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New York U609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288 -5989 -Fax x^i^TH /.N SITES nm I NATHAN nITKS FAST § in>oi» fr ♦ ♦ ^''*"^ V N'k t-niin. C\<-- Hi T.m-. .rr. I ?>{Ti})Hiiy '««.»( . > «'»»•• NATHAN SITES AN EPIC OF THE EAST BT S. MOORE SITES With Introduction by BISHOP William fraser McDOWELL Of The Methodist Episcopal Church New York Chicago Tobonto Fleming H. Revell Comp^riy London AND Edinburqb* #••• .••. ••>:.. Copyright, 1913. hf FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY -a-ex^c.'ft^ METROPOLITAN TORONTO CENTRAL LIBRARY Social Scienos •• ••• •V; ••• • •••• Hov»r2 2 1911 New York: 158 Fifth Avenue Chicago: 125 N. Wabash Ave. Toronto: 25 Richmond St., W. London: 21 Paternoater Sqnare Edinburgh: 100 Princes Street INTBODUCTION IN modem missions nothing is more fascinat- ing, instructive, encouraging and thrilling than the lives of those who are enacting the new Acts of the Apostles. On the foreign field we seem to be back again in the early years of the Christian Church, to be living oyer again the experiences of those who first carried Christianity to now Christian people. And every mission field has its superb and shining example of devotion, courage, self-sacrifice, faith, states- manship and Christian wisdom. Every field proudly treasures certain great and famous names, and uses them as names to conjure with. These are the recognized vintage of the Church universal. Some achieve general reputation, others a local recognition which is beyond all words. Every mission is richly blessed in the lives of some who have done or are doing an immortal work, without reaching such fame as Livingstone's or Carey's or Martyn's. The time always fails us to tell of many who, through their faith, subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfihment of God*s promises, shut the mouths of lions, quelled the fury of the fiames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weak- 6 INTRODUCTION ness, were valiant in war, routed hostile armies and did those other marvellous deeds that belong to the life of faith. Christian history has nothing finer in any of its pagec than the records of some of these men and women. All round the world we heard such names spoken with reverence and affection. It would be easy to mention many, for it is truly a '* glorious company." High on the roll of those who have, and who richly deserve such recognition, is the name of the man whose life's stoiy these words inade- quately and imperfectly introduce — the Rev. Nathan Sites, whose name is ** writ large " in the annals of the Church in the Chinese Empire. He was the first alumnus of the Ohio Wesleyan University to go to a foreign field. Scores have followed him since and others wait to go. In a real sense, these two sentences tell the whole story. Dr. Sites was always going ahead iiimself, and ever leading others into good work. Himself a true missionary, he has left to the world a missionary family, and a large missionary succession. Many American men and women were led by him to give their lives to foreign missions as their life work. Many Chinese men and women were led by him to the service of their country- men through the Christian ministry. At Foochow, the name of Nathan Sites is as ointment poured forth. There he lived and labored, and after nearly forty years of toil, fell. There he lies buried near Bishop Wiley, and INTRODUCTION 7 others of our heroic and sacred dead. There one day, a few months ago, a little group of ns stood and thanked God for the lives and services of those who there sleep in Him. There we prayed together that their well-begun work might be made perfect in China's redemption. This volume is written with love by one who, through the long years, worthily shared the life end labors of this man of God. Their children at home and on the foreign field arise and call them blessed, and a great host, which no man can number, have entered in, and wHl yet eyiter in to the eternal city because Nathan Sites lived before them his faithful life, and told them the story of Jesus Christ. For many years Dr. Sites had his membership in the North Ohio Conference. I count myself honored to have had my own Conference member- ship in the body to which he belong«d. I am doubly honored in being permitted tc write a brief foreword in thi? loving record of his faith- ful and useful life. William Feasbb McDowell. Mine U not a love tiory, yet it it a etor^ of love. It w the aiory of a life rich in iteelf and riohly interlived with other (toe*. The melodtf of that life, ^ It CONTENTS Thb Gbubob Militavt XIX. A Bueeaneer ApovUt ... If* XX. Comradet of the Croti . . . ISO XXI. CommUiariat ^^ XXxL Larger Strategy . . . . W XXIIL An Armory U7 XXIV. Martial Mmie ^^4 XXV. Interlude: When the Heart Singe . 166 XXVI. The Areenal ^^7 XXVII XXVIII XXIX. XXX. Uhdsbtohx The Coet — '77 The Campaign Senewed . . • 1S8 Battle Scare ^** Broken Melody 197 XXXI XXXII XXXIII XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI XXXVII Tax Tbiumpb Sovo Young Men for War . . . SOS Hotne from the Ihm* . . S16 Peace Hath Her Victoriee . . 918 An Overtone *^-4 The HdOeltyah Chorue . . . 2S1 The Singer «** Camp-fire *-^ Thb Domimaht Chobd ^^BithelbotetepeofaMan:' ByW.S.Biseonnette U7 ILLUSTRATIONS Photoobapbs, Hahd-oolobbd : Th$ Rio* Mm ^ TtmpU'Bridge ^' A Gentkman of the Old School . ... 70 Zotut JFtower Mountain, near the Upper Min 79 Ku-ehan—Hntrance to Monaefiry Orounde . 97 The floating population of a Chinese viOage . . US Young China,— We are coming your viay . . 117 The Aeeen, to KH-ehan—Rock Ineeriptione . . 1S9 Timber Rq/te on the River Min . .188 Nathan Sitee Memorial Academy, Ten-ping . . 196 White Pagoda and TmpU WM, Scene of Rattle^ 1911 ^ TVaneportation in China ^IS In Toks: Nathan SiUe Frontwpieoe A mUen fleet ofjunke, anchored as if for all time . !^ The Bridge of Tm Thousand Ages stretched like a dragon across the Min '^ Unspoiled Human Nature 41 Clearwater -^ The road mounts the ridges %oith well-made stone steps ^4 A wcUer-ln{ff'alo preparing the rice fields . 66 The merchandise is dung from ipringy bamboo poles ^^ 18 14 ILLUSTBATIONS A nie€ varrn Jlr^«rtaid ¥)Uhgold ^'f Our faithful guidt ^^ In the angU of the eUy wiU, Jhristian eehooU now Jkmrieh . 66 Safdy eheltered from the wUere ....** fhe Citi, of Lingering Peace ....** Seven (olden CandU ticks ** On the Road to the City of Eternal Sprung, a Mandarin^ Grave ^ Ihetival Stylee at the Temple of Eternal SpHng . 99 The *' Outlook'' of the Nbn- Christian Bride in Binyhua ^^ Woman's Sphere ^^"^ Where East and West Meet ^^0 Crooning the Classics ^^^ I%e Buccaneer Apostle •'^ Among the black rocks, on a quiet hillside, near the church he last served ■'^^ A Drowsy Village of the Stnghua Region . . lU Blossoms frfm the Kindergarten . .166 *Tis the Wedding Morning ^^6 Rapid TVansit ^^^ A houseboat waited at the jetty for the turning of the tide ... ' ... 167 Supper-time ^°* Not a spring mattress, but plain boards . .18^ Dr. Sia **-* mahan Siuis Memorial Good Shepherd Hospital,— Clearwater ^^^ The Mission Cemetery, Ibochow . . • .^37 By Lone Sea-breakers ^-^ THE MOTIVE " / cannot in the vaUey atay, The wide horizons call away, The very olifft that wall me round Are iaddere unto higher ground." THE FIRST EECEUIT IT was chapel hour at Ohio Wesleyan. Stu- dents thronged through the doorways to their places, but there were signs of suppressed excitement in the air. A day or two before, a certain student, having been disciplined by the Faculty for some misdemeanor, had angrily taxed another with ** peaching " on him. This fellow- student would neither deny nor admit. The irate one, nursing his wrath to keep it warm, was now darkly threatening to dirk the man who, he thought, had told. This student, sitting quietly among his class- mates, had not the aspect of a tattler. He was of sturdy build and frank countenance, betoken- ing a youth trained in the open life of the farm, and in the atmosphere of a Christian home. The men nearest him seemed to incline toward him with an air of comradeship which said that they liked him and believed In him. The Faculty came in — grand men in the strength of their prime — and took the big chairs in which they always sat, across the back of the platform. There were Frederick Merrick, L. D. McCabe and the rest, and in their midst Thom- 17 18 THE MOTIVE son. Here was a president who really ruled, but with sudi grace and vision that one thought of him not as an autocrat but as seer aiid leader and mighty friend. After prayers he rose to speak. Quietly he drew the lightning from the crowd. Perhaps faculties and students lived closer to- gether in those days of small things than now. Frankly he told the facts, that the student accused oi tale-bearing had really given no information, but he had not denied because he wanted to keep the trouble maker from laying the blame on some other man. Then the seer in Thomson flashed out. " Give me a regiment of such men," he c :- claimed, ** and I will take the world! " Thomson's Regiment is filling up; and that student was his first recruit. n A PIONEER POET THE father of Nathan Sites was a genius. He was homely in wit and naive in manner, eminently practical and with a knack of succeeding. He was also, in his own quaint way, a poet. His poetry was of the accidental quality, without malice prepense. In his journal he would often begin recording his reflections in prose, then, as the thought warmed his heart, the words would drop into rhyme. Bear with him a mo- ment while, at three score years and ten, he re- counts the story of his life's highest joy and deepest loss: On the ttcenty-Eighth day of February, In the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred Ifinety-nine, a lovely Child wa« Born. She was so innocent, so fair, so sweet, And as in age she grew. She grew in favor with all she knew. In Eighteen Hundred and Eighteen, She was by the Spirit bom again, In eighteen-hundred and twenty seven. To Me Her Stoeet right hand and heart were given. In Eighteen f^undred and Seventy, It pleased 1 s Lord to take Her from Me. Half of Myself, the Lord has taken. And yet I feel I am not forsaken, 19 20 THE MOTIVE / hear My Saviour toy, fear not, I am veitX you, B« faithful until death, and I vnll Save you too, AU the$e hopea I owe to my Lord and Baviour, To whom be glory now and Forever. Amen. The loved one thus lost was by name Sarah Fidler. Her father was one of the pioneers who emigrated from Pennsylvania, in the early years of the nineteenth centnry, to the great Northwest Territory. When young Robert Sites, strong in heart and Lmb, coming from old Virginia to seek his fortune, won her sweet right hand and heart, he laid their hearth-stone hard by a spring on a fertile slope in Richland County, among the Ohio hills. The tract of land which he then bought is still in the family. With his own hands Robert Sites squared the logs to build their cabin. Here Nathan Sites was bom; and here he grew up to robust young manhood. When he went to college at the City of the Sulphur Spring he took witli him various odd lots of book-learning from the country school, and a good kit of carpenter's tools which he knew how to use. So he worked hard at his lessons, and built houses and health in his play time. Sometimes his father drove over the forty luiles from home in the spring wagon with apples and good things which Mother had prepared. It was a happy, busy life for him and he helped to make it happy for others. Boys found him a superb friend. " He was so joyous, 30 instructive, so gentle, ao vigorous," says one, " that I can only think of him as mj A PIONEER POET 21 blessed play-fellow." Old residents of Delaware recall a Boys' Club, which he created while a student there, as the most successful thing of the kind they ever knew. He had in it half a hun;.ed youngsters, ten to fifteen years of age, whom he fairly magnetized as he guided them into paths of Christian manhood. For during his six years at college he had learned something better than books. He had entered another apprenticeship, with a Master who Himself was once a carpenter, and was already learning to help the Master build men. V f ni REVEILLE IN a little Ohio town the preachers of the North Ohio Oonference were assembled in annual session. It was the evening of the missionary address. On the platform was a man who had seen twelve years of service in China. China was frightfully far off, — on the earth, but on the under side of it. You took half a year to get there and likely as not you would never get back. Ono young man in the audience was studying the speaker intently. He had been graduated from college the year before, 1859. Now he was just finishing his first year as junior preacher on a country ** circuit." While at college he had often debated, in the old missionary Lyceum, with his chum Scott, and C. C. McCabe and other zealous souls. Scott rather championed China and McCabe India, but Sites inclined to Africa. Here at last was a live missionary, and from China — Rev. R. S. Maclay. The opening hymn was announced. As the junior preacher lifted heart and voice in the ecstasy of faith and hope and youth, some one thrust a letter into his hand. It was from Bishop EEVEILLE 23 Baker. In it the Bishop asked if he would be willing to go as a missionary to China. It struck him as a summons to duty. He was thrilled through and through. He had never told any one how, ever since his conversion, he had felt a yearning to carry the gospel to those in darkest heathenism. With keen interest he listened to every word, sought a brief interview with the speaker, then hastened to his room and fell upon his knees in thanksgiving and prayer to God for guidance. Then, without waiting to confer with flesh and blood, he replied to the Bishop that he was will- ing to go. He did not dare delay his answer, and risk seeing his mother's tears. He did not dare even question what might be the decision of the woman he loved. It was God's call; and he obeyed. ** When you go, NathcU, we shall never meet again in this world." These were his mother's words, uttered in sad- ness after his parents had given their blessing. And what she said proved true. When he came to my home, all was not smooth and of one accord. I was dumb with wonder and confusion. But how could I refuse what he, who had been so honored of God and the Church, asked of me? Besides I was willing to go with the man I loved to the ends of the earth. But I was not certain that I was the person to go as the wife of a missionary. 24 THE MOTIVE My mother was grief-stricken. " Bach a sacrifice is not to be thought of I " she cried. My father — I can see his radiant smile now as he clasped my lover's hand. ** I wonld rather my daughter should go with you, as a missionary to China,'* he said, *' than go as wife of the ambassador to any kingdom on earth." There was not harmony among the members of the family. I felt condemned to cause my mother grief, and it pierced my heart to see her tears. But in the weeks of preparation, as they sped by, we all tried hard to be cheerful. Mr. Sites came often, always bringing brightness and inspiration, and making it seem easier to go on with our work. We tried, in public libraries, to find books on China. We wanted to learn something about that mysterious country and people. There was al- most nothing to be found. It seemed that we were going we knew not whither. Even our mis- sionary secretary had no accurate perception of our needs in going to that strange land. We were instructed to get everything we should need in clothing and house furnishing to last five years or more! I had always supposed my wedding would be the greatest event of my life. Now there was another overshadowing it. The invitations were out; we were to be married in the little white church in the valley. For weeks Father was meet- ing neighbors and old friends who would say: BEVEILLE 25 "I'd like to be at that wedding. I'd like to Bee a couple married who are going off to China." Father would reply: " Gome ! Come and bring yonr family. I want all onr neighbors to feel that they are invited." And they came. IV THE "CATHAY" A BRIGHT Jnne morning rose on the tea wharves along the New York water front. The clipper ship " Cathay " was ready to sail for China. Onr party for Foochow included the man who had made the address on China, that eventful night eight months before, and his wife, who became, as it were, a second mother to me. The sailing of missionaries was an event in those days. The whole staflf of missionary sec- retaries and a Bishop or two, besides many New York clergymen, were on hand to see us off. As for me, I was glad the good-byes that really counted had been said at the old home on the hill, hundreds of miles back. But Mr. Sites missed me from the deck, and came to find me in the cabin writing more last words to Mother. While the great clocks of the city were striking twelve, the order was given, ** Let her go." A little tugboat drew us from our n^norings and we were really afloat— adrift, it seemed— moving Chinaward. There was singing on the pier; and as we swung out into the channel, an answering strain from the ship: THE " CATHAY " 27 1 -BhM iM wftoM touU are UgkM,— Bkall we to mm benighted The Ught of life denpl " Fainter and fainter ochoes from the shore; fainter outlines of familiar forms; the city sinks slowly into the sea; solid land becomes a dream. Then as day after day passes, with no prospect but the heaving waters, endlessly the same, we wonder that there could ever be so much of any- thing ! And some of us wish a thousand times for the fulfilment of the promise: — " There shall be no more sea.