215
reject the Christian form of life and its teachings he had followed for five years, proving it by "go[ing] to a temple and burn[ing] incense before some idols," would he be spared further torture. Refusing to bend to their manhandling, the patience of his enemies grew thin.8
87
Other letters tell that as he still refused to give up Christianity, his persecutors carried him to the banks of a river [near the village of Kong Tung on the evening of October 16th] and swore that if he would not then and there deny Christ, they would put him to death. He only answered, "How can I deny Him who died for me?" Infuriated by his steadfastness they rushed on him, struck him down, cut off his head and threw his body into the river.
For a number of weeks after this murder the rioters continued to rampage the district of Poklo, but gradually the vigilante dream faded, and the seriousness of their offences weighed on the leaders' minds. Attempts at compromise were offered, asking for clemency in return for the mission society's free use of the house in Poklo. To this Legge is claimed to have responded that the missionaries "would take no measures to bring them to justice," but as missionaries they could not interfere if the Chinese government itself charged them with serious offences.$8
PART SIX: Confused lights in the dark halls of foreign affairs
By the end of October, two weeks after Ch'ea's murder, Legge wrote not only about the limited details he had heard regarding Ch'ea's sufferings, but also characterized the vigilantes themselves. For him and others there was much "not easy to understand." On the surface, they seemed to be supporting the Qing empire, and even carried a flag with the inscription, "Security to the Government, and Extermination for Barbarians" (possibly using the derogatory term, fanyi). But from the extensive description of the larger picture given here it is undeniable that they acted "in defiance of the authorities," even taking prisoner a number of the local Qing officials (whose fate was never clarified). During this same period the occupation
215
reject the Christian form of life and its teachings he had followed for five years, proving it by "go[ing] to a temple and burn[ing] incense before some idols," would he be spared further torture. Refusing to bend to their manhandling, the patience of his enemies grew thin.8
87
Other letters tell that as he still refused to give up Christianity, his persecutors carried him to the banks of a river [near the village of Kong Tung on the evening of October 16th] and swore that if he would not then and there deny Christ, they would put him to death. He only answered, "How can I deny Him who died for me?" Infuriated by his steadfastness [sic] they rushed on him, struck him down, cut off his head and threw his body into the river.
For a number of weeks after this murder the rioters continued to rampage the district of Poklo, but gradually the vigilante dream faded, and the seriousness of their offences weighed on the leaders' minds. Attempts at compromise were offered, asking for clemency in return for the mission society's free use of the house in Poklo. To this Legge is claimed to have responded that the missionaries "would take no measures to bring them to justice," but as missionaries they could not interfere if the Chinese government itself charged them with serious offences.$8
PART SIX: Confused lights in the dark halls of foreign affairs
By the end of October, two weeks after Ch'ea's murder, Legge wrote not only about the limited details he had heard regarding Ch'ea's sufferings, but also characterized the vigilantes themselves. For him and others there was much "not easy to understand." On the surface, they seemed to be supporting the Qing empire, and even carried a flag with the inscription, "Security to the Government, and Extermination for Barbarians" (possibly using the derogatory term, fanyi). But from the extensive description of the larger picture given here it is undeniable that they acted "in defiance of the authorities." even taking prisoner a number of the local Qing officials (whose fate was never clarified). During this same period the occupation
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.