The Attacks Continue

Figurines on Golden Island on the Yangtze, 2011. Missionary attitudes towards Chinese culture and history varied wildly, and at their worst were racist and dismissive.

A chief mover in the assault on the Rev. W. J. Boone and his acolyte, Herbert Sowerby, was Ferdinand McKeige, a prolific and energetic contributor to the ongoing discussion, who never seemed to tire of singling out Herbert Sowerby for further criticism and invective:

I would like to state here, that in replying to Mr. Sowerby's letter, I had not the slightest intention of bringing Mr. B. prominently before the public, but simply to show Mr. Sowerby he could not write such a disingenuous letter without running the risk of being replied to. ..

The editorial in the Star in the East of June 6 (if its statements were untrue) ought to have brought forth an unequivocal denial from someone connected with the mission, thereby correcting what is the general impression and belief among missionaries, that ritualism does exist at St. John's and that the College is a poorly managed affair at the best. No attention, however, was given the article until June 11, when Mr. Sowerby, over the nom de plume of "A Member of the Mission," sent to the North-China Daily News for publication one of the most disingenuous letters I have ever seen… 

Every member of the Shanghai mission is aware of the fact that it is believed by outsiders that ritualism exists at St. John's. I have before me the entire correspondence in regard to this matter as it appeared in the Southern Churchman; there are eight letters and two editorials. 

This of itself is abundant proof that Mr. Sowerby knew that absurd reports were actually facts. If Mr. Sowerby's letter was not an attempt to dodge the truth, then I do not know what to call it... If Mr. Boone was not the originator of Mr. Sowerby's letter, he was a party to the statements it contained...

The accusations about Boone’s mission continued to mount: Gambling at the Mission School in Shanghai, drunken native staff, opium use, incoherent preaching by Mr Boone and physical fights between staff were just some of the accusations that now received a public airing. Another member of the mission, William Sayres concluded with a full-fronted personal assault on the Reverend Boone:

I shall not go here into further particulars regarding studies, further than to point out the absurdity of Mr. Boone's being in charge of what he knows so little about. His ignorance of the language is well-known in China, among both foreigners and natives. I do not believe he is able to read an ordinary Chinese book or newspaper, and I will venture to say that he does not even know by name the books used in the College, and could not give a list of them. Nay more, I believe that he could not give the name of any book used in the college. I mean, of course, Chinese book.

In response to this sensitive assessment of the prospective Bishop's virtues, another correspondent was inspired to pen the following generous and charitable assessment of the Chinese character more generally:

I am convinced, after a residence of six years in China, almost every day of which I have been brought in contact with Chinese in connection with business matters, and have had every opportunity to observe their traits of character--that they need very careful watching, the man that looks upon a Chinaman as a fool, is indeed a fool himself--it has been the great mistake of more than one Missionary in this land to accept the honesty and morality of a Chinaman upon a profession of faith, and this one thing has done much to retard the progress of the work. 

The missionaries, it seemed had a special term for locals who made false professions of faith in order to benefit from missionary largesse. They called them ‘rice Christians’. It is not entirely surprising in the light of all this that there were certain groups of Chinese who had decided that they had very much had their fill of the Missionary sense of humour, and indeed their presence more generally. 

The Knives Come Out

Approaching the Three Gorges Dam and Yichang, 2011, 

in the heart of the Missionary lands.

The next response to Herbert’s contribution showed just how vicious the missionaries could be when it suited them, as well as how the Protestant Episcopal Mission itself seemd to have degenerated into a state of civil war:

On the 13th of June last there appeared in the columns, of your paper a letter from "A Member of the Mission," in which, after giving Mr. Boone's pedigree, he goes on to say, "Whereas certain absurd reports are believed to be current as to ritualism at St. John's College, it may be well to add that Mr. Boone's election is not only satisfactory to the members of the mission, but is also spoken of in the leading Church paper." 

