We have received a translation of. the Prophecy of Woe—the document that has unfortunately gained so great a currency in China—but of so outrageous a character is it that we do not propose to publish it. At the same time, however,. attention may be directed to a letter from 'Mr. Coates showing that there can be no connexion between this and any of his writings, This may readily be understood, fon older residents inform us that similar prophecies to this one have frequently been current in' China, one period when they abounded being the Boxer time. There is some sort of a chain organization attached to these things, and it works after this wise. Each man receiving a copy of the prophecy is asked to have it reprinted and distributed. still further, and the more copies printed and distributed the greater the merit that will attach! to him and the more chance there is that the calamity will pass him by. This belief seems td act with very strong effect on the more ignorant of the populace, and thus the prophecy or whatever it is attains a publicity hardly possible by any other means. With this particular prophecy are given methods to be taken for the safety of the individual when the catastrophe occurs. Of any manner of authority for the prophecy there is none, and the steps te be taken. te avert personal disaster ought to be sufficiently ridiculous to kill the whole thing. Unfortunately the addition of these precise instructions too often impresses the less balanced minds in a community, although the whole thing appears no more than-a conjuring trick, and mischief is accomplished. In such a case a good deal: can be done' both by foreigners and Chinese
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.