In his Diary for the 27th day of the 5th moon, 1890, Minister Hsueh' writes the following On examining the Records of our Foreign Office for 1877, 3rd moon, I tind a memorial by our then Minister to England, Kwoh, Vice-President of the Imperial Boards, on Christian Missions " which the people of China above all greatly hate, Of late years in Honan, Fukien, Anhui and Szechuan, mission troubles have frequently arisen, so that the people and the Christians fight against each other to death. Most of the officials do not manage these according to law, because they cannot know all the reasons why Western nations promote Christianity.
On examination we find that Christianity began with Moses and Jesus Christ. Several centuries afterwards Mahommedanism arose from Arabia.—Again, thousand years later, Luther of Germany followed the Western Church and the, Protestant religion arose, Now Greek is the origin of Western letters, and in order to get the fame of Grecian culture they called it the Greek Church. (!) The origin of all isin Moses. The rules of each religion may differ from each other, but in worship, in chanting Scriptures and in the worship of the God of Heaven they are really one. Roman Catholicism spread from Judea and prospered most of all in Rome. The West allow it and regard the Pope as really above all orders of religion, exciting every other order to emulate one another; when once they make it their business to spread their religion they seek to get_men to follow the rules of their order so that it may spread widely and remain permanently. The Protestants have also copied their example and do likewise. For in all Western orders there are rules of their founder which they daily follow. Those near Rome all follow Roman Catholicism. From Germany and Switzerland westward to England and the United States all follow Protes-tautism. From Turkey eastwards they practise Mahommedanism. Russia is the furthest north and alone follows the Greek Church. Each Church has its limits clearly marked—whether State Church or non-conformist. If forced to follow the other then immediately trouble arises. For example, Turkey originally belonged to the Roman Catholics and those who became Mohammedans in each province frequently rebelled, for those who lived in the same city and built a place of worship were to be of one religion and were not allowed to differ. But that the religion of the Sages of China alone is magnanimous is clearly proved by making no difference between religions, therefore Buddhism has been practised since the Han dynasty (2,000 years). The Christian religion and the Mohammedan religions came to China in the Tang dynasty (more than a thousand years ago) and their followers were permitted to propagate their religions freely. In the early part of the Tang dynasty, Olorun, the Nestorian, brought sacred Scriptures and idols, and on this account put up the Syrian temple, and there is the stone inscription of how this religion came to China. The priests of this temple said that their religion arose in Fu Lin, and this is just Judea where Moses was born and flourished. The God they worshipped was that of the Christians. At that time the Buddhist rel hing so that few followed the gion. In the Ming dynasty, Matthew Ricci came to the Enst. Shu ski gave up his house to be into a Christian temple and the Christian religion then begin to. spread throughout the Empire. In the beginning of the present dynasty, Europeans were again authorised to build "a Roman Catholic church, but Chinese subjects were forbidden to join the religion. The reason for this was that to allow Europeans to set up a religion and teach Chinese subjects to follow them was not right, therefore the Emperor Yung Ching at first even forbade the Roman Catholic church but the Mahammedan temples were not forbidden, because there was a difference between following one's own religion and forcing other people to follow it.
Testimate that the aim of Moses originally, in putting up the commandments to check people's desires and exhorting them to do fool, as not different from that of our holy religion (Confucian). In 1859 the Emperor's bonn forbidding the following of the Roman Catholic religion was removed. France really takes Roman Catholicism under its wing and under the pretence of protecting Christianity uses its power wrongfully to protect it. Thus the vicious and lawless, once they rely on the Church, set themselves against the mandarins; even those who have committed heavy crimes enter the Church to get protection. There are others who, having enemies, rely on the missionaries in order to have revenge on their enemies, As soon as a Roman Catholic church is built ina prefecture, a county, or market-place, the region at once gets into trouble and there is no living in peace. The power of the missionaries in the two provinces of Szechuan and Kweichou is worst of all. Therefore the people of every province as soon as they hear the name of the Roman Catholics become excited and are ready to fight; it is not without a cause.
My humble opinion is, that all kinds of missionaries working in countries of a different religion is not allowed in Western lands. China does not forbid a foreign religion but reluctantly allows it. Tt permits Christians to act wickedly, to rise up and compel the local magistrate to administer the law wronglily, and is long-suffering even to repressing loyal subjects for the sake of Christians. This also shows that the Treaty can never be carried out in China either.
It is very urgent that some reform be made so that the people may live in peace and remove all suspicions and hatreds, implore the Emperor to command all the Viceroys and Governors to clearly understand the Regwations and instruct their respective subordinates that they should not treat Christians differently from other subjects but, that all Christian troubles in all the counties should be managed justly. If there should be any favour shown, the mandarin should be at once degraded. If foreigners transgress let them be dealt with according to foreign law. If Chinese transgress Tet them, be dealt with according to hinese law. There should not, be the least difference in favour of or against subjects because they are Christians.
Moreover, your Minister has heard that RomanCatholicteachersarecalled Priests" and Protestant teachers recalled '"Pustors:"" that they are all well educated and the majority are most diligent in doing good. All the missionaries in China are pied Catholic Priests. Those who have the largest number of converts are considered the best. Robbers and thieves and wicked men if they have many converts are ordained Priests. The more wicked men are received into the Church the more do loyal subjects regard the Church as disgraceful, Even men of the smallest intelligence keep themselves away far from Christians. Therefore during the twenty years in which Christianity has been propagated in China the scholars and people regard the followers of the Priests ax detestable.
Lalso implore the Emperor to command the Tsungli Yamen to meet and consult with the Foreign Ministers in Peking and decide on satisfactory measures by which the preachers and believing scholars who truly observe the rules of the Church and who do not give themselves up to do mischief may be authorised to become Priests. In this way the people will understand that the Church exhorts people to do good and checks them in evil and there will be no trouble. If the Church is troubled without reason the local authorities must. put the disturbers down according to law, reprimand, compensate, and restore, Those who are at enmity with the people can only be dealt with according to the gravity of the case; they are not to be put off by compensation in order to end the trouble.
Your Minister suggests these on account of the many troubles arising in connection with Christian missions in every province.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.