James Burrill Angell to Prince Kung, June 3, 1881

Mr. Angell to Prince Kung.

I have before me a copy of a most just and generous order, which your imperial highness issued in Tung Chih, 1st year, 1st moon (1862), assuring to Chinese, who had espoused the Roman Catholic faith (the religion of the Lord of Heaven) exemption from certain assessments for idolatrous processions, etc., which they could not, consistently with their religion, consent to pay. In this order you say very properly of these people:

“They cannot, on the ground of being members of the church, expect to be exempt from all contribution for public purposes. If labor were wanted for government service or money to secure useful ends were to be levied, Christian converts are liable, in the former case, to be impressed for duty, and in the latter to be taxed in the same manner as other men.”

You then add, however:

“But they are never to be compelled to give anything towards receiving gods, idolatrous processions, theatrical performances, and incense offerings, and the like, because in none of these are they interested. If local authorities meet with subscriptions which have a mixed nature, civil and religious, they must honestly and rightfully separate one from the other and not impose them without judgment or discrimination. For instance were a fund to be raised, four-tenths of which were for public objects and six-tenths for useless (idolatrous) objects, the authorities must distinctly point out that Christians are liable only for the four-tenths, and are not to be compelled to pay the remaining six-tenths, the latter being for uses which do not concern them.

“Again, should Christians, on account of their refusal to be assessed their share towards these useless services, which are contrary to their Christian principles, be ill treated or beaten or be plundered of their property, or have their crops burnt or destroyed, the local authorities must investigate the matter to the bottom in the sufferers’ behalf, and rigidly punish the offenders according to law and order them to fully compensate for what was plundered, burnt, or destroyed, and it must be just and equal.”

I suppose this order has served to protect, the Chinese converts of the Roman Catholic faith, but I have been informed by American missionaries who hold the Protestant faith, that some of the Chinese converts to their religion, who are good and loyal subjects, have been much annoyed by demands for assessments for receiving gods, idolatrous processions, theatrical performances, incense offerings, and the like. It is contrary to the principles of their faith to contribute for such purposes.

I do not doubt that the government of His Imperial Majesty desires to treat them with the same consideration which it has shown to the Roman Catholic converts.

I venture therefore, respectfully, to ask whether your imperial highness would not think it proper and just to secure by proclamation, or by order to the provincial authorities, or in some other way, the same protection in this matter to the Chinese converts to the Protestant faith which has been accorded to the Roman Catholic converts. I am sure that by so doing you would gladden the hearts of many of your countrymen and give another proof of that spirit of justice which your imperial highness has so long shown in treating the often delicate questions raised by the work of foreign missionaries in China.

I am, &c.,