The Missionary Herald Volume 95 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...The first intelligent account given of Peking to western nations waswritten by Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler and friend of Kublai Khan, who reached Peking (Cambaluc) in.. D. 1280, and remained seventeen years. The Nestorians were here at that time and he mentions two churches of that ENTRANCE TO THE TSUNG LI YAMEN, THE CHINESE FOREIGN OFFICE. order. No traces of them can be discovered at the present time. Roman Catholic missions did not arrive till the close of the seventeenth century, and for a hundred and twenty-five years, or till the year of Yung Cheng, A. D. 1724, they had magnificent opportunities to spread the faith. They used these opportunities largely for ecclesiastical and political purposes and brought on themselves their deserved expulsion, in 1724, under the third emperor of the Manchu dynasty. Their rights and privileges were restored at the beginning of the new era, A. D. 1840, but they have never recovered their former influence and prestige. A mission of the Greek church has been in Peking over two hundred years, but is not allowed to propagate the faith, being tolerated here for the ostensible purpose of caring for the spiritual interests of the descendants of Russian prisoners taken by the Chinese on the fall of Albazin, on the Amoor River. By natural growth this mission has now a large following and a fine property. During the last century the Russian government was allowed the residence of a minister in Peking on the condition of the kotow, or prostration in presence of the emperor. No other government has ever granted this degrading reverence, and they waited till 1887, when the vexed " audience question " was settled, and foreign ministers were allowed to stand, on presenting their credentials to the...