The first of a series of lectures arranged for by the China Inland M sion was given on Thursday evening, 2ud Ocrober, by Dr. Gilbert. Reid, entitled "The Siege of Peking." The chair was taken at 7.45 p.m, by the Rev. E. Tomalin. As Dr. Gilbert Reid had, with his family, passed through and personally experienced the dangers of 1900, we were led to expect a graphic and interesting account of what really took place. In this our hope were not disappointed. The lecturer began by telling us that he did not know what he was going to vay—we presumed that he had no cut and dried plan, but inten led togive us a history ofer nts. Tne serious aspect of what took place does not impress us so much now as it did at the time, in fact the beset-d had not ought that the conflagration was so general in North China, nor that atroc ties Were being perpetrated in the interior. Exweriences were even more interesting before than during the siege, for to w-teh the rise and organisation of the Boxer cement as it affected the Cavital and Governments was unique, The first thoughts were directed to consider ubout the strength vf the Koxer move than the military strength of the 1 who would be oillet in to oppose it. The lecturer -aid that he had word at an erly date that the Empress Dowager had seled with Tung Fu-hsiang to attack the legation guard that was expected to come up to the Capital. It was rumoured that the guard upon arrival were to be permitted to enter the Chienmén, and os soon as they entered, the outer gate behind them and the secon gate in front were to be closed simultaneously and annihilation was to take place. Then all the foreigners in the capital were to be murder-el. Fortunately this did not take place, for Tung Fu-hsiang's troops were removed before the foreign troops entered. The lecturer then gave an account of the escape feom Tungehou and of the decision of the missionaries to all congregate, with the native converts who were with them, inthe Methodist Mission compound. tie did not feel lei to concur in this decision at the time. He thought that such a course was likely to create a panic and so weaken the hands of the Chines- aw horities. How-he followed with his family, and that night, the 13th of June, from the cupola ofthe Church, he wite the burning of various vacated mission premises, and narrowly escaped proving @ target for a Chinese bullet. The next night there was more firing of mission premises, and on the night of the 15th the Catholic Cathedral—the oldest mission premises in China—was consumed. Alt gether sixty mission properties were destroyed during those three nights, and all this before war was declared. 'The Methodist Mission compound adjoined the city wall and was close to one of the gates. From this wall on the one hand could be seen the Manchu soldiers marching to and fro, and on the other the Boxers entering' the city and openly showing their character. On the morning of the 20th of June it was reported that notice had been given for all foreigners to leave the city within 24 hours, but no escort or conveyances were offered. While the missionaries were discussing the question of going to Tien tein, the question as to what waste be done with and for the native Christiana was
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.