After Baron Von Ketteler, the German Minister, had
been killed, it was to this compound that his secre-
tary made his escape ; he fell bleeding and
unconscious at the gate. Taken into the beautiful
Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, he received
every attention possible in the circumstances. This
church had been built three years before, and was
recognized as the largest and most beautiful Protes-
tant church for Chinese in China. This building
was loopholed, doors were built up, and a barbed-
wire fence was put round it in preparation for the
common siege. Stocks of rice and bitter water had
been laid in.
This was the condition of affairs on the 20th of
June, the day Baron Von Ketteler was killed: At
this time the Chinese soldiers were camping on the
top of the city wall, which is forty feet wide, and
close to the church. The place was as strong as
it could be made, but it was declared untenable
because of its nearness to the wall. While there was
time, it was thought wise to vacate the church, form

82









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