The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-03-15
THE BYSTANDER AND THE
CHRISTIAN CHINESE PEOPLE


these Christians who were tireless in
the defense and who voluntarily de-
prived themselves of rice that white
women might be fed. call these men
pretty good :Rice Christians" Again
L say these are facts and can be veri-
fed by abundant testimony.
Further, the Bystander intimates that
since the Boxer troubles the Chinese
have fought shy of Christianity. What
are the facts? They are that every
Christian school and college in China
is crowded as never before. DR.. Pott,
of Shanghai told me when passing
! through the other day, that if L wanted
to send a boy to st. Johns College
there, 1 must apply a year in advance.
They are now doubling the capacity of
the institution. There was never a time
when the missionaries have had so
many people seeking instruction as
since the Boxer troubles.
Some weeks ago the Bystander inti-
mated that Christian Chinese in Homo
lulu are in a business way mo good"
Give him the heather with queue!"
wish to say nothing to detract from
his estimate of many heather. Many
have strong points of business integrity
This shows that the Chinese have
good foundation upon which to build
Christian ideals and character. But if
the Bystander thinks the Chinese Chris
tians in Honolulu are ''of no account"
1 will again ask him to so with me
for few hours. 1 will take him to
every bank in the city each one has a
Christian Chinese clerk), I will take
him to some of the chief business firms
and get from the employers their esti-
mate of the Christian Chinese in their
employ. l know what that estimate is,
for 1 have taken the trouble in many
cases to ascertain. 1t is an estimate
which for fidelity, industry and in
tegrity places these men second to
none in the employ of the firms.
I Bystander reminds me of a conversa-
ton which occurred recently at Han
kow where there are men who have
the same opinion as he has, because
: they have never made fair attempt
to ascertain the facts. Recently at
Hankow the assistant postal officer in
the imperial postoffice was talking to
his superior officer, a Scotchman. The
latter said: Tell me a Chinaman is
a Christian and 1 want nothing more
to do with him." The assistant said:
What do you think of Liu, cur shroff?"
He is a good man." said the supe-
rfor; "a very capable man." (The fact
is all the money of the office passed
through his hands.) We'll" said the
assistant, ''he is a Christian. What do
you think of Yang?" Thomas Yang
in the registry department? He's good.
We've just promoted him. He has en-
tire charge" said the chief. He's an
other Christian said the assistant.
What do you thing of John Tsang in
the registry department? He's a first
rate fellow, perfectly trustworthy"
Hes another Christian. Both he and
Yang were at the Bishop Boone school
and are communicates of the American
Episcopal Church Mission
oh, said the postmaster.
what about Joseph Tsai at Han
Yang?" asked the assistant. We've
given him entire charge of the office, :"
said the postmaster. He's another
Christian. How about Tseu?'' You
mean Tseu Hua-P'u. He has just been
sent to Hsiang-t-an to take charge.
There's nothing the matter with him.
He is another Boone school boy and
like Tsai a commitment of the Ameri-
can Episcopal Mission ooh, keep
STILL" said the postmaster, that viii
do
The above incident illustrates the lack
of knowledge on the part of those who
do not seek to know the facts as TO
missions carried on often near them.
l want to ask Bystander a question:
Does he think that a Chinese man viii
be a worse man if he is freed from
the gross superstition and fear of devils
which follow every step of the heathen's
life? Does he hold that a Chinese man :