▁not orious ▁symbol ▁of ▁Chinese ▁anger . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁summer ' s ▁end , ▁more ▁foreign ers ▁and ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁Chinese ▁Christians ▁had ▁been ▁put ▁to ▁death ▁in ▁the ▁province . ▁Journal ist ▁and ▁historical ▁writer ▁Nat ▁Brand t ▁has ▁called ▁the ▁mass acre ▁of ▁Christians ▁in ▁Sh an xi ▁" the ▁greatest ▁single ▁tra ged y ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁Christian ▁evangel ical ism ." ▁ ▁Christians ▁in ▁Tai y uan ▁before ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁mass acre ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁there ▁were ▁long - est ab lished ▁Christian ▁communities . ▁Catholic ▁mission aries ▁first ▁came ▁to ▁Sh an xi ▁in ▁ 1 6 3 3 , ▁and ▁Protest ant ▁churches ▁were ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁ ▁Re ports ▁from ▁resident ▁mission ers ▁ ▁Vis iting ▁mission ers ▁and ▁others ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁A ▁report ▁of ▁this ▁conference ▁was ▁made ▁and ▁includes ▁the ▁following ▁note ▁of ▁those ▁present : ▁▁ ▁Mr ▁J ▁J ▁Turner ▁and ▁Mr ▁F ▁James ▁travel led ▁from ▁Ch ian king ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁Oct ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁" T ai y uan fu " ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁to ▁discover ▁the ▁region ▁was ▁suffering ▁from ▁ 3 ▁years ▁of ▁fam ine . ▁They ▁left ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁Nov , ▁two ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁Tim othy ▁Richard ▁with ▁fam ine ▁relief . ▁Return ing ▁the ▁following ▁March ▁ 1