
holds in prison the evangelist who saw
Mr.. Ward killed, lest he should give evil
dence against the taotai. That official is
forcing the unhappy man to write false
letters distorting the facts Of the massa-
Gre"
Mrs. Little says that Bishop Favrier,
who has reached the coast after his sue
cessful defence of the Peitang cathedral,
estimates that 10000 native Christians
were killed in the Pekin division alone
THE FRENCH OCCUPY SLANG.