been done here. In this community the dancers are the ruling element,
though in a quarter of a mile of a large day-school and sub-issue
station. This month we begin with a man in charge of the work. In the
last two years sixteen of these dancers have come into church
membership. Nowhere else does our work come into such close conflict
with heathen practices. But sickness and death of many children have
made tender the hearts of heathen parents and opened the way for the
bearer of words of true comfort.
[Illustration: MANY BEARS' FARM.]
One good thing about the out-station is that it is portable. It is
not expensive. When the Indians move away, it can easily follow them.
But we all are grateful that we have not yet been compelled to test
this qualification. We are striving towards growth and enlargement
and permanency. The success of out station work depends so largely
upon the native worker, his tact, his Bible knowledge, his
spirituality, that in pushing out-station work we must never be
unmindful of the mission boarding-school where he must be trained.
There should be one on every reservation where we are doing work.
This is our crying need to-day--men to man these out-stations, men
who will know more than the children when they return home from the
government boarding-schools; men who have been prepared by years of
religious training in mission schools to stand firmly against heathen
practices and to teach their people wisdom and righteousness in the
humble out-station.
* * * * *
THE PRESENT CRISIS IN CHINA FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A CHRISTIAN
CHINESE.
REV. JEE GAM, CAL.
Ever since the Boxer outbreak, I have been repeatedly asked by
friends far and near to express my opinion of the matter. I have kept
silent for a long time, but still the requests come, and I feel
constrained to endeavor to set forth some of the facts which caused
the uprising and which resulted in the massacre of so many
missionaries and other foreigners, and thousands of Chinese
Christians. Those who have survived the massacre are destitute and
homeless. Our hearts ache with sorrow for the occurrence of these
outrages. We know of no words that are adequate to express our horror
at them. Every instigator of these cruel wrongs should be severely
punished in proportion to the enormity of his crimes and by this
means make them a lasting warning to the people.
As to most of the poor, ignorant people who perpetrated the crimes,
they are more sinned against than sinning. They are ignorant. They
have been deceived by the lies of men who knew they were lying, and
who thus sent them into the work of the mob and into battle with the
Westerners, to be--thousands of them--slaughtered and tortured, while
the real criminals stayed in the rear. To the relatives and friends
of those missionaries and other foreigners, together with the many
Christians who were massacred, we extend our heartfelt sympathy, and
we cannot but rejoice to say that all these martyrs are happy with
their Lord in Heaven to-day. We also rejoice to know that the blood
of the martyrs will become the seed of the Church.
The Christian Chinese in San Francisco, and many in other cities of
the United States, have held meetings every Tuesday evening, from
9:30 to 10:30 o'clock, to pray for China. Moreover, they have given
many liberal contributions to relieve the suffering Christians in
North China.
The cause of the trouble: The Chinese claimed that they had many good
reasons for this uprising. It has often been charged by many
non-Christian people in California that the missionaries were to
blame for the present outbreak. I think this is unjust. I believe
they are truly good men and have the good of China at heart. They
have wrought a wonderful work. In fact, whatever China has
accomplished is due to the preaching and teaching of these faithful
missionaries. It is true that Romish missions have sometimes become
political machines. Men have joined the Romish Church, and even whole
villages have turned their ancestral halls into Romish chapels in
order to further their causes in the courts through the influence of
French consuls.
