The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-29
PLAYED CRAZY IN.
ORDER TO SAVE
HIS LIFE
Rev. Masoni, Returned Mis-
sionary From China, Re-
counts Experiences.

10 be compelled to play" crazy in
order to avoid massacre by the Chinese
Boxer society, and to permit the at
tachment to the top Of his head, of an
tmpromptu queue, Is the experience
which Edward Masoni, Norwegian
Lutheran missionary, had to undergo
in China in 1900. Mr.. Masoni last even
ing at Trinity Lutheran church COM
pleted series of two lectures, the first
of which was given on Monday even
ing, both descriptive of the life and
work of the Christian missionaries in
China.
Rev. Masoni, young man of proba-
bly, thirty, unmarried, recently re-
turned from a five year period spent
In the interior of China. He was
stationed at Yujang in the pro-
vince of Hutch most of the time, and
had been there but month or two
when occurred the famous Boxer out
breaks in which SO many foreigners,
and particularly missionaries, lost
their lives. Mr.. Masoni was in a canal
boat on the river when sympathizers
of the Boxers seized and carried him
on. He was condemned to die the
following day, but, determined that
his life should not be snuffed out, and,
as he declared to Evening Times rep
resentative this morning at the Great
Northern depot as he was preparing
to take train for Buxton where he is
to lecture tonight, believing his God
would save him, he hit upon a ruse.
The Chinese are MORALLY afraid of
crazy man, thinking him to be afflicted
with evil spirits, which, if disturbed,
will enter the body of the person or
persons who do the disturbing. He
therefore, during the night, began to
take on" queerly, whooping and YELL
ing, swapping his teeth, tearing his
hair, growing like a dog one minute,
and growing like a rooster the next
His guards began to show signs of the
white feather" at the first yelp but
when the rooster began to crow" that
settled it-and they quickly scooted
pell nell. BY daylight swarm of
chfnks stood at a safe distance and
watched the missionary's antics Every
time Chinaman made a move to
approach the enclosure in which
Masoni was held prisoner, the latter
increased his demonstration but. at
length. in the hope that they would
release him, he relaxed and after much
consultation descendant of Con-
fucius, drawer than the rest, an
preached and let down the bar to the
entrance. Masoni continued his crazy
streak at intervals, long enough to be
permitted to make good his escape.
He did not return until after the trou-
BILE had been settled.
Asked If he wore queue when he
hrst enlisted in the. missionary SER
vice, Rev. Masoni answered that for
two months prior to sailing for China,
he devoted his time and energy to
acquiring pig-tail, which he was ulti-
mately successful in doing. Il would
not have been permitted in the interior
OF China without one" he informed
The Evening Times.
How about railroads in China, are
there many being built?
Yes, new lines are being construct
cd every year. Foreign capital is
doing the work almost entirely, though
the Chinese government is now trying
10 acquire possession of several lines
OF road through purchase"
Do you intend to return to the mis-
sfonary work? i'.
Yes, that Is my ultimate intention.
At present l am taking course in
medicine at Hamline university. /
will have taken my degree in another
year, or possibly two. when will
again go to China. My work in that
country will be greatly aided by
knowledge of medicine"
. Rev. Masoni, Norwegian by birth,
is devoted to the work of converting
the heather. He is representative of
the Norwegian Lutheran faith and is
supported by that denomination.
During his stay in Grand Forks he
was the guest of Rev. Krogstad, pas
tor of Trinity Lutheran church. While
here he recounted many interesting
experiences in foreign fields.