Attitude of Rulers in China Toward the People
By H. W. Miller
WHILE we have no reason to doubt the interest of the emperor and empress dowager in the citizens of their kingdom, still their interest is more than counteracted by the local ruler, whose desire is to make the people his servants, instead of his being the servant of the people. The tax required by the throne would not be at all unreasonable, and large sums of money are constantly dispensed for the public benefit; but the chief ruler is too far from the people. Every city has a ruler who is an autocrat in himself. Of him the emperor requires a certain amount of money, depending on the size of the district he governs. The local ruler requires of the people more than twice this amount of taxes, and appropriates the larger half for himself, thus reducing the farmers to such a close margin that they scarcely live from one season to another. No one is ever consulted as to the right or wrong. What the mandarin does is always right, and the people know better than to ever refuse any of his demands. Three years ago the emperor issued a decree throughout the empire that the mandarin in every city should provide a free school at the government's expense. A school was started in nearly every city, but the mandarin soon appropriated these funds for his own use, and the school ceased. The people know where the defect is, and take no interest in their government or country. It has become a matter of living with them. For this reason it would be difficult for China to raise up a loyal army. A revolutionary army could much easier be set in operation. The governments of China and Russia are very similar. It does me good to talk with the farmers, as they come in to buy medicine, and be able to tell them of the plan of God's government. They know what is right and just, and there is a chord in their hearts that responds to truth. The rulers do not receive their position by merit, but by “cash” (Chinese money), and they expect to get their money back during their term of office. The entire nation is permeated with this principle. It is even so in the matter of the post-office. There was a man in this city who wanted to be postmaster, and was about to buy his position, when it was discovered, and our postmaster was retained. The Christian denominations are trying to make this form of government help in preaching the gospel. They have secured a large donation from the empress for a Christian medical college. They have all combined, and are making an effort to get the chief rulers to recognize Sunday. The post-office department observes Sunday. If Christianity has to descend to the people through the decrees of the rulers, I do not have much faith in their evangelizing China very soon. This is Sunday, and the mail-carrier just brought me a letter from Dr. Selmon's14station. I asked him if he did not know that this was Sunday. “Yes,” he said, but the distance was so long he would rather take two days than one in which to walk it. The latest decree that has come from the empress is that schools shall be established in every city, with a foreign instructor to teach Western learning. Well, the school started here with a Chinese teacher in charge who knows nothing about foreign countries except that there are such countries. It is not held on Sunday. There were two students here to-day. They said there was no school to-day. I asked why not. They said “Kuei-chi”—that's the custom. All the pupils, as well as the teacher, are heathen, the greater portion never having heard of the true God. They use this day for gambling. Union of church with state is the same in any government. But perhaps in no government does it look so ridiculous as in China. Our Christian friends claim that these are great evidences of the evangelization of China; but it is the best method Satan could devise of dishonoring God, and of making it difficult for the servants of God to reveal the true light. It will not be long until China will be declared a Christian nation, on the ground that she observes Sunday. The government schools and post-offices already observe the day. But to us here in the interior, it is a great object-lesson to see the difference between man's ways and God's ways. When we see these things coming, should it not be an object-lesson to us all, and inspire us to put forth every effort possible to send workers to these needy fields? Time is growing short; the nations are going to close their doors quickly. Should we not begin in earnest, by God's help?