cording to the law. In his reply to the governor, of which I obtained a copy through the German Consul, the magistrate of Tsang-shing, with whom we have no relations at all, confirms the truth of the whole story as I have told above, adding that the Catholic Christians of Pak-kong and neighbourhood are known to be lawless people, always bent on mischief. He even goes so far as to call their teacher (a Chinese) "a chief of evil doers, an originator of calamities."* The Protestant Christians of that district," he goes on to say, "were, so far as he knew them, a law-abiding people, mostly consisting of farmers and shopkeepers, not daring to cause disturbances or to act wrongly."†
Nevertheless the Chinese government remains inactive. The evil doers escape unpunished. More than that; they are allowed to pursue their nefarious activities. No one dares to attack them, because they are screened under "the protecting banner" of the church, or rather of France.
In his memorial presented to the governor, the magistrate mentions the fact that most of the evil doers being Tung-kau people, belong to the jurisdiction of his colleague, the magistrate of Tang-kau. This man knows the individual names of the evil doers and could deal with them one by one. He has been ordered by the governor and entreated by Mr. Zahn to arrest them. All in vain. He would be the last to do it, since he himself, though a heathen, is so entirely in the hands of the Catholics. His secretary, by whose help he obtained part of the money to buy his post, is a "Catholic." Some time ago this man was guilty of embezzlement as a lottery office keeper in Canton. Prosecuted by the governor, he fled to the Catholics, and was accepted by them. Now he is, as I have said, secretary to the Tang-kon magistrate, and carries out his exactions under the "banner" of the church. Part of the gentry of Tang-kan applied the other day to the governor at Canton to put this man on his trial as a prisoner. All in vain. Screened by the church he is unassailable, though he has been, and still is, one of the vilest of characters. Since this man is known to be acting in concert with some of the inmates of the Catholic chapel at Tung-kun, it is not to be wondered at that the magistrate dares to remain inactive; but I hope the last word has not yet been spoken. Though we are obliged to put upon ourselves some kind of restriction on account of the undesired rapprochement between Germany and France, we trust that power enough is left in the hands of our Consul to insist that the terms agreed upon shall be carried out effectively, the more so since the French Consul has given him the explicit assurance that the engagements entered into shall be fulfilled.
* G*.
†十白红腿音教民或淼店營生或脂为您漿大箾安分未敢滋事為非
Enclosure 1.
BEWEEN ROMAN QUARRELS
CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT
MISSIONS.
(Daily Press, 11st September, 1899.) The keen animosity that prevails between Roman Catholics and Protestants in China, and the attempts made by rival factions of Natives to secure the support of the missionaries in their local disputes and clan fights, are calculated to raise a crop of serious difficulties. From various parts of the country accounts come to hand from time to time of fights between the adherents of the two forms of the Christian religion, and with the growth of Christian communities in numbers, power, and influence, we may eventually see something in the nature of a pseudo-religious war break out, if the missionaries cannot succeed in controlling their congregations better than they seem to be able to do at present.
The Ostasiatische Lloyd in a recent number published a remarkable story of an occurrence almost on the borders of our own colony, namely, in the Tungkan district, which has a direct bearing upon this question. The story is prefaced by a few remarks to the effect that the disorder in Kwangsung exercises a prejudicial influence upon the peaceable development of the missions in the South, that mixed up in the disturbances are found Christians who, as so often happens in Kwangtung, try to make political and personal gain out of their religion, and that in quarrels not infrequently the hangers on of the Catholics are to be found on the one side and those of the Protestants on the other.
