Section of Unsigned Letter
Dublin Core
Title
Section of Unsigned Letter
Subject
Persecution--China; Prison discipline; Christianity and other religions--Chinese; Military occupation
Description
This letter, probably written by Harriet, describes the persecutions against Christians, especially converts, taking place and the prison conditions that they endure. A Consul is battling for their release. A General is in charge of the region and dislikes foreigners and Christianity, and the author worries that looming French incursions may upset already strained relations. Many are now fleeing to the countryside.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
Unknown
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_665
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
the street and pelted with
stones. She said they would
have remained longer but for the
sake of the landlord who occupies
the adjoining house and who
besought them to leave lest they
should be killed. We feel that
they have been very brave.
In all these cases by saying
that they do not believe in Jesus
they would avoid all trouble
but they say they can die if
they must but they will not
deny the Saviour. And while
it seems so very sad I cannot
but rejoice for them that they
are "counted worthy" to be
"persecuted for righteousness' sake"
for "great is their reward in
heaven" But we feel like
praying that for the elect's sake
the time may be shortened
and sometimes it seems hard
to look beyond the suffering
[u] now [/u]. Tonight four of our
Chinese brethren are in
[u] prison [/u]. You can not have
any idea of the horrors and
utter wretchedness of a Chinese
prison. They were seized today
and taken there and tonight
they are bound hand and foot
in most painful positions and
their friends are not even permitted
to give them a morsel of food.
Three of them are members
of Henry's church and one is
a member of Dr Graves'
their only crime is that they
are Christians. I cannot help
wondering if the Lord will
comfort them tonight as he
did his servants of old. These
circumstances seem so much
like Paul & Silas when they
were thrust into the [?niner?] prison
and their feet made fast in
the stocks. How wonderful
it would seem if the Lord would
deliver them tonight as he did
Paul and Silas. But we are
taught that the age of miracles
is past. Our good Consul
is making every effort for
their release, and we hope
that he may be successful.
We feel that it is a cause for
deepest gratitude that in this
trying time we have such a Consul
one who feels a real sympathy
with the Chinese Christians and
who is so efficient and energetic,
that we feel assured that the
very best that can be done
will be done. The Military
General who is in charge of
things here now is a man who
dislikes all foreigners and
hates Christianity. But there
are some of the officials who
feel differently and they all
know that it would be the
greatest folly for them to
offend England and America
at the present junction. There
seems to be no doubt that the
authorities expect to protect
the lives and property of
foreigners but it is the native
Christians who are the sufferers
and it seems as though we
can do so little to help
them. If the French do
not come here the present
excitement will gradually subside.
We are wholly in the dark as
to the French. A recent paper
said that several gunboats had
been seen (French) off Amoy
going [u] south [/u] The same paper
stated that there was a rumors
that they had been sighted
going [u] North [/u]. I suppose we
shall know in time what point
they are aiming for. I should
think they would rather take
Hainan and try and hold it
than attempt anything else.
One of their large vessels the
La [?Gallioniere?] is at Hong Kong
now. Since the engagement at
Foochow I have little idea that
the preparations for defence
along the Canton River would
amount to much if they should
feel inclined to try to come
here. Multitudes of the people
in the city have moved out into
the country As far as possible,
we have advised the Christians
to go as they would probably be
safer in case the French come here.
stones. She said they would
have remained longer but for the
sake of the landlord who occupies
the adjoining house and who
besought them to leave lest they
should be killed. We feel that
they have been very brave.
In all these cases by saying
that they do not believe in Jesus
they would avoid all trouble
but they say they can die if
they must but they will not
deny the Saviour. And while
it seems so very sad I cannot
but rejoice for them that they
are "counted worthy" to be
"persecuted for righteousness' sake"
for "great is their reward in
heaven" But we feel like
praying that for the elect's sake
the time may be shortened
and sometimes it seems hard
to look beyond the suffering
[u] now [/u]. Tonight four of our
Chinese brethren are in
[u] prison [/u]. You can not have
any idea of the horrors and
utter wretchedness of a Chinese
prison. They were seized today
and taken there and tonight
they are bound hand and foot
in most painful positions and
their friends are not even permitted
to give them a morsel of food.