*' Next morning, Sunday, while I was attempt- ing to dress, but too seasick to do so, Mr. Sites came telling me with much zest, how delightful it was on deck ; that he had seen the sunrise and had read his Bible lesson, sitting astride the yard- arm, halfway up the mainmast. The course wa ' southeast, crossing the Equator and doubling the Gape of Good Hope; then east- ward and northeast across the Indian Ocean. We got not a glimpse of the coast of Africa. Some days we made very little progress; indeed, for many days, we rolled becalmed under the heat of the tropical sun. Occasionally, a favoring wind drove us onwprd as much as two hundred and fifty miles in a day. .iter eighty-three days with- out a sight of land, we were thrilled by the cry, " Land ahoy I " from the lookout sailor at the masthead. Our untrained eyes could discern noth- ing but a dark streak like a cloud on the horizon. Mr. Sites hastened to climb the mast and soon, 28 THE MOTIVE from hit perch near the top, he c»Ued to us that he had a good view of land— the strange, tropical island of Java. We dropped anchor in the har- bor of Anjer, and here received our latest news from the CivU War. The captain announced that we mig^t take the ship's small boats and go off to the island to re- turn in about three hours. Those of us willing to brave that broad stretch of water were low- ered in a rattan arm-chair by ropes over the side of the vessel. Our feet were fairly dancing to touch, once more, solid earth and green grass. We called on the wife of the Dutch Governor of the island, who politely received us in her pretty vine-covered *-"^flralow, and served sweets and fruits. We v * leisure through the grounds, admiring th % tropical verdure, the fruits and flowers, - — the birds of rare plumage. We tried to veil our eyes from the crudity of man outside the sheltering walls, but were unable to escape the shock which this first view of unkempt heathenism brought. Other boats had been sent to secure fresh pro- visions for the ship. These came back, laden with immense branches of bananas, hundreds of cocoanuts and yams, sweet potatoes, eggs and dozens of young chickens. For days afterwards we revelled in luxuries, and almost forgot the miseries of the past voyage. When we had sailed through the Straits of Sunda the monsoon came to our aid and we had a stiff, steady wind which drove us gloriously THE " CATHAY " on until, in about the latitude of Hong Kong, it failed ni. Our ship made sharp tacks but very little progress. After some days we were said to be in the region of Amoy. Here the captain decided to put in and land his Amoy and Fooehow passengers instead of carrying ns all to Shanghai, his port of destination. There was no Suez Canal in those days, bnt the American and European mails were carried across the isthmus by rail and the China mission- aries all along the ooaflt, wherever there were mis- sions, had learned of the sailing of the " Cathay ** from New York, and the names and destination of her passengers. There wf^s a flutter of excitement among the group of Americans and English at Amoy, when one morning they descried the " Cathay " in the outer harbor. They were soon in their small na- tive boats, coming rapidly toward us. We gazed and wondered, * * Be they men or no t " They were dressed in white trousers and short white linen coats buttoned to the neck, and wore white hel- mets on their heads. We were coming into a strange world ; perhaps these were the peculiar in- habitants ! They drew nearer and then we heard English words and shouts of welcome. After a delightful week in Amoy, a smell coast steamer from Hong Kong brought us in fifteen hours to Pagoda Anchorage, in the Min River, twelve miles below Foochov^ City. Thence a row- boat, manned by six or eignt Chinese, carried us at last to our landing, and our journey of one II 30 THE MOTIVE hundred and one days from New York was over. It was the nineteenth of September, 1861. We were very glad and happy. Mr. Sites scarcely knew whether he was in the body or out of the body, so overjoyed was he to stand on the mission ground where his thoughts and prayers had cen- tered since the day of his appointment. Behind him,— a waste of waters; before him,— a waste of men I Deep in the heart of each drop in this sea of humanity he knew there was hidden a rainbow of hope. It was his to help flash upon men the quickening sunlight of love. THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL Up in the Orindelioald valley a Bwiaa moun- taineer, clad in Jiomeapun, stands all day long hlovAng his Alpine horn. It is a simple song; hut a great cliff catches it, and flings it to another, and this still to another, until the whole valley is flooded vnth a wonder of haunt- ing melody. Weeks after, the traveler hears those marvellous strains in his dreams. And the magic is not in the horn, nor in the player; but in that he has found the place where the mighty hills must respond. Sometimes to a great soul it has been given to find that magical relation to the hearts of men — and the music he has awakened thrills and lingers unto this day. . M I AN OUTPOST: THE FIRST SKIRMISH WE were really in China I Cheerful coolies carried us in sedan chairs through nar- row, jostling market streets an*! up a long flight of wet stone steps. They turned into a gateway and we found ourselves in a ** com- pound," near the crest of a long, low hill over- looking the river. This was the Hill of Heavenly Rest. A great Buddhist temple of the same name stands near. From our window we look down to the Bridge of Ten Thousand Ages, with its massive stone beams and piers, stretching like a dragon across the Min. On the river, myriad busy small craft, all of the same pattern; below the bridge a sullen fleet of junks, anchored as if for all time; on the bridge, two throbbing, thronging streams of life intent on getting somewhere; on either side of the river, a wilderness of roofs; beyond and fc jove all, a glory of eternal hills. " Compound " was a strange new word to us. In meaning, as in sound, it suggests having things in common. Within the walls of our mission com- pound we found four well-built two-story houses with airy ceilings and broad verandas. In those days there was no provision for flight to moun- 88 34 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL tain or shore in the season of stifling heat. Al- ready the hardships of the first few years, when only Chinese houses were available, had left their record where you can read it to-day, in the mission cemetery, on stones inscribed to young wives. We found four families in the mission, and with one of them we made our home. On the voyage my husband had improved his time and learned a little Chinese with the help of Dr. Maclay. Now we gave ourselves wholly to study. I was ambitious to get on as fast as my husband. There were no helps to elucidate the maze of hieroglyphics. We had Morrison's dictionary, but that gave little or no aid to a beginner. We were advised to start in by read- ing the Gospel of John. Our Chinese teacher sat at one end of our study table, my husband at one side, I at the other. The teacher did not understand a word of English, nor we a word of Chinese. Each had a Chinese Gospel of John before him; the teacher, in a loud, full voice, articulated the sound of the first character in the first verse. We repeated it after him, but by the shake of his wise head we knew our pro- nunciation wa3 not satisfactory. After we had been digging laboriously for a few days, Mr. Gibson came in one morning and found us hard at it. Mr. Sites fired a few questions at him about singular and plural nouns and about gen- ders and other grammatical constructions. " Never mind about those things," he said with a hearty laugh. AN OUTPOST: THE FOST SKIRMISH 35 ** But how shall we ever make these sounds mean anything? " we asked. ** Just keep on as you are doing," he answered, " and the meaning wUl come to you by and by." How provoking 1 I was fairly ready to cry, as he went out. Mr. Gibson had been studying several years, and was able to preach I But I caught a cheery light in my husband's face as he exclaimed, with a ring of victory in his voice : " We came to China to preach the gospel and we are going to do iti " As the months went on and we began to rec- ognize a few words as having some meaning, each of us was eager not to be outdone by the other. The first work assigned to me was the charge of the orphans, in a small building on the comer of the mission compound. Every morning after breakfast I went over to administer soap and water, or perhaps a poultice, to the tiny bodies which had been given such an unfair start in life. My husband used the same hour for a little run down to the Long Bridge, where from the passing throngs some men stopped to look at the stranger and the books he had brought. When he came 'oack, exulting in a new phrase he had caught from the crowd, I would answer by flaunting a few words learned from the old women who nursed the babies. So we passed our first year, in a vigorous encounter with the ** plain speech," not knowing what special work lay be- fore us. Now there was talk in the mission of making 36 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL a new venture— an advance into the regions be- yond. It was thought it might be for the further- ance of the work if one of the families should move out twelve miles to a Chinese village where there were eight or ten Christians. All our Chris- tians at that time numbered less than one hun- dred, and only six or seven men were being taught to become helpers. Near by this central village were scores of other places, large and small, where there were no Christians and no knowledge of the purpose for which missionaries had come to China. I felt sure that to get into such work was an opportunity in which Mr. Sites would rejoice. But down in my heart I felt confident our Superintendent would not ask us to go, for had we not just como into possession of our first wee baby? And did not croup and measles and sore eyes and scarlet fever, and all those cruel ailments, wait in Chi- nese villages to lay hold on babies! No physician would be within call, and there would be no means of communication with Foochow except by a Chi- nese rowboat on the Min, or a special messenger sent on foot the long twelve miles. No, surely we would not be sent ! But the appointment did fall to Mr. Sites ; and with the courage of yon' and inexperience mingled with some dread, we started up river on the favoring tide, for our new home and new undertaking. A printed item from the mission Superintend- ent's letter of that time said, " Mr. Sites expects I AN OUTPOST: THE FIRST SKIRMISH 37 to start to Oxvale with his family, on Sat .rday. Ho is admirably qualified for his new field of usefulness, and they go with cheerful hearts. This enterprise indicates real progress in the work of evangelizing China, and if successful wUl be the initiation of similar movements elsewhere.*' The little village stood three miles back from our landing point on the Min. A crowd quickly assembled as we came ashore— to welcome us, shall I sayt No; to see the rare sight, a foreign woman with her little white baby. The crowd increased, encircled us, became dense. All too soon to satisfy their curiosity, my husband hurried Baby and me into a sedan chair, the coolies picked it up, and we were whisked off over the main highway, a beaten path one foot wide, which wound about between small, garden-patch rice fields. It was just after the season of planting and the Treen blades were up a few inches out of the deep mud, and inun- dated with flowing water from irrigation ditches. Into this morass I knew a misstep would land me and my precious baby. I held my breath and a tight grip as I watched my bearers' nimble feet. I did not then know, as I learned later, how sure- footed these chair-bearers were and how fully they could be depended on. Across the valley on a slight elevation there stood and still stands a wide-spreading banyan, offering grateful shade. From this point we had a view of our little chapel beyond a fartl^er val- ley. A few minutes later my sedan was put down 38 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL at the door, and I took a swift and eager survey of our new home. It was a low building with mud walls ; the large central room was the chapel, with a floor of hard dry beaten mud. Our sitting-room and bedroom was on one side, the dining-room and study on the other; and into these rooms Mr. Sites on a previous trip had put board floors. The village people gradually gathered in to see and greet us. I scanned the women's faces as eagerly as they scanned mine. Among them all there was no familiar face. Here was the place that was to be home to us for the next three years I Our first year of village life was well advanced. It had been a busy year, with many interests ab- sorbing time and thought. Mr. Sites was still studying hard at the language. But when on the programme of our approaching annual meeting, as drafted by the brethren in Foochow, I saw the name ** Nathan Sites " set down for the '* Con- ference sermon," I was in dismay. It seemed like mockery that older missionaries should pre- sume to put so heavy a responsibility on him. ** What are you going to do about iti " I asked. ** Do about it? " he answered. " Why, prepare it, of course." He set to work, wrote the sermon in English, then dictated it to his teacher, sentence by sen- tence, in the best Chinese he could command ; and the teacher revised it, supplying here an apter term and there the proper id&om. This was not AN OUTPOST: THE FIRST SKIRMISH 39 done in a day, nor several days. It was worked over and improved, prayed ov ad re-written and studied, until I took coui and began to feel it was bound to be- j access. Wher the time for this Annual Meeting arrived, in the fall of *63, we closed our little house for a month and went to Foochow. The Mission had no ordained native preachers, and the missionaries held their ministerial rela- tions in America, so we called this an ♦' Annual Meeting," with the Superintendent presiding. All the native assistants were present, with the missionaries and their wives, besidew a number of our ♦* American Board " friends. The evening for Mr. Sites' sermon came. He proceeded with the opening exercises. We had no trepidation about that part, for he had been able to read the Scriptures smoothly for many months ; he was fluent in prayer, and the rhythm of hymns in these queer sounds was a delight to his musical ear. But when he opened the Bible and read his Chinese text, " Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me," my heart thumped in terror. But it was only for a moment, as I shut my eyes and prayed. He had discarded his manuscript, and had only a few notes on a small leaf of paper. Would he hesitate and would those thoughts all in Chinese get con- fused and bring embarrassment and failure! He had not spoken a minute before I knew that God on whom he relied was with him and speaking 40 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL through him. In his closing words he reminded us that on the day of Pentecost, the disciples, like ourselves, numbered only a few tens, and the apostles but twelve. To them Christ said, '* Go teadi all nations "; so speaks He also to us. When the doxology had been sung and the ben- ediction pronounced, all gathered lovingly about the speaker in congratulation and with words of hearty appreciation. From that time onward his reputation as a smooth speaker of the language grew. As his vocabulary increased, and his grasp of Chinese idioms widened, it was said of him that to hear his voice, not seeing the speaker, one would suppose a Chinese was speaking. The recruit had fought his first set battle, the battle with the language, and had won. Unspoiled Human Xaturc. VI ENLISTMENTS A LL the time at Oxvale, Mr. Sites was study- /\ ing Chinese character of a sort not found in books. In the hill villages back of ours he found the endless interest of unspoiled human nature, — unspoiled, at least, by contact with tne outer world. Mrrnings, the seance with the teacher, aftemo'-':. ! .'eaching in the unexplored villages — this If jlness of life. Not a path but led to a su/'- e; not a greeting but brought some new freshness into life, at least for the apostle and doubtless also for the house upon which he pronounced '* peace." In one of these excursions he came to a village where lived a young teacher of whom he had already heard. It was only a handful of village boys the pedagogue had in his school, each one singing at the top of his voice the lessons to be memorized, as every one must who wishes to know the Confucian classics. On set days he led his pupils in performing prostrations before the tablet of the Great Sage. There was something in this teacher's bearing, however, which showed that he was not mastered by his circumstances; 41 42 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL one might guess that Buddha's answer to the riddle of life was not satisfying to him. From the first the two men were attracted to each other. There was a return visit, then an interchange of polite tokens, in consequence of which the Confucianist found himself the pos- sessor of an attractive book called the ** Holy Classic " which he had never seen before, telling of a Greater than Confucius. We had a little school of our own at that time, a group of village boys and girls whom i had gathered into the chapel six days a week for study, td well as on Sunday for Sabbath school. We lacked a good teacher for the Chinese classics; we invited the Confucianist, and he accepted. Some days Mr. Sites was away on all-day preaching tours. I recall the embarrassment which I felt when I conducted morning prayers, in my imperfect Chinese, in the presence of the Confucian scholar. But before long it was evi- dent that we had in him a devout student of the Word. He was reading his new Classic daily. He soon became convinced of the error of idol- atry and then convicted of his own sins. Before the end of the year he resolved to run away from his convictions. He resigned his posi- tion and took a school in a village six miles off. He still read his Bible and often on Sundays would dismiss his school and walk over to our services. One Sunday morning he arose in our little chapel and confessed his faith in Christ. Well do I remember the joy of the Sunday even- ENLISTMENTS 43 ing a few weeks later, when Mr. Sites, returning from a quarterly meeting, told me he had that day baptized, with others, onr Confucian teacher. This man wa^ Sia Sek Ong. Thenceforth his life grew in grace and power, and, like the domi- nant motive in a symphony, became ever clearer and stronger and richer in its influence upon the life of the native church. Mr. Sia immediately began preaching, in a modest way, often going out with Mr. Sites on his evangelistic tours. On Sundays they would visit nearby villages where Christians lived, to give instruction in the Bible, especially teaching the observance of the Sabbath as necessary for growth in Christian character. Gradually the household meetings developed into a village church, and this in turn became a light which shone to other villages. Among the little group of Christians whom we had found at Oxvale were two brothers, black- smiths, named Lee. One of them became gen- erally known as ** the Converted Blacksmith." He had a love for books and a mighty thirst for knowledge of God. He used to keep his Bible open on his anvil so that he might study in thart^ entered cheerily into the spirit of the play and. Making the chief of the clan hit down besi^i^ hi^ was soon on the footing of a familiar frieiid. ^ tougb there was no preaching', it soon came out that these visitors «rere boarers of good doctrine. Their doctrine might b<' heard of later; enongh now that they were men ot* friendly spirit and culture. ** Here, Lead-n-little-brother," calls the old man to a boy, " u»ll your mother to prepare the guest room. These teachers must lodg* here for the night." The district city of Clearwater vas "-toss the river from Oxvale and thirty miles above, ^t is the &rat burg with walls one comes to in going up the riv#>r from Foochow. It seemed to the pionet rs a ciiallenge to con- quest, like the fenced cities of Canaan to Jo- la. Like priests and Leviies at Jericho, this little band of preachers had made the circuit c tae city more than once, not liowever outside the wall but on it. and with no ' 'are of trumpets, but se* - 'Og the best site for a chapel. leanwhile tl. / preached on the streits ant. wherever thev were nvit*»d to enter, whether in templeo or m private hou8*\s. Finally, in spite of what seemed insur- mo atable diflSeulties, they secured a small house and left a Christian young man, whom thfv had take a with them from Oxvi e, to sell books u^d tell of Jesus and the Chri^ ian religion to any ■'*'^*-,'**^--.'