"CUI BONO" AND THE MISSIONARIES. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11809, 11 August 1900, Page 8

"CUI BONO" AND THE MISSIONARIES. TO THE EDITOR.

Sip.,—Excuse me if I trouble you oncj more. It seems I misread "Cvi Bono," bu( if he 'writes sentences like the following!: "This would do away with most of the wars, such as that in China," he can scarcely com-, plain. A superfluous comma sometimes makes a great difference in the reading of a sentence, and it does so in this instance. . I will, however, read it according to the " revised version," and through your courtesy would ask "Cvi Bono " for proof of his assertion.. Great Britain was at war with China in 1841, and again in 1857, and in both cases .war resulted solely through political causes; and what proof does " Cvi Bono ■" offer for the assumption that the present war would have been avoided ■ had the missionaries been absent? I have read a good deal regarding the course of events in China during and precedent to the present war, and ' nly once—in.

" Cvi Bono's" letter, to wit-—have missionaries been given .the credit of the trouble; and I greatly fear mo your correspondent's unsubstantiated statement.will not pass muster. " Cvi Bono " might read what Mr Don says in to-day's Times—viz., that the native Chinese Christians are dying as martyrs for their faith, but European Christians simply because they are foreigners; the Chinese being tlie most tolerant people in the world in religious matters. ' To take one other war with, a native race —viz., the Abyssinian. Will' " Cvi Bono " tell us what missionaries had to do with that war? In niy Ijistory thereof, it is stated that King Theodore threw into durance vile Consul Cameron and other British subjects, as well as European residents generally, because he could not secure the aid of Britain against Egypt, which had invaded his territory. Hence the Abyssinian war; but not a word concerning missionaries. Come now, " Cvi Bono," you have made & sweeping statement, but it requires proof. You have told us that most of the. wars with native races —such as that of China—would not have, been except for ' the presence^ of missionaries. You have plenty small wars to work upon, in all conscience; name, say, half a dozen which are distinctly traceable to the presence of missionaries.—l am, etc., Jabbebwock.