IN PERILS OF ROBBERS by J. E. F.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 18, 1916

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 43, No. 28.

“IN PERILS OF ROBBERS”

By J. E. F.

The Providential Escape of Missionaries in China

A THRILLING story comes fresh from Shensi province, China, where revolution is rife, and where bands of marauders with murderous weapons are looting. Three of our missionaries — Dr. A. C. Selmon, and Pastors Frederick Lee and Liu Djeng Bang — had gone into that province to look after a new interest that had recently sprung up, where lately we have organized four Sabbath schools and prepared to start church schools, and where about fifty persons have requested baptism.

These workers returned by the old dusty highway, said to be a thousand years old. That length of time is believed to have passed since the caravans first took their loads of silk over the plains and mountains to western Asia and Europe. At places, the road is worn down in the loose soil till it is sunken away into the earth, and the walls stand on either side like great precipices.

While on their way, our missionaries met a squad of bandits, who told them to halt and deliver over all arms and ammunition. When assured that they had met missionaries, they searched the baggage, and then drove on, leaving our workers thankful to have escaped so easily. But soon there came up another band of robbers, more fierce and insolent, with pistols and great knives. They accused our workers of being foreigners connected with the government artillery, and were not inclined to accept their word that they were only missionaries.

They commanded them to alight from the cart, at the muzzles of rifles. They robbed them of their money and their watches, and plundered their baggage and threw it about. Again and again a leading bandit raised a rifle to shoot the missionaries, and once, when Dr. Selmon was too slow in giving an answer, one of these highwaymen jumped at him, striking him twice with a club. The robbers consulted whether they should shoot our missionaries or not. They decided to take them to the robber chief, who was coming on in a mule cart. So our workers marched ahead, in front of the pointed rifle, under violent threats and invectives.

Befriended by the Robber Chief

DR. SELMON says that when they came to this prince of bandits, a rough, one-eyed fellow, with his two great pistols and strings of cartridges, they used their most polite Chinese, and tried to ingratiate themselves into his favor. They were successful; for the old chief, with pistol in hand, caused the other outlaws to give back the watches and the money — all but $20. The missionaries were told they could depart. They were then nearing a large walled city; and soon they were within, and the gates were closed. But in a short time, the city was taken, and a thousand bandits, headed by this old chieftain, entered, and shot promiscuously at the terrified people, and soon the city was in their hands.

As night came on, every one was fearing what might happen at the hands of these ruffians, for they would undoubtedly choose the dark hours as the favorable time for looting. Our missionaries were praying and planning, knowing that their robber friend was as powerless to control his bands as he was to control the wind. The missionaries had secured a rope, and were intending, if only they could evade the watch on the wall, to let themselves down over the city wall and make good their escape; but just as they were expecting to hear the crack of the musket and the cries of terror, they heard instead the sound of heavy thunder and the fall of heavy rain. This continued till morning broke.

Twice in the morning — once at their lodgings, and again at the city gate — they were held up by these fierce outlaws; but getting the attention of the old robber chief who had befriended them the day before, they at last escaped the “perils of robbers.” They met in the road many natives who like themselves were fleeing with what valuables they were so fortunate as to save. The doctor cites Psalms 24 and 91, and referring to the thunder-storm at the hour of greatest peril, remarks that the day of miracles has not passed. J. E. F.