A. C. SELMON by A. C. Selmon

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 5, 1906

A. C. SELMON

By A. C. Selmon

China

SIANG CHENG.—The threatened Boxer uprising seems at present to have quieted down temporarily, but for how long no one can say. It is evident that the native newspapers in Peking, Shanghai, and Canton are fomenting trouble, and agitations from the large cities have spread through the country. The situation looked very serious for a while. Mrs. Selmon and I did not leave our station, but practically all the missionaries in the region to the west and south of us did leave. We are working away here while we have the opportunity; and while I do not feel that one should be foolhardy in risking one's life, yet I think that if we are in the condition the Lord would have us in, we can trust him to let us know when to leave.

In the trouble a few weeks ago, the mail-carriers stopped working, and all news in this section was cut off. This having been called to responsibilities in Lord for warning, I should be glad to see the trouble permanently averted, but I can not entertain such a hope. China will rise and try her new-found strength, just as Japan has; and the slight clue that the Bible gives, together with the history of Japan, leads me to think that China will come out a world power. The native newspapers (I have a Peking daily) are systematically educating the people in these matters, exhorting them to love their country, to open schools, and study Western methods, to increase the army and navy, showing them the advantages of modern machinery, etc. And this instruction will have its effect in time.

Affairs like that near Nanchang, where a French Catholic priest stabbed and killed a mandarin, are made the most of. Glaring pictures were put in the papers, showing the priest with a long dirk-knife, standing over the murdered body of the Chinese official. It seems that the people, especially along the seacoast cities, are beginning to have a little patriotism, and are contributing quite liberally to a fund to help pay off China's big debt incurred by the trouble of 1900.

As I see the situation here, and then I receive a letter or paper from the States, telling how some of my old acquaintances and friends are settling down into private medical practise, or engaging in some business enterprise, my heart is made sad. O that something might awaken them!