^- 50 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL who would hear. The party had then pushed on by rat-boat up Clearwater Creek to bring their message to the more open-minded villages. This creek is a rocky run, like many another in the Min basin, rushing down transverse valleys to the river. The Chinese call it and the whole district Minchiang, " Min-Clear." Up along these natural avenues or following the highway over the hills the gospel message was beginning to go to the homes and hearts of tue people. Teacher Sia and the blacksmith did valiant service on this campaign. They were trying out the weapons of their warfare. The chief gains immediately apparent were the larger faith and firmer purpose manifest in the young preachers themselves. But an entrance had been made into a district in which almost every considerable vil- lage now has its chapel, and out of which have since come scores of Christian workers, — preachers, teachers, doctors, — to serve in other parts of the province and in the greater China of the Southern Seas. i g vm THE OLDFIELD TRAIL IT was April, the season of rain; not showers, but steady downpour. That was unfortunate, — ^but to wait for summer heat would be worse yet. The missionary had arranged with a col- league in Foochow to explore the next district, Oldfield— or, as the Chinese call it, Kucheng^ opposite Clearwater but further up the river. They would take with them the converted black- smith and another young student preacher named Pang, whom Teacher Sia had been training. This campaign was more ambitious than the preceding. Mr. Sites had compiled a map, chiefly from native data, and was planning, with the ap- proval of his brethren in Foochow, a steady ad- vance upon strategic centres. Some missionaries are bom to be administra- tors, some to be teachers, some to be autho-s. Others are out-and-out evangelists. ** God ^ent me," they say, ** to preach the gospel." Their joy is to get out among men, where, in desert regions of the soul, they may see the first up- springings of the garden of the Lord. The time, the place, and his own personality conspired to make Nathan Sites pre-eminent as 52 THE IJTVINCIBLE GOSPEL an evangelist. Zeal for the spread of the gospel and zest for new discoveries were always pushing iiim on. He would not be content until he had mastered that next mountain. He would not rest until he had won the friendship of that next man, and brought to him a Friend. When Mr. Sites was away on these trips he regularly wrote journal letters, recording the events of the day. In those early days there was no postal system, but my bunch of daily letters was sent by mesjenger whenever opportunity offered, sometimes at intervals of a week or more. Now those old faded letters shall tell their own story so far as they may. The party started in two little boats, well stocked with books for sale, and an auxiliary supply of our foreign food. This required burden bearers and altogether made a lengthy retinue. Toward the end of the second day, rains poured and fierce winds so rocked the little boats that it was decided, as night came on, to go ashore, stop in a village and try to find an inn where they might sleep for the night. But as fast as the men attempted to light their lanterns, their matches were blown out. Finally by taking shel- ter behind a little hillock, they managed to secure a light, and then followed a path by the riverside until they came to a hamlet and found an inn. Alas! — continues the Journal — it was too crowded and unsanitary for an American. Mr. Martin and I immediately returned to the boat, which was tied up to the bank, and floundering i. THE OLDFIELD TRAIL 53 in the rough water. Our bed was soon spread. Mr. Martin at once opened his little Bible, and found his evening lesson. He read on and on about Moses and Aaron and his sons, the coats and girdles, and about the rams and the bul- locks. ... I did not hear more. I had leaned my head on the pillow and fallen asleep. Later I asked Mr. Martin tcy forgive me. I believed the Lord would, for He loved mercy more than sac- rifice. Next morning the rain had ceased and a light breeze carried us slowly onward. About dark we arrived at Watermouth, the limit of our boat travel, at exactly the time we had planned, in spite of rain, head winds, flooded river and un- willing boatmen. We had still to travel some forty miles overland to reach the district city. In the morning we were off with much commo- tion and a war of words among the coolies as they equalized their loads with the precision of a court of justice. Our way led up, up, up, over the river-front cliffs, then down and along the bank of the little Oldfield River. At nine o'clock we stopped for breakfast at a wayside inn. " Have you rice ready cooked? " I asked the landlord. " Oh, yes; here it is," he said. I lifted the lid and peeped into a half-bushel rice basket. Yes, there it was; red, coarse and dingy looking enough. It was the cheaper red rice that is used in all these mountain inns, and we were satisfied to try it. Our boy cook took " ■" . ' . ' JJi Pif - 91 54 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL hold bravely, and with a remnant of cold chicken, left from our last meal on the boat, he soon pre- pared a dish of hot curry; this, with the unsightly red rice, made Mr. Martin and me a satisfactory breakfast. While some of us were still break- fasting, Mr. Lee, of his own suggestion, stepped forward and began preaching to the crowd that had gathered to look at us. We lingered, for Mr. Pang had come forward and followed Mr. Lee with an earnest exhortation to an interested audience. ^ . . As we pushed on, the scenery became inspiring and we made the hills and rocks echo with familiar songs. That night we slept in a wayside inn, all undisturbed save by the music of the wild waters in the little river, a hundred feet below our win- dow. The ceaseless tumbling and roaring of the water was a constant lullaby. The road we then were traveling is a great thoroughfare from the Min to inland cities. It is four or five feet wide, laid with stone all the way. It mounts the ridges with well-made stone steps. Wheel traffic would be impossible on such a road. There are no horses, of course; as for the water-buffalo, it is used only in mill and plough; so the merchandise which keeps the road busy is all slung from springy bamboo poles on the shoulders of men and women. Here the road crosses a beautiful bridge of etone, a sin^e arch forming nearly a perfect circle. Yonder a wooden bridge, the finest I have seen in China, spans the Oldfieid Si^er. It is a. it e ■A 2 SB il o A water-buffalo preporing the rice fields Tile merchandise is slung from springy bamboo poles. THE OLDFIELD TBAIL 55 about four hundred feet long, with substantial plank floor, well roofed and railed in, and sup- ported on three superb piers of masonry resting on natural bouMers. Our way trends steadily upward. Innumerable rapids and one superbly thundering cataract in the little river, as we follow it up, prove that we are mounting a plateau far above the level of Foochow. Arriving at Oldfield City we were assigned, by the officials, to quarters in an old temple, un- furnished except with rows of life-sized idols. There was a large central hall with a suite of rooms on each side. "We chose the cleaner and better looking suite. ** Is there aught else the teacher would wish! " asked our attendants from the Mandarin's office. " Yes, if you please, bedsteads, tables, chairs, water-jars, cooking utensils and all such neces- sities! " Then such consultations and calculations as they made I Meanwhile crowds of people thronged in, filling the place and the doorways. ** Would the teacher be so considerate as to step outside and let the people look! " said our guides anxiously. " The men are breaking the paper windows and harming the walls and doors.'* *' Well said," I responded; " I will go out, as I see 11; e scrub-women coming in." The next day was the Sabbath, the first upon which any white man had opened his eyes in this city. I awoke at five o'clock. Since it was our 56 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL ! l! purpose to rent a place for a chapel here, I was eager this morning to get ont to some high point for a view of •• the lay of the land." At five- thirty I was oflf; the night watchman closed the door behind me, for all were still asleep, and so the city seemed to be also; thus I effectively es- caped the crowds of yesterday. I struck out, down a back street some distance, then westward to the city wall. A night watchman returning to his home greeted me and accompanied me to the wall. He would have gone farther, but I kindly dismissed him and walked alone on the wall around the four sides of the city, with its nine gates. I estimated its circumference to be about three miles. To the north side there was an ascent of one hundred and twenty steps and on the wall here a fine temple where I found two devout wor- shippers, bowing before the idols. I stood a mo- ment and they turned their attention to me; there- upon I earnestly told them of God and of Jesus, a Saviour from sin. This northwest part of the city had not been built upoD but is cultivated in vegetable gardens and groves. The Oldfield River runs all the length of the east side, and this accounts for its six gates lead- ing out to the river, from each of which ply two ferryboats. It is here a beautiful smooth flowing stream a hundred yards wide. About ten o'clock people began to come to our temple, filling the hall and outer court. Our at- tendants from the Mandarin's office kindly re- i A nice warm lircbasket. I 'am- 6,1 M The great god Budtl, fifteen feet high and overlaid with gol«l. THE OLDFIELD TRAIL 67 arranged a platform which had lately been u-fed for theatricals. Chairs were brou^'bt ; the incense table, aboQt ten feet long, was moved out and placed in front of us. For a hinkground there was the permanent platform on wiiich w re m'iitod thirty or forty idols of varying size Beck of them all, on a massive pedestal, sat, in i aim (Vxn nity, '♦ the great god, Budd," fifteen feet high and overlaid with gold. Along the two sides of the room were arranged twenty-four images, each larger than a man, with countenances angry or pleased, fierce or gay, meek or furious, with clenched fists or hands clasped in devotion. One with staring eyes seemed to look straight at Brother I/ee as he preached against idolatry. Be- sides these occupants there was still space for more than two hundred people to stand, look and listen, as they did in silence, while one after the other of us told them of the sinfulness of idolatry, and of the true God and a Saviour from sin. They readily understood the idea of God; but had no conception of salvation from sin. When Mr. Pang wis introduced, the surround- ings must have stirred his soul within him, for, like Paul at Athens, he cried, ** Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship. Him declare I unto you," and he preached unto them J< 'us and the resur- rection. When he became severe on the folly of worshipping idols, I feared some of the older fathers would not bear it. But he finished with- out any contention. Then I arose and spoke in a conciliatory way, telling: them of the Saviour. 58 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL I had marked, stauding in the crowd, a fine look- ing, elderly man. I had watched him during the preaching against the fallacies of idolatry, and at times I feared he was getting angry. He had now worked his way up near the front, and I stepped down to meet him. He smiled as I approached. He talked understandingly ; he said we preached good doctrine but it was not suited to the Chinese, for they could not follow its teachings. I told him about the Sabbath and churches, places in which to teach and to learn, and invited him to come to our rooms. He seemed pleased, and with quiet courtesy, as we parted, bade me ** Walk slowly." Returning from an afternoon preaching jaunt, we were near our lodgings when, there in his own doorway, we saw the same old gentleman. He greeted us cheerily: ** You must be tired and thirsty. Come in and rest and drink tea." We accepted, and talked of China's good tea and hospitality to strangers. The next day we had set apart to see houses and, if possible, rent a place for a chapel. First we called on our friend of the day before. He suggested a certain part of the city where were several vacant houses. The people standing around heard, and each had suggestions to offer of houses available. We found some of them much too large, some old and broken almost be- yond repair, and the price of others unjustly high; besides, we were looking for an attractive THE OLDFIELD TRAIL S9 location. Our day's search determined ns on a choice between two places, provided we could come to terms. One was on Great Street, the other on Cross Street. Great Street was finally our decision. The house was in a good location, in excellent repair, and the rental moderate. With the help of our kind old friend, the bargain was closed, papers were made out, with official stamp affixed and some rent was paid to bind the bargain. We returned to Foochow by a new route over the mountains, leaving Mr. Pang in the chapel to preach and teach, and a Christian brother, who had accompanied us as a burden bearer, to help him, under the name of chapel keeper. The Lord had indeed been with us and pros- pered us in Kucheng, and we left behind us scores of people kindly disposed towards us and our message It seemed like leaving a familiar place, as in the early dawn we set out from our now quiet temple. IX FOOTNOTES ON THE OLDFIELD TRAIL SIX months later, a bright lookmg young man offered himself at the Foochow church for baptism. He told a dreary tale of a broken life,— sorrows which turned him to opium, and wretchedness of heart which could find no relief; then he said: " In the third month, you and Mr. Martin came to Kucheng with words and songs such as never before had reached my ears. You stood on that theatrical stage, and, with your Bible in your hand, you said, * You know what sin is, you have felt its burden, and you have prayed to the idols to give you peace. I have come to tell you of One, Jesus, who says right now to you, '* Come unto me, and I will give you rest "; and " There is no other name under heaven whereby ye must be saved." Then you looked right at me, and you called out: ' Cast away the false, and receive the true.' " I walked away down the street, and there kept sounding in my ears, ' Cast away the false, and receive the true.* " After you had left the city, I went daily to the chapel you had rented, to argue with the FOOTNOTES ON OLDFIELD TRAIL 61 preacher, becoming ev^ry day more and more in- terested and convinced. We read the Bible to- gether, and I went home only to eat and sleep. I now knew I must give up opium. Oh, I was so miserable! I felt that I must stay near the preacher and perhaps his prayers would help me. ** I asked Mr. Pang, * Now, that opium has such a hold upon me, how can I pxe up using itt ' He said, * Go and pray to God; when you feel the craving most, go into that little room, fall upon your knees and ask the Saviour to help you.' " He prayed with me too, and encouraged me, and then he allowed me to bring my bed and my rice and stay there with him all the time, and thus escape much temptation. After seven weeks, given to studying the Bible, and much prayer, I was perfectly cured and have had no desire for opium since. When any one asks me about a cure for opium, I reply, * Only Jesus can cure. Go to Him in believing prayer.' " Mr. Diong still had an income sufficient to feed and clothe him and he was determined to give his entire time to study, and to telling others of his wonderful salvation. His ambition was to pre- pare to preach the gospel to others. He was en- joying great peace of mind and heart; and his bodily appearance was restored to its youthful vigor. Late autunm had come, the ideal season for country travel. Said Mr. Sites to Teacher Sia 62 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL and Brother Lee: ** Let us return now and visit the brethren in Oldfield and see how they tare." So they set forth by the land route, that in going they might speak the word in other villages where it had never yet been heard. The experience of one evening on this road afforded a perfect pic- ture of village life and of missionary personality. Following the lead of our load-carriers,— says the Journal,— I was inside an inn ahnost before I knew it. The typical, cluttered rooms I One large, common bedroom! Each dirty bed occu- pied by one or two ghastly, half-naked opium fiends, smoking the pipe I We had traveled six- teen miles on foot that day, and crossed two high ndges in a drizzling rain. I was footsore, wet and cold. Involuntarily I prayed: ♦' O Father, I have traveled these weary miles, to make known' the riches of Thy grace. Spare me the torture of a mght in this deni " We picked up our traps and moved on. We stumbled ahead, many people following and asking rude questions. On the edge of the strag- glmg town, there stood a large house. The out- side gate was open. I approached and was met by an elderly man who asked whence we came and whither we were going. I replied that here was one who had recently come from his own far- away country; had left his wife and little child m Foochow; that his only purpose in traveling this road was that he might bring to them and the people of their district a message of good news. FOOTNOTES ON OLDFIELD TRAIL 63 By this time a score or more of people had come out of the house, among them a few elderly women. They invited me in, and, in a courteous w:.y, offered tea. I spoke of the long, hilly road I had traveled, my weariness and the inn where I could not rest with the opium smokers. *• Yes, yes, the inns are all bad," came a motherly voice; ** you can have a place in our house. It is a poor little shack and it is not clean ; but my grandson will lead you ; follow him across the brook." With a wave of her hand, she disappeared out of the back door, and we followed the grandson across the brook and into the open court of a fine, large house. Here our old lady met us and handed me a nice warm fire-basket, and said she would immediately bring warm water for our feet. Deep down in my heart I prayed a Sa- viour's blessing on this woman and her house. Our baggage was sent up a flight of stairs to our rooms. The old lady, seeing our food-baskets, told us to put them aside and invited us every one, burden-bearers and all, six of us, to ** eat and sleep the house." She hurried around, making preparations, and soon we sat down to a good and bountiful supper. Her married son sat at the head of the table, while she was busily bustling about until sleeping accommodations were provided for all. After supper our neighbors, some thirty or forty of them dwelling under the same roof with us, gathered in the reception hall. I explained 64 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL why we were kere, and the command laid i^mh ns to make known to them the ChintiaB religion. Brother Ski, with open Bible m hand, wu already on his feet Be told of Gtod and the creatum, of man's sin aad need of a Sff^onr. of Qod's Is^e for ns in sending His Sob te rednem ns and of this Letter, wMch tells us how to escape the pen- alty of sin Eod to retnra to our Father. He tailed for an Jnnr. Then the blacksmith, seeing tiie iron was hot, got it on the anvil, and applied the blows quick and strong for another half hour. We had a night of restful sleep. Next morning, our hosts urged us to stay over another day, or at aay rate, to come to their town again, and be entertained in the same rooms. TIte road was long and rough. Arriving at Oldfield City, the Chinese evangelists were ex- uberantly happy to be welcomed by Christians into the neat little chapel ; but the missionary was all forspent. Early in the evening he lay down, kot he could not sleep. So he got up and went into the service already commenced. I had not been able to sleep — says the Journal — because I was so fascinated with one partic- ular voice, the clear tenor voice of a boy. He would follow the tunes, even new ones, after one verse had been sung. I tried to imagine the beautiful boy I should see. But, alas! how hag- gard, how almost repelling! The sweet singer is the young brother of Mr. Diong, our first con- vert here, who was lately baptized at Foochow. Thm Yffoiher was apprenticed to learn a trade; f;iill)lul Kuidc. 