Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-23
HEAR BOTH SIDES.

numerous Reports NAYS NOiHt iiVhi
China, to the effect that the mission
aries Thereon some of them-haye
been engaged in lootlng, under mill
tary protection, And so persistent
have these rumors been. that there IL
strong public demand in this coun-
try for a thorough investigation Of the
facts
Sir Robert Hart stated in a London
magazine that "some missionaries took
such leading part in spelling the
Egyptians for the greater glory of God
that bystander was heard to say,
For century to come Chinese con-
yerts will consider looting and VEN
geance Christian virtues Another
witness, Thomas +. Willard stated
that the missionary relief expedi-
lions (called by the army tribute ex-
cursions) combed the country with a
fine tooth, and were productive of moth
ing but loot, which was the real OBJ
Ject"
on the strength Of report to the
New York sun, that Rev. Mr..
Ament had compelled full payment for
all destroyed property belonging to
missionaries, and assessed fines be-
sides amounting TO thirteen times the
entire indemnity, Mark Twain
....,,uco1 ,bn f,t,I,,naa t,ttasIduo riac With
his cutting satire. This brings out an
explanation In the Northwestern Chris
tlan Advocate. This paper says the
Sun dispatch contained an error 1t
should have read that the" htes were
one-thlrd in excess Of the indemnlties
instead Of thirteen times the amount
making difference OF over a million
dollars. The Advocate adds that Mr.
Ament In several villages collected
money for the actual losses suffered
by native Christians, and one-thrd
additional toward the support Of or
phans and widows. This collection
however, was done without force, by
simply appealing to the peoples sense
Of justice on behalf of their suffering
neighbors.
Whether this explanation covers the
ground entirely is a question. If the
Chinese people voluntarily contribute
money for the support of widows and
orphans Of murdered Christians" they
are not the adamant-hearted pagans
they are represented to be. According
to letter IN the Missionary Herald,
the voluntary" feature of the collec.
ton was not strongly marked. The
writer says;
"A man named pao who had put off
flight last June until too late, saved
his life by temporary recantation
and payment of money After the fall
of Pekin he ventured to Visit the
church In Tien Tsin. and was killed
day or two after his return home by
the Boxers, who also killed his wife
and tried to catch his son. The latter
brought the news to Or. Porter, who
reported II to the Tien Tsln provisional
government. A punitive expedition was
formed by the Italians and the village
burned One man, supposed to be the
son Of one of the murderers. was
caught and executed. This affair so
terrified the inhabitants Of the neigh
boring villages, that they sent de-
putatlon 10 Tien Tsln 20 make their
peace with the Christians who had
been plundered In that region. As re.
suit our preacher Cheng Yen Tseng
went out and secured the indemnity,
to the full value OF the losses There
are nine temples given over to us, with
all their contents. Two of these are
said to be disable as they stand. Tn,
rest will be valuable chiefly as fur
nishing material for rebuilding thu
ruined houses Of the members. with
the temples are some 1856 English acres
Of tillable land. The deeds for this
have been given and the rental will
gradually reimburse the losers Of prop.
erty, In addition there ls n good deal
Of grain and money promised"
II this IS true, the voluntary contrl-
buttons" consisted Of valuable buildings
and real estate, in addition 20 grain
and money, turned over after the vii
lage had been destroyed by fire, and
perhaps a number OF persons killed.
But the Advocate insists that Mr..
Ament has been misrepresented, and
that Mark Twain should make an apol-
ogy. II II is true that the reports from
China about the missionaries there,
give erroneous impressions, through
garbled accounts of their acts, may we
not suggest a little more discrlmlna.
ton and sound judgment on the part
Of the religious press In this country
In regard TO the rumors and representa-
lions by which "Mormons" and "Mor.
monism' are made the objects Of criti.
cism? As a rule all such rumors are
taken for granted. And yet, It Is a
well known fact that the Gospel Of the
latter days is opposed, by night and by
day, incessnntly, ruthlessly By those
who, for various motives, hate II, II
Christian" missionaries in China. who
have the support and sympathy OF a
large part Of the world can be so mis-.
represented. that they appear in the
public press no better than thieves
they and their friends should not &C.
cept as true every rumor about an UNI
popular people. that is started by an
enemy and re-echoed by msinformed
press and prejudiced pulpit. 1t is bet
ter TO hear both sides, before final
Andpnent is nrououncpd