Ocr Correspondent at Peking refers in the letter which we publish to-day to some encroachments by the Roman Catholic missionaries in the city of Yenchow Fu, the birthplace of Confucius. We are not informed of the recent action of these missionaries, but we surmise that it is their intention to establish a mission in that city. This we are advised is certain to create a good deal of ill will among the Chinese and will probably lead to diplomatic difficulties, if persisted in. It is perhaps needless to say that any missionaries going to a place which ix held in so much reverence by the Chinese, are certain to stir up into ae the latent bad feeling among the literati and gentry. In the first place this would be directed against the French and Roman Catholics, but it would speedily extend to other missionaries and foreigners generally. It is therefore to be hoped that the Bishop, who may be presumed to have originated or at least sanctioned, what are called the encroachments on the birthplace of Confu will listen more prudent councils and abandon his present designs. In our opinion onl trouble can come from a measure whicl will be very offensive to the Chinese, and it may be that the trouble will become of a very serious nature, No doubt there is considerable attractly ness to ardent minds in carrying Chris tian missions into a place which is as sacred as any place can be in the eyes of such a people as the Chinese. But such a course is unlikely to produce any good, and in the peculiar position in which France stands towards the Catholic missionaries, it is very likely to embroil her with China, diplomatically at any rate. There were some disturbances at Yenchow Fu last Year, a riot having occurred in August when some property which the Roman Catholic Bishop had_ succeeded purchasing was despoiled, and about the same time an English missionary who was passing through the city was attacked and forcibly turned out of his course. There are therefure all the elements for serious disturbances at hand in Yenchow Fu, as there are in other places in Shantung; and as we have at before, and as our Correspondent in Chi-nan-fu shews in the letter which we publish to-day, the officials of the province are either unable or unwilling to assert their power id by the Bishop to a Governor of that the officials may have at. least hance may lead some people to infer
in some cases a fair defence for their conduct to the missionaries. For in Chinese eyes the proceedings of the Bishop on that occasion must have appeared arrogant and insulting, We Cee the doings of Catholic Bishops in other parts of China and notably in Szechuen, and we suppose they are likely to continue them while France continues her protectorate. But to us i Christianity in this county, while for-it appears an unlikely way to spread
cing themselves into a place like Yeu-chow Fu must be particularly offensive to the Chinese mil eettain 10 provoke active hostility to all missionaries. The evil that may be done not only to religious progress but to all our relations with the Chinese by offending the sentiment or pride of the people may not be easily or soon overcome. 'The people not only of Yenchow Fu but of all Shantung are proud of Confucius having been born there, and, as Dr, Williams: says, "are proud of' their nativity on this score, much as the woman of Samaria was because Jacob's cattle had drunk water at the wells of Sychar."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.