I can give you many incidents of this character, but one is
sufficient. Several of the Congregational and Presbyterian Christians
in the village of Lung How Lee, of the Hoy Ping District, not far
from Canton, had a piece of land there and were building a free
schoolhouse, which was almost completed, when the enemies of the
Mission rose and destroyed the building; worse than this, several of
the rioters met and outraged a girl relative of one of the
Christians. This girl, because of her disgrace, committed suicide by
hanging. The Christians had the perpetrators before the District
Magistrate, who was about to punish them; when suddenly all their
relatives, together with the accomplices, about seventy in number,
went to Canton and joined the Catholic Church. They then got their
priests and the French Consul to plead for their imprisoned relatives
before the Chinese Governor. The result was that every one of the
culprits was released and the cases dismissed. These infamous
criminals, as soon as they were set at liberty, committed further
outrages; they attacked the Christians, drove them from their homes
and village, and plundered all they had. All these crimes were
committed before the eyes of the Catholic priests. How could they
tolerate such detestable acts. It makes our blood boil to see such
outrages. We are at a loss to understand why the Catholic priests
admitted such people to their churches, and why the French Consul so
blindly used his influence to liberate such criminals. These things
have not only occurred repeatedly in the Kwong Tung Province of South
China, but also throughout the whole Empire. The Catholic people have
not only wronged the Christians, but also the non-Christians, and
thus a strong sentiment is created against them.
Whenever there is a chance to pay back, these people will inflict a
heavy blow. In fact, these Catholics have already suffered the
consequences of their wrong-doing; this is why there were so many
more Catholics massacred than Protestants in the recent uprising.
But why should the people have killed the Christians at all? Well, in
a time of anti-foreign uprising the people are easily misled. The
rioter, and those anxious to plunder would surely say: "The
Christians are just the same as the Catholics," so they killed them
to effect robbery.
It is also true that the missionaries, especially those of Catholic
faith, have often been, by ignorant people, charged with decoying
children into their missionary compound and then killing them in
order to gouge their eyes out and secure their hearts from which to
make medicines. And again, we have heard silly rumors like these: The
foreigners send their missionaries to China to first win the hearts
of the people, and then come with armies to take China for their own.
All these different rumors have had their origin in Buddhist and
Taoist priests, who have shown most bitter jealousy toward
Christianity and missionaries.
While these absurd rumors have done a great deal of mischief by
inciting the people in the recent outbreak, they are very
insignificant when compared with the bitter feeling aroused by the
greedy grabbing of Chinese territory by the different Powers. All
praise to the United States, for she is the only nation that does not
covet Chinese territory. The other Powers are all eager and are doing
their utmost to have China partitioned, so that they may each seize
upon the territory they covet. In fact Russia had already taken Port
Arthur, Newchang and other important places, and had practically
taken in possession the whole of Shen King Province and Manchuria,
and still they want the Pechili Province.
Germany had taken Kiachau and a large strip of valuable land from the
Shan Tung Province, and now she wants more; she wants that whole
Province, and God alone knows what else she is after.
Great Britain took Hong Kong and then Wei-hai-wei, and lately grabbed
Kowloon and for some time past her covetous eye has been firmly fixed
on the Yangtse valley.
France made seizure of Anam and Tong King several years ago and since
then she is scheming to extend her northern boundary line far into
the Quang Se and Yun Nan Provinces; she is planning soon to grab the
beautiful island of Hainan.
Japan has also become insatiable. She has already grabbed the Island
of Formosa and now she is waiting impatiently to take forcible
possession of the Foo Kien Province. And even Italy has become
avaricious. She tried to grab San Mon Bay several years ago, but
being single-handed, she failed in her attempt. And perhaps she is
now using the power of the Allies to accomplish her greedy design.
When the news of this grabbing reached from one end of the Empire to
the other, does any one wonder that the Chinese felt harsh toward the
foreigners? If anyone has any doubt in this regard, let him just put
himself in a Chinaman's place and he will know it at once. So, I say,
the greedy grabbing for territory by the different Powers is the
principal cause for the recent uprising.
