Your search within this document for 'china' OR 'mission' resulted in 13 matching pages.

You can restrict your results by searching for china AND mission.
1 Page 4

“...THE following Papers have been prepared and printed at the request of some of the Secretaries of the Missionary Societies interested in China, for the information of their Committees. They consist of Four Parts :— 1. Remarks on the Preamble. 2. Analysis of the eight Regulations. 3. Some Distinctions Observable in China between Protestant and Romanist Missions. 4. Concluding Remarks. Foreign Missions’ Committee of the English Presbyterian CHURCH, Queen’s Square House, Guilford Street, London, W.C....”
2 Page 5

“...which forms the Preamble to the Eight Regula- tions, By the Rev. A. WILLIAMSON, D.D., Agent for China of the National Bible Society of Scotland. The document is ostensibly addressed to the French Govern- ment, and against Roman Catholics, and could we believe that it was aimed only at them, we would have comparatively little interest in exposing it. But the circumstances under which it was issued, the ominous applicability to all missionaries, and, above all, the falsehood, misleading statements, and cunning which pervade the Circular throughout, compel us to question the sin- cerity of the whole, and force us to believe in ulterior intentions. To begin with the preamble : It would be too tedious to take it up sentence by sentence. Suffice it to say that the argument may be said to be based on four assertions. The first is, that trade has in no degree occasioned differences between China and the Powers. We presume that the writers refer to the period subsequent to Lord Elgin’s treaty...”
3 Page 6

“...to Peking, and too often without any redress whatever, owing to the facile but fatal forbearance (slackness rather) which is likely to involve us in no end of troubles. Yet the Government say, “ Trade has occasioned no difference between China and the Powers.” II. But, further, they say that “missions (i.e., Romanist missions) engender ever-increasing abuses,” and so I frankly admit that it is impossible for any honest man to defend the Roman Catholic priests in all their proceedings ; but at the same time there is no doubt the charges against them have been grossly exaggerated. And without entering into details I may mention only one fact, which speaks for itself. In all my journeys in North China, Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, as well as in Central China, in former years, I have only once, as far as I can recollect, been taunted with the doings of the priests; whereas in almost every place I have been opium has been cast in my teeth, and I have been asked, “ If you wish to do us good, why...”
4 Page 7

“...of missions ” ! The third point urged in this preamble is the hatred of the people; and they affirm “ At this moment the animosity of the people, already deep, degenerates gradually into a hate which at length reaches its paroxysm ”; and other sentences to a similar effect. Now, what is the fact? I have never been seriously molested in my journeys, and have felt as safe among the people as I would have done in Scotland or England; and this is the uniform testimony of all who have travelled in China, whether scientific men, merchants, or missionaries, except certain wild localities in the south. And what will be thought of the veracity of the authors of this Circular, when I say that in every case where the people have risen against foreigners it has been proved that the mandarins and the literati were the instigators of the whole affair? Further, the writers of the despatch repeatedly refer to the Tien-tsin massacre, and hold it up in terrorem as an eventuality which is certain to occur...”
5 Page 8

“...Roman Catholic missions are some- times particular, sometimes general. And while strictly speaking directed solely against Roman Catholics, they are often calculated to leave an impression unfavourable to all missions alike. How far they may be true of Roman Catholic missions it is not our business in this place to enquire : what we have to remark is that all the particular cases quoted are from Roman Catholic missions, and that the general statements are not applicable to Protestant work in China. The regulations proposed are partly mere truisms, such as no one has denied; partly principles and rules already in force, according to the treaty, at least in the case of Protestants, and which, if simply put in practice in the case of Roman Catholic missions (which the Chinese have a full right to do at present), would be amply sufficient to punish or prevent the bad practices alleged. But to a very large extent the proposed regulations are directly opposed to the treaties, and fitted to...”
6 Page 9

“...now quote in order those clauses of each Article which are most clearly opposed to the existing Treaty, and most hurtful app lied to Protestant missions. ARTICLE I. “ It would be a good thing to abolish the foreign orphanages,” or “ only the children of necessitous Christians should be received.” Note.—Protestants have no orphanages. But this Article might injuriously affect boarding-schools. ARTICLE II. “ Women ought no longer to enter the Churches: nor should Sisters of Charity live in China to teach religion.” “ There ought to be a kind of line of separation which cannot be overstepped.” Note.—Among the Chinese themselves no such impassable line exists, except in theory or among the higher classes. Men and women together frequent temples, plays, pro- cessions, funerals, courts of justice, shops and markets; travel together on roads, and in boats, large and small, by day and night; converse in streets, villages, and farms; work together in fields and other places. Why should churches...”
7 Page 10

