ens Afiaits and of Defence (Police Administ tion) of the city of Ch'angsha, Provincial capital of Hunan; namely, Tan, of the brevet, button of the 2nd' rank, acting Provincial Treasurer of Hunan and substan= tive Grain Intendant of said provine Chi, of the brevet hutton of the 2nd ran ing Provincial Judge of H alt Intendant of the Ch'angs! prefectural circuit; Ts' button of the 2nd rank, acting Grain Intendant and.recorded in the Grand Council books for promotion; Chang, the brevet button of a Salt Commissioner 3rd rank button) and recommended for immediate promotion to a substantive ud Chao, of the brevet button of the 3rd and an expectant Hunan, ste the follo for the information of During the seventh month (August-September) of this year, a native of Ch'angsha, named Chou Ting-ch'iu, went to the London Mission Chapel on Siang-chun-street in said city of Ch'angsha, and falsely declaring himself a convert, asked for Christian hooks on pretence of desiring to help in spreading the Christian doctrine. it to be our bounden duty to be In this way the said Chou Ting-ch'u law-abiding, each one peacefully following obtained twenty-seven Christian books his own "avocations, and avoid all from the said Chapel.* Having done so, he matters of contention leading to the crea-suddenly presented himself at the Kuang tion of disturbances and riots, in order Lung cash shop on Nanchéng-street and that we may all supplement the deep and also at the house of Lu Jui-stug, head earnest desire of the Throne to treat kind-constable of the 14th ward of Shanhua ly all people coming from far-off lands, district (also within Ch'angsha city), to! and so conduce to the masses living at whom he falsely made himself out to be ' peace with the Christians. a colporteur sent by the Mission to sell We, therefore, hereby issue the present books. At the same time he began spreading proclamation for the information of all a malicious rumour to the effect that he had classes of the people. They must know seen with his own eyes two young children that the manufacturing of rumours and murdered in the chapel "at the Yenchiat'ang embankments, that their ey. the creating of disturbances and riots are crimes in the eye of the law, which must" balls had been then abstracted, and the be punished without fail. As a matter of bodies subsequently buried beneath the fact many culprits have been repeatedly chapel flooring. These he declared to he severely punished for them, as may be actual facts of which he had been an seen from the records of successive years, eye-witness. This matter having been Just think of the consequences which in-reported to us, we at once ordered the variably fall on the men who open their deputy (wei yuan) of the Defence Bureau mouths at random and manufacture lying make strict search for the man and reports. They may feel exhilaration" for arrest him, and we also notified the mem-, the time being, it is true, at the success bers of the various chapels and put them of their lies, but by this they have brought on their guard and also instructed them themselves within the pale of the law as to maker diligent search for the said criminals and law-breakers, and, at the Chou Ting-ch'iu. Eventually this man was seized by the Pastor, Siao Peh?! end, though each may possess a hundred bodies, he cannot ransom himself from tang, who sent him to the Bureau of the doom pursuing him to the last. You Defence for trial. Chow Ting-chin was all have actually seen many a thrilling ex. recognised by all parties concerned, who ample of the fate of such criminals, and here witness to what he had done, and know they are by no means obtained from he then frankly confessed to his ill-deeds mere hearsay and rumour, without reservati We, the high provincial authorities and Taotais issuing this Proclamation, are handed over to the prefect of Ch'angsh for confinement, to await further orders. against the least indications against the bound to perrest all such crimes and guard This is on record. peace. We have explained to you all the Now the practice of falsely creating repunishments accorded in former times in ports of the murder of children for the prrpore of abstracting their eye-balls, has order to warn all from following such per-vicious examples in the future, and we been the usual subterfuge for years of crafty again exhort you in all earnestness to heed Jo antongst the masses, and loafers and our warnings in the hope that you may sely accuse and so create riots be so fortunate as to obey and so avoid against the Christian chapels. Indeed, evil endings for yourselves, during the first years of the reign of Tung You must be aware that the calami-Chih - [Ne This last. sentence should ties in Héngchou prefecture (province of he" during the latter portion of the reign of T*ung Chih that is to say, in 1870, follow- i Hunan) last year entirely resulted from tne manufacturing of malicious rumours by ing the sanguinary episode of the Tientsin desperadoes and rowdies, the consequences ma acre.—Translator.) when the late being that lives had to be given up for Tientsin, Bt First Mai song settled the affair at those who had been murdered (an Italian is Excellency did already at Bishop and a priest) and indemnities paid that time explain clearly in explicitly-for chapels and missionary property des-worded proclamations that such accusations were entirely false. We feet certain that troyed. These truly "are startling lessons for all to learn as warn-are Yell aware of this declaration of the the people and literati of Hunan province ings to them, After much negotiations the above matters were final-Into Marquis. We hardly expected, in view of the recent great enlightenment in ly adjusted, but it makes us exceedingly indignant to speak of them.
Hunan, that there could still be men We, therefore, once more warn all that, found willing to pick up such me after the publication of this Proclamation, I words and spread them about if there be again any desperate characters to strike [at Christian Missions unwilling to listen and obey these our Chou Ting-ch'iu to act as he did] it seemed warnings and again manufacturing false rumours, we will certainly arrest such cul-clear enough that if he did not falsely. pro-the she il po led brits and sternly punish them. There claim himself a believer in the Christ will be no leniency exercised. You must doctrine he could never have obtained the from henceforth be law-abiding and peace-ian hooks; and if he did not carry fully follow your Several avocations. Be about with him these C] m books he could not make people hel in his careful in your conversation and thereby protect your persons from harm. Beware words ta any extent. In a word, the craftiness and lyi ies of such how you lightly taste of the consequences men as Chou make promised by the law! Tremblingly obey! A most important Proclamation! Let all profoundly indignant, whilst their ignor be informed of the above document. To be ance and crassness appear pitiable.
In late years we have repeatedly respect-Posted everywhere for the information of all, fully read successive Imperial decrees clearly explaining that missionaries Kuang Hsii, 27th year (1901). seminating the Christian doctrine aimed only at exhorting people to do good deeds, For min Broo is tim Lire."—If the in consequence of which the Imperial cor loot is laden with impurities it spreads mands impressed upon all Iceal officials disease as it circulates through the organs of the human body—Eunus, Heart, Stomach, the Empire to protect to their utmost abil-Kidneys, Brain. "Clarke's World-famed ity said missionaries. Hence. all of us, Blood Aiixtare is ted to cleanse the commoners and literati, should in all hon-Vlood from all impurities from water ever cause est and loyalty to the Throne reverently arising, For Scrofula, Scurvy, Eczema, Bad and tremblingly obey the Imperial com~ gs, Skin and Blood Diseases, Pimples, and mands so plainly worded for the informa-Sor-s of all kinds its effects ace marvellous, of all. We should consider Thousands of wonderful cures have been effected by it. Sold everywhere at 2s. 9d.
Asa matter fast the hooks were not Beware of worthless imitations and sub-given or lent to him, but he stole them, stitutes. salt
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.