Then, again, there is the spirit of commercialism which has caused
great enmity between China and the Western nations. For instance, in
the year 1840, Great Britain, for greedy gain declared war against
China. The cause of the war was the destruction of over 20,000 chests
of opium by the mandarins in their efforts to prevent its
introduction into the Empire. This opium had previously been brought
into China by British merchants. The mandarins repeatedly objected to
its introduction and made frequent complaints to the British. The
Governor at Canton issued a proclamation prohibiting the people using
opium and saying that all violators would be beheaded. He afterwards
found one of his sons a victim to its use, so taking him out to a
public place, he caused him to be beheaded before thousands of
spectators. The mandarins continued to use every means in their power
to keep opium out of China, but all to no avail. At length, in 1840,
when they destroyed the 20,000 chests of opium, England claimed a
just cause for war, and from this time on, at the cannon's mouth,
opium has been forced upon China. Just think! opium, one of the worst
poisons known to mankind. Opium has been and is the source of great
revenue to England, but it is the greatest curse to China. It has
ruined her to the very core, and is one of the great causes of the
decay of the Empire. Many thousands of handsome, vigorous, and
hopeful young men are brought every day by its use to untimely
deaths. Oh! how the good people of China hate opium. How the poor
fathers and mothers weep for their opium cursed sons. How many wives
shed bitter tears day and night! How many little children go hungry
because their fathers have become opium fiends! Yea, how many of
these little ones were even sold by their opium-crazed fathers! What
sorrow opium has brought to the homes.
And England has thrived at the expense of the Chinese. While England
has been accumulating her ill-gotten gains, opium has devastated the
population of China. It seems to me that no one but a Chinese can
understand the misery. No wonder a Chinese official of high rank made
the following ever-memorable request to a retiring British Minister:
"I am sorry you are going away, but as you have to, I do wish so much
that you would take your opium with you back to England!" And, I
daresay, that was the greatest slap Great Britain has ever received.
Christian England! I beseech you to visit the homes which your opium
has ruined and desolated. Christian England! I beseech you to rise
and call a halt in your infamous traffic. Christian England! Be quick
and make amends, for unless you do so, God will never forgive you.
There are many ways in which England can redeem the wrong she has
done to China. First of all, she should stop the traffic in opium.
Then she can also redeem herself to-day by joining the United States
and Japan to bring about a speedy and peaceful settlement of the
trouble in China. If these three powers should declare that they
would never permit her dismemberment, China would certainly be
preserved. If this good work is accomplished, the United States,
England and Japan will be China's greatest friends. They will be
rewarded with commerce and other special privileges. In other words
they will receive a thousand-fold in return.
But to grab China by the throat and say to her, "Give us the best you
have," is barbarous and non-Christian; for it is contrary to the
teaching of Christ. To take advantage of China's weakness is inhuman.
China, to-day, is like a man who married in the late years of his
life, and was blessed with a large family of children who were too
young to be of any service to him. For the last few years he was
sickly and weak. The house in which he himself and family lived was a
fine one, and was the only inheritance from his father; but his many
neighbors, who were rich and powerful, and able to assist and
establish him if they wished, were, unfortunately, a little selfish,
and looked toward his inheritance with longing eyes. Five of the
neighbors, with an insatiable desire for gain, and with the forced
consent of the owner, took those rooms which each deemed best for his
own interest and gain. These neighbors are now devising schemes and
pretences by which they may grab the best remaining portions. To some
minds it seems best that this heritage should be thus partitioned,
and they claim that it is the only way to develop and improve this
possession, thus utterly ignoring the claims and interests of the
lawful possessors.
And now, friends, China is the inheritance, and the covetous and
greedy neighbors are those whom I have mentioned above. How much
better it would be for all the great civilized and Christian nations
to make a unanimous effort to help preserve, build up and
Christianize China, rather than to tear her to pieces.
