perial University yesterday. I trust it will be a centre of helpful influences to all within the radius of its light. As to the Boxers I am convinced that all reports from native sources must be discounted from fifty to seventy-five per cent. in order to get near the truth. I think some foreigners have done much harm by stirring up our legation by testimony wholly from native sources. It cannot be relied on. It is always overdrawn. The Boxer bubble is practically burst, and the officials have understood the movement from the beginning better than the foreigners have. Prof. G. F. Wright is expected here in a few weeks. We shall be glad to see him. Also Dr. F. E. Clark to represent the Endeavor movement. T I like the man who faces what he must With heart triumphant and a step of cheer, Who by a life heroic conquers fate. XIII -Sarah K. Bolton. THE BREAKING OF THE STORM HE illness of Mr. John Mateer became increasingly ominous about the middle of April. The doctor gave little hope of his recovery. On the twenty-third of the month, Mr. Ament writes of his death after five weeks of suffering. "He talked beautifully and the spirit of heaven was about him." On the 30th of April, a Christian Endeavor convention was held in Peking. Dr. Francis E. Clark, with his wife and son, were present. It was Mr. Ament's privilege to do much of the interpretation into Chinese for Dr. Clark, both at Peking and Tientsin. At the convention held in Tientsin, Dr. Ament was elected president of the North China Christian Endeavor Union. Early in May Prof. G. F. Wright of Oberlin passed through Peking. He preached on Sunday, May 6th, and went on next day to Kalgan. Dr. Clark had paid a visit to Pao Ting Fu and had returned. "The Boxer Bubble" of which Dr. Ament had formerly written refused to burst at the touch of any diplomatic wizard. On the first of May, he writes, "The Boxers are becoming a serious menace in all North China. A spark might stir up a mighty conflagration." MY DEAR MARY: Peking, May 19, 1900. Back from another Boxer excursion and my report to Mr. Conger was at the Tsung Li Yamen in less than an hour, A and produced, according to Mr. Conger, an impression which will lead to some movement. In fact the Boxers are assuming large proportions and taking defiant attitudes, so that the government is finally frightened. In Cho Chou many Catholics have been killed and chopped to pieces. At Kung Ts'un, ten miles from Cho Chou, two Protestants were killed and thrown into the river. They were London Mission people. At Cho Chou we found the official in such a state of fright because we were alone in the chapel. He asked as a personal favor that we leave at once. When we called upon him in the evening he did not dare to have us leave by the front way, so we returned to the chapel by way of his kitchen and horse sheds. We were told that there were three hundred Boxers in the north suburb who had just returned from chopping up four Catholics only ten li distant. In the region of Huai Lai, fifty li beyond, sixty-one Catholics had been killed and we learned in the morning that troops had passed en route to that place, as usual in China, reaching the place after the people had been killed and the Boxers had scattered. I learn that in nearly every instance where the people have been killed, it is because of some old grudge. It is showing people the value of a good reputation. Even the London Mission chapel-keeper was killed, it is said, because he had used too strong words concerning the Boxers. Stelle and I left the next morning as we could do nothing and might make matters worse for our people who are in hiding. The annual meeting of the mission was held as usual at Tung-chow. The missionaries from Shantung, perhaps unconscious of the perils en route, had safely arrived. Miss Gertrude Wyckoff, detained at Tientsin, had seen a stranger at the Feng Tai station. Later it was known that Dr. and Mrs. Hodge were those she had seen, and they were en route for Pao Ting Fu. Their friends had not forewarned them. Four days later rail communication with Pao Ting Fu was cut off. MY DEAR MARY: Tung-chow, May 29, 1900. Our meetings are going on nicely, but outside affairs seem to be going from bad to worse. Miss Russell sends a messenger to say that Feng Tai, the nearest station, has been burned and one foreigner has escaped to Peking, being badly cut. Thousands of Boxers are nearing Peking and it is said the telegraph wires have been cut. I am not certain that this letter will reach you as the mail did not go last evening. Three Methodist families have been murdered near Pa Chou only twenty li from our station at Nan Meng. Mr. Pitkin writes from Pao Ting Fu that he dares not come and leave the station. I preached the annual sermon last Sunday in Chinese, and Mr. Smith took me aside after it and told me how much he enjoyed my preaching. It was a new sermon on Isaiah vi. : "The vision of God and its effects.' The foreign ministers have a meeting in Peking to-day to take measures to compel the yamen to wake up to the situation. We await the result with some anxiety. Only God knows what is in the immediate future. A slight rain will do some good and if God would send a copious shower it might do more than armies. We shall have a splendid addition to our preaching force in Li Pen Yuan and Wang Wen Shun. They are both in good spirits and harmonious with my general ideas of work. Fen Ch'i, one of our boys, died last night. Too much study, too little exercise. DEAR MARY: Tung-chow, June 1, 1900. I have so driven during this week of meetings that I could not find time to write to you. We are still untouched by the fiends in human shape, as these Boxers are proving themselves to be. The Tao Tai has sent soldiers to guard the college. They were a sorry lot and brought no guns, saying they proposed to persuade the Boxers to leave us alone if they came. It seemed quite certain that we were singled out for attack once or twice, and Roberts and I were appointed to go into the city and help protect our place. The Chinese were in a great fright and something must be done. Our Peking field has been badly harried by the enemy and God only knows when our work will ever get into shape again. Our Nan Meng people are pouring into Peking and our people are practically refugees everywhere. Foreign soldiers are now in Peking to the number of three hundred; more are ready to come unless the yamen moves quickly. The foreign ministers did not leave the yamen until 2 A. M. on Thursday, working to get permission for soldiers to be sent, and finally saying that soldiers will be sent whether we get permission or not. Then the railroad refused to take the soldiers and they were coming by boat, but finally the railroad gave in and there was no special opposition in Peking. The Boxers are evidently preparing for some large move and no one can predict what is in the immediate future. Our chapel in Nan Meng is now a Boxer encampment and perhaps Cho Chou is in the same condition, as we have heard nothing for a week or so. We have had very pleasant meetings this year. I never enjoyed an annual meeting more. Perhaps it is in part because I have had so little to do, being only on the devotional committee. Every one seems in a serious state of mind and heart, and the Boxers may sweep us all out of existence. Four P. M., Saturday, June 2d.-Terrible news has come in from Nan Meng of the murder of Catholic Christians and the looting of the homes of several of our people. They do not seem to be so incensed against the Protestants as against the Catholics, and do not kill our people except in special cases, where they resist, or have enemies. Sunday evening, June 3d.-We have had a quiet day. Tewksbury and Ingram went to Peking to see Mr. Conger and see if anything can be done to protect the people in Kalgan, also to see if an escort could be provided for Roberts who has received a telegram from Sprague which said "Boxers threatening. Roberts come quick." I think we shall get through with our business to-morrow so that I can go to Peking on Tuesday. I suppose our hill houses are in danger and the Ingram house has been robbed. The United States flag is flying from the Tewksbury house in this yard. Some think it will do more harm than good. It looks a little defiant, as though we were a kingdom inside China. Of course that is one of the charges they make. Tewksbury and Ingram are back. No foreign soldiers can come to Tung-chow. Thirty engineers at Pao Ting Fu started for Tientsin by boat and seven are missing. They had a terrible time and many are wounded. Cossacks have been sent to bring in the missing men, if they can be found. Thousands of Boxers are gathering at Cho Chou, and say they are going to march on Peking and Tung-chow, then Tientsin, till all foreigners are gone. No foreign government seems to want to take a hand in the affairs of China. A telegram from Wash |