(4) Afourthsouree of disturbance hasbeen the methods of the Roman Catholic church in securing property and in the site and erection of buildings. Most of the missi nary difficulties in China, both Protestant, and Roman Catholic, have been due to son property question." To be accurate, we should define the natural exclusiveness and hostility of the Chinese as the cause, and the simple question of church-property as the occasion.
There are three features of the property question in the Church of Rome, each a source of trouble, collision, and disturbance.
The first feature has been the reclamation of alleged property from the time of the Emperor Kanghe! in the present. dynaniy. This a" a right was partly recogalved by an Tmnperial Rescript of the Emperor Tnokuang in 1845, only it added a limitation to this right of restitution, as follow: "Excepting only those churches which have been converted into temples and dwelling-houses for the people." In the Treaty of China with France in 1860 this right was reiterated, and without the limitation, From that time on began trouble, claims by the French priests, and resistance by the Chinese people. Up to 1871 this trouble continued, and in that year the Tsungli Yamen specified certain elements of the trouble. One was the general indifference of the missionaries to the susceptibilities of the people; another the haste shown in ejecting the Literati and gentry from the houses claimed a third the claim to property used at time for the yamens, temples, or other plices held in high respect by the people and lastly the claims to houses, rebuilt or repaired by the occupants since the transfer. On. this last claim the following language is used: "The missionaries exact A restitution and do not even offer the least indemnity. Sometimes they even ask for repairs to be made, or if not, for a sum of money. Such conduct excites the indignation of the people." Dr. Wells Williams mentions a few cases wherein the indignation of the people was aroused and in fact the trouble arising waa o great that the Chinese Government had to arrange with the French Minister and the Roman priests for restricting the further use of the treaty-right, so that to-day no source of trouble exists therein, except in the hatred incurred and which during the first. generation will never die.
The second feature has been, and still is, the unconcern of some in the Church to the prejudices of the people in the porehase of new property and erecting new lidings. 'The Treaty of 1860 certainly gave the right for the French priests to purchase property in all the eighteen pro-Vinees, but in a subsequent regulation it was stated, that the deed should' be made out in the name of the local Church, and the desire to purchase be reported to the local authorities for an investigation of the legality of the transaction, In the Memoranduin of 1871 the exact intent of reporting to the officials is revealed. Two objects, are there stated: Ist, that the local authority may examine whether there is any inconvenience arising from the geomantic influence or fungshun; 2nd, that the official may ask and secure the consent of the inhabit ants of the place. We have understood,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.