Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-05
RELIGION IN CHINA
Remarkable Proclamation Issued by
Provincial Governor.
NATIVE CHRISTIANS TO Be PROTECTED
Magistrates Notified to Show
Exact Justice.
FUNCTIONS OF MISSIONARIES

The State Department has received a
copy of a remarkable proclamation issued
by Gov. Yuan of Shantung, June Z, de-
filming the relations that must exist between
the magistrates and the native Christians.
The proclamation deals with the subject In
language so energetic as to make it evil
dent that the Chinese government magis-
trates will not allow the missionaries to
exercise the same influence in local affairs
or in any other than religious matters In
the future. Gov. Yuan says:
Gov. Yuan's Proclamation.
Whereas I have repeatedly received re-
ports from the officials of this province
saying that unworthy members of the
church We're practicing their religion
simply for the protection which it afforded
them, and were lightly setting aside the
law of the land and seeking occasions for
quarrels, and that such affairs were daily
increasing in number, wherefore they re-
quested me to send dispatches to the con-
suls of the various nationalties and let
tiers to the missionaries asking them to
devise a method for checking the evil and
preventing trouble, all of which has been
discussed by me, as the records show.
Therefore, this is issued to call attention
to the fact that all Chinese Christians al
though they are members of a western
church, are none the less subjects of
emma, ana that no ulStlnctl0n Is TO De
made between them and other Chinese
subjects. l have already instructed all un-
der my jurisdiction that should any quar-
rel arise between Chinese people and the
church, there should be other distinc-
tion made save that between good and
bad. There should be no such distinction
as that between the people and the church;
that all should be treated with equal JUS
tlce, and a thorough investigation and
careful settlement of each case made; that
there should be no prejudice shown, which
is sure to produce trouble
Subsequently l prepared a set of def
mite rules OF procedure and, first and last,
L issued number of proclamatiOnS,
strictly enjoining that if any members of
the church were charged with offenses in
violation of good order the local officials
should bring them to court and make a
thorough investigation, and that should the
evidence show that the charges were
really true they should punish them
cording to law, that the authority of the
rulers might be indicated and the hearts
of the people relieved
How is it that up to the present time
the officials in charge have uniformly neg
lected to obey these instructions and con-
tinue to send reports to me suggesting
that letters be sent to the missionaries
asking them to devise methods for restrain
ing their converts, not only giving me the
trouble of replying to their suggestions,
which are at variance with my previous
orders, but also showing carelessness as
to the principle involved?
Functions of the Missionaries.
1.-THE treaties plainly state that mission
| aries of all nationalities, travelling inland
to propagate their religion, have no other
object than to exhort men to do good and
have nothing to do with local disputes
The missionaries are merely preachers of
religion. They have no authority what
ever to interfere in the affairs of the Chi
nese people, nor any power to exercise
official functions. as everybody ought to
know. The mandarins of this province have
served as officials for many years and
they ought therefore to be still more clear
ly Informed as to the terms of the trea-
ties. Our relations with foreigners in
Shantung are daily increasing in complex
lty, and church cases are constantly grow
ing in number, but you should be able to
avoid currying favor or yielding to common
prejudices Should any trouble arise, act
according to the treaties and decide justly,
making no distinction between church and
people. To those that ought to be pro-
tected give real protection; to those that
should be treated with generosity show
| extra generosity; what>ought to be allow
ed allow at once, and when it is necessary
to withhold permission explain your rea-
sons for doing SO. Let no one else pre-
sumo to exercise your authority for con-
trolling the people and ruling the district.
Still more, let nothing prevent your clear
ly making known your decisions, that those
interested may be thoroughly satisfied and
that when they shall have returned to
lheiI MONIES lHeTe may De no further dis
cussion. Thus every complication will be
easily arranged and it will be easy to set
tie every church case.
Justice to All.
THE most important matter is that JUS
| tice should be done to both Sides It makes
| no difference whether the people annoy
| the Christians or the Christians annoy the
| people; let there be clear distinction made
between the crooked and the straight, and
| it will then be impossible that any occasion
| for interference should arise. Should Chris
| tians practice their religion and the peopIe
| insult them on this account and resort to
| burning, plumber and extortion for the
! purpose of checking the growth of the
religion and annoying the church. and the
| missionaries concerned come to the yamen
| and make complaint, the officials must
| vigorously suppress these disturbances. and
| not say that the missionaries are inter-
| fering. Or should a member of the church
| purpose1y drag in his relation to It for
| the sake of gaining advantage when his
| suit Is one that has nothing to do with
| church matters, and the missionary force
himself into the case to interfere, do not
| hesitate to controvert and reprove as the
| facts of the case may justify and deal
| with the case according to right reason.
| Do not let the affair become mixed up with
church matters Thus each case may be
| settled justly according to law and one
need not ask whether a man is member
Of the church or not.
Instructions to Local Ohicials.
Let the local officials, as occasion may
| require, issue proclamations giving care
| full instructions and directions to the VIII
| lage elders and head men and exhortinp
them to let the people and the Christians
| Of their several districts all know that they
| must alike be subject to the restraint and
| government of the local officials; that no
| distinction is to be made between them.
and that no favor Is to be shown to either
They will thus, after time, abandon their
mistaken notions and be able to put away
the grudges that have been gathering
| through past years, and gradually extin-
guish them. The establishment of peace
between the people and the church rests
upon this foundation. Whenever the con-
| suls Of the various nationalities and the
missionaries see that the local officials treat
| the people and the Christians alike pro-
| tecting both in the discharge of their busi-
| ness. and Furnishing those who are guilty
| of violating the law, they Will come to
recognize that the Chinese government and
| law are just and unprecedented and thus
| the enmities and suspicious which have
been cherished Will melt away. The estab-
! lishment Of peaceful relations in the in
| terror will have an influence upon our in
| ternational relations and disputes between
| ourselves and foreign powers will be easily