1 FOOTNOTES ON OLDFIELD TRAIL 65 his master was an opium smoker and the boy Boon fell into the same habit. After Mr. Diong was converted and reclaimed from opium, he brought this brother back to their home and tried to make him also give up the use of opium. But he could do nothing with him. Then he got permission to keep him at the chapel where he could watch and care for him, and have the preacher pray with him. In order to make him ashamed to be seen in the street, he forbade him to have his head barbered, or to wear good clothes. But they tell me he is studying the Bible and is very fond of memorizing hymns. He is trying to break off the opium habit and be< ome a true Christian. His brother, on our advice, is now going to have him dressed properly, so as to stimulate his self-respect. The older brother is now a fine-looking, intelligent man and prays like a bishop. On the site of that first chapel now stands one of the finest little churches in China. Tens of others dot the valleys and hillsides of Oldfield district. Where then were only " vegetable gar- dens " there is now a kindergarten. Near the gi-ove in the high angle of the city wall from which the missionary looked down that first Sab- bath morning, Christian bchools now flourish and a Christian hospital and Christian homes; for in the footsteps of that first prisoner of hope, thou- sands have come into liberty and light. MONKEYS AND MANDABINS IN BONNIEBUBN WE had been back in Foochow for some months, with ever and anon a yearning memory of those three happy years at Oxvale. Baby Belle had a new doll, a little boy, lately come down from Heaven. He was very in- teresting to her for a few days. Then she began to feel that there were too many in the family. ** Mamma," she said to me one morning, *• don't you think Grandpa wants Baby Brother in America? " If the increase of home ties made it harder for the missionary to break away, there was no falling off in his itinerating to show it. His tours were now even longer than before, as the frontiers of the evangel were pushed farther and fartbor back. In his journal, however, aboard his river boat, or the first day of a new itinerary his heart wculd speak. Then there would be a prayer : *• that the Lord Almighty, Who has made these rivers, valleys, mountains and people, might send a message to them by me at this time." Again, after twenty-four days of joumeyings, he records with trembling joy his doxology : 66 1 BONNIEBURN 97 ** Snrely the Lord has been good to ns, and to Him be all the praise, and may His blessing rest npon His own tmth left with the people of this land.'' ** Can you tell me, Sek Ong," said Mr. Sites to teacher Sia as he studied his map one morning, " what kind of roads there are in the mountain district away beyond Clearwater? And do the people understand our speech? " " Mountainous indeed it is," replied Sia, " and wooded and very high; there is snow in winter, but the roads are fair. The people know nothing of foreigners. They speak a tongue of their own ; but their trading people often come to Foochow, and so our speech is understood by many." ** Have you ever traveled there? " asked the missionary. " No." ** Will you go with me? " " I could not presume," was the polite reply, " but if Teacher Sites desires it I am happy to go." The rendezvous was the castle home of the Wong clan at the Sixth Township village of Clear- water, an'< there was to be an early morning start for the district city of Bonuiebum, called by the Chinese Yuki, fifty miles over the mountain paths. We had not gone five minutes out of the city — says the Journal — before we were at the foot of the mountain. A boy, with a carrying pole, was in our company. MICROCOrv RESOlUTlbN TBT CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) B^ 1653 E< jt Moin Slrnl B (716) «82 - 0300 - Phone S (716) 288 -5989 -Fox 68 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL ** Who are you I '* I said, " and where are you going? " ** To Yuki," he answered. ** To what place I" ** To Siong Lang." " Do you go by Ke Pang! " " Yes." ** Can we arrive there to-day? " "Yes, I go farther." ** Good, You can lead us through the mountain paths." ** Oh, yes, I know them well." * ' Do so, sir, and we will give you dinner and a little money." So we had a guide provided who brought us to the right place before night. We gave him books, told him of Jesus, paid him the cash, and parted just in sight of where we were to spend the night. Next morning, a man who knew the way to our next place carried one of our loads. For two hours, as we marched, we saw no man or beast or bird or house. At last we came to a village of about seventy families who speak the Foochow dialect, and a local brogue besides. They showed us great kindness; cooked for us the best white rice ; for my dinner they would take no pay. We offered and urged ; but it was no superficial polite- ness on their part. ** You are teachers of good doctrine and we will not take your money," they said. Now our road leads through a large grove of the most beautiful, tall, straight trees that I have BONNIEBURN 69 seen in China, many of them five feet in diameter. In the shade of their high spreading branches, I could not refrain from turning aside to kneel on the dried leaves and ask God's blessing on the kind people who dwell here. I thought of my native forests; of my father's house and lands and my loved ones, who were doubtless remem- bering that to-day is my birthday. Thirty-six years old! But onward I must follow our faith- ful guide. The only practicable policy here where foreign- ers are wholly unknown is to put up at the inn. I should not want private families to be annoyed by such a crowd as follows us. And, too, we must consider their superstitions. If we were to stop in a private home, and afterward some misfor- tune happened to the family, or one of them were to die, their neighbors would attribute it to the mysterious influence of the foreigner. So I feel just as well satisfied with the inn fare as I would with entertainment in a private house, because we know it is best for our work. Happening into a temple, or ancestral hall, in the evening, I found about thirty men seated around three tablef at a feast. As I drew near they all left their seats and came to the door to see me. I tried to persuade them to finish their feast, but no I I must needs take a seat with them. I sat down, with my hat off, while they all had ** the wedding garment " on. " Indeed," I protested, apologetically, ** I am most impolite," 70 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL L ** Never mind; we are of two nations and of different customs," they said. While my birthday feast was proceeding mer- rily my helper spent most of his time in conver- sation with a fine, elderly man by the name of Ding, a real gentleman of the old school. He has a large general store near-by. He had come to the inn to call on us. He has a gray beard and frosted hair and of course wears large spectacles. He continued to cling to us until we left the place, urging us to stay longer. Next morning, as we were starting, a younger brother of Mr. Ding came to escort us as far as his home village, more than half a mile away. At his house, he urged us to stop for tea. We did so and spent nearly an hour, preaching and talk- ing to a house full of people. Then he stepped into a room and brought out a well-preserved copy of the Gospel of Luke, which he had received at Foochow. As we followed the old paved road through a forest of chestnut, oak and maple we heard a racket among the branches. Looking up, we saw, —what do you suppose! A half-dozen wild mon- keys, hopping from bough to bough, and from tree to tree. We stopped and laughed and shouted, while the monkeys played off farther and farther from us. Another sound in the tall trees above our heads; there sat a great grandfather monkey in the branches, sixty or seventy feet above us. He was a sturdy old fellow and not so easily dis- turbed as the younger ones. He fixed himself R: A Gentleman of the Old School. BONNIEBURN 71 is I comfortably on a large limb, and calmly looked ! t us. I walked on a few paces and again called out to the saucy old fellow, and he made off. As we went on, our guide enlivened our way with wonderful stories of the tricks of their mon- keyships. There was tumult in and around the little tavern by the highway at the edge of Bonniebum city. A foreigner with strangely bleached skin had ar- rived. He was wadhing his face and hands; yes, he was using soap. He must be very old, for he had a full beard. And his eyes I blue 1 how strange 1 The poor old man and woman who kept the inn knew not what to do, for the whole length of their one room was jammed full; men and boys were standing on stools, on tables, anywhere so as to see. The missionary was trying to wash and dress in order to go to pay his respects to the District Magistrate. To prevent a riot he pushed his way outdoors, in shirt-sleeves as be was, and as the crowd followed he talked to them from the steps. He besought them, if they were satisfied with see- ing, to go away, and let him finish dressing. With innate courtesy they moved off, but others came. They would fill up the entire house, and the poor old lady would come and beseech the stranger to go out again. After four public appearances »-nd four speeches, his toilet was complete, and he pro- ceeded to the Magis crate's office. I sent in my card, — says the Journal, — with the Bible and a map of the world. In a minute or two 72 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL I was invited in. I was conducted to the private reception room. The Magistrate came in, clad in regal robes, and made a handsome bow, I doing the same. He then conducted me to the seat of honor, and he sat by my side. Tea was brought with the usual ceremonies. " Where are you now stopping? " he asked. ** At the inn." ** That is too small and crowded," said His Honor. ** You shall have a place in a large temple." " Thanks, thanks. Your Excellency. The inn would do, but the people are determined to see me, and the landlord cannot control the crowd. You are very kind in your offer, and we will gladly accept it for three or four days." •* Very well, very well." I then referred him to the Christian doctrine we preach, contained in *he book I had sent him. "Yes. Thank you for it." ** The map," I added, ** is quite a true repre- sentation of the various kingdoms of the earth." ** Ah, indeed. And does it show where your esteemed country is ? " I pointed out America. ** But is your esteemed country to the west- ward! " " Going westward," I answered, " you reach my humble country, going eastward you also ar- rive there." Then, using my teacup for a globe, I gave him his first lesson in geography; while his further BONNIEBUBN 73 qnestions led to astronomy, — the sim stationary, the earth resrolving. He was disposed to doubt this, and I was led into making a lengthy astro- nomical explanation. I found the predicting of eclipses one of the most convincing arguments. Thus an hour passed in fruitful conversation. Again His Honor expressed thanks and said he would send a card to the head priest of the tem- ple where we should stop. For this I expressed my gratitude, and rising, bade him remain seated. Of course he rose, and, with much warmth of man- ner, accompanied me across the court, out to the second gate, through wMcb we passed, and he fi- nally took leave of mt resence of the crowd waiting in the street His interpreter, w ' ^argr red card, led us back to the inn, whence, with odr baggage, we fol- lowed him to the spacious temple. As we entered the large front court, crowds of people, running before and after, shouted, **Ai-yah! Ai-yahl" laughing in simple joy to see the foreigner thus crowned with the evident favor of the mandarin- ate. As they crowded in and filled up the temple, an attendant asked me to speak to the people. We preached first in the temple, then on the streets, finding a friendly reception in all quar- ters. In front of a Confucian temple we had an audience of two or three thousand people. As we passed by, a poor, sallow-faced opium smoker hailed us, calling in a loud voice to know if we had medicine to cure opium smoking. He became so earnest and drew so close to me that 74 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL his breath, heavy with the drug, almost stifled me. I told him we had brought no medicine; that in my country there were no opium smokers. I could only tell him and the crowd what God had done in other cities for those who willed and prayed and relied upon His help. I gave .hem Mr. Diong's experience at Oldfield. Several other men, teachers and mechanics, came to me at various times asking if I could cure them of the cursed habit of opium. They said there were more opium shops in this city than rice shops. Sabbath morning dawned on Bonniebum — the first. Out of brooding night the world seemed to quicken to a life of boundless promise. Centuries ago there lived in China a sage who did for the older Chinese classics what Erasmus in Europe did for classic Greek. It was the period of renaissance in Chinese literature. This sage, who made Confucius live again, bore the surname Vermilion. His home was here in this little city of Bonniebum. The temple erected to his memory by his proud compatriots stands beside the house in which he was born. In Chinese he is called the Master Chu. Strange to say, this high-priest of Confucius is also a saint to Buddhist devotees. Strange to a stranger, that is; the Chinese pray to any spirit whose favor they may crave or whose wrath they may dread. In the great Buddhist monastery on Drum mountain, above Foochow, you will find a BONNIEBURN 76 printing-office. There, cut in large wood types, are many sayings of this sage. They are printed and sold as life mottoes for the faithful. Here, by the shrine of this Confucian-Buddhist demi-god, was heard, on that Sabbath morning, the first echo of a hymn to Christ. I had read as my morning lesson— says the Journal — the Epistle to the Colossians, and never before had I seen such beauty in that poem of the eternities and of the common day. Early the people began coming into our temple to hear preaching as announced yesterday, and they continued all day. ^ hardly had time for our din^ r; indeed a crowc was around us while we ate. Persons from all ranks and professions were our auditors. Elderly men to whom we prof- fered books as tokens of respect received them with polite expressions of gratitude. The great temple lent itself admi: ably to ag- gressive evangelism. Calendars, showing how the Sundays come every seventh day, w ^o displayed on one post, on another a sheet tract. ^' Jesus the Saviour," and on the wall by the door a map of the world. Alarum 1 People outside throng the door, fall back to let a party in, then swarm in after them. ** A load of gifts for the teacher, from the Magistrate! " Now, gifts should have their use; but it is well to regard them with drcumspection. Often it is more blessed to decline than to receive. The un- expected acceptance of a gift sent merely as a 76 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL I formality baa been known to bring nun to more than one bouse. So I send my assistant to attend to tbe civilities with tbe Magistrate's deputies and accept or re- turn wbat is sent, according to Ms judgment. His Honor, bowever, is evidently i»* earnest. Being well advised of this, I go out to express my appre- ciation for several fine dishes of fowl and pastry spread out on tbe table before me. Tbe deputies and tbe bearers still stand expect- ant. " Has the Teacher another map like the one be gave the Magistrate yesterday! " ** Yes, indeed, one for each of yon — and '\ book besides, — and some cash for these honest load- bearers." Preaching, explaining, the work g^es on. It is a great day. Two minor officials come in, and sit quietly while my student-helper expounds the Ten Commandments. Afterward, they come fo^'Wc. . and there are mutual introductions; then one says : — " The Magistrate is soon coming in person to call.*' " Ob, no I that is too much for me to expect or accept." " Not at all, not at all. It is quite proper." Presently another hurrah, and again a crowd of people larger than ever, comes rushing into the temple, saying: — ** His Honor is coming! His Honor is com- ing I " BONNIEBURN 77 I quietly push my way through into my bedroom, and looking out of my window, see His Honor step oat of his sedan-chair, attended by his reti- nue, all in official regalia. In a moi lent my helper comes for me. He says the servants have the tea ready. I pass outside through a covered way, and into the reception hall. We bow, and I invite the Magistrate to the seat of honor. Tea is served and the pipe is offered by the Magis- trate's attendants. I beg His Honor not to stand on ceremony, but to sip his tea; and we talk of good doctrine and good government, as friend to friend. . . . To-day in the city and district of Bonniebum, with its one million people, are a score of Chr'b tian chapels. Hundreds of bright boys and gir .~ from Christian homes are in our schools. Some lads walk eighty miles over the mountains to study in the Academy at Yenping and go back to be preachers to their own people. The missionary who visits Bonnieburn now, as at the first, straightway loses his heart to these kind folk, who are open-hearted as ever, and proud of their heritage. Away down the rushing bum and near the point where it meets the Min, is a busy river town. Just back of the town is a hill and on the hill a l8rc'3, flat rock. The people of the town call it Prayer Rock; and this is the story they tell:— 78 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL Whm ib. Sites visited this torn., » year or h.0 after lus first entrance into the district, one man, of good family, beKeved the Message. He «rr » P™??"- Po' years, while pastor of the chnrch which grew np there, he wonld go eve^ hght throngh all these valleys. He grew oR bnt mLh^.i""^*» "' P"«« «" toterces'sion. W.W .