The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-28
IN THE HEART OF OLD CHINA.


of the sixteenth century, for there is
reason to believe that the celebrated
Jesuit missionary, Father Matthew
Ricci, remained for a time in this
province and converted some of the
natives, while he was on his way from
Canton to Pekin.
In the year 1S45, Pope Gregory XVI
formed Kiang-Si into an Independent
mission under the jurisdiction of a
Bishop. The progress of the Faith in
this portion of the Celestial Empire
continued to prove so satisfactory
that, thirty years ago, Pope Leo XIII
divided the territory first into two
and then into three districts; namely,
the vicariates of North, South and
East Kiang-Si.
South Kiang-Si, the region described
in the present sketch, is presided over
by the Ri. Rev. Nicolas Ciceri, c. NJ,
who is assisted by fourteen Lazarist
missionaries and eight native priests.
The vicariate has tWenty-eight
churches and chapels, one hundred and
gan-Fu, and one preparatory SEM
mary at Kan-Tcheu, one college, fifty
parish schools, of which twenty are
for girls, three hundred and twenty
orphan boys, in four orphanages, and
population of ten thousand Catho-
lies.
The clergy are ably seconded in
their work of evangelization and in
struction by four Marist Brothers,
tifty-three catechists, six Sisters of
Charity and fifteen native Sisters of
Saint Anne.
The people of China have often been
portrayed by travellers from western
lands, but the pictures thus presented
usually have to do with the inhabitants
of wel[known localities, such as Pekin,
Hankow and Canton, where the ma
tives have long been in contact with
ever, are, l believe, to be found not
in the great cities, but in the heart of
the provinces; in isolated villages
where a foreigner is seldom or never
seen.
According to this theory, we may,
then, expect to discover them in that
mountainous corner of Kiang-Si which
borders upon Kunang-Tong and Fo-
Kien and is called Ngan-Yen.
Three years ago received a special
letter from our vicar apostolic, Bishop
Ciceri. 1t read, merely:
fn 70
say to you"
The laconic order puzzled and trou-
bled me little. What had the Bishop
to say to me? Was | to be repri-
manded or congratulated, and for
what?
Of course I obeyed the summons
without delay The Bishop greeted
me with his accustomed kindness.
Presently, he remarked:
Il am about to establish a perman-
ent mission station at Ngan-Yen, and
l have selected you to be it's first
pastor"
For a moment was a trif1e discon-
certed, for of all the possible reasons
my imagination had conjured up as to
why the Bishop might have sent for
me, l had never thought of this one
Ngan-Yen; yes l had heard of the
tirely cut off from the rest of the
province, with proud and indepen-
dent population of rude mountaineers.
Recovering myself hastily, replied:
Bishop, will go and try to do my
best there. With Gods help, some
day, hope, the Cross will surmount
the rugged peaks of the wilderness
where shall gladly labor"
In China long Journeys are made by
boat when possible. 1 decided to set
out for my new charge at dawn the
next day. | engaged a boat and boat
men for the river trip and, the follow
ing morning, soon after daylight the
lao-pang, or captain, came to the mis-
sion house for my baggage.
So afraid was l of being late, that
l hurriedly took leave of my fellow
missionaries and started for the
strand.
After a short walk, passed through
the eastern gate of the town and found
myself at the river-edge. Among the
hundred or more boats that lined the
shore, perceived one wherein there
were signs of life. jumped on board
and demanded of the most Important
looking of the three men who were
making preparation for departures:
We'll, are you almost ready to
start?'
Almost" he replied, smiling at my
eagerness, but we must go ashore
first
What! Go ashore AGAIN." re
peated.
Yes, but for only few moments. >
l silently acquiesced, and turned my
attention to an examination of the
prison wherein l was to be cooped ur
for ten days or a fortnight.
The little cabin was so low that
could not stand up in it. When I Law