The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-22

The massacre of missionaries ant
Chinese Christians was so recent, it.
horrors left such deep impressions upor
so many homes, and the literature con
corning the martyrs has so lately beer
published, that it has been almost i'm
possible to appreciate the changes il
civilization which are rapidly develop.
| ing among the Chinese. 1t has beer
said that the foundations of Christian
( ity were cemented by the blood of mar
| tyrs. 1t is easier TO see the blood than
| the growing spiritual temple rising
above the foundations.
My purpose now is to call your at
tention to only one phase of the results
of that massacre as touching the mis-
sions of China. The immediate result
was the demand of Christendom for a
treaty at the same time protecting the
rights of Chinese Christians as well as
missionaries. The combined powers
We're glad of an opportunity to add the
commercial aspect to the treaty provi-
sions China's open door has had an
immense influence simply as a business
consideration.
HOW HAS THE TREATY AFFECTED
MISSIONS?
The treaty gave to the Chinese mem
bers of the various missions of all
denominations the right to appeal to
+bair y,,iSci0oa rioe for old in x.-ba ta1-ar
troubles they might be involved. Be-
sides this the missionaries and other
foreigners We're granted many personal
such as the right to secure
This practically includes all the larger
cities of China, inland as we'll as sea-
port. In this way the missions through
out China have been able to get full
title to the lands on which the schools,
churches, and dwelling houses have
been located. My impression is that
leases We're formerly given for such
lands.
an important factor in the eyes of Chi
nese officials. They recognize that he
has come to stay. China's greatest vice.
roy, in his recent book, "China's Only
Hope pleads the absolute necessity
for religious liberation throughout the
empire. This one fact, irrespective of
The large number of other facts grouped
missionary work, shows the in
5,7a,+;al ,,oS;+io,, ;r+o ,,-Iio1, ,,,;eeioy,
aries leaped in the reaction from mar
yrdom. The missionary can, by his
mere presence in a court room, fire.
Iuently cause the mandarin OF village
% decide in favor of church member,
Who may be on trial in the village court.
\ few words will practically compel a
decision. It speaks well for the con-
'ecration and good judgment of the
great body of Christian teachers ana
in China lover 1900
trong), that the cases of misuse of this
power are so few as to be unreported.
The Chinese, in innumerable cases, try
O shield themselves behind the church,
md use the name of the missionary as
threat against their opponents in
manifold troubles. This covers quar-
els between neighbors, and private diff
lculties, as wen as cases in courts.
My attention was called to this phase
# mission work, while attending con-
-ention of the general secretaries of the
Z. NJ. c. A. of China and Korea. This
vas held in Shanghai last July. Some
# the speakers, missionaries as well as
ecretaries, stated that their greatest
resent difficulty was the discrimina-
ion between applicants for member
hip. The Chinese fly in fiocks to the
protection of the missionary. They
ONE for the temporal benefit which
hey realize they can gain in the
hurches and other Christian organiza-
ions.
A missionary related this circum-
lance. The officials of a village sent
yord to him that they desired him to
stablish a church in their midst, and
,ould receive him with all the village
onors. A specially ornamented sedan {
hair was sent, and delegation of Chi