The narrative of the particular occurrence in question has reached our contemporary in a fragmentary form and with what are evidently bold embellishments, but the editor has heard something of the other side of the case and endeavours to hold the scales fairly. It is stated that on Saturday, the 28th July, Herr FRANZ ZAHN, a Rhenish missionary stationed in Tungkun, was informed by a few of the local Christians that the village of Pak-kung, an out-station of the mission, had been attacked by a band of some three hundred men under the direction of the French priest, Father JULIEN, during the night, and had been plundered. Herr ZAHN, to whom the statement seemed incredible, immediately set out for the place, accompanied by an evangelist, to ascertain the facts. On his arrival at Pakkung he was immediately surrounded by a band of some twenty men armed with swords, pistols, and knives, who threw him to the ground and robbed him, the clothes being torn off his back. The evangelist fared no better. Herr ZAHN was then dragged into the Catholic chapel, bound hand and foot, his neck was loaded with a heavy steel chain, and he was thus placed before Father JULIEN. The latter, holding a gun in his left hand and with his fist raised, sprang towards Herr ZAHN, and seemed to be directing the people, so that Herr ZAHN took him for the head robber. In the presence of this man Herr ZAHN was also beaten and derided. To the question why he had come there Herr ZAHN made answer that he wished to visit and speak with Father JULIEN, "That is he," said all, pointing to the leader.
"We must omit," says the Ostasiatische Lloyd, "what took place between the two Europeans. Our authority was not present at the interview and to avoid misunderstanding we must confine ourselves to what was reported to him." This apparently cautious statement throws suspicion on the whole narrative, for it is evidently founded on hearsay through Chinese at that, for he. Herr Zahn being the original authority he would have been able to report the conversation. However, passing over the interview, the narrative goes on to say that on Sunday morning, after they had been compelled to sign a document which they afterwards learnt was a statement that they parted in peace, Herr ZAHN and his companion were released, and almost dead with fatigue they arrived back at Tungkun. The matter has since been represented to the German Consulate.
Our contemporary's authority continues:-"It is high time something was done. The French priests carry themselves as if they were already lords of Kwangtung, and they will take advantage of the weakness of the Chinese Government to further strengthen their position. The latter knows too well what is going on to be ignorant of the priests with arms threatening not only Chinese life and property, but also the Protestant missionaries."
From another source the Ostasiatische Lloyd learns that Father JULIEN afterwards explained that it was correct that he had become involved in a disturbance, but stated that he was not opposed to Herr ZAHN, as the latter seemed to assume, and that when he sprang forward at the time of their interview it was for the purpose of appeasing the mob and restraining them from outrage. Our contemporary continues:-"In any case a searching enquiry by the German authorities will be necessary. Father JULIEN afterwards excused himself to Herr ZAHN and stated that the Protestants would be compensated by the Catholic mission for their actual losses. Also it seems that Father JULIEN is shortly leaving Pakkung for another district, and that he had only gone there a few months before in compliance with a request from people who, it transpired, lived in contention with their neighbours and were desirous of securing the aid of the Catholic mission." Such is the information concerning this remarkable case furnished by our Shanghai German contemporary.
No one will for a moment believe that the Roman Catholic priest was in any way personally responsible for the outrages to which Herr ZAHN was subjected, and if the latter, as alleged, signed a document stating that they parted in peace it is incredible that he would do so in ignorance of its contents. So far therefore as the personal relations of Father JULIEN and Herr ZAHN are concerned no complaint seems to lie against the former. The incident, however, affords an indication of a peculiar and important movement that is going on in China, but one which does not often obtrude itself on the notice of foreign residents and which is therefore not likely to receive the attention it deserves. All over China the assistance of the missionaries is in request for political and pecuniary reasons, and keen rivalry exists between the Protestants and Roman Catholics. It is only occasionally that such a state of affairs is brought into prominence, but this happens occasionally, when such incidents as that at Pakking are recorded, and it was only the other day that Bishops of the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches were engaged in a newspaper controversy at Shanghai respecting the rights and wrongs of a quarrel between their respective adherents in one of the districts in which the clergy of both Churches are at work.
