Norwich bulletin., 1918-12-17
CHURCH BADGE PROTECTS
 FROM BANDITS IN CHINA

FROM BANDITS IN CHINA l
 Under date of Sept. g. Rev. F. H. l Smith, son of MT. and Mrs. o. $. l Smith of Huntington avenue, writes l of very disturbing conditions in China. l "The province of Flkien is very much disturbed politically. the north and south are fighting and bands of sol diers and brigands are wandering about. Foochow is in a panic much of the time and other cities are be- ing attacked and surrendering to the south. However, foreigners seem comparatively safe
 One week later he writes, "BanditS are fighting between Ing-hok city and the village just below, on the river. The boatman who brought us up from Foochow had had his home burned by government soldiers and family scat tered, his old grandfather, aged S2 years, driven out We came through a village about 330 p. m, not soul in sight. walls of burned homes were standing. This war is belsv northern and southern China The south wants to stand for a real re- publican government the north leans towards monarchy and a year ago the military side of the government got the upper hand in Pekin, dismissed parliament and set out to rule by
 
 nlent at once withdrew to Canton and set up the southern republic. Since then the fighting has become general. Pekin has borrowed millions upon millions. Bands of brigands have been let loose and the south uses them as advance guards of their army. Annoy has fallen and now they are closing in on Foochow and they are coming down the Ing-hok river. At present we are on the edge Of the advance. The northern governor has not yet withdrawn but he has not soldiers to hold out or fight against the southern forces. He is trying to keep the bri- gands from gathering.
 Oct S. MT. Smith writes Well, for the first time in my life I find myself in the midst of war Fighting is going on all about us these days. to be sure the church is at peace and crowded by thousands of those seek l ing it's protection. WealthHsInen are offering hundreds of dollars if only | they can buy and wear a certified badge saying This man Is a member of the Ing-hok church." All | the Christians wear these badges and 1 are immune from plunder and extor- 1 ton and attack Bands of thieves are 1 all about and southern soldiers are | 1 trict Forty or fifty men on the north ern side left here the other day, all 1 their ammunition in their belts, they met about 300 southerners, fought 1 from hill across a valleyfs finally the northern men found they had used all 1 their bullets so they turned and ran back home to get more, then came back 22 miles to the city. I will spare you the details. I saw sights that ! l do not care to write about. It Brings to mind the China of 1900. though then the Christians wNSe persecuted 1 by the Boxers and now 1<1y are pro- 1 tected by the soldiers on both sides so far.
 1 We are getting hospitals ready for Red Cross work. caring for wouniSsl 1 soldiers, and also planning how we can accommodate a few hundred wo- men and children in our home and the two schools. heard that the south ern forces were coming down upon us in a few hours so I emptied our parlor and dining room of all furni- ture and prepared to receive all the women and children who could sleer on the floors.
 It is tragedy to have these peace full, prosperous, Crowded Villages sack ed and burned and pillaged as they are being all over China. Not for hundreds of years has Ing-hok had such an experience. The church is the one ray of hope to the people Christians are assured by boti& Eldes that they will respect chapels, schools and the homes of all Christians. This is a great opportunity and great peril. With hundreds crowding oul services, unless. weS give them some. thing of Christ they will be hardened and not helped
 Day by day the leading men of th' towne:sit here in mx study and h4r' me to plan forf; theip wives andt tschil drent tIA YouSshaven' Saroom here. they say ''lett7ds buildt houses. on you land and they shall beeYoursxpnlYsle
 us stayrtn them Thile theebattle is Or ap&Soldiersiaret pillagingf the town. Christians here are learning to trus
 God and to pray. valuable lessons