Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-15

here Is d UliSSlondTy DOOIf1 III SHllld llC
reaction in favor of foreign methods and
modern sciences. which has been gaining
petus since the Boxer troubles has af-
fected Christianity in similar manner. 1t
has made the missionaries useful from a
material point of view. and indeed indiSpen-
sable among the literati who were their
most uncompromising antagonists before,
because the mission schools until recently
have been the only sources of information
and the missionaries the only available in
structors In some of the provinces.
better acquaintance leads to a better
understanding. The lHerau recognize the
sincerity, the zeal and usefulness of the
missionaries, and the latter find among the
mandarin families many agreeable and val
liable friends. in places where, until recent
ly. their only companionship was among
the illiterate coolie class. Thus the hated
and despised messenger of Christ is being
appreciated: his character is being respect
ed and his purposes are better understood.
Whether it's motives be selfish or other
wise, the policy of the government toward
the missionaries, as 1 told you the other
day, is much more liberal than 1t ever was
before, and every nook and corner of China
is now accessible to them under the protec-
ton of the officials.
Freedom Of Worship Inaugurated.
In 1898, just before the Boxer troubles,
the tsung II yamen sent for DR.. Timothy
Richards, secretary of the Society for the
Diffusion of Christian knowledge, and for
Rev. DR.. Lowry, dean of the missionary
corps in Picking, and asked them to revise
a code of regulations that had been pre-
pared for the protection of missionaries
Those gentlemen advised against regula-
tons of any kind on the ground that they
were unnecessary and distinguished mis-
sionaries as a class requiring protection
when they should be as free and as safe
throughout the empire as the Buddhists or
Taoist priests or any other citizens. They
argued that by making them the subject or
special legislation the usefulness OF the mis-
sionaries would be impaired. and they drew
up memorandum in favor OF universal re-
Iigious liberation and freedom of worship
and speech through the empire for all re-
ligionS on the same basis, assuming that
none needed either the protection or the
er encouragement of the government or the
local authorities, and that each should
stand upon it's own merit. DR.. Richards
prepared a historical review showing the
consequences of religious persecution upon
the prosperity and progress of nations. and
the influence of religious liberty and tolera-
ton.
This review, and the arguments accom-
panying it, made a deep impression upon
the tsung Ii yamen which adopted the
recommendations, and Weng Tung Ho, then
prime minister, sent a circular TO all wee
roys governors, magistrates ana olhers IN
government and commanding them to allow
and encourage freedom of worship every
where This circular. however, was re-
voked by the empress dowager WITHIN
few months, and since then there has been
no formal action by the government. But
the policy pursued Is almost Identical
with that defined In the circular of Weng
Tung Ho.
Mission Work Unrestricted.
There is no restriction upon mission work
anywhere in the Chinese empire. Mission
aries are now officially protected Chris
tianity is now theoretically recognized as
religion and freedom of worship prevails.
Every village and hamlet is open to
churches schools and evangelical and med
ical work. Occasionally there is a riot,
and there have been two missionaries killed
within the last year, but all recent dis
| turbances have been due to local and ex-
| ceptional causes, and those officials who
| have been responsible for them have been
| severely punished The last and only relic
| Of intolerance is regulation requiring Of
| ffcials of the government TO worship at ma
| tive temples on certain occasions, go
through the regular ritual before tablets of
| the emperor and Confucius, burn incense
| to certain gods and dragons and practice
| traditional rites on several anniversaries
| They are required to visit the Taoist tenn
| pies and offer sacrifices on the first and ff-
| teenth of every moon, and at other times
as ordered by the emperor. Conscientious
4
! therefore prevented from entering the ex-
| aminations and obtaining appointments to
office. Minister Conger and other dlplo-
matte representatives of Christian nations
have attempted to secure a repeal of these
regulations but they are old as the hills
| and cannot be altered under the present
state of public sentiment in emma. here
and there a Christian believer Will OBEY the
regulations and 60 through the rituals
Tolerance of the Missions.
The Roman Catholics are gaining ground
| and making converts more rapidly than
any other denomination because they are
| more tolerant and liberal concerning such
| matters Certain bishops even permit an
| cestral worship, which is the foundation of
all Chinese morality and ethics. The high
| est inducement for a Chinaman to live an
| upright life and do good is that such a
| record will command the respect of his
| posterity and cause them to worship his
| tablet. And in some places the priests not
| only tolerate but encourage the worship of
| ancestors and allow ancestral tablets to
| be placed in their churches along with
| pictures OF the saints. They perform masses
| on birthdays and celebrate other family an
| niversaries in similar manner. They will
also receive into communion women with
| bound feet, which the Protestants will
| never do
| The EpiscopGlians do rot go so far. They
| cultivate filial piety and encourage the cele-
| bration of family anniversaries. but teach
| that the dead have no influence over the
| living except by example. Their mission
| aries and teachers ascertain the names and
| histories of deceased persons who have been
| distinguished for integrity and usefulness.
| and encourage the people to erect tablets
| TO them in the churches, on the ground that
| their influence for good should not be lost
| All Souls day is celebrated more generally
| and with greater ceremony than Is usual
| elsewhere. The families of deceased per-
| sons vino have been distinguished for piety,
| charity and usefulness are allowed to erect
| tablets to their memory on the walls Of the
churches as Is done in America and Europe
and handsome tablets bearing the names of
| those who have died during the year are
| hung near the altar.
The other denominations are uncompro-
| missing I'm their attitude toward ancestor
| worship.
Chinese Love Of Music
| We had a most interesting visit at the
| Episcopal mission at Hankow, where we
| found the Rev Arthur Sherman, formerly
| from Long Branch. and Rev. Mr.. Gilman,
formerly from North Platte, Neb., in
charge of a prosperous congregation At
tina cathedral they have vested choir OF
Chinese boys. who sing beautifully under
| Mr.. Sherman's direction, and connected
/ with the cathedral is a school at which