Of missions of other nations we saw one or two examples, but they are
few in number if you except the Roman Catholic Missions. It is rather
a pity that the Scandinavian Missions do not throw all their {204}
effort into work in Manchuria; few races would endure the bitter cold
of Manchuria better than they, and Manchuria is readier to accept
Western ideas than perhaps any other part of China. She has felt and
realised the pressure of the West, she has suffered under the burden of
Russian domination, she has seen the Westernised armies of conquering
Japan put to flight the northern invader. As we stood on the 203 Metre
Hill and realised on that shattered hill-top how Manchuria has seen the
full force of the destructive power of Western civilisation; as we
counted the wrecks that then lay at the mouth of the harbour; as we
looked at each shattered homestead, yes, and at the bones that were
still unburied, we felt that the great land of Manchuria has a special
need that some one should show her that Western civilisation can indeed
produce something more lovely than shells and bayonets.
I am happy to be able to say that a splendid work is being carried on
by the Presbyterian Missions; they have shown to the Northern Chinese
another form of courage than that which was shown by the warriors of
Russia and Japan. Two stories remain in my mind among many. First a
story of the old days before Russia had made the Trans-Siberian
Railway, before the Japanese had for the first time taken Port Arthur.
A British mission doctor was at work. The Chinese, _more suo_, had
determined to get rid of this example of the mercy of Western
civilisation. They did not dare to kill him openly, so they sent a
{205} messenger who feigned to have come from a sick man out in the
country. The doctor and his Chinese dresser, unconscious of the plot,
readily obeyed the summons. They noticed that a child followed them,
and they did their best to induce him to go home, but he would not.
When they arrived at the village inn they discovered that the sick man
did not exist. They were in doubt what to do, when suddenly the door
was thrown open and several of the soldiers of the Viceroy's bodyguard
rushed in, and seizing the two, they declared that they had stolen a
child to make medicine out of his eyes. They then proceeded to torture
the doctor by tying his hands behind his back and suspending him by
them to the roof. Such was the agony that the doctor lost
consciousness. They then took him down, and he was put into a
loathsome Chinese prison, where he was exposed to mental torture as
severe as the physical torture which he had already endured. He was
told that he would be beheaded, and every preparation was made, and
then at the last moment he was taken back to the prison. This was
repeated till they thought they had shattered his nerve, and then he
was allowed to go free. With that calm courage which has so often
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account