“...the legislation of the country in. which they live, and .... are forbidden to make themselves independent. Similarly, the missionaries who teach their religion in China ought to submit themselves to the authority of the magistrates of this country.” Note.—But in China all foreigners are by Treaty exempted from the authority of the Chinese magistrates and laws, being governed by their own Consuls and Judges, according to their own laws. Even those foreigners who are in the service of the Chinese Government (e.g., the Imperial Customs) are so exempted. The reason is the utter badness of Chinese law and govern- ment. If a foreigner in the Interior break the laws, he is liable to be arrested by the Mandarins, and sent (without being maltreated) to his Consul to be judged. This condition is printed on all British passports in China. Missionaries have the same rights as other foreigners ; and they are equally liable to arrest, and this would have been the proper course, if Roman Catholic priests...”
8 Page 11

“...sense is about the “Lamas,” but it is probably applicable to missionaries, too. Missionaries avoid, as far as possible, what would give offence, especially as by far the greater part of the Confucian teaching is good morality, which is a powerful auxiliary to Christianity. But the clause might prohibit our pointing out any of its errors (even when quoted against us) or supplying its defects. For instance, it is quite against Confucius to assert that Queen Victoria is equal to the Emperor of China, or to assert that all men are sinners, &c. Again, Buddhism and Mohammedanism are at least as much opposed to Confucius as Christianity is, and yet are fully tolerated. Some other clauses of this Article will be cited and com- mented on in connection with related clauses in Article IV. ARTICLE IV. “ Punishment once inflicted, they (foreigners) must not come and claim indemnities, and above all they must not seek the soi- disant abettor of the crime, to exact from him a certain sum.” “The i...”
9 Page 14

“...Inspectors of the Ten Families, and cause the name of the person to be entered in the register with this purpose. In the same way the missionaries ought to give notice to the authorities, who will take note of the day of the month and of the year of admittance, of the country and of the station in life of the individual, and will ascertain if he has ever undergone any sentence, or if he has ever changed his name. By acting thus all confusion will be avoided. If a Christian should be sent on a mission, and he should die on the way, notice should be given to the proper authority. If, after being converted, a person commits some crime, he should be dismissed and no longer regarded as belonging to the religion. Every month, or at least every three months, the authorities ought to be informed of the number of conversions. The authorities, also, should act as they do in regard to our temples, that is to say, they should go every month, or at least every three months, to inspect the missions. This...”
10 Page 15

“...characters and have far more interest to do so than any one else, but cannot be responsible for this to any magistrates. If a nominal Christian commit a crime, he is just as liable to be seized and punished as a heathen. We claim no civil privileges for our converts. If a bad man repent and reform he must be admitted to the Church. The great work of the Church is “to call sinners to repentance,” yet this article would forbid it. The registration proposed is intolerable. There is no such thing in China for other religions. The clause about “the ministers of our religion ” is incomprehensible, unless it refers to Buddhist priests, who, being under a vow of celibacy, have no parallel in Protestant missions. The alleged inspection of temples does not exist, or if it ever takes place, we have not been able to find any trace of it. Intolerable that every Christian on entering the Church should pass through an inquisitorial trial and exami- nation of all his past life, and ever after be under severe...”
11 Page 18

“...inhabitants have to be con- sulted. Note.—So that one ill-disposed person could at any time get up opposition. And though no one had any objection yet many would certainly make objections simply for the purpose of getting money for giving up the opposi- tion. This may seem incredible; but I appeal for evidence to anyone who knows China. The effect of these three regulations would be simply to make it impossible to buy or lease at all whenever any one inhabitant or mandarin should wish to prevent it. Perhaps it may be objected that this article is pointed solely against the buying or renting of ground or houses by “ missionaries.” But any one who knows China will see that, if once enacted, it would be liable to be applied by the local mandarins to any case of native Christians buying or renting * any place for religious purposes. For it could always be plausibly asserted that this was done in accordance with the “ wish ” of the missionaries for a chapel” or occasional “resi- dence.” This...”
12 Page 19

“...required to pay for “ the expenses of theatrical solemnities and the worship of local protecting divinities ”; but this exemption is stated in such an exceptional manner that it might almost seem to imply that they are liable for other idolatrous payments; yet, according to the Treaty, as at present interpreted, they are free from all such pay- ments, not only because the matter is covered by the admitted enactment of full toleration and religious equality, but also because all such payments in China are purely voluntary, and their forcible collection is illegal....”
13 Page 20

“...(20) SOME POINTS OF DISTINCTION observ- able in China between the Protestant and Romanist Missions. By the Rev. Dr. WILLIAMSON. Distinction between Roman Catholic Priests and Protestant Missionaries is very easily discovered and apprehended by the people wherever they have an opportunity of comparing us and our operations. With few exceptions, we retain our foreign dress; the priests adopt the Chinese costume in all its details. We preach publicly in our chapels and elsewhere; the priests never do so. We distribute and sell books of all kinds, religious, historical, and scientific ; they abstain from this. We are for the most part married men; the priests are, of course, celibates. Our schools, of all descriptions, are open to the inspection of the neighbours, who go out and in at pleasure, and so there never has been a breath of evil suspicion in reference to our work in that direction; whereas the Roman Catholic establishments are generally within high walls and closed to the people...”