Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 1, January 1886Various
History
Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 1, January 1886
Various
Periodicals
The arrangement which the Pope has made with the Emperor of China
promises to be productive of the happiest results, and to open the
Flowery Kingdom fully to the spread of the gospel. For many years the
French assumed the position of protectors of Christian missionaries in
barbarous countries. The first expedition to Annam was avowedly sent to
put an end to the murders of missionaries and converts so frequent in
that country; and for a time it did serve to put a check on the ferocity
of government and people. In the treaty of Tienstin it was stipulated
that the French Government should have the right to protect missionaries
in China. For a time that seemed to work well. But the many complaints
made through the French consuls, and the punishments inflicted on
Mandarins at their demand, served to irritate the Mandarins and the
populace. The indiscretion of some French missionaries, who interposed
to protect converts not always deserving of protection, and who flaunted
the flag of France in the faces of the Mandarins in their own courts,
increased the irritation. Some of the missionaries boasted also in
letters, which the Chinese saw when published, of the respect for France
which they instilled into their converts. The consequence was, that,
although the missionaries are from all nations, the Chinese learned to
regard them as French; and when the French made the late war on China,
to regard all Chinese Christians as traitors. Formerly the government
persecuted the Christians. Latterly Chinese mobs massacred the
Christians and destroyed their churches, convents, schools, etc., and
the French scarcely made an effort to protect them even in Tonquin. The
Holy Father, in the letter which we published some time ago, assured the
Emperor that the missionaries who are of all nations are of no politics
and desire only to preach the Christian religion, and begged the Emperor
to protect them. It has now been arranged that the Pope shall hereafter
be represented by a Legate at Pekin to whom the rank, etc., of an
ambassador will be given, and who will receive any complaints the
missionaries may have to make and will seek redress for them. Thus the
interests of religion will, in the minds of the Chinese, be entirely
dissociated from the interests of all foreign countries, and the
feelings which now prevail will subside in time. The French Government
infidel, though it is, will not like, it is thought, to be thus put
aside; but if the missionaries cease to appeal to its agents it will be
powerless.
"Faro's Daughters."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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