Of course, I must admit that the Chinese Government, viz., the
Empress Dowager, is also responsible for the present state of affairs
in China. She was deceived by Prince Tuan, the great anti-foreign
leader, who represented to her that the Boxers possessed a most
remarkable power, by the exercise of which they were able to close
the mouths of the foreign cannon and also to render themselves
bulletproof. They also told her that they were the best fighters, the
best protectors of her dynasty, and the best men to drive out the
foreigners. But lately we learn that she greatly regrets the step she
has taken, and has issued two edicts urging the Boxers to disperse to
their homes and be law-abiding subjects, that they were to be
destroyed if they should oppose the government troops in any way
whatever. If this is true there is great hope for China. We sincerely
hope that she will at once abdicate and allow the Emperor, Kwang Hsu,
to resume control, for he is just the man that China needs to-day.
Oh! I do wish that the Powers would demand his return to the throne!
I am certain that the Powers can render no better service to China
than to make this demand and see to it that it is complied with. If
the Emperor were again in power there would be an easy settlement of
the present trouble. The outcome of this general shakeup will
undoubtedly be the upbuilding of the Empire. I am sure that God will
overrule this outbreak for the good of China.
I sincerely believe that God has a great future for China. He has
preserved her for nearly 5,000 years, and He will still preserve her
to His glory. The Land of Sinim is to be won for Christ. The Chinese
Empire will then have the same footing as other nations, for her
subjects have the making of a great people. The Chinese who became
Christians in America will also be a great factor in building up
China. God's plan is beyond the comprehension of man. He saw that
America did not send forth missionaries fast enough, so He brought
out the secluded Chinese to this country to be Christianized by the
disciples of Christ, so that they may go back as volunteer
missionaries and thus hasten the conversion of China.
We are sincerely thankful to America for taking the initiative in
negotiations toward preserving the integrity of China. Now, as a
friend and neighbor, let her continue her good work, and may the
European Powers speedily agree to a peaceful settlement of the entire
trouble. Then let America and other Christian nations flood China
with ten thousand Protestant missionaries, for I am sure that this is
one of the best solutions of the Chinese Question, and the only way
to conquer China for Christ.
* * * * *
Surely every patriotic and Christian American will weigh with
thoughtful attention this earnest plea of our honored friend, Rev.
Jee Gam.--EDITOR.
* * * * *
Department of Christian Endeavor
* * * * *
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORERS IN THE A. M. A. CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
BY REV. GEORGE W. MOORE.
The first Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of the
District of Columbia was organized fifteen years ago, in the Lincoln
Memorial Congregational Church, Washington, D. C.
When this Society was organized the place of its location, "Hell's
Bottom," was the most notorious section of the national capital.
There were seventeen saloons within two squares of our mission and
several gambling places were in full blast. There were more cutting
and shooting affrays, more police on duty and more subjects for the
hospital and station-house than in any other section of the District
of Columbia. We have known of three murders in the community in a
single night.
[Illustration: REV. GEORGE W. MOORE, TENN.
GENERAL MISSIONARY.]
The Christian Endeavorers of this society aided the pastor in a
crusade against these dens of iniquity which resulted in wiping out
all of the saloons and gambling places, and the community became one
of the best sections of the city. This society has been missionary in
its spirit and methods; besides organizing a Junior Endeavor Society
and seeking its own development and growth, it has been active in
Alley Mission Sunday-schools, Gospel services in hospitals, and
temperance work.
A large number of students, while receiving their training in the
schools and colleges of Washington, became members of the Lincoln
Memorial Endeavor Society. They have since gone out as ministers,
teachers, physicians, lawyers, business men and home makers, carrying
with them the Endeavor spirit throughout the South.
The Christian Endeavor movement in many of our churches in the South
has felt the impulse of this mother society in Washington. There are
now Christian Endeavor Societies in the four Congregational churches
under the American Missionary Association in the District of
Columbia: Lincoln Memorial, Plymouth, The People's, and University
Park Temple. Their pastors, Rev. Messrs, A. P. Miller, A. C. Garner,
T. M. Nixon and S. N. Brown are all wide-awake Christian Endeavorers.
The Christian Endeavor spirit is felt in all our American Missionary
churches in North Carolina from King's Mountain on the West to
Beaufort-by-the sea. In the summer of 1898 an active campaign of
Christian Endeavor was carried on at Fort Macon, on the Atlantic
Coast, among the colored soldiers of the Third North Carolina
volunteer regiment.
