The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-05

been necessary to write in order to
make plain the religious conditions,
with which this article is primarily
concerned.
On every hand / have heard in Amer
lea. that "the blood of the martyrs"
had again proved to be the seed of
the church. II Is n surprise to find
to what q slight extent this is true.
Undoubtedly extraordinary progress mas
been made In mission work since 1900.
for reasons that VIII DE later explained:
but for direct results OF the faithful
testimony Of the many who heroically
sealed their loyalty with their lives
have looked In vain. / have talked
with the missionaries in Picking,
Paotingfn. Tung Chow and other
scenes of the worst massacres. They
sadly admit that they cannot trace any
conversions to the shining theroism
OF the men and women, native con-
verts and foreigners. who laid down
their lives for the gospel.
Instead. there are villages where all
the Christians were murdered in 1900,
into which the missionaries are now
unable to penetrate. The people say
that Christianity has caused them
enough suffering: they want no more to
do with 1t. In numerous communities
where mission work was conducted be-
fore the massacres, there is no mis-
sion work now although the mission
airy force had been increased. Similarly
for years after the troubles 1t was
found that inquirers concerning the
Jesus way who had been reached
through tho street chapels medical
work and otherwise. were forcibly pre-
vented by their families and friends
from having anything to do with the
church All this is contrary to the ex-
pectation and preconceptions of Chris
tendon. but the truth is more sacred
than any theory.
Wherein the Boxers Failed.
Certain manifest results from the
Boxer days are apparent. AS already
stated. that uprising, which was pri-
marily directed against Christians, and
secondarily against all foreigners, was
futile attempt to stamp out the West
crn religion China now knows that
Christianity Is here to stay. force to
be permanently reckoned with. This Is
an unreasonable gain for missions
The massacres challenged Christcndom.
They called forth vigorous reassertion
Of the ages-old Christian faith and ex-
pectatlon of ultimate conquest. AS one
| of the finest of tho Boxer martyrs, Hor-
ace Tracey Ptkn, of Poating-fu, sent as
! his farewell WORD 10 MS little son the
message that he should one day come out
| to China to take his fathers place, so
! the churches generally answered.. China's
defiance by increasing their missionary
forces, and taking up the work with new
| skill and resolution.
| BY the wiping out of mission work in
North China, all the tactical mistakes of
missions were obliteratcd The mission
aries We're enabled to map out an en-
| tirely new plan of campaign. With the
wisdom of experience, the most STRATEGY
cal places alone We're reoccuped. A re-
| ad iustment of forces and methods fol-
lowed, which has borne fruit in Il mark
eddy increased success.
The Empress and the American.
For the reasons enumerated, and be-
cause of the spirit of progress which
was impaired to China at the bayonets
point, the converts of the missionaries
have not only been more numerous, since
1900, but also of Il higher class as Well
Before that time, while much-too
much-was said about the favor or ~
Hung Chang, of the presentation of
Bibles to the empress, ct cetera, the
| fact remains that the missions were
reaching practically only tho lowest
class of Chinese Tho rice Ghrlstlah
was far more in evidence than to-day
| Now the sons and daughters or the
| highest officials attend mission schools.
| The social standing Of the missionary
has vastly. Improyed, la.TunE ChoW1