Chapter XIV: To the
People's Court
According to Marxism the standard of morality
arises from our political standpoint, which in turn is determined by our
economic condition. Thus if I have no money to buy bread, I will take the
political stand of siding with the oppressed masses. This means that to
steal from the landlord becomes right; I am not guilt of theft. I am only
taking back what he has exploited from my class. [The same argument is used to justify the slaughter
of whites in Zimbabwe and other neo-communist countries]
"...the Communist revolution was run on
principles. ...attracting the finest youth of China... who were being
filled with enthusiasm to devote their all that their nation might become
strong and free.... They had not yet understood that the idea of tyranny and
liberation goes deeper than governments and material progress, or even
classes. They had not yet awakened to the new and more sinister spiritual
bondage that had begun to engulf them.
I was their prisoner, yet I knew that
through God's grace in Christ I was freer than them all. 'For if the Son
shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.'"
[pp.171-173]
Chapter XV: Despairing
even of life
[Tormented by mind-dulling interrogations -- see
Demoralization]
These primary and nebulous questionings, I
realized afterwards, are the "dialectical"
approach to interrogation.
It is necessary to find out the whole course of development of a person's
life from earliest days. The dominant influences and conflicts... his social
position and class background.... Only after this ground is fairly clear,
can the attitude of the Government be determined in regard to interrogation
and "brainwashing."
The first indication I had of the so-called "thought
reform" was when Yang said: 'Of course we do not really blame you for
anything you have done against the people. Your government and Society must
bear most of the guilt, although naturally you must bear some too.... You
must gradually change your social outlook. The whole Capitalist
structure is based on exploitation... [177-178]
My mind filled with conflicts. I had decided
that I had no need to tell them of many things I knew. This meant endless
fencing as the questioned me. .... From their standpoint, omission would
be considered less than the truth, yet why should I be subjected to
their inquisition? The ensuing days were an agony of mind.
[Compare this with today's emphasis on "authenticity"
and "honesty" in the postmodern church dialogue]
I found that several Chinese civilians were also
housed in the same building. They were not prisoners in the usual sense, but
having a course of '"earning."
[179]
Full interrogation on an ever-increasing
scale now began. ... They began to preach to me their policy towards
counter-revolutionaries. They had apparently already judged me to be a spy.
Now it was a question of confession. The almost daily line of
approach began like this:
"If you tell us everything, all will be well, but
if you hold anything back, then you will be the enemy of the people
by our own choice... Our policy is clemency for the repentant, and
unmitigated suppression for the impenitent. One is a road of life, one is a
road of death.... They dealt with the spreading of rumors, a
crime of which I was found guilty....
[180]
The next day when I was interrogated, I gave a
straightforward account to the officials.... They were delighted and said to
me: "Now... you will have to begin 'learning.' ... we will send you
away to another place for 'education'.... This kind of talking lasted
precisely two days. 182
I was no openly threatened with execution by
shooting. 'If you do not tell us your British Government connections we
shall send you to another place where you will 'suffer bitterness.' If this
fails then you will be shot...." [182]
In the spring of 1951 the nationwide campaign
for the suppression of counter-revolutionaries began. The masses were
mobilized and agitated to frenzy by vast schemes of propaganda up and
down the country. Huge accusations and struggle meetings were organized
and everywhere the people were encouraged to expose anyone with KMT
connections or sympathies.
A date line was given for the voluntary
registration of past links with KMT organizations, after which began a witch
hunt for agent, spies, bandits, tyrants, secret society personalities and
rumor-mongers, and a scale unprecedented in human history.... in the reign
of terror, father exposed son and son exposed father, mothers and
daughters exposed their husbands and brothers.
"Now
brother will
betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up
against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by
all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
Mark 13:10-12
|
Tens of thousands of
allegations poured into the hands of the Government. The counterfeit
'evangel,' the 'gospel' of Mao Tse Tung, offering mercy to penitent but
annihilation to all who resist, was preached in every nook and
cranny of China, from the schoolboy to Cabinet Minister. Later on I met
many of those caught in this fanatical purge.[184] [See
Mark 13:10-12
and
Changing China? Communist
Strategies Build Global Solidarity]
I talked to one fellow-prisoner and he told
me personally how the executions followed. He himself attended one mass
meeting where sixty-eight people were massacred in cold blood, before a
great
mob who demanded that such enemies of the people be swept from the
earth.... The comments of national leaders showed complete satisfaction.
"The reactionary forces have received a death blows," they said, "and
the masses have been instructed."[185]
It was as such a time that the first 'trial' of
my case proceeded.... I would think of little of all that they were
requiring of me and devoted the time to communion with the Lord. He brought
a richness of thought to me and simple poems would flow into my mind....
Never had the Lord proved Himself so strong to me. If I was to die then, I
died under His own hand....
I pictured in my
mind's eye that last morning as I was led out to die. Should I preach,
should I pray or should I sing? I decided I would sing. I went over in
my mind some of the songs of Zion and then chose this great chorus,
determined that by His grace these would be my last words before I saw Him
face to face:
Some golden
daybreak Jesus will come
Some golden daybreak, battles all won,
He'll shout the vict'ry, break thro' the blue
Some golden daybreak, for me, for you.
The entire purpose of this written inquisition
was to test the person's loyalty to the new regime and their attitude to
the Communist viewpoint. I had already answered everything orally many
times, except for the last part, which was headed 'Thought Reformation.'
Here I was to fill in the changes of thought and outlook I had undergone,
since being in contact with the new regime and its teaching. I decided to
state truthfully what I thought, giving emphasis to the veils of aggression
and tyranny.... [190]
This constant emphasis on the magnanimity of
the People's Government became very aggravating at times. I was forever
being reminded that I was being given meat every day, or that I had received
a hand towel or a bar of soap. For these little comforts I was very
thankful.... yet to use them as an endless spur to the confession of
some guilt robbed the gift of any good will it might seem to possess.
[191]
About six, the doors of the cells were all
bolted and padlocked. On retiring for the night I decided, that although in
the prison, I would kneel to pray. I had only been on my knees a minute or
two, when the guard spotted it. I ignored his protesting voice, which came
shouting through the peephole. Minutes passed and then I heard the key being
put into t he padlock. Two men entered and insisted that I lie down
immediately.
[199]
For half an hour every morning, there was
organized 'thought reform... [199]
...it was useless
to mope on my circumstances, I continued systematically to go over the Scriptures
in my mind.... [He has no Bible, but he knew
and had memorized much of God's Word]. Beginning at
Genesis, I had recalled each incident and story as best I could, first
concentrating on content and then musing on certain points, seeking light in
prayer.
Gradually I had worked through the Bible until I had covered all
I could remember. With the passing of time, whole sections were beginning to
fade, but God still brought much to mind, and now I went through the word of
God in this way for the second time. The strength received through this
ordered [Biblical, not mystical] meditation was, I believe, a vital factor in bringing me through,
kept in the faith to the very end.
When the guard was not looking and his footsteps
had died away, I put my ear to the floor. I discovered a man was singing
softly but clearly in a room below. I knelt listening with great excitement.
My heart leapt at the words. "Onward, Christian soldiers..."[200-201]
Onward,
Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!
Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.