The Field Missionary of the American Missionary Association was aided
in this service by Pastor Newkirk, of Beaufort, and other Christian
workers. Over two hundred of the colored boys in blue enlisted, under
the banner of the Cross, in the army of the Lord.
Sergeant Eaves, a member of the Christian Endeavor Society of our
Lincoln Academy at King's Mountain, was active in Christian work
among his comrades. Secretary Baer, of the United Society of
Endeavor, sent large supplies of the _Christian Endeavor World_ and
literature to us for distribution among the colored soldiers. Mr.
Moody also sent supplies of books for the soldiers which greatly
aided us in our Gospel work for their behalf.
The society at Lincoln Academy, under Miss Lillian Cathcart's
direction, has been a power for good not only in the needy region of
King's Mountain, but throughout the old North State. The society at
the Joseph K. Brick School at Enfield, N. C., under the lead of Prof.
T. S. Inborden, is reaching a large number of youth at this country
place, who in turn carry its spirit and work into their country
communities and homes.
Aggressive Christian Endeavor work is carried on not only in large
centers of population like Raleigh, Charlotte and Wilmington, but
also in country places like Troy, McLeansville and King's Mountain.
The societies in our churches and schools of South Carolina are doing
a good work in Christian Endeavor. The Endeavor spirit is alive at
Avery Institute and Plymouth Church, Charleston.
Christian Endeavor Hall, at Dorchester Academy, McIntosh, Ga., was
built by the gifts of Northern Endeavorers. This school, with its
church and Endeavor societies, is located in Liberty County, in the
black belt of southeast Georgia. This is one of the most needy
sections of darkest America. The American Missionary Association has
done a noble work of uplifting in their behalf.
* * * * *
Obituary.
At the last meeting of the Executive Committee--their first meeting
after the death of Dr. Cravath--the following minute was unanimously
adopted to be inscribed in the records of the Association, to be sent
to the bereaved family and to be published in $1:
MINUTE.
In recording the death of Rev. E. M. Cravath, D.D., President of Fisk
University, the Executive Committee desire to express their deep
sense of loss to the institution and to the American Missionary
Association.
In the work of the American Missionary Association Dr. Cravath has
for thirty-five years given his life, having served for ten years as
Field Superintendent and Field Secretary, and for twenty-five
consecutive years as President of the University.
Mustered out of the army as a Chaplain at the close of the war, Dr.
Cravath immediately selected the location which has become the
permanent home of Fisk University and recommended it to the American
Missionary Association. No one person did more toward locating and
founding the institution. No one person has done more toward its
perpetuation and development. The work to which he gave his life, for
reasons well understood, was a difficult one and involved much of
sacrifice; but among the difficulties which he encountered he ever
bore himself with a calm dignity and a wise prudence which, with his
intellectual power and attainments, gave him great prominence and
influence throughout the educational field of the South.
To manage, govern and direct an institution like Fisk University in
its environment, and in the face of many prejudices, called for an
exceptional man. Dr. Cravath comprehended not only its necessities
but its possibilities. He united a marked administrative ability with
his spirit of consecration so that the University constantly
increased in power and influence under his charge. With a large
sympathy for the young he commanded their entire confidence, and by
his fairness and friendliness and power of personal sunny kindliness
secured their cordial co-operation.
To those who worked with him he leaves a precious memory, and to
those for whom he worked an incalculable inheritance. In this
bereavement the Executive Committee desire to extend to Mrs. Cravath
and the afflicted family their sincere Christian sympathy and to
commend them to the unfailing love and care of Him in whose name we
have our common service.
* * * * *
MEMORIAL SERVICE AT FISK UNIVERSITY.
PROF. J. G. MERRILL.