The above statements, coming as they do from one clergyman under the sanction of another, I have never seen excelled in point of disingenuousness. The writer has evidently sought to make the public believe that the reports which are current on the subject of ritualism were without foundation. "A Member" cannot be ignorant of the correspondence of members of the mission in regard to, this very matter, no less than five of its members having taken part in it. [Appleton, Graves, Sayres, Thomson, and Boone (through Mr. Kimber.)] 

How then can he write, "certain absurd reports are believed to be current"? 

This is easily understood when it is known that "A Member" is a candidate for priest's orders and his passing the necessary examination depends in a measure upon the leniency of the Bishop-designate. [Came to China (a Baptist by profession) a member of the China Inland Mission, after remaining in this mission about eighteen months, left and joined the American Bible Society, remained one month, and became connected with the P. E. Mission.] 

With this in view, one is forced (although unwillingly) to the conclusion that it was a diplomatic move, and not a wish to correct any false impressions…

I am prepared to state, and I do so advisedly, that "A. Member's" letter was submitted to the Rev. Wm. J. Boone for approval before its publication and its appearance in the columns of your paper is positive proof of Mr. Boone being a party to his own eulogy…

F. McKeige

The knives were well and truly out. And Herbert Sowerby’s transfer from the China Inland Mission to the Episcopal Mission, it is revealed had come via a short stay of a month with the American Bible Society. What was more, he was initially a Baptist. 

The implication is clear – Herbert was nothing more than a calculating denominational opportunist, interested only in climbing the church career ladder.

Herbert Sowerby Takes A Stand

At this point, Herbert Sowerby made his ill-advised decision  to enter the debate, communicating his own views, initially to the editor of the North-China Daily News. Herbert had the following to say regarding the suitability of William Jones Boone for the Bishopric of Shanghai.

Bishop Schereschewsky at prayer: It was his resignation that precipitated the crisis in the ranks of the Protestant Episcopal Mission. 

News was received by to-day's U.S. mail officially confirming a telegram received some weeks since that the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. had elected, subject to, the usual, confirmation by the several Dioceses, the Rev. Wm. J. Boone, M.A., as Missionary Bishop of Shanghai in succession to Bishop Schereschewsky lately resigned. 

The following facts maybe of local interest. Mr. Boone is the second son of the late Bishop Boone, the first Missionary Bishop of the Anglican Church, and who was consecrated so long ago as 1844, since which time many missionary bishops have been sent forth from England and the United States. Bishop Boone was one of the earliest settlers in Shanghai, and with others lived in the Chinese city before any house of the present settlement was built there. Mr. Boone was born in 1846; he was educated in the United States, graduated at Princeton College in 1865, and after the usual theological studies was ordained Deacon in the United States. Soon afterwards he was appointed missionary to China in 1869, and was ordered Priest in St. John's Church, Hankow, by Bishop Williams (now of Tokio) in 1870. He was stationed at Wuchang for some eight years, and then in 1879 was removed to St. John's College and appointed by the Bishop as Dean of the Theological Department, where he has been steadily working for the past five years. 

Whereas certain absurd reports are believed to be current as to ritualism at St. John's College, it may be well to add that Mr. Boone's election is not only satisfactory to the members of the mission, but is also thus spoken of in the leading Church paper:--"The Rev. Wm. J. Boone, Missionary Bishop elect of Shanghai, is a worthy son of his predecessor in the same office. He is a prudent and trustworthy man, and has the confidence of the friends of foreign missions. The House of Bishops may well be congratulated on electing to the office one who is already familiar with the work."

Yours truly,

A MEMBER OF THE MISSION. 

(Rev. H. Sowerby.)

This seems on the surface to be a fairly innocuous contribution, but it was to provoke some explosive responses, as we move into the month of June in 1884, not least because it seems that Herbert Sowerby initially chose to conceal his identity as the author of the missive. 

This would explain the initial response of a Mr F. McKeige that:

I regret very much that "A Member of the Mission" should have written that "Mr. Boone's election is not only satisfactory to the members of the mission "--without first consulting its members. He would then have had authority to write as he did, if all were in accord.

And this was merely the opening salvo.