THE BOXERS AND AFTER by C. W. Pruitt

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 19, 1902

THE BOXERS AND AFTER.

By C. W. Pruitt

Encouraging Facts.

Not one of our stations in the North China mission but was affected by the Boxers. In Pingtu and Saichow, Christians were imprisoned. One Tungchow member was beaten to death. In Hwanghein the Boxer tension was distressing.

Naturally there was a great variety of experiences. The Christians lost heavily from a financial point of view, the Boxers desiring plunder as much as to annoy the Christians.

The aftermath has been:—

1. The Christians have been indemnified locally for their losses.

2. Provision has been made for the family of the man who was beaten to death.

3. The people are disgusted with the Boxers.

4. The churches are all crowded with heathen every Sunday, eager to get some light on this mighty power. The people have never been so approachable in all my experience with them.

5. Christian life has been deepened. This was most manifested at our recent association, when the brethren could hardly tear themselves away from talking about Sen Hway Te, their only martyr. If they were heathen, they would canonize him at once.

Again, there is a maturity about the looks of the men and women who went through those perilous times. The lines are deepened and softened. There was a reliance on God, the like of which they had never witnessed before.

There are two perils facing our North China work at the present moment:—

1. The Christian victory has given Christians too great a name for power. Evil persons are constantly wishing to enter our churches for the sake of the power. The doors can scarcely be guarded with never so watchful a vigilance.

2. The coming of so many foreigners into the land, and the springing up of institutions to foster the new learning, make demands upon our trained men so that our workers scatter, and we lack that concentration needed for the best results. On the other hand, let us hope the mass will be more rapidly leavened by this means.

There are two things I wish to say about the Christians during the uprising:—

1. One is that the work went on in many places with scarcely abated interest.

2. The bravery shown by some of the Christians would have done credit to Americans and adds luster to the page of Chinese history.

God overruled it. He was preparing his workers for a great harvest.—C. W. Pruitt.