THE CHURCH IN MANCHURIA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4, 26 January 1905, Page 29

THE CHURCH IN MANCHURIA.

Should Russia and Japan decide to oontinjuc tahe war Manchuria will probably be t!he thealre of hostilities, aod therefore- some facts relative to Catholic missions } n that land will lie of interest at the present time. The history of the vast field of missionary enterprise in Manchuria (writes Dom Maternus Spitz, 0.5.8., in the 'Avc Maria 1 ) is almost entirely Klcntilied with tine life amd work of its Vicar Aposttolic, Monsignor Vcrolles, who for thirty-eight years devoted his time to sow the seed oi the (iospel, to fertilise the hearts of tlie Maachns, to rule their spiritual desttni&s, and infuse new life into the mission. It was in 1840 lhat Monsignor Verolles tirst set his loot upon Manchurian soil. H« was met by many difficulties and encountered great hardships. After a journey of six months through tho vaat solitudes of his \icartate, on foot or in a native vehicle, mounted on horse, mule, or ass, Monsignop Yeroiles was aompellod to retire for a time to Mohgx>lia ; bjut siOjon left his place of involuntary exile to welcome tjhe first priest who was to share with him the toils of the mission. It was Father Maxime de la Bruniere, who had exchanged the study of medicine anfl a life ot ease and distinction for a life of apostioHo obedience and poverty, A little later,, in 184-1, two. other priests arrived upon the scene. The Treaty of England with Uhina in 1840-42, the definite cession of HongKong to the English Crown, and the French commercial ocnvOntion with China Known as the Treaty of Whampoa (September 24, 1844), opened up possibilities of a future extension of missionary work, a»nd therefore demanjded a new HK-rease of laborers. Monsignor Verolles went to Kurope in 18/ M to g-et recruits for his missiqn, and redurncfl in 1847 watih four priests. For a time the progress of the mission was Blow. The natives did not take kindly to Christianity! they praised the doctrines of the missionaries, but to accept them and lv\e accordingly was too much for the materialistic Manchus. They considered it a very stupid iaith whose followers neglect tihe present to busy themselves ab rat tihe future. In the meantime the Russians had sei/ed some Manahurian territory, and it was hoped the \ ictors woluld £-i\e some encouragement to tihe missionaries, font in this they were disappointed, as the Russian Governor refused to give permission to preadh the Gospel there. In October, 1859, was signed the Treaty of Tientsin, The Charter of Religious Liberty in China, which brought some advantages to the missionaries. Monsignor Verolles went to R>ome in 18&9 tui 'assist at the Vatican Council ; and although seventy >oars old, he returned in 1875, after having carried out Ins lfvig-chens|hod project of introducing IJuropean Sisteis intw Mainohuna. He had applied to the Congregation of Pro\jiiance at Portieux^ which was founded by the veuierable Father Move toward the end of the eighteenth cantury. Out of eighty Sisters who volunteered only five were chosen. They left Europe in May, 1875, to take charge of uhe omhan asylum at the new residence of the \ icar Apostolic, and to give a fresh lm/nuJlse to Uie work, of the Holy Childhood. The mission was now extending in every direction. New paii'lb-rs were being organised, additional chlirches b'llt, wnd pioais institutions founded. The piety of the old Christians was quickened and the number of canvers ons vastly increased. MoiiKignor Verolles was permitted to see the fruits ripening before his death, which o curred in 1878, in the seventy-third year pf his age and the thirty-eighth of his episcopate. According to the reports of Bishop Dubail (1&80), the missions in the northern portions of t/he Vicariate wore in a flourishing condition, and on his visitation journey he a. cry where met with a nearty welcome, even from tue mandarine. Bui this was quickly to be changed { for news was toon spread of a war between Russia and China, and the intended assassination of all the priests and Christians as traitors to the Empire. The Blood of the Martys, however, became in its turn the seed of Christianity, The epoch from 1890 to 19G0 certainly forms the brightest chaioter of missionary enterprise in Manchuria. Iv 1810 there were in the whole country only 8009- Christians, most of them lukewarm and indifferent ; in 1894 there were 17,000 Christians, distributed in 24 districts, with 170 missionary stations, presided over by one Bijhop, with 30 European and 8 native priests, and SO cateohists. In three seminaries there were 49 boys, 40 native Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesius, 200 Chinese crtins, 12 French and 20 Chinese Sisters of the Congregation of Providence.

The years 1805,, '96, '98 were Equally Successful. In 1895 1290 pagajn adults, 5651 children of pagan and 781 of Christian parents were baptised, and 4214 cateohumems added. *n 1896 we find 1529 baptisms of adults, C6UO of children of pagan parents, 19,189 neophytes ; 58 schools for boys with 1088 pupils ; 61 for girls, with 1545 pupils ; 15 orphan asylums, with 1372 children. In 1898 there were In the whole of Manchuria 4000 baptisms of adult pagans. During the Boxer Riots of 1900-01 Maoichuria became the scene of bloody persecutions, and of a series of tremendous losses, which were caused by innumerable robber bands. Manchuria had to mourn tihe death of one Bishop, Monsignor Lawrence (liuillon, who was massacred at Mukden, 9 LJuropean priests, 3 native priests, 2 European Sisters, and about 15(10 Christians. In Southern Manchuria 45 churches and chapels were destroyed, also 29 residences, 2 seminaries, 159 schools and orphan asylums. In NorHienn Manchuria out of 16 stations only 2 remained. Thus the work ajnd la'oor and sacrifices of sixty years had beon destroyed in the course of one month. But, tlhanks tio the energetic interposition of the Russians at the court of Peking, peace was soon restored, tihe robber bands were dispersed, and many of the T&ae-li-ti sect were put to death ; so that in the course of 1902 out oi 26 missionary districts 21 could be reopened. In the course of tine same year 195 adults and 2083 children were baptised in Southern, and 471 adults and 806 children in Northern Maaohuria. The statistics or 1903 show that before the outbreak of the present war, for which Manchuria had again to supply the stage, the Catholic missionaries were in Bull working order, and that the Catholic UhUrch was once more carrying out her work of peace and salvation.