10
cording to the law. In his reply to the governor, of which I obtained a copy through the German Consul, the magistrate of Tsang- shing, with whom we have no relations at all, confirms the truth of the whole story as I have told above, adding that the Catholic Christians of Pak-kong and neighbourhood are known to be lawless people, always bent on mischief. He even goes so far as to call their teacher (a Chinese) "a chief of evil doers, an originator of calamities."* The Protestant Christians of that district," he goes on to say, "were, so far as he knew them, a law-abiding people, mostly consisting of farmers and shopkeepers, not daring to canse disturbances or to act wrongly."t
<
Nevertheless the Chinese government remains inelive. The evil doers escape napnuished. More than that; they are allowel to pursue their nefarious activities. No one dares to attack there, because they are screened under "the protecting banner" of the church, or rather of France.
In his memorial presented to the governor, the magistrate mentions the fact that most of the evil doers being Tung-kau people, belong to the jurisdiction of his colleague, the magistrate of Tang- kon. This man knows the individual unes of the evil doers and could deal with them one by one. He has been ordered by the governor and entreated by Mr. Zahu to arrest them. All in vain. He would be the last to do it, since he himself, though a heathen, is so entirely in the hands of the Catholies, His secretary, by whose help he obtained part of the money to buy his post, is a "Catholic." Some time ago this man was guilty of embezzlement as a lottery office keeper in Canton. Prosecuted by the governor, he fled to the Catholics, and was accepted by them. Now he is, as I have said, secretary to the Tong-kon magistrate, and carries out his exactions under the banner" of the church. Part of the gentry of Tang- kan applied the other day to the governor at Canton to put this man ou his trial as a prisoner. All in vain. Sarceued by the church he is unassailable, though he has been, and still is, one of the vilest of characters. Since tliis man is known to be acting in čoneert with some of the inmates of the Catholic chapel at Tung-kun, it is not to be wondered at that the magistrate dares to remain inactive; but I hope the last word has not yet been spoken. Though we are obliged to put upon ourselves some kind of restriction on account of the undesired rapprochement between Germany and France, we trust that power enough is left in the hands of our Consul to insist that the terms agreed upon shall be carried out effectively, the more so siuce the French Cousal has given him the explicit assurance that the eugagements entered into shall be falalled.
* G*.
十白红腿音教民或淼店營生或脂为您漿大箾安分未敢滋事為非
Enclosure 1.
BE WEEN ROMAN QUARRELS
CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT
MISSIONS.
a re-
(Daily Press, 11st September, 1899. The keen animosity that prevails be tween Roman Catholics and Protestants in hina, and the attempts made by rival fac ons of Natives to secure the support of the missionaries in their local disputes and clau fights, are calculated to raise a crop of serious difficulties. From various parts of the country accounts come to hand from time to time of fights between the adherents of i the two forms of the Christian religiou, and with the growth of Christian communities in numbers, power, and influence, we may eventually see something in the nature of a psendo-religious war break out, if the mis- 1 ionaries cannot su- ceed in controlling their congregations better than they seem to be i
The Ostasiatische able to do at present. Lloyd in a recent number published markable story of an occurrence almost or the borders of our own colony, namely, in the Tungkan district, which has a direct bearing upon this question. The story is pre- faced by a few remarks to the effect that the disorder in Kwangsung exercises a prejudi- cial influence upon, the peaceable develop- mout of the missions in the South, that mixed up in the disturbances are found Christians who, as so often happens in Kwangtung, try to make political and per- sond gain out of their religion, and that in quarrels not infrequently the hangers on of the Catholics are to be found on the one side and thore of the Protestants on the other. The narrative of the particular oc- currence in question has reached cur con- temporary in a fragmentary form and with what are evidently hold embellishments but the editor bus heard something of the other side of the case and endeavours to hold the scales fairly. It is stated that ou Saturday, the 28th July, Herr FRANZ ZAHN, a Rhenish missionary stationed in Tungkun, was informed by a few of the local Christians that the village of Pak- kung, an out-station of the mission, bad been attacked by a band of some three hundred men under the direction of the French priest, Father JULIEN, during the night, and had been plundered. Herr ZAHN, to whom the statement seemed incredible, immediately set out for the place, accom- panied by an evangelist, to ascertain the sfacts. On his arrival at Pakkung he was immediately surrounded by a band of some twenty men armed with sworde, pistols, and knives, who threw him to the ground and robbet him, the clothes being torn off his back. The evangelist fared no better. Herr ZAHN was then dragged into the Catholic chapel, bound hand and foot, his neak was loaded with a heavy steel chain, and he was thus placed before Father JULIEN, The latter, holding a gun in his left band and with his fist raised, sprang towards Herr ZAHN, and seemed to be directing the people, so that Herr ZAHN fook him for the head robber. In the presence of this man Herr ZARN was also beaten and derided. To the question why be had come there Herr Zans made answer that he wished to visit and speak with Father JULIEN, "That is he," said all, pointing to the leader.
