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[Letter from Young John Allen to Hon. W.W. Rockhill, December 11, 1905]
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS: "DIFFUSION SHANGHAI."
Code : Ager's General and Social.
EDITORIAL STAFF:
Rev. YOUNG J. ALLEN, D.D., LL.D. Editor Review of the Times. Rev. W. A. CORNABY, Editor Chinese Weekly and Christian Review. Rev. DONALD MACGILLIVRAY, M.A., B.D. Rev. W. GILBERT WALSHE, B.A., Recording Secretary. Rev. TIMOTHY RICHARD, D.D., LITT.D., General Secretary.
Shanghai
Dec. 11th, 1905
Hon. W.W. Rockhill
U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary, &c&c
to China --
Dear Sir --
At a recent meeting of
the Board of Trustees of our Soochow University,
I was requested as their Chairman to call your
Excellency's attention to the attitude of the
Chinese Government toward our Educational Institutions -- In general the Govt recognizes
the treaty right of Toleration, and Chinese are
not debarred from membership in the Christian
Church, but as Christians, Educated in our
institutions, irrespective of their qualifications, they are counted and treated
as ineligible to any, even the most inferior offices. Thus showing that the
limited toleration they enjoy has reference
only to their relation to Foreigners, and
by no means implies that this Government
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is disposed to recognize what it is
supposed to grant -- Now while
[added]
an
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we are (averse)
[added]
averse
[unclear]
not disposed
[deleted]
to recognizing the right
claimed by the Chinese to inspect our
higher institutions and dictate what their
curricula shall be, thus attempting to
substitute a Confucian for a Christian
Curriculum, we would by no means object to recognizing any Curriculum the
Government Schools may adopt, and undertake in connection with our system
and Courses of study to prepare men
to stand the requisite examinations for
the respective degrees, if by so doing our
graduates are made equally eligible, according to qualification and merit. for
appointment to office in the Govt. Services.
The point then to which our desire to call
your attention resolves itself into this.
to wit:
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2nd sheet
that the measure of toleration granted
in the treaties is not sufficient to cover
existing conditions, and that unless we
insist on
[added]
a wider recognition on the
part of the Govt, we may expect to
find our schools ignored and their
great value to China depreciated
and lost -- We therefore would urge that
while China is projecting and adopting
reforms , that no reform is more urgent or
would be more appropriate and
[added]
timely than one to grant at once
and for all, entire Religious liberty? It
would be in harmony with the present aspirations of the Chinese for a Constitutional
Govt, and nothing could illegible word
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commend it
more fully
[added]
to the Comity- of nations--
Believing this to be so, we would most
earnestly commend this subject of Religious Liberty
to your attention and anything you can do toward
achieving such a reform will greatly relieve our
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Christian work and,
are sure, will not
greatly
[deleted]
a little influence and improve
the relations of China with all Christian
nations.
Yours [deleted] Respectfully Submitted [added]
Young J. Allen
Chairman
Board of Trustees of the
Soochow University
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Society for the Diffusion of
Christian and General
Knowledge among the Chinese.
SHANGHAI
Letter to
H.E. W.W. Rockhill
on the subject
of Religious Liberty in China
