New Forces in Old China: An Inevitable AwakeningBrown, Arthur Judson
History
New Forces in Old China: An Inevitable Awakening
Brown, Arthur Judson
China -- Commerce; China -- Foreign relations; China -- Politics and government; Missions -- China
The treaty, moreover, called for the opening of two additional
treaty ports, one of which is at Feng-tien-fu, more generally
known as Mukden, important not only as a city of 200,000 inhabitants
but as the capital of Manchuria and with both rail
and river connection with the Gulf of Pe-chi-li and the imperial
province of Chih-li. The other is at An-tung, which is important
because of its situation on the Yalu River opposite the
Korean frontier. Of course, the Russia-Japan War has post-
poned the opening of these ports, but the recognition of China's
right to open them by treaty with the United States is none the
less significant.
Most important of all, the treaty removes, so far as any such
enactment can remove, the last barrier to the extension of Christianity
throughout China. In Article XIII of the English treaty
with China, September 5, 1902, Great Britain agreed to join
in a commission to secure peaceable relationships between converts
and non-converts in China. But the American treaty
goes much farther, as the following extract (Article XIV) will
show:--
``The principles of the Christian religion, as professed by the Protestant
and Roman Catholic Churches, are recognized as teaching men to do good
and to do to others as they would have others do to them. Those who
quietly profess and teach these doctrines shall not be harassed or persecuted
on account of their faith. Any person, whether citizen of the
United States or Chinese convert, who, according to these tenets, peaceably
teaches and practices the principles of Christianity shall in no case
be interfered with or molested therefor. No restrictions shall be placed
on Chinese joining Christian churches. Converts and non-converts, being
Chinese subjects, shall alike conform to the laws of China, and shall
pay due respect to those in authority, living together in peace and amity;
and the fact of being converts shall not protect them from the consequences
of any offense they may have committed before or may commit after their
admission into the church, or exempt them from paying legal taxes levied
on Chinese subjects generally, except taxes levied and contributions for
the support of religious customs and practices contrary to their religion.
Missionaries shall not interfere with the exercise by the native authorities
of their jurisdiction over Chinese subjects; nor shall the native authorities
make any distinction between converts and non-converts, but shall administer
the laws without partiality, so that both classes can live together in
peace.
``Missionary societies of the United States shall be permitted to rent
and to lease in perpetuity as the property of such societies, buildings or
lands in all parts of the Empire for missionary purposes and, after the
title-deeds have been found in order and duly stamped by the local authorities,
to erect such suitable buildings as may be required for carrying on
their good work.''
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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