GUAM by A. H. S. | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 27, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 39.

GUAM.

By A. H. S.

THE reports of naval officers who have lately visited Guam, says the Missionary Review, state that the island, which is the southernmost of the Ladrone group, has a fair table-land running along the west shore-line, back of which is a range of mountains of moderate height. The soil is fertile, and in some sections very rich. The native products of the island are not varied, but the fruits and vegetables of other lands, when introduced, thrive well. The population is estimated by Lieutenant Gottman as about 7,000, tho no reliable statistics can be obtained. Nearly all the people are of mixed blood. Foreigners are very few, among them four Spanish priests, besides former employees of the Spanish Government. The people are characterized as indolent and contented, being able to obtain necessary food with little labor. They are lax in their morals, and greatly addicted, both men and women, to the use of la tuba, or coconut whisky. They are all nominally Roman Catholics, but the men pay little attention to their church. Leprosy exists, and indications are seen everywhere that the disease which so commonly follows laxity of morals, is widely prevalent. One officer states that "the priests are the moral lepers of the place, and are a great drawback and detriment." All the reports unite in affirming that the climate, tho tropical, is excellent, and that the island might be made a delightful place of residence if proper means were used for its renovation.

China.

The imperial decree of March 15, authorizing the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church to communicate directly with officials in China according to the respective rank of officials and clergy, is one of the surprises to which residents of China have become somewhat accustomed within the past year. Bishops are authorized to demand to see viceroys (governors-general) and governors, and in case of the absence of the bishop a common priest may represent him. Vicars-general and archdeacons are authorized to demand to see provincial treasurers, judges, and taotais. Other priests can see prefects of the first and second class, independent prefects, sub-prefects, and district magistrates. There are several specifications as to detail, but the agreement doubtless represents a great victory of the French minister, M. Pichon, who has thus compelled the empress dowager to recognize foreigners as the official equals of Chinese mandarins, a point which was a matter of dispute in the empire for many weary decades. We hear that communications have been addressed to Protestant missionaries in the interior acquainting them with the new status, but this has certainly not been general. The effect will probably be to give an external impetus to the Roman Catholic Church, which has a ready-made hierarchy, but what use Protestants will make of it is very uncertain. There is no country where it is more perennially true that "if you live it was a mushroom, but if you die it was a toad-stool."—A. H. S., in Missionary Review.