I inclose herewith copies of four of these placards.
[Inclosure with No. 1562.]
Clipping from North China Daily News, July 15,
1892.
I. Let all he informed that I, Taotai of Han, Wang, Tao district, have
for years been worshipping the “Hog Ancestor, Jesus.” Since my promotion
to this office each of the western powers has paidme a salary of 10,000
taels per year, and the various consular bodies have given my wife,
concubines, and the female members of my household 10,000 taels for the
expenses of their toilets. Although my relations with the
[Page 126]
great western powers have heen
most friendly, yet it is due to the intimate relation existing between
the different consular bodies and my wife, concubines, and the female
members of my household that we obtain this. But without the blessings
from the “Hog Ancestor” how could we have reached such a prosperous
state? There is a report abroad that you wish to injure and take violent
measures against the “Hog Ancestor” and to give preëminence to the names
of Yao, Sung, Yü, Tan, Chow Kong, Wên, Whang, Wu Whang, Confucius, and
Mencius. This is most foolish, and surpassingly so. I therefore hasten
to issue this proclamation so that all may know that, if you wish
hereafter to become rich and prosperous, you must take your wives,
concubines, and the female members of your family to the church every
night and worship the “Hog Ancestor.” You should not in the least degree
give trouble to the consuls and the missionaries, and in particular you
should not injure Jesus, the Hog Ancestor. If you do not desire to
strive for wealth and prosperity and one not willing to enter the church
there will be no one to force you to do so. Now, let no one, hereafter,
again injure the “Hog Ancestor,” and those disobeying this mandate shall
be nailed upon the cross to die.
Issued by
Yang (goat) Taotai,
Taotai of Han, Wang, Tao
District (Hankow).
II. Let the entire town assemble, but do not let in strangers and bad
people, to deliberate and counsel upon the following: There is a foreign
devil religion, which upholds the “Heavenly Hog” as being sacred. They
profess to persuade people to love each other and to do what is good,
but they secretly conceal within themselves a heart bent on injuring and
ruining the people. They make it their business to bring young children
from the people whom they place in the church to pursue religious
studies. But in reality they got hold of these chileren so as to pick
out their eyes and hearts, wherewith to concoct chemicals for making
silver and gold. It is a pity the poor people can not at once be made to
understand this. We have heard of theso revolting acts, and by secret
investigation we have obtained positive information concerning them. If
there be any kidnapping of children committed we shall now secretly
punish the offenders without mercy. Whoever is found to believe the
“devil religion” shall not be allowed to remain here, and any who should
seek secretly to conceal them, or is unwilling to report the presence of
such persons, is certainly a ——
III. We the people of this city and of the surrounding country do hereby
with one heart and voice resolve that we will seek out the members of
the “Heavenly Hog religion” and the “Jesus religion.” If any be found to
say that the foreign religions are good let us bind him up, beat him,
and push him into the deep water. Let us tear down and destroy the
churches and exterminate those who “eat the religion.” In doing this we
must pull the weed up by the roots so that we may escape incurring the
calamities from above and suffering here below. Will it then not be
peace for us? Let all be of one mind and strive with united efforts,
even staking our lives to attain this, and be not in the least afraid.
For were he a tiger we will eat his flesh and skin his hide.
IV. We the people of this locality should tear down, demolish, and set
fire to the Catholic premises in Tao-yuen Hsien, and take that
traitorous devil official up to this place—that detestable foreign
religious devil. Let us unite together and forbid the establishment of
the “Jesus Religion Church” and prohibit the “foreign devil” from
entering our territory. The church members devote themselves especially
to kidnapping young female children, who are sold to foreigners, and the
latter pluck out their eyes for the purpose of making chemical
preparations with which they produce gold and silver. We have discovered
at Wanshousu that the kidnappers really send the children to the
churches. Now, let us apprehend all strangers among us who do not
worship our gods, for they are kidnappers, and when so apprehended let
us punish them ourselves, and not send them to the authorities.
