The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-06-15
Organized Murder in China.

Repeated and apparently i-represSI-
BILE atrocities perpetrated upon Chris
tan missionaries in China by the Sc
ciety of Boxers have az last taken on
a political aspect, and will probably
lead up to a precipitate settlement OF
the open-door question, although IN an
indirect manner. Unless the authoti-
ties at Picking display more willing
ness or ability to protect foreigners
than they have shown thus far the gov
ernments of civilized nations will be
compelled to take affairs into their own
hands. Once that this step is made
there will probably be an end of both
Boxers and Of the Chinese Ques-
toni
The Thug society, whose unspeak-
able deeds have Mortified TIE Christian
people of two continents, is said to
have membership running up into the
millions. The scene Of its plesent ont
RACES is the maritime province Of Shan
tung, which lies south of the Chinese
capital city. Shantung has an area or
$4,000 square miles, almost the exact
size of the State of illinois, Packed
within this space is population OF
not less than 35,000,000 subjects CT the
Emperor These figures indicate
against what odds our Christian mis-
sionaries have to contend.
When and where the Society OF Box
ers was organized IS not known. But
We are certain that IL vas Lot os!gi-
mated fer the purpose of Strengthening
foreign devils, the name bestowed On
NV 1'hc
was first called the Brotherhood of
the Strong Sword, and its object was
the extirpation CT native robbers But
this admirable motive was corrupted
by wicked men within the organization,
and Of recent years its machinery has
oeen turned against al! Europeans. and
especially against, missionaries. This
fact is due to certain unalterable prejp
dices. beliefs anc customs OF The Chi
nese On one hand, and to the deliberate
lies and ISLANDERS OF the educated IA
tives en- the other.
Take him all around, the Chinese is
quiet, peace-loving fellow, who abhors
a fight He is not warmly welded TO
his religion. as is the Hindoo. He
would as sooE profess Christianity as
Buddhism or Confucianism- lie has no
quarrel with the Christian missionary
because OF that fuuctionary's doctrines
or because OF his desire to let The light
of the gospel shine in China. The en-
nifty of the yellow man for tie ms
sionary lies in the almost insane re-
gard in which the Chinese hold thsir
dead ancestors. The Chinese will listen
unmoved 10 any Pronunciation of his re-
ligion: but 4 word in derogasion of
his beloved dead rouses within him a
fiend that stops at nothing.
For ages the Chinese have followed
q Itinerary practice which has been
held in more reverent esteem than tie
pigtail. When man dies his son dedi-
Gates to his memory a tablet of wood
upon which are inscribed the words:
Spirit Lord and Spirit Throne" At
ter burial this tablet is taken home, set
up in specially prepsred place. and
the eldest son. morning and evening.
for the mourning period Of three years.
sets before Il offerings to the soul CT
the dead man. This erssen is ret re-
ligious any more than Is the Christian.
custom of strewing flowers on n,
graves of the departed. II is only the
peculiar fashion in which the Chinese
honor the memory of their ancestors.
And. strange as il may seem, this ciss-
tom has stood between Christianity
and the millions Of China foz two cen
turtles
When the early Catholic missionaries
went 10 the Celestial kingdom they
found its people apparently worshin.ng
a slab Ct wood. Resay 70 listsl to all
suggestions from the missionaries in
other matters. the Chinese drew the line
At giving up this particular act c. hoEl-
age to their dead The soldiers OF the
cross we're puzzled Uncertain as 10
whether or not the tablet worship was
idolatry. they appealed to Rome. and
the Judgment of the Pope Was adverse
To be 4 Christian the Chinese must
give up the memorial tablet When.
later. the other churches sent out their
missionaries the Roman precedent was
followed by them. and has been fol-
lowed until TODAY. That Is one reason
why China has bexn backward 10