^^^ 'T^ "' '"'««» <»"<""ed with taeehng on the rock. His prayer is being an- tiZ „^ ?rr '''' ^""'^ ""•™"8 the 4ris. tians of the town meet at sunrise by the rook where the old man nsed to pray, for I «>^7ol Lotus Flower Mountain, near the Upper Min. mk XI AMONG THE EAPIDS EARLY one morning the little caravan ap- proached Bock River. They were weary with the travel of the last two days, for they had crossed the high watershed from Bonnie- bum, and were now looking for a down-river boat. Several boats lay moored in a cove safely shel- tered from the rash of waters. Stepping aboard one trim-looking craft— says the Journal— we found it just ready to put off. " What is the native fare to Foochow! " I asked. "Five dollars," replied the captain. "Here are four other passengers already on board; they all pay it; and you may go at the same rate if you choose." " Good," said I, devoutly thankful for this op- portune meeting. "We are short of money. May we pay part here and part when we arrive at home! " " Oh, yes, as you please," answered our honest captain. We were a hundred and eighty miles from home, requiring still five or six days' travel, and had only four dollars left to live on and pay our pas- 79 dO THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL sage. For this twenty-four days' trip, covering three hundred and sixty miles, we started out with only ten dollars of money. We met friendly people everywhere and lacked nothing. Our boat is hilf a hundred feet in length, with rounding mat-shed roof over the passengers' space amidships. Beneath the clean, white planks on which we sit by day and sleep by night there is a depth of four or five feet of hold for cargo. The deck, forward and aft, is full of boatmen. A mighty stem-oar, as long as the boat, is pivoted over the stem and so nicely poised that the cap- tain on the after bridge swings it with ease. A guide-oar at the bow, nearly as long as the other, is wielded by a pilot specially engaged for the trip. He gets the extraordinary wage of ten dol- lars to take the boat through the worst series of rapids, thirty miles to the junction with the Min. Our boat has put out into the stream and now we are in the rapids ; the bed of the river is a field of boul lers and jagged points of rocks. There is but one narrow channel where the boat can find open water. I could not even guess the course, but the pilot and the captain know. Steersmen and oarsmen strain every nerve to cat'jh the current which sweeps them safely past this hidden rock and then to swerve back just in time to escape that mighty boulder. Now we approach a rapid where the current is too swift and the turns too sharp for ordinary steering. A long rope is fastened to the stem of AMONG THE BAPIDS 81 the boat and four men are pnt out on a great stone to hold back, while others on board ply the brakes. Thus slowly and carefully the boat is eased down among the rocks, while the angry waters rush by. We pass a large boat wrecked in the rapids. It seems to have been going upstream, loaded with salt. Doubtless the main rope broke, and the boat drifted helplessly back to be smashed on a boulder. Here we can see the toil of traffic upstream. We meet one boat which has thirty-four men tracking on the bans. Each man wears a soft rope sUng over his shoulder, spliced to a short guy-rope of plaited bamboo. These guy-ropes are attached at intervals of a few feet to the bamboo cable which is fastened firmly to the boat. The bank just here is a beaTztiful coaise gravel, and the men pull, bending themselves over until they walk on all-fours, and thus, with all their strength, they drag the slow craft along. I notice that some of the men hold a sharp - pointed stone in each hand to bHe into the ground, like the teeth on the wheel of a traction engine. I wonder what invention a Yankee will one day substitute for this severe man-labor. More than once that day, in the height of a thrilling struggle with waves and rocks, the mis- sionary heard the captain adjure his men by all the gods to put forth every ounce of strength. Stamping on his bridge in a seeming frenzy, the captain would shout above the tumult of the waters : — * ' Buy your coffins I Buy your -offins I ^ THE INV»^CIBLE GOSPEL " You're dead I You're dead I " This method of appeal had evidently produced happy results; but it was certainly violent and, from the Chinese point of view, profane. Could not the same ends be gained by more Christian means T The captain listened considerately to some gentle exhortation offered when the boat tied up for the night. But after the lights were out and most of the men were asleep, the old tar was heard muttering his reflections upon the ad- vice given : — " A lot these foreigners know about running a boatl 'Speak calmly,' indeed 1 Oh, yesl To- morrow, when we get into the fifteenth rapid, I will politely say: * Gentlemen, will you now be kind enough to put aside your oars ai d get out your iron-shod poles and ward the boat from the Took on which we are just dashing? ' Well, they'll be dead before I've said itl If I hadn't yelled * Coffins 1 ' we'd all have gone to the bottom long ago! " He sighed and rolled over in dreamless sleep. Safely sheltered from the rush of waters. xn IN THE CITY OF LINGERING PEACE ON a picturesque slope in the angle of two rivers, which meet to form the Min, stands the City of Lingering Peace. Whether peace was supposed to linger in coming or to linger having come, i do not know. Certainly the situation is restful enough. Looking down, from the hill-tops, which crown the city, one sees a straight-away stretch of five miles of blue water, first smooth, then dashing among rocks, all held in bounds by serried ranks of green hills. The highest of the promontories on either side is capped with a pagoda, browned and weather- beaten like the native rock and dedicated to the guardian genii of the city. x'jnericans mig t liken the basin of the Min to that of the Potomac. Tumultuous ranges of hills have tried to block the Min in its course and have left the record of strife in innumerable rapids and flood-washed gorges. But the Chinese, with their genius for adaptation, have in a measure overcome the difficulties of navigation by devising boats to run the rapids and carry a heavy com- merce. The conmiercial metropolis of the upper Min 88 84 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL. is this city of Lingering Peace, or as the Chinese call it, Yenping, one hundrAd and fifty miles from the sea. On his first visit to the city, en route do'wii river after the tour through Bonniebum, Mr. Sites re- marked its commanding situation. By a happy providence his boat was tied up here Saturday and Sunday. " Yenping "—he writes—" is the oflS- cial head of three populous prefectures, and boasts a proud literary aristocracy. Moreover, it is a strategic centre of commerce, and com- mands the line of coming railway development be- tween Foochow and the Yangtze valley. For a foreign residence for a mission family, I like Yenpir better than any other city I have seen west of Foochow. On a beautiful elevation I have looked the spot over for placing two Liissionary residences. I trust the Lord will open the way in due time." To-day on tliat " beautiful elevation " within the wall, overlooking the city and the river vista, stand three mission houses; near by is the Nathan Sites Memorial Academy, where youths of that region, for one hundred miles about, are trained to Christian service. On another knoll stands the fine mission hospital; on still another the build- ings of the women's and girls' schools. Down in the heart of the city is one of the largest churches in the province. How these and many other things came about, is wrapped up in a story or two which I must now tell. THE CITY OF LINGERING PEACE 85 One day nea.iy fifty yeara ago, a blind man named Dang, led by his little boy, passed along the great South Street, in Foochow, out of the city gate to the Tea Pavilion. Near the Tea Pavilion he caught strange sounds of singing from withm a house. They went to the door and heard a man speaking to a crowd. The little boy led the bhnd man in " to see " what it all meant. He heard the gospel story-for the house was our * ' Church of the True God." The preacher, that day, was Teacher Sia. Next day the blind man came again; he got spiritual eyesight; not long after, a mis- Bionary doctor performed a skilful operation which gave him back his natural sight as well. A missionary got him a large-type Bible. He began to read it eagerly, for he was a man of some edu- cation; but he stumbled at .'^e deeper meanings. About that time Teacher Sia became pastor of the East Street Church in Foochow City, near which Mr. Dang lived. Sia took peculiar interest in him, taught him, trained him, touched him; and the man once blind went out to lead others to the light. . «. • 1 Before losing his eyesight he had been in official employ in other parts of China. Becoming a preacher he was sent to Yenping because of his knowledge of the Mandarin colloquial as spoken there. For many years he served in that re^on with tact and zeal and great efficiency. It was a difficult field in which to get a foothold. Especially was this true of Yenping City. Here the popula- tion was dominated by two rather intractable THE INVINCIBLE OOSPEL dasBPi, the literary ariitocracy and the river ahipping interests. Only a bare beginning seemed to have been made in the city when onr traveler made his fourth visit ^o Yenping in 1869. Mr. Dang was pastor, but the little church had as y . practically no membership aside from the pastor's family. Out of six or eight " inquirers " only one candi- date w««« judged worthy of baptism; he was — ^but this brings us to another -tory. A peddler, Daing by name, had come from his home up-river, in Eternal Best district, to ply his trade in the little metropolis. As it chanced, he lodged next door to the chapel. His landlady, being both Chinese and feminine, had, of course, early formed acquaintance vnth her neighbor, the preacher's wife, by chatting across the wall. Within a week or two the women had picked out a panel of the plastered partition. The landlady and her mother-in-law came often to prayers in the chapel with Mrs. Dang. Having heard the doctrine and judged it a good thing, they exhorted their lodger to go and hear. Being a man, and Chinese, he at first paid no attention to their chat- ter. But on the fourth Sunday he we^-*, listened, was convinced, and for six months had not been absent a Sunday. Unfortunately the landlady herself fell away, and, with the other members of her family, became afraid of their new faith and ceased for some time to attend. But the lodger was steadfast. He worked diligently at his trade THE CITY OF LINOFBINO PEACE 87 on week-days, but regularly observed the Sab- bath. , , ^ .- Two months ago— says the Journal— two or three of them were talking together one evening, when the pastor spoke of the judgment to come. Daing seemed to be deeply stirred. He told of the deso- lations wrought by the Taiping rebels-how, a few years before, they had invaded his village, killed his father and plundered his home,— but all this distress, he said, was naught to the great day of Judgment, for which he earnestly prayed he might be prepared. From that time a marked change was observable in him. I do not recollect having baptized a man of whom I could hope for more than from this man. His after-history justified the hope. Mr. Daing soon began preaching, and for twenty years was a faithful missionary to his own people. Lts fruitful ministry was another link in the living chain of influence by whiah the divine call of a college student in America is bound up with the destinies of men unnumbered in China. Ah, that is cold rhetoric. Let me tell you some- thing from ray heart. When Mr. Daing went back to his home among the hills in the joy of his new hope, the little woman who was waiting for him there soon found that the joy was for her too. Gladly and loyally she joined her husband in his new life of Christian service. Ten years later it happened— or was it ordered sot— that Mr. Paing was pastor of the Church at Yenping, at the time of those events of which you 88 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL shall hear later, which lacked but little of making the last chapter of my story. And it was this brave little woman who then, with innate skill and Christian tenderness, washed my husband's wounds and tended him until they felt safe to move him to a rapids-boat and send Mm back to me. Another ten years later, as her husband was going by river to a preaching appointment, his boat was wrecked on the rocks and he was lost in the foaming waters. So, meeting with Christian courage the duty of the common day, Mrs. Daing took up the work of a deaconess. Years after- ward when I vis:' ted Yenping, I saw her, her face radiant with heavenly light, still active and abounding in the work of the Lord. M C Q be c 5 . ^X J 2 u ■? - C o K t; ^ 4-^ JS U be « *r" u ^ JS +-• u J= O' *- JS ■♦^ c/1 4-* J£ •f .r U • w -*-• •^ CA JU ^ ■- ^ ■? E c 1 - c« u -3^ c ^ c V x> h^ 2 "o u O •5 -^ c « >< u (U > U1 ■^-i u ^ S "^ H ^ be - E *4-4 ^ G> O ^ E 4-» '^ j: ■4-t ra _- ~^ C rt ^ 75^ 11 o xm SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS S TODAY morning dawned briirht on ih. Church of Heavenly Rest. JuTt over L on wS ZTZ Sd"S :' ''; '^^-^^ enfpty, astdJed I^we?: oZ': TT '^"'^ fesUva. days The cC„rw:::;^^^«^'^''* preachers" FoJf ^ ^^^P^"*^' ^«^« "lay should clearly approve itself as indeed of o^H a^ I S'Sel'r ^^'" -'''-t VrSl' ih.. J**°"^ster the iacraments. Now seven nf mended by the Mission and duly elected in Amer- 90 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL ica for ordination as deacons. Four of the seven were further to be ordained elders. It was a day of holy triumph, the end of a pro- bation period. These ministers of Christ had come of age. The time of beginnings was over. The church had been planted and tended ; the sea- son of first-fruits had come. At the love-feast, with which the day began, the seven candidates were given seats of honor in front. It was a ^ icture to be remembered. First came the two tall brothers Hu, of a high literary family, who had been among the earliest converts ten years before. They were the James and John of our new apostolic group ; at least one was a Son of Thunder and the other most loving and beloved. Then there was the fiery islander, of whom you shall hear m're anon, once a pirate, now a power for righteousness. Sitting with quiet dignity in the group of elders- elect was Teacher Sia. It seemed worth the com- ing from America, just to see him there that day. One of the three who were to be made deacons was another whom you know, the converted black- smith. The youngest of them all was a fine fellow who had come up through the boys' boarding school and had often toured the hills with Mr. Sites; he to-day is the one survivor of that group, Yek Ing-gu^ng. The cakes and tiny cups of tea had been served. These take the place of bread and water at a love- feast in China. Then the testimonies began. John the beloved was the first to speak. SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS 91 " When I consider," he said, " that God has called me to preach His gospel, the thought over- whelms me. There was a time, some years ago, when I became vain, and fancied I was a good preacher: then came a grievous fall which hum- bled me in the dust, and with repentant tears I sought and found pardon. I have had something of the experience of Bunyan's Pilgrim; have fallen into the Slough of Despond; have stumbled on Mount Difficulty, have wrestled in mortal agony with Apollyon. Many temptations and trials have fettered me. But out of them all the Lord hath deli , ered me, and to-day I feel that I am His child. Blessed be His holy name! " The blacksmith rose ; but it was the messenger of God who spoke : ** Who is sufficient for these things? We must have the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It was this that inspired Paul, and made Peter eloquent. This filled Wesley with burning zeal, and it is this which makes our Bishop willing to meet the diffi- culties of crossing continents and oceans to pro- claim the gospel to us. We must now take up the work. The missionaries have borne the cross to our shores. We, filled w^*h the Spirit's power, must now take it up and y it all over China.'* The young knight of thv. oss said : ** My heart leaps for joy at what I have seen and heard. Christ has indeed begun to triumph in China. Five years ago Bishop Thomson came to see us and we all felt that a good work was begun. Now, Bishop Kingsley comes, and we see 92 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL that our progress is more rapid. We seven who are to be ordained to-day are merely the rough foundation stones in the church rising here in Foochow; and more highly polished stones will hereafter complete the edifice. A mighty work is before us, but our God is all-powerful. You remember how it was with the walls of Jericho. Many of the Israelites were afraid they could never take the city. But some trusted in God and made the attempt and on the last day, behold, the walls fell. I havr faith in God that we are fully able to go up and possess the land." Teacher Sia began : ** I would fain speak to-day of the deeper work of grace wrought in my heart during the early part of this year. For weeks my mind was clouded and my heart sorrowful on account of my sins. I did n'>t tell any one of this peculiar bur- den which was resting on my heart. Finally, from the depths of this sorrow, I sought and found my Saviour. I saw Him face to face. I knew Him as I had never known Him before. I had known Him afar off but now He had come close to me. I talked to Him as to my familiar friend. I could have wished thousands of people assem- bled in the church, and I raised on a high plat- form in their midst that I might have told every one of the boundless grace and glory filling my soul." His right hand was upon his breast and his eyes up-raised with a rapt look as he ended: ** Were the mountains pure gold they could not purchase my joy, nor the whole world my peace. ^ SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS 93 I plead with my brethren, get near to the Saviour, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Members of our sister mission, the American Board, participated in the ordination ceremony. The newly ordained Chinese ministers then took part in administering the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. It was a sacred moment when, for the first time, our Chinese brethren presented to their Christian fellow countrymen the symbols of their faith. Bishop Kingsley was profoundly impressed with the ripeness of Christian experience and knowledge which he found in these native minis- ters, and with the spirit of their testimonies and prayers. At his request the closing prayer of Sia Sek Ong at the final adjournment of this annual meeting was preserved, in substance. It seemed at the time, as we heard it, like a corona- tion hymn, ascribing glory to God for the con- quests of those first years, — but it also spoke the humility and faith which, in him, were to win still richer triumphs for the cross in years to come : — ** We give thanks to Thee, O God our Heavenly Father, the everlasting Jehovah, that we, the low- est and most sinful of men, have seen these days and have been allowed to share in this business with the Bishop, the missionaries and the breth- ren at this Annual Meeting. For what our ears have heard, for what our eyes have seen, we are indebted to the free grace of God. We give thanks to Thee, O God, that the Holy Spirit has come ^ 94 THE INVINCIBLE GOSPEL into our livos, increasing onr wisdom, warming onr hearts and great^ establishing our faith. Now we ask that the Holy Spirit may go with ns to onr work. The Bishop leaves us and we go east, west, south and north to all our circmts. Help ns, day and night, to pray. Write upon our hearts, as rules for our g^dance, the books we have here read, the business we have here dis- cussed, the instructions we have here heard. Help us not to be lazy. Help us before or behind men to follow our consciences. Help us to be true and faithful; to watch the sheep in every place; and may we have the peace of God and be helped to benefit and save the people. If, during the year, we meet trouble, persecution, temptation, help us to conquer. If one or two of us must leave the world before we meet again — we do not know, God knows — help us to bear the cross even unto death and glorify God in all our lives. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ abide with us. This is our hearts' desire.*' THE TREBLE NOTE " Love took up the harp of life And struck on all ita chorda with might, Struck the chord of self, which, trembling, Passed in music out of sight." TKNNTSOIf. 'm^^ s 1, I XIV s i AT THE TEMPLE OF ETERNAL SPRING ONE day in the early seventies, a foreigner was footing it up the valley road, having just left the aty of Eternal Spring. The region is very idolatrous, and its nnmerons l&rge temples are kept in excellent repair. Among the temples was one which was then especially popular as the temporary abode of the deity who presides over the fortunes of women. It was the season of the annual festival of this god. My heart was deeply stirred — so runs the Journal — on seeing great numbers of women, usually in companies of ten or twelve, on their way to and from tliis shrine. Their hair was carefully arranged and gorgeously bedecked with flowers and many fancy pins and combs. They were dressed in bright colors. Those who were return- ing carried in their hands fragrant incense sticks and sachets of sacred ashes of ** things offered to idols," thus bearing to their homes some virtue from the god. Those at the temple were lighting their candles, burning incense and bowing down to the idol, which was one borrowed e. pecially for this occasion, from a distant tetiple of great fame. So intent and earnest were they in their 87 98 THE TREBLE NOTE i .