45
"We must omit," says the Ostasiatische Lloyd," what took place between the two Europeans. Our authority was not pre- "sent at the interview and to avoid mis- "understanding we must confine ourselves to what was reported to him." This apparently cautious statement throws sus- picion on the whole narrative, for it is evid-
ently
472
Reco
935
ently founded on hearsay theprhout, abili Chinese at that, for ha. Her Zun been- the original authority he would have heen able to repor the conversation. However, passing over the interview, the narrative goes on to say that on Sunday morning, after they had been compelled to ign a document which they afterwards learnt wasn statement that they parted in peace, Herr ZAHN and his companion were released, and almost dead with fatigue they arrived back at Tungkun. The matter has since been represented to the German Consulate. Our contemporary's authority continues :-" It "is high time something was done. The "French priests carry themselves as if they "were already lords of Kwangtung, and they "will take advantage of the weakness of "the Chinese Government to further streng- "then their position. The latter knows too - well what is going on to be ignorant of "the priests with arms threatening not only "Chinese life and property, but also the
Protestant missionaries.”
Front another source the Ostasiutische Lloyd learns that Father JULIEN afterwards explained that it was correct that he had become involved in a disturbance, but stated that he was not opposed to Herr ZAHN, as the latter seemed to assume, and that it he sprang forward at the time of their inter- view it was for the purpose of appeasing the mob and restraining them from outrage. Our contemporary continues:-" In any "case a searching enquiry by the German Father "authorities will be necessary.
JULIEN afterwards excused himself to Herr ZAHN and etated that the Protestants "would be compensated by the Catholic mission for their actual bosses. Also it seems that Father JULIEN is shortly leaving Pakkung for another district, and that he had only gone there a few months "before in compliance with a request from "people who, it transpired, lived in conten- tion with their neighbours and were de- "sirous of securing the aid of the Catholic *mission." Such is the information co n- cerning this remarkable case furnished by our Shangbai Germ.n contemporary. No one will for a moment believe that the Rowan atholic priest was in any way personally responsible for the outrages to which Herr ZAHN was subjected, and it the latter, as alleged, signed a doenment stating that they parted in peace it is in- credible that he would do so in ignorance of its contents. So far therefore as the per- EoLal relations of Father JULIEN and Herr ZAHN are concerned no complaint seems to lie against the former. The incident, how- ever, affords an indication of a peculiar and important movement that is going on in China, but one which does not often obtrudle itself on the notice of foreign residents and which is therefore not likely to receive the attention it deserves. All over China the assistance of the missionaries is iu request for political and pecuniary reasons, and keen rivalry exists between the Protestants and Roman Catholies. It is only occasionally that such o state of affairs is brought into prominence, but this happens oc- casion..lly, when such incidents as that at Pakking are recorded, and it was only the other day that Bishops of the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches were engaged in a newspaper controversy at Shanghai respecting the rights and wrongs of a quarrel between their respective adherents in one of the districts in which the clergy of both Churches are at work.
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