New-York tribune., 1900-06-24
WHY CHINESE HATE CHRISTIANS.

coincidence than that of the Chinese revolt
against Christians with the bicentenary of the
Society for the Propag CATION of the Gospel AT
its 2OOth anniversary the oldest Protestant
foreign missionary society in the world hnds It's
work so far from completion that the most
populous empire in the world is only just
touched by it, and finds too. that empire, by
far the most important field remaining for mis-
sionary effort, in general revolt against mis-
sionaries and against Christians. We say gen
eral revolt because it Is idle to try to maintain
the fiction that the Boxer outbreak Is either
local or unexpected. The days news indicates
that similar outbreaks are in progress In other
parts of the empire all evidently connected In
one concerted plan: while as for the unexpected
ness of it he must have been n superficial OBJ
server of affairs in that quarter of the globe
who did not perceive months ago that some
thing of the sort was brewing 1t is gratifying
to note that Lord Salisbury, in speaking at the
bicentennial celebration of the Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel in London on Tues
day, addressed himself to this subject with his
accustomed directness and authority, and in
few pointed sentences made clear the whole
situation
1t is not to Christianity as a religion, but to
Christians as suspected political agents of
foreign Powers, that the Chinese object. That
is Lord Sasburys explanation of the case, and
it is exactly confirmed by other authoritative
testimony. To say that is not to cast any re-
feCtiOn upon missionaries a whole or upon
missionary work as such. 1t is simply to set
forth what is in the Chinese mind and to en-
phaSiZe the need of tact well of piety and
fervOr-the need that missionaries should be as
7 wise as serpeuts as we'll as harmless as doves.
1t is also TO admit the regrettable fact that guile
and hypocrisy. to some degree, are no more
tho
even to the extent of processing pety for the
sake of profit There is a treaty stipulation with
China to the effect not only that missionaries
shall be protected, but also that native converts
to Christianity shall not be prosecuted on aC-
count of their faith. There is only too good
reason to fear that some Chinese have taken
advantage of this provision. They have pro-
fessed TO accept Christianity, but have done so
merely for the sake of what amounts to eXemp-
tiOn from Chinese law. They have then gone
on to deal unjustly with their neghbOrs, and
when the latter have resented ii and visited
righteous retribution upon them they have fed
TO the missionaries with the cry that they
were being prosecuted for their faiths sake;
and the missionaries have in the best of faith
made appeal to the Consul or Minister. and so
the whole pressure of foreign Power has been
brought to bear upon the Chinese Government
for the protection of some hypOcritical rascal
from the penalty of his mSdeeds. There is no
cause for wonder at Chinese resentment at such
dongs.
Nor is that ALL In some places where con-
verts are numerous the latter have grouped
themselves together in village or a part of
village of their own, to form a distinct
community They have there adopted their
own manners and customs their local regula-
tionS and ordinances and have made them
" ind of Io1
are subject, of course, to Imperial sovereignty,
but in local affairs they have become almost
autonomous. a sort of petty imperium in i'm
periO. This may have been done without any
intention Of disloyalty to the Chinese Govern
ment of antagOnism toward the local and
provincial authorities Nevertheless it is al
ways annoying to the Chinese-as it would be
to us or to any other people-and it often be-
comes quite intoerable Yet If the Chinese
authorities interfere and attempt to enforce
upon the Christian community the reminder
that it is just much subject to the civil law
of China ever the cry of persecution for
faiths sake is again raised. Add to this the
fact that the Christian Powers behind the mis-
sonaries are constantly making aggressiOns
upon China, forcing her to modify her laws
and customs to suit their selfish purposes and
seiZing bits of her territory, and il is little
wonder that those Chinese who judge things by
appearances come to the conclusion that Chris
tians are really political agents, intent upon
undermining and Overthrowing the Chinese Gov
ernment and partltioning the Chinese Empire
This is n statement OF the case as some of the
most competent observers, including mission
aries have seen 1t. We repeat that ii is not
condemnation of missionaries or of missionary
work. 1t is merely a recognition of evils that
have Crept into such work, chiefly through the
Cuilp of some of Chinese Tt iS
no argument against missionary enterprise but
rather one in favor of prosecuting II with re-
newed zeal on the highest possible plane of dis
interestedness and with the utmost possible
tact. Neither is it an argument against prompt
and rigorous suppression Of the present revolt
a riot, no matter what may be its cause More
over. the old principle of power and responsible
ity holds good. The outside Powers have for
years been exercising their authority in China,
practically coercing the Chinese Government;
and therefore they under a moral RESPONSE
bility for the maintenance of order there. But
ii is desirable always to keep in mind that
Chinese hatred Is directed not against Christi
anity a religion but against Christians per
sonally, and that because of a notion that they
are political intriguers inimical to China That
notion is, of course, n monstrOuS error; but il
may be strange and paradoxical irony of fate
that its falsity can be demonstrated only by
making it largely true