■* i| worship that they were not diverted from it, even by the unusual aspect of a foreigner and the crowds of men attracted by his presence. One woman, with earnest, motherly face, after making her offerings and prostrations before the idol, turned to me, bought two tracts and the Gospel of Matthew, and walked away. If one god should fail her, perhaps another would help I Whereupon the traveler puts up a prayer that the day might soon come when the Lord would turn unto Himself the hearts of this people, and when these intelligent-looking women should be seen flocking to and from the house of God. Straightway he proceeds to help answer his own prayer. It had not been my purpose— the Journal continues— to rent a chapel in this city. I had turned aside, saying, " This territory surely be- longs to Amoy. But can I leave it thus? No chapel, no preacher, no one to offer books, here where tens of thousands of people are given wholly to idolatry! " I retraced my steps, feeling this must not be. In two or three hours I had succeeded in securing a very suitable house for a chapel. I went on my way, leaving Mr. Song there to preach Christ. I am again in the City of Eternal Spring— says the Journal a few years later. Twelve women take part in our Sabbath service. Nine cf them partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper; six of them came three miles on foot to attend this meeting. Those very same women who were wont to prostrate themselves before the idols, of- On till' Road Ui the City of Eternal Spring. A Mandarin's Grave. I'estival Styles at the Temple of Eternal Spring. TEMPLE OF ETERNAL SPRING 99 fering incense and prayers, are now devoutly saying, " I believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son." At Chinese New- Year time, these Christian women went among the worshippers again at the big temple, and with pleading words besought them to leave such vain worship, and hear of the loving Saviour and a home in Heaven. They would read a hymn, or the words of Jesus from their Bible, while the heathen women gathered around them, questioning if the, ^'y could read, or was it just make-believe? ► of the idol- worshipping women were so interested that they invited the Christian women to come and visit them in their homes. They went; in one place a class of inquirers was formed, of whom three men and three women are now baptized and others are learners. Thus through the love and labor of these women, the sound of prayer and praise to God is now heard where recently were known only discord, idolatry and superstition. How had it come about? The visit to the women's temple had been only an incident in an unusually long itinerary, a swing around a larger circle than the basin of the Min. To the south of the Min valley and near the sea, stretches the magnificent plain of .^^inghua, just on the verge of the tropics, yielding three crops a year and supporting a dense population. Here Mr. Sites had pioneered the work some years be- fore. He loved the people and had been im- pressed with their intelligence. He had repeatedly 100 THE TREBLE NOTE w visited the Hinghua district ; but this time, start- ing from Hinghua city as a base, he had pushed westward, from the broad valleys into the unex- plored foothills of the adjacent prefecture of Eternal Spring. Thence crossing high ridges, several days' journey to the upper branches of the Min, he returned by boat down the rapids after an absence of nearly seven weeks. On the boat he records his prayt. , and plans for developing women's work for women in Hinghua City as a centre of the southern field. Letters recei' ed at Foochow in his absence told of the zeal of «^omen in the homeland to aid in such work. We consulted and took steps to make the ideal a reality. A few weeks after, Mr. Sites was again in Hinghua City, in the home of Elder Hu, our Son of Thunder. ** Do you not think," said the missionary to the Elder that evening, ** that our Church in Ckma should have the help of trained women to go out and teach the Bible to their sisters, as deaconesses do in America? " ** Impossible! " replied the Elder. ** The cus- toms of our country would not allow women to go away from their homes as teachers. They would be insulted, and bring disgrace upon the Church." ** But even in China," urged the other, " the wives of our preachers are a recognized power in the work of the Church. Christian women in America are feeling very keenly the needs of their TEMPLE OF ETEENAL SPRING 101 untaught Chinese sisters and have offered to aid us in training Bible-women." ** If you have the money to spend on such a foolish project, go ahead and spend it," said the Elder. ** I predict that no good will come of it." " Well, old friend, we will go ahead as you say," was the answer. " We shall open a school right here, and you are to superintend it; and your good wife, with her Christian endowment, her genteel manner and her knowledge of Chinese proprieties, can give the women motherly advict and daily oversight." The missionary explained the plan: to invite eight or ter. of the brightest and best-recom- men-'ed women of the district to come together in a school at the city chapel for a course of Bible study in preparation for deaconess work; ar- rangements had already been made for the equip- ment and a teacher had been secured. Then they knelt and prayed together and Brother Hu, like the rest of us, meekly accepted the God-given task. From the very first, the interest and enthusiasm of the women-students, the superintendent and the matron were beautiful to see and insured suc- cess. The results were rich beyond our hopes; tte women developed in all Christian graces. Three months later at the Sunday morning love- feast, two of them had been appointed to pass the cakes and tea to the women of the congrega- tion, seated on one side of the chapel. They took the trays and in a quiet, grave and most accept- 102 THE TREBLE NOTE able way fulfilled the office. In the testimony- meeting which followed, nearly every one of these newly ti ained deaconesses testified to having re- cdived strength and power and joy in the Holy Ghost. The following year I went with Mr. Sites to attend a meeting in Hinghua, and, on my part, especially to see these women. As we sat in front of them and looked into their bright faces our hearts were inspired with new hope for the eleva- tion and salvation of our Chinese sisters. There were students, teachers, deaconesses and Chris- tian mothers. Before the days of our meeting closed we seemed to see a new era. The Holy Spirit was manifestly present in our services. One young woman was on the programme Sunday afternoon for a fifteen-minute address, but at the end of forty minutes only did she stop. ** It was very good, my dear," I said, " but why did you speak so long! " ** Because," she explained, ** so many heathen men and women came in who never had heard before; I could not stop when they were giving such good attention; I forgot everything except that I had a message for them." And not a moment of weariness had any one felt when she finished. Already the little school had become well known and its aid was greatly prized; pastors and people commended its great usefulness and expressed their appreciation of the help rendered to the Church by these trained women. TEMPLE OF ETERNAL SPRING 103 One of the members of that first class was a woman not over twenty-five years of age, who had recently lost her husband. I did not learn her story until some years after. It probably does not differ much, on its darker side, from the story of hundreds of thousands of women in China. The light which came into her life, however, made her story so bright a memory to me that I will let her tell it to you. iduwa XV I A SONG OF DELIVERANCE HAVE no memory of my parents. They both died when I was about three years old. I was then taken by an old woman, with whom I lived very unhappily until I was twelve, when she betrothed me to a young man belonging to a family who were friends of hers. I was married when I was fifteen and then thought I was going to be happy the rest of my life. My husband was a Buddhist and was a very strict vegetarian. He urged the Buddhist doctrines upon me. He went to the Buddhist monastery on Drum Mountain, intending, after a time, to have his head shaved and become a priest and never- more recognize any family relations. He re- mained there three months and then came back home to collect some money. It was near the end of the year, when all accounts must be settled or cancelled. There was a great freshet at the time, and on his way home he fell into a swollen stream and came near losing his life. Finally h reached home in a miserable plight and crosser than ever, declaring that the accident was caused by the gods, because of my unwillingness to become a Buddhist with him. A SONG OF DELIVERANCE 105 " With us Chinese the great feast of the year, yoa know, is on the last night of the old year and the first day of the new. So we prepared our feast for the last night of the year. As soon as he was seated at the table my husband insisted that his cabbage had the smell of meat. I said it had not, and he became so enraged that we had another pitched battle. I shall always remember the close of that year " — this with a rippling laugh — ** for it was the last that closed with us in such darkness. "During the first month of that new year I was one day standing by my window when I heard a man's voice out on the street. You know our windows are only small openings in Ae wall with a wooden door to close them. I dared nut go out ; but I could hear the man talking earnestly in the midst of a crowd. As I listened I thought, * What strange words! How different from anything I ever heard before ! ' I cannot now remember what he said, only afterward, there kept ringing in my mind, * After death, the souls of the good ascend to Heaven and the souls of the bad go down to dwell with the evil spirits.' A few days after- wards I heard another voice preaching the same doctrine. I called my husband to come and listen too, but he refused and scolded me instead; he made me close the window, saying I was ready to listen to a strange man but would give no heed to the doctrine he had tried to teach me. I an- swered, * This man is telling how to be good; you never taught me how to be good.' However, 106 THE TREBLE NOTE I determined to find out more, and on inquiring of . »e.jrhbor I learned that the preacher had f w^fe and family and Uved in a street very near our own house. ' " 1 improved the first opportunity to visit the preacher's «ife, who told me about Ji^ and Heaven and the Sabbath day, , • urged me to h« patient with my husband and iuuu" Wm to om^ and hear Accordingly, after that, when he w"s to bnng him to hear the ' Jesus preacher/ It ha^ IM. » . "" P^^'W-g going on in a house 80 he went nearer and listened. The nreacher H:Zf,^"t r* " """-'"^ »<»P«' «' « Job- He brought It home, told me where he got it, and JhrewU down. As he sat dow^ to dinnfr he'safd, street waT/r ^""^ P'^"'"^"* «"«. o" 'h« street, was a foreigner. They were all lnin„„ about him and telling how heUs „u CM^e"! people. They call him Teacher Sites.- Mv husband could read well, but I did not then know a character. In the evening I asked him to read the book, but he would not. Time after mtll ilrl • S°"«t™«s he would read a htUe while then angrily throw the book down sayng, I taught you doctrine years ago andTn woud not believe. Why do you want*tCt '^ ? would answer, ' But this doctrine teaches people to be good and it agrees with my heart I - I Sd want to hear it so much that I would take np tte UMi^m The "Outlook" of the Xon- Christi-in P.ride in Hinghiia. Woman's Spher.e. A SONG OF DELIVERANCE 107 book aiid torn over the leaves and say ^*> him, ' Oh, what is this? What does it say on tb' get Just read a little along here.' Ornd tallj ^d be- gan to read more freely, and went t^f^ain to hear the preacher. One day when I was at the preach- er's house I requested him to persuade my hus- band to come to the Sunday service and to allow me to come too. Not long after this my husband said, ' To-morrow is the rest-day, and I'm going to the chapel to see the Jesus worship, and they said I should bring you too. ' So on Sunday morn- ing I followed my husband down to the chapel with a joyful heart. When the people knelt to pray, I knelt too, but my husband stood and looked on. " After attending three Sundays my husband was willing to kneel in time of prayer. This was in the third month and then we subscribed our- selves as learners, and became sincere seekers after the truth. He studied the Bible with the preacher and at home. In the next year. Teacher Sites came again and baptized my husband, my little boy and myself. Ah, those were happy days ! I was learning to read and was glad all day long. ** Soon my husband was asked to help the preacher, and in this work he labored faithfully until the time of his death, last year, in the third month. When he was dying, I was on my knees by his bedside, praying, * Lord Jesus, receive his spirit! ' He said, ' Amen,' and ceased to breathe so peacefully, just like a child falling asleep in its mother's arms. I 1 1 I 108 THE TREBLE NOTE " But then there came upon me a cloud, dark- ness and great sorrow. For three days and nights I neither ate nor slept. I seemed almost to be losing my mind, but I kept praying all the time and at the end of the third day, while pray- ing, I seemed to see into Heaven with all its beau- ties and to hear my husband's voice saying to me, ♦ Follow the Saviour and this is your home.' I then became so happy I rejoiced all the time. My friends reproved me for being so joyful when I ought to be mourning; but I was so happy I could not be sorrowful, and ever since I have been joy- ously following the Saviour and looking forward to that Heavenly home." k XVI THE GIRLS' DRILL GROUND ONCE, in the college days at Delaware, some good women of the city, so the story runs, determined to close out a liquor saloon which had been opened by an Irishman not far from the campus. They went in a body, and some of the students also went to see what would hap- pen. The ladies smashed many bottles and broke open some kegs; but one large and wicked-looking barrel defied their best strength. A student standing by, our Nathan, seized an axe and drove in the barrel-head, and was fined twenty-five dol- lars next day for destroying private property. The good works of good women, not only in his college days but on the mission field, appealed strongly to the sympathy of Nathan Sites. In this, his spirit was only typical of the spirit of co-operation which has prevailed from the be- ginning between mission boards and women's so- cieties. When, in 1846, Rev. J. A. Collins wrote to his Mission Board of his convictions and missionary call and his great desire to be sent to China, they replied that they had no money to organize a mis- sion in China. Then he wrote : iO» 110 THE TBEBLE NOTE " Engage me a passage before the mast; my o^ strong arms can pull me to China and sup- port me when there. ' ' Such earnestness was not to be resisted. He was sent. But ihe event had stirred the whole Church and one of the effects was the orgam^za- ^T^^,!}"^ " Woman's China Missionary Society of Baltimore," which thereafter worked and prayed especially for China. This society sent annually to the Mission Board a contriKution of three or four hundred dollars. Some years later, however, they heard a pathetic appeal from Dr Wentworth, of the Foochow mission. He pleaded for funds for the erection of a girls' school. Our preaching, because of native customs, has to be to men," he said, " and only now and then does a woman dare venture within the sound of the gospel." The Baltimore ladies responded at once and re- S a"" it "^^^ *^" 5^««^ *^<> tl^««8a°d five hundred dollars for the erection of a school school Soon after this two sisters, the Misses Woolston, were sent out to superintend the new enterprise for teaching girls in Foochow. Atter ten years of service, in 1868, the Misses Woolston went home on furlough, and for three years the conduct of the school devolved upon me cially into the range of Mr. Sites' active interest, and he gave it his best thought. In this, as in all his mission work, he made it i ll f Where East and West Meet. '-■'-"-. -T)*-!'- ----.- -f'-' Crooning the Classics. THE GIBLS' DRILL GROUND 111 his care to keep in touch with the feelings of the Chinese and especially to know what the preachers were thinking. He advised me first to invite all the preachers to the annual closing exercises. Great were their wonder and delight to see the girls point out on wall maps the various nations of the strange barbarian world. The preachers were pleased, and full of praise for the work of the Misses Woolston. These de- voted ladies had opened their school with one little girl ; after two weeks six more came, of whom four were soon taken home again. It was the very be- ginning, and they had to convince China that it was worth while to teach their girls. But now after ten years of development, the preachers* ideals had outrun those of their teachers. Geog- raphy and numbers and the Bible in the colloquial — ^yes, so far so good. But something was want- ing. Their girls must study the language of their classics I Now this, from the orthodox Chinese point of view, was rank heresy. The opinion of Confucius in regard to women seems to have been generally accepted and held by the Chinese people. He said : — '* Women are human beings, but they are of a lower state than men and can never attain to equality with them." A book written by a distinguished scholar of the last century is called " The Female Instructor." It declares the only necessary thing in the educa- tion of woman is her training in conduct, and 112 THE TEEBLE NOTE from first to last the thought throughout is obe- dience and entire subjection of woman to her male relatives. One of the earliest books on the sub- ject of woman's education was by Lady Tsao, and the important features which she emphasizes may be judged by such chapter headings as, ** The duties of a woman to her husband," " The unlim- ited respect due to a husband," *' The obedience due to a husband and to his parents." Such famous books of instruction as, " Classics for "Women " and ** Records of Illustrious Women of Ancient Times " wielded no influence on the lives of those to whom they were addressed, largely, doubtless, because women were unable to read. But now, by the transforming power of the gospel, by thinking on high things. Christian parents, and especially preachers, had begun to glimpse the glory of enlightened womanhood. Mr. Sites soon secured from Hongkong a set of Chinese classical readers suitable for use in a girls* school. A good scholarly teacher was en- gaged and the girls began to get that grounding in Chinese scholarship which was needed to make them fit to be teachers in their turn. When the two sisters returned to take up the work, Mr. Sites strongly urged upon them the importance of making the school a vital interest of the growing native church. He suggested the appointment of visiting and examining commit- tees from the annual meeting of preachers, look- ing forward to a time when the Chinese church ; I -'^-'-^ THE GIBLS' DEILL GROUND 113 shotQd assume the expense and management of the entire school. One of the little girls who was early in the school, a member of a noble Christian family, is now a beloved physician in Foochow