Three of them are members
of Henry's church and one is
a member of Dr Graves'
their only crime is that they
are Christians. I cannot help
wondering if the Lord will
comfort them tonight as he
did his servants of old. These
circumstances seem so much
like Paul & Silas when they
were thrust into the [?niner?] prison
and their feet made fast in
the stocks. How wonderful
it would seem if the Lord would
deliver them tonight as he did
Paul and Silas. But we are
taught that the age of miracles
is past. Our good Consul
is making every effort for
their release, and we hope
that he may be successful.
We feel that it is a cause for
deepest gratitude that in this
trying time we have such a Consul
one who feels a real sympathy
with the Chinese Christians and
who is so efficient and energetic,
that we feel assured that the
very best that can be done
will be done. The Military
General who is in charge of
things here now is a man who
dislikes all foreigners and
hates Christianity. But there
are some of the officials who
feel differently and they all
know that it would be the
greatest folly for them to
offend England and America
at the present junction. There
seems to be no doubt that the
authorities expect to protect
the lives and property of
foreigners but it is the native
Christians who are the sufferers
and it seems as though we
can do so little to help
them. If the French do
not come here the present
excitement will gradually subside.
We are wholly in the dark as
to the French. A recent paper
said that several gunboats had
been seen (French) off Amoy
going [u] south [/u] The same paper
stated that there was a rumors
that they had been sighted
going [u] North [/u]. I suppose we
shall know in time what point
they are aiming for. I should
think they would rather take
Hainan and try and hold it
than attempt anything else.
One of their large vessels the
La [?Gallioniere?] is at Hong Kong
now. Since the engagement at
Foochow I have little idea that
the preparations for defence
along the Canton River would
amount to much if they should
feel inclined to try to come
here. Multitudes of the people
in the city have moved out into
the country As far as possible,
we have advised the Christians
to go as they would probably be
safer in case the French come here.
街上有人连续地投石头。
她说他们持续更久
但是因为附近房子的房东
为了避免被杀，恳求离开。
我们觉得他们很大胆。
总的来说原因
他们不相信耶稣
他们要避免所有的麻烦
但是他们说他们在一定要死的情况下
可以死，但是他们不会拒绝拯救者。
那时候看起来非常难过
我不能高兴
但是我为他们高兴因为
为公正破坏，
目的是给他们上天堂最大的奖赏
但是我们感觉像是在祷告
为了大选的时间可以缩短
有的时候看起来很艰难
因为现在的苦难。
今天晚上，我们的四个中国的教友们
被抓进监狱了。
你永远不知道
关于这些恐怖事情的原因
而且完全是中国式关押。
他们今天被抓
今天晚上被带到那个地方
他们的手脚都被用最痛的姿势绑着
而且他们的朋友不能给他们一点食物。
其中三个人是Henry 教堂的成员
一个是Graves医生教堂的成员
他们犯的唯一的罪是
他们信基督教。
我不能停下来想
今天晚上神会不会安抚他们
因为他花了很多时间读圣经。
这形势看起来像
Paul和Silas
被推进监狱时的样子
他们的脚移动得很快。
如果神可以今晚带他们走该多好
就像带Paul和Silas一样。
但是我们今天学到了
思想天马行空的年岁已过。
我们伟大的领事馆
正在为他们被释放而努力
而且我们希望
他可以成功。
我觉得让我们感到最感恩的是
在这个时候
我们有非常同情我们的领事管
还有中国的基督教
领事馆的效率很高很有驱动力，
这让我们非常确定地感觉到
他们可以做到最好。
一般的政府官员
东西收费
现在是
一群不喜欢外国人的人
二期痛恨基督教。
但是有些官方的
感觉不同
而且他们都知道他们最大的愚蠢
是在他们这时候挑衅英国和美国。
看起来，毫无疑问
权威人士希望保护
外国人的生命财产
但是当地的基督教
看起来受了很大折磨
然而我们不能做什么。
如果法国人不来
现在的骚动
会慢慢减退。
因为法国人，我们现在完全不知道。
最近的新闻写到
一些炮艇被厦门以南法国人
发现了。
同样的报纸认为
有个很大的谣言
他们去北边了。
我认为
我们会及时知道他们的目标的。
我认为他们更想要侵略海南
并且占领海南
而不是试图抢夺任何东西。
最大的船
Gallioniere现在在香港。
自从在福州事变之后
我认为在河流上抵抗已经不会再起作用了
会有很多保护
他们应该想要放弃。
一大群人准备
从城市移到乡村
越远越好，
我们也建议基督教走
这样他们还会在法国人来的时候
安全一点。
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Section of Unsigned Letter,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 19, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/731.