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give. Where did the Carthusian Fathers, the protomartyrs of Henry's persecution, spend their last days? Which was the window from which Blessed Thomas More showed these three priors to his daughter, as they went on their way to death "radiant as bridegrooms going to be wed?" Where was the Nun of Kent imprisoned, and where the band of men, brave and true, who suffered with her? Where Blessed Adrian Fortescue, Lord of the old Catholic domain of Stonor, brave Knight of Malta, and that heroic daughter of kings, the Blessed Margaret of Salisbury? Where again the venerable Abbot of Glastonbury, Blessed Richard Whiting, or his brethren in religion, the Blessed Abbot of the Royal Abbey of St. James, Reading, and the Blessed Abbot of St. John's, Colchester?

Which was the close prison into which Blessed Edmund Campion was cast, in solitary confinement of the severest kind? And many more questions of the same kind one might ask, a sort of Litany of the most celebrated of the English martyrs! And how all these queries invest that gray and scowling fortress with a glory like to that of the Coliseum of Rome, or the scene of the massacre of St. Ursula and her companions! How, too, the blood and sufferings of the noblest and best of the land may be trusted to have offered to heaven a sweet-smelling holocaust of reparation for the apostasy of the English people, and a cry strong and invincible for pity on the nation, to be heard in God's own time and in God's own way!

F. GOLDIE, S.J.

THE DISTURBANCES IN HONAN, CHINA.

AN IMPERIAL DECREE.

OWING to the recent anti-missionary riots at Piyang in the province of Honan, a highly important decree has been issued by the government. It opens beautifully and describes the sentiments which actuate all missionaries. It acknowledges their beneficent intentions in coming to China, to preach virtue, to do good and to heal the sick gratis. The Chinese, high and low, dearly love to get something for nothing especially in the way of medical advice and drugs. Then the decree goes on to skilfully stir up strife in the common mind against converts on the specious plea that wicked men seek shelter in the various churches for the power it gives them to despoil their heathen neighbors. The missionaries are moreover accused of harboring and abetting such miscreants. How false we, in China, know all this to be and the more as the missionaries never receive converts until they are thoroughly tried and examined, and until they have seriously demonstrated their sincerity and given hopes that they will lead good Christian lives. To the unbiassed mind this argument is unanswerable, but its application as the Chinese apply it is quite another story. Further on Bishop Favier is extolled for his noble-minded qualities and bravery. The touch, we can imagine, alludes to his glorious defence of the Peitang. His Lordship, in union with the foreign office, is to draw up regulations which will keep the converts in lasting peace with the other inhabitants of the empire and hinder every future trouble. This is a two-edged sword and would have us believe that the imperial government has done all that it can-on paper-to quell the rising tide of wrath against foreign missions in various parts of the empire. The common people will, we think, know how to read this document in the way it is intended, just as they understood the true meaning of the edicts issued in the early part of 1900. Already the flame of anti-missionary hatred is fanned anew in several provinces and we fear this fire will not be extinguished as easily as it was two years ago. We now append in full for the readers of THE Messenger the imperial decree :

PROTECTION

OF MISSIONS, MISSIONARIES AND CONVERTS.

PEKING, April 8, 1902. Impartiality of the government in regard to converts and non

converts.

"The Imperial Government always wishes to protect its subjects and has been ever anxious to attain this object. We look upon both the ordinary people and the converts in the same light and we always display our impartiality towards them, and have never failed to do our best to bring to our subjects the blessings of peace so that they may enjoy all prosperity."

The inhabitants of the empire are to live amicably with the missionaries and converts.

"Thus we have several times commanded the viceroys and governors of the provinces to look after the people so as to keep them quiet and not allow anyone to cause trouble between them and the followers of the foreign religions.

Disturbances should be checked beforehand.

"Yesterday we received a memorial from Hsi-Liang, the governor of Honan, regarding the disturbance at Piyang, where missions have lately been burnt and converts murdered. With regard to this matter we have already issued decrees to arrest and punish criminals. But we feel that even though we punish them severely after the disturbance takes place, it is not so good as to check disturbances beforehand."

The officials are to explain to the people the good intents and work of the missionaries.

"Since western people first came to our country more than two hundred years have elapsed. With the intention of preaching virtue to our people, missionaries have traveled from their homes as far as China through oceans from afar, and they have borne many hardships to do so. Moreover, they are benevolently engaged in healing the sick with their medical science, in assisting the poor and povertystricken people of our provinces."

There is no sound reason for hating them.

"They are all self-sacrificing and only desire to do good to others. There is, therefore, no reason to doubt their purposes or to hate them, and still there are many instances of hatred and trouble against them."

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