City. An- other graduate from the same home is one of the prindpals of the splendidly equipped Boarding School of to-day. These are but two from the scores who have gone out into spedai service. And all over the province thousands of love-lit homes bespeak the blessing that has followed the prayers and pains of half a century ago. xvn HIGH FINANCE ONE of the graduates of the Boarding School, the first year we had it, was a sweet girl named Bright-light. She lived in Teacher Sia's home village, on the mountain, back of Ox- vale. A number of families in the village had become Christians since Teacher Sia had been baptized. Bright-light's father and uncle were members of the little village church. We had impressed upon her that much had been done for her, that she now was prepared for service and that she must teach others as she herself had been taught. She said she would be happy to teach a day-school of the little girls of her village if they could be induced to come : but there seemed little prospect of our being able to finance a school there, even if we could find pupils willing to attend. About that time I received a letter from one of the secretaries in New York of the newly organ- ized "Woman's Foreign Mission Society, inclosing a draft for one hundred dollars, and urging that we apply it to some special work for women and girls. Was not this the chance for an experiment hitherto untried, a village day-school for girls? Here was the money and here the teacher. > IS U e o 8, bo c I HIGH FINANCE 115 Mr. Sites and I talked with her father and tried to make plans, hut he was confident that there wonld be no use in attempting a school for grls, as thero were no children who wonld or conld at- tend. The heathen families wonld not permit their children to come and the Christians had no little girls who conld be spared. ** Why " I said, " yonr brother has two girls, seven and eight years old; and there are the Wongs and the Diongs and the Lees.' " Oh, they all work," he said. - The eight- ye - old carries her baby brother on her back aU di that her mother may work in the fields." ' Now, Chnrch-uncle," I said, " I want you to go through the village and tell at eve^ house about this proposed school for little girls. Tell them that you will give your reception hall for a schoolroom, that the missionary will furnish the books and pay the teacher, and that each child need bring only a table and a small bamboo "^ He went away to his village home, twelve miles up the mountain-side. Within a week he was back again. He had done as I said, but he in- sist^^d there could be no school. All the little girls had to work and none could be spared. One tiny tot I mentioned who surely need not work ! Oh, yes, she had to watch a flock of ducks and with her long bamboo rod keep them near the brook and safely away from the neighbor's gar- den Another family had a few cattle, and if their seven-year-old Uttle girl did not keep them graz- iJ 116 THE TREBLE NOTE ing on the hillside they would break into \ iici^li bor's field and eat and trample the growing cro)>b and then tliere would be a village quarrel. After many ingenious and plausible excuses had been brought forward, he finally suggested that if I gave the scholars one meal a day it might be an inducement; but I could not manage that. There were more joumeyings up and down the mountain-side, many prayers and much palaver. At last I said: — " If you can get a school of twenty little girls between six and thirteen years old and have the teacher keep an accurate record of daily attend- ance, I will give each child ten cash [that is, one cent] a day, and I will oome often to hear them recite." He went home with this new proposition, and directly the ardor for school became contagious. Soon glowing reports came to me; eighteen little girls were promised, and the school commenced. A few weeks later I was on my way up the moun- tain-side, eager to see for myself the new venture. I found twenty little girls each seated at her table, her book open before her, reading at the top of her voice in the customary Chinese style. As I heard them recite, one after another, i was amazed at the rapidity and exactness they had ac- quired. They were using the usual beginners' Three Character Classic — a Christian book — and also a Girls' Three Character Classic, a native or heathen book which I had made over, expurgating all the sentences which were objectionable. The I i • art > HIGH FINANCE 117 Hymnal, the Catechism, and the Gospels were added as the months went by. The children made such commendable progress that, except for the principle involved, I did not much regret having to carry up the basket of cash every month. The dignified little teacher was a success. She was bright and also tactful, and her pupils were well trained both in their books and in good man- ners. Being a Christian she led her little flock to the chapel to the church service and to Sunday- school each week. This was the very first day school for girls sup- ported by the Woman's Foreign Missionary So- ciety, and I was proud of its success and influence. WitMn a few years villages on every hand were asking for girls' day schools, even faster than the Boarding School could turn out students pre- pared to teach, and no reward was asked or ex- pected for attendance. To-day in the hill villages of Bonniebum and the wild cities by the sea, thousands of sweet girl voices are crooning the classics, and hundreds are thronging into our boarding schools, to become the cultured Christian teachers and mothers of to- morrow. I xvm GROUND-BREAKING LAST fall a novel event in college history oc- j cnrred on a commanding hillside ontside the dty of Foochow. College functions are likely to follow beaten paths; -out this was different. It was a quiet early morning ceremonial. A group of merry girls, each with a carrying- pole over her shoulder gaily decked in college colors, and wicker baskets hanging from the pole in true coolie fashion, entered the inclos- ure that is to be their campus, and with happy earnestness, carried away the first spadefuls of earth from the spot where is to stand the Woman's College of South China. Their eager enthusiasm, as they worked, rang true to the spirit of college girls who do things all round the world. In half an hour they went quietly back to their lessons, at the preparatory school down under the hill. But the stroke of the spades upon the hill- side stones had sounded out a message of hope for the girls clustered in schoolrooms all over the province, — in Clearwater and Oldfield, and Yen- ping above the rapids, and away in the mountain fastnesses beyond Hinghua. It seemed to usher 118 GROUND-BREAKINa 119 in the hour when all that the college world has done to make life rich and beautiful for the women of the West shall be shared by their sisters in China. Just at the dawn of China's day of freedom, there in the sight of a great company of Chris- tians, the cornerstone of the new college was laid. It was like a glorious promise from the Church of Christ to the China that is to be— the promise of a womanhood noble and lovely beyond her dreams. ti THE CHURCH MILITANT " Jt ia people that count. Tou voont to put yourself into people; they touch other people; thete, others still, and so you go on working forever." AUCK FBXEXAi; FALMIB. ^ XIX A BUCCANEEB APOSTLE ON a Monday morniiig two missionarieB came down to the beach of a little harbor on the Hokchiang coast and boarded a fishing- smack to go over to the Island of the Sonthern Sun. No foreigner had ever visited this island— at least not with intent. If any luckless mariner from the West may have been thrown upon its shores by stress of weather, he rued the day. Like many another primitive community on that barren coast, the people of Nan-nik make good the lack of their fisheries by piracy. In this they showed their kinship to communities on barren coasts in more than one Christian land. But on this day the fishing-smack was waiting expressly to carry these two foreigners to the island as guests. There was a balmy breeze, but the captain advised delay; he knew the breeze was freshening into a nor-easter. The mission- aries were Americans and, having set out, argued for going on. The captain was a Christian and he pelded. Our hope — says the Journal — ^was to make the twenty-seven miles across before darkness settled (I 124 THE CHUBCH MILITANT npon US. First, we crossed a beautiful inlet of the sea, sailing smoothly before the wind for about ten miles; we enjoyed it and thought we were fine sailors. The bay flows out through a passage where stands an immense pile of rocks in the middle, serving as a waymark for seamen. Now, we enter the open sea, and far ahead we sight islands which, we are told, are half-way across to our desired haven. The wind grows stronger, the waves higher; whitecaps are flying, and our boat is skipping over them or ploughing through the next big wave. I saw and felt that we were in danger but I trusted in the Lord. The captain called out, " Beef topsail! " and down it came three or four feet. Dr. Maclay had gone below. He had expressed the hope that our journey across might all be as smooth as the ten-mile bay at the beginning; I had wished for something more lively and now we were having it 1 As the boat continued its fantastic dance, I re- membered that I had in my valise a queer rubber vest, a life preserver, with tube and ocrew and all necessary attachments, which my dear wife had reinforced with straps and tape for just such an emergency as this. I went down to get it, and found Dr. Maclay wishing he had not come. He asked : — " Well, how do you like this saiUngt " I blew up my queer vest until it was so dis- tended I hardly knew myself, and replied :— " Oh, this suits me well." I returned to the deck to see and to wonder as A BUCCANEER APOSTLE 125 the waves tossed our little craft higher and higher. Again the order was heard, *• Reef saill *' The half-way islands draw nearer; we pass them, flying at great speed, and in the dim dis- tance we see the hills on our desired island. The wind freshens, the heavens look foreboding as if to envelop us in darkness, but on we drive. The captain calls to us: — "All's well! Wind and waves just right! The Lord is about us, to protect us." Surely we are favored to sail under such a crew. It is past four o'clock. The misty heavens look grandly gloomy. On we go. It is September and the afternoons are long. Now, we are off the northwest end of our island, and sheltered. It is quite dark as we come to anchor in the surf break- ing over a soft, sandy bottom. Two of our big boatmen come wading alongside of the boat, and turning their broad shoulders, invite us to mount and ^0 carried to dry land. Christians from the villag had been on the lookout but scarcely ex- pecting us; now they came running with their lanterns to lead us along the narrow, uncertain path to the chapel. From this island, a few years before, had fared forth one of the toughest of the pirate band, bound for Foochow to see the world. One day as he was strolling about the crowded thororighfare of that flourishing metropolis, he heard preaching in a street chapel. He walked directly up in front of the speaker and listened intently. He asked questions about what was said, and at first seemed 126 THE CHURCH MH^ITANT eager to argae. The preacher was Chinese; but a new missionary, by name Binkley, was nomi- nally in charge. He had not yet learned to speak the language, but he was so impressed by the earnest manner of this vagrant listener, that he invited him, after the meeting, to walk over the hill, home with him, where older missionaries conld tell him more of this "Jesus doctrine." I can never forget my questioning surprise on suddenly seeing this apparition, — so rough and untidy, — as he that day followed Mr. Binkley into our study, while at the same time my husband arose and approached him with a kindly greeting and a smile of welcome. He was ready to admit that by profession he was a necromancer and teacher of boxing. More, he was an opium fiend; that was written on his face and hands! Mr. Sites reached for his Chi- nese New Testament and found that the man could read. We put him under Christian instruction. He seemed to apprehend and eagerly apply these new truths. Having decided that he must be a Christian, his first step was to give up the use of opium. This was a struggle almost to the point of despair. But, by unceasing prayer, daily en- couragement, nourishing food and helpful sur- roundings, after a few weeks his victory was com- plete. Later he was placed under the care of a missionary, where be was taught and trained faithfully and successfully. Thus began the Christian life and work of one who became a veritable Peter. When Christian light had taken mmm A BUCCANEER APOSTLE 127 possession of him, he wanted to do nothing but study the Bible, pray, sing and talk of his new- found religion. He committed to memory every- thing that he read, and in a few months could re- peat more Scripture than most chur h members in Christian lands. Within two years after he had first heard the gospel, he was given " exhorier's license," and allowed to go back to his native piratical island, that he might carry the Christ message to his own home and kindred and people. His two sons he sent at once to our Foochow Boys' School. His wife, sons and daughters all became Christians. Soon a great interest awakened under his preach- ing. He had remarkable power in winning people from their heathen gods; hundreds were received into the church on probation. His zeal and his very love for the brethren sometimes outran his discretion and brought upon him imprisonment and cruel beatings from Chinese officials. He wel- comed the blessing of those " who are persecuted for righteousness' sake," having ** endured trials of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment." I remember seeing him once, when we had secured his release from prison. He was brought from Hinghua to Foo- chow, all bruised with stripes, and cut with thongs and looking scarcely alive. But in it all, he could say: — " None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may testify to the gospel of the grace of God." 128 THE CHURCH MILITANT Immediately upon hie recovery he was again in the work; reports reached ns from the island of his convincing eloquence. Up to this time the wonderful spread of Uie gospel in that island had been wholly without the help of any missionary; the good man had worked single-handed. Dr. Maolay and Mr. Sites now felt they must visit Mr. Ling and learn more definitely the nature of the work he was doing. And thus it came about that they started across the stormy channel on that Monday morning. Now we were here — continues the Diary — at last, and good Brother Ling was among the first to meet and greet us. As we entered the yard, his little daughter clasped my hand in both of hers, and led us into the chapel, while welcomes and greetings were shouted on all sides. It seemed worth coming across not merely a stormy strait but an ocean, to stand in the midst of that island and to see what God had wrought through the pirate of other days. The chapel was thronged. We spoke in the Foocbow dialect, and Mr. Ling interpreted. When he closed with an earnest, pleading prayer, the Holy Spirit was so present, enlightening us, that I could understand nearly all he said. Dr. Maclay, writing of this island, a year or two later, said : " Nan-nik is a sort of Galilee from which the Lord is calling the fishermen to go, and henceforth catch men." Out of this barren island and home of piracy came many men who were taught and then sent to preach to the teeming pop- k Among the blaok rocks, on a quiet hillside. near the church he last served. A BUCCANEER APOSTLE 129 Illation on the mainland of Hinghua. The dialect being different from that of Fooehow, this source of supply seemed a special providence for the de- velopment of that fruitful field. Of the hundreds brought into the Church through the ministry of Ling Cing Ding, no less than twenty became in turn ministers of the gospel. This man, as you know, was one of our Seven first ordained to the ministry. For sixteen years Elder Ling rendered heroic service. His last ap- pointment was to a church up among the hills on the mainland. He was then just recovering from a severe illness at his island home. He said to his son: — ** I know I am not yet strong, and I think I may never get well, but I must go to my work. I should not die happy away from my postl " He came over and reached his appointment only to die ; he was buried among the black rocks on a quiet hillside near the church he last served. The young man who led the pirate-inquirer into our study on that day of destiny was able to stay hardly more than a year in China. lie never really mastered the language. He never preached an '* Annual Sermon." But if his crown in heaven has only one star, that star is a galaxy t XX COMEADES OF THE CROSS IN China as in Jndea, a time of trimnph for the Church is likely to be followed by a time of trial. Not long after onr seven deacons had been ordained to the work of the ministry, a great persecution arose; and though none of our seven suffered martyrdom, they all endured hard- ness. Persecutions, like the poor, are always present in the planting of the Church. Even now, the believer has times of trial ; but those were the times that tried men's souls, not singly but in wide communities. In 1870 and 1871 all China was in ferment over the foreigner and his strange teaching. Far in- land wheiQ the one had not been seen nor the other heard, rumor made both monstrous beyond words. Women shuddered and men gathered in mobs. The massacre of the French nuns at Tientsin and the famous placards at Canton were only the extreme expression of a general craze. In Fukien, wherever the Church had been es- tablished, native Christians were the objects of threats or violence. To the native pastors it was a time of testing and tempering. In many in- stances it brought out the true hero. A typical experience was that of our friend Elder Sia. 180 COMRADES OF THE CROSS 131 At Hokchiang City, where he was in charge, there had been considerable excitement for some weeks. Elder Sia was unremitting in his efforts to protect the Christians. Night and day he was engaged in hearing complaints, giving advice, ad- ministering con olation, writing letters to dis- tant points on his district, or going in person to the scene of some recent outrage to give assistance to the persecuted Christians. These efforts had been so successful, he began to hope that the church in the city would not be molested. Early one morning, however, he was informed by a friend that a plot had been laid, to attack the Christians and tear down the chapel that day. During the previous night, inflammatory placards had been posted throughout the city. The danger was so imminent, and had been sprung again so suddenly that the Christians were utterly con- founded. Sia saw the grave character of the emergency and determined to do all in his power to avert the danger. The brethren soon caught his resolute spirit, and after a brief season of consul- tation and prayer, they laid their plans. First, they applied for protection to the con- stable of the ward. He said: — " Thery is no one to assist me. What can I do against the whole cityT " Then they applied to the owner of the premises they occupied as a chapel, a man of considerable influence in the city. He declined to help them, assigning reasons similar to those offered by tbe constable. Disappointed and almost disheartened, Ml 132 THE CHURCH MH^ITANT the brethren were despair. Again now disposed to Sia rallied them, some of give up in saying: — ** Men may forsake us, bnt God can deliver; let US pray." All engaged in earnest prayer to God for guid- ance. When they arose from their knees, Sia said: — " Brethren, let us appeal directly to the gov- ernment." He addressed a petition to the magistrate, and, accompanied by some of the brethren, took it straight to the magistrate's palace. It happened that the magistrate was absent, but the deputy in charge received the paper, and on reading its con- tents, seemed immediately to appreciate the just- ness of the appeal. Instead of delaying for his superior's return, he approved the petition at once, and issued orders to meet the emergency. Calling for the constable of the ward, he ordered him to go through the streets of the city and warn the people against committing any acts of vio- lence. He also sent a guard of soldiers to take charge of the chapel. All the Christians felt that God had heard their prayers and had sent them deliverance. No further threats were made, nor was a finger lifted against the chapel. Coming up to the Annual Meeting that year, the preachers showed deep emotion in greeting one another, and again and again sang, ** And are we yet alive? " Many of them had been in extreme peril. Some of them had been shamefully abused. aaai COMRADES OF THE CBOSS 133 One was beaten, partly stripped of his clothing, and thrown over a precipice, where he was left to die. When he recovered consciousness he crept on his hands and knees along a narrow path, in a gully, until he reached a chapel in the next village. One who had been compelled by circumstances to play a brilliant part in this drama of distress was young Deacon Yek, the youngest of the Seven, and one of Mr. Sites* helpers on pioneer tours. Since his ordination he had been pastor of a chapel on a far frontier. There lies before me as I write, a rough transcript of his words at the love-feast that year, as taken down by one who loved him as a son and rejoiced in his valiant record. He said : — ** I am delighted to be here. My charge is one hundred and forty miles from this place. During the year we have had sore trials. The enemy came upon us like a lion, but the Lord delivered us. We have heard of your troubles too and we have prayed for you. We have all been kept from fatal injury. Here we are to-day, joyful in the house of our God. Let us praise Him. Our trials have done us good; they have been beneficial to our cause. By them the truth has been spread everywhere, and many difficulties have been re- moved. Hundreds have been brought to hear something of the name of Jesus and of the Jesus religion. The rich and the poor, rulers and people, all have been led to ask, * What is this commotion about? ' In the mountain hamlet, in the crowded mm 134 THE CHUBCH MILITANT city, on every hilltop and through every valley, people have heard of Jesus' name. " Heretofore difficulties met us at every step. The worship of village idols, sacrifices to ances- tors and the untold superstitions of the people have made it impossible to get the religion of Jesus before their minds. These many difficulties which we have had to meet may well be compared to the many hard knots and joints in the bamboo. It is hard to split. You get past one joint, then comes another and another and you are almost baffled in the attempt to get through it. But now God has, with one stroke, cleft the bamboo from top to bottom. When milder agencies fail, God sends abroad the thunder of His power. He strikes terror into the hearts of all, cuts through obstacles, and sweeps away the refuges of lies. He breaks every yoke, snaps every chain, and bids the oppressed go free. But, alas, alas, my breth- ren there is one aspect of this subject that fills me with inexpressible sorrow. When God thus wonderfully helps His cause, I see a disposition, even among Christians, to give the glory to man, rather than to God to whom it belongs. They praise the human agent and forget Him who hath done it all. I feel like kneeling down right here and praying God to save us from this sin." At this point the heroic young preacher's feel- ings overcame him and he sat down, while ahnost the entire audience was in tears. XXI COMMISSAEIAT THE Church was now in a measnTe self- administered : it had a few regularly or- dained native pastors. Would it also now begin to be self-sustaining? Would these pastors, when appointed to definite congregations, look to them for financial support? •* The more rapidly you approach self-sup- port," Bishop Kingsley had said to the preachers, «' the more rapidly people will be converted and the more \'igorously the Church will grow. The whole world is God's. He gives it to us to use; and those who use it for Him are prospered and have the more to give. ' ' The ideal of self-support had been talked and taught in the native Church from its very begin- ning, and the Christians had been urged to con- tribute according tc their means. Now it became a live issue. The principle adopted was to estimate the finan- cial ability of each circuit, founded on the amount contributed the previous year; the Mission v/ould then make a definite appropriation of foreign funds necessary to bring each preacher's salary up to the sum required for his support. 136 136 i\ THE CHURCH MILITANT Among the preachers there was not unanimity of thought on the subject. Indeed, there was much opposition to the plan among the native Chris- tians, many declaring that the Methodist Church would be broken up and absorbed by other de- nominations if the project were further pressed. Even Elder Ling, who had suffered cruel per- secution in planting the Church in his pirate island, said: — " It is too soon to require this; wait until the rich are converted, until some of the Chinese oflS- cers are members of the Church." Others chimed in : — ** Yes, only the poor are now church members." The Son of Thunder, while wishing the best for the Church, was, in this matter, inclined to be belligerent. In fact, before his conversion he had been a military oflScer. I remember the day when he came into our study in Foochow, full of criti- cism of the plan of self-support. He walked the floor, gesticulating and talking in a passionate voice. Mr. Sites sat quietly listening, giving him all the time he wanted. When his turbulent feel- ings were pretty well spent, the missionary said: — ** Let us kneel together and ask God for grace and wisdom to know and to do His will." They knelt; in half a minute the recalcitrant was penitent, and was soon praying for forgive- ness, with a cry tiat could be heard all over the house. From the time he began preaching. Teacher Sia COMMISSARIAT 137 had favored the principle of 8elf-8ui)port, on the ground that it was reasonable and right. " Who can tell how long we must wait? " he said. ** The Church will never act until a be- ginning is made. Nor can we say to our people, * Here, I'm your preacher. Feed and clothe me and my family.' No, we must willingly suffer want; must for a time, perchance, be destitute; then having served in the Christ spirit, making sacrifices, we shall see our native Christians, even out of poverty, joyfully coming up to their duty." Such words, with the added heroic sacrifice he was actually making at the time, in order to carry out the principle, carried conviction. One evening Elder Sia requested Mr. Sites to come to the par- sonage for a quiet confidential conversation. I found — says the Journal — that he wanted to con- sult with me about his being entirely released from foreign money; at the same time he would take his appointment from the Bishop as any other preacher does. He suggested that he might look to the native Church only for support, or he could engage in some work by which to support himself and yet ^ve much time to the work of the ministry, as Paul did. He told me how, after preaching to a miscellaneous crowd, he was often contemptuously asked: — ** How much does the foreigner pay you for speaking those fine words! " He said, while he was willing to bear reproach for Christ's sake, he wanted in his inner con- science to feel free. We turned the question over 138 THE CHURCH MILITANT t. go t. Hi, Lord" In th^*;; er « r'f''^ seeded Plain and easy. butUn IfteH /4' th t.iV "'^^l '"'«'"' '<• "•<""• «found me and ^v faith was sorely tried. I cried ' jZa ^. and, blessed be God, He hearTme Wher/r' to mv wnrir K-:« • ^"*'juie. w Ben 1 came pro^^ctTa; ve™Trk""/rrn^ T? "«• "■<> yon all mv trial, TS'i ^ "" ""^ '"■^ '» *«!! and unaceoSwe '^'° """' T^' """P^"'*-* manna from H^ven nl''*^*'' '" ^'"^ "''« prayer. Some persons have said to me ' What MICROCOPY RBOIUTION TBT CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) |J0 ^^ l£ m ^ 1^ 12.0 1.8 ^ APPLIED IIVMGE 1653 Cost Main Street ?°f^";«^ New York 14609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288 -5989 -Fox mmmm w it ■3 to bo B i a o COMMISSARIAT 139 not expect them to fail, but if they do fail, if I find before me no open door, I shall just stand still and looking up to ray Saviour say, * Lord, whither wilt Thou lead me? ' " When I read reports to-day of the wonderful spirit of giving, and the loyal support of native pastors, particularly in Hinghua and Hokchiang, T recall those far-gone days. I think of the foun- dations laid at that time in agony of soul and prayers and tears, as the cornerstone upon which' a symmetrical church is now rising. xxn LARGER STRATEGY " We are the muaio riakera, And toe are the dreamers of dreamt. Wandering by lone aea-breakera, And sitting by desolate streams; — World-losers and world-forsakers. On whom the pale moon gleaimi: let vie are the movers and shakers Of the world forever, it seems." O'SHAUGHNESST. THE missionaries at Foochow had been studying the map. They had also been reading the newspapers, such as there were, — and newspapers published in China, in English, of course, were infinitely better, even then, than books on China for putting one in touch with the situation. The books on China of that day were still mostly fairy tales. Maps were not greatly improved over those in which ** Chinese Tartary " used to be shewn as bordered by a fringe of grifl5ns and dragons. East and West were still East and West. The Mandarin at Bonnieburn getting his first lesson about the terrestrial globe on the missionary's teacup, was hardly more in need of light than missionary secretrries in New York, when the 140 LARGER STRATEGY 141 question was the location of a new mission in China. But the secretaries were men of loyalty and faith. When our Foochow Mission, like many another mission in that time of opportunity, urged an advance, our secretaries set about finding the means to make it. The opportunity had come with the opening of Peking and the Yangtze Valley in consequence of the Arrow War in 1858 and the treaties of 1860. Mr. Sites had been sent out in view of this very opportunity. But the American war for the Union had intervened and neither men nor money could be had for new work. The year after the war ended, two new men were appointed to our mission. They were the last to come out by sailing vessel, around the Cape. By the same token they were the last, perhaps, to be received with that lavish joy which marks tho child's anticipation of suc- cessive Christmases at an age when Christmases are few and far between. Letters sent home, at the time, record in naive detail every incident and aspect of the new arrivals. * ' We were engaged in the services of our quar- terly meeting," — so runs one letter, — ** and had just enjoyed an excellent love-feast; four Chinese had been admitted to baptism and to the fellow- ship of the Christian Church; a missionary had preached and the members of the church were en- gaged in joyfully celebrating the Lord's Supper, when our beloved Prother Sites entered the 142 THE CHURCH MHilTANT church and passed up the aisle, followed by a strange gentleman. AU eyes were fastened on the stranger and at the first interlude in the serv- ices we had the delightful privilege of welcoming our long-expected, long-prayed-for Brother Hart. "Brother Wheeler's arrival was also attended with the most propitious circumstances. The members of the Mission had met at the usual time and place, for their monthly business session, and had deliberated in love and harmony concerning the interests of our work, had been unanimous in every decision made and had closed the meeting teeling ' How good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.' Just as we separated. Brother Wheeler and his family entered our Miasion compound, and with gratitude we welcomed them to their new home in this East- ern land. The Chinese Christiana gave him a joy- ful greeting, and he was deeply moved as he list- ened that evening to our Chinese brethren heartily singing the good old tunes of his native land." Mr. Sites strongly favored the policy of send- mg only men with some experience in a mission held to open new work. It was understood that these two men, after a sufficient period of appren- ticeship at Foochow, should be sent to begin the new missions. Accordingly, Hart was appointed to Central China in 1867 and Wheeler to Peking No spies returning from Canaan ever brought back bigger bunches of promise than our emissary to Central China after his first prospecting tour in the Yangtze Valley. He had gone up the coast IxAHGER STRATEGY 143 to Shanghai, about four hundred p.nd fifty miles, thence up the great river, passing the cities of Chinkiang, Wuhu, Nanking and Kiukiang, all of which cities we now occupy. He was full of en- thusiasm as he pictured to us the great valley of the Yangtze, with its fertile plains, and described the immense commercial importance of the Grand Canal, — something wp knew of only from the studies of our school 's. He had selected as a starting point for the work the busy port of Kiukiang, on the southernmost bend of the Yangtze near Poyanf Lake. He and Mr. Sites, with the zest of a new adventure, began at once estimating the miles southward from Poyang Lake to the borders of Fuhkien, and plan- niL5 for the time when a Methodist chapel should be planted in every importan'u city, one every twenty miles, until Foochow and Kiukiang should clasp hands in a union love-feast, perchance in our new-found outp- iie City of Lingermg Peace. A barrier of unpromising highlands between the upper Min and the Yangtze basin has delayed the realization of that particular dream. But larger things than were then dreamed have come to pass. When the Methodist Church in China met in quadrennial conference at Foochow last '. ear, there came to the mother mission represent- atives of five prosperous missions, embracing a church membership of some forty thousand. These delegates came from Peking and a dozen other cities of North China, scattered along hun- dreds of miles of railway in two provinces; from 144 THE CHUBCH MILITANT il the whole lower basin of the Yangtze, between Kiukiang and Shanghai; from Hinghua on the south, where the work which was being pioneered in 1867 had long since expanded into a Conierence of its own ; and last but perhaps most flourishing field of all, from the Empire Province of West China beyond the Yangtze gorges, fifteen hundred miles from the sea. Expansion in China was only an incident in world movements of which China was already a storm centre. Great things were doing in those days in the binding together of East and West. The Atlantic cable ; the Suez canal ; the Univ > Pacific railway; restoration and transformati' ■ in Japan ; the Burlingame mission, which was t ^ first real effort to make China acquainted with the West at home, — these were only a few of the signs of the times. For us at Foochow perhaps the most interesting item of all was the beginning of the Pacific Mail steamship service in 1867. To get our mail in six weeks was too good to be true I ** How wonderful " — writes the missionary to a college friend—" to think of this great steam- ship, a vast floating palace, crossing the wide Pacific Ocean 1 Home is one-half nearer than it was a year ago. Can you believe that London and Paris are getting their latest news from us by way of Japan, San Francisco and New YorkT * Fact is stranger than fiction.' And why may we not hope to see along with these wondrous inventions and scientific achievements a corre- sponding increase of Christian effort to carry the i I LARGER STRATEGY 145 gospel of peace to all the nations of the earth f Not in the slow and indifferent manner of tl < past, bat with a zeal and energy corresponding to the spirit of the times in all material progress. Look no more toward the ' Far East ' over seas and oceans, beyond kingdoms and empires, and fancy China to be a remote, strange, unwieldy, unapproachable nation. Lift your eyes and look directly into the face of this new, mighty, next- door neighbor, with but a single ocean interven- ing! I pray that the Church may now arise in the strength of our God and do valiantly in the re- demption of China. Why has God allowed Prot- estant Christian nations to open up in this day the golden treasures of California and Australia? Why, but that these nations may be His messen- gers of mercy to heathen lands; accomplishing the Saviour's petition, ' TL/ will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.' " Now if extension was good in China, why should it not extend also to Japan? Might not a Chris- tianized Japan even prove the sanation of China? Jaj an had now been linked up by steam with both America and China. It was time for American Methodism to be co-operating with other Chris- tian agencies already engaged in the evangeliza- tion of the Island Empire. So reasoned the little band of missionaries at Foochow. In 1871 they wrote home thus : — ** The present breaking up of their ancieju so- cial and political systems, with the eager desire of the Japanese to adopt the civilization of Chris- 146 THE CHURCH MILITANT tian nations, indicates that now is the golden op- portunity for the Church to sow ' the seed of the kingdom ' in the minds of the people. At the same time it admonishes us that failure on our part, at this favorable juncture, will greatly increase the difficulty of evangelizing Japan, and prove a serious hindrance to the progress of Christ's kingdom in the earth." The three secretaries promptly replied, indors- ing the projec*. "It is a matter of first importance," wrote Durbin and Harris. •' It is our guilt that we undertake nothing," wrote Terry. And they undertook Japan. Maclay, who had made the address on missions on the night when Nathan Sites heard his *' call," w^ uow sent from Foochow to open our work in Japan. He afterward became the founder also of our mission in Korea. Thus he ranks with William Butler as a pioneer of three mission fields of Methodism. In less than the span of a generation the Metho- dist Church of Japan, uniting three great Metho- dist communions, has become an independent or- ganization, with a native Bishop. To-day, in the light of recent history in Eastern Asia, a history of war, of diplomacy, of student migration and of dazzling changes in ancient custor::, we can be- gin to see how Japan is involved in China's des- tiny. To those who foresaw the issue in all its larger outlines forty years ago, shall we not ac- cord the meed of vision and of statesmanship? xxm AN ABMOBY A T a square table in a plain room with boarded /\ wu- " and flc o* pounded earth, several ^ men are sittiL One of them is the once blind preacher, n-^w an elder and in charge of the district. Another is the man whom he first broug' I to the light, now the pastor of that same chapel m the City of Lingering Peace. Others are preachers and teachers in nearby stations. In their midst sits the missionary. For four days they have spent their mornings thus, about the table, searching the Scriptures to learn the deep things of God and the plain way of bringing them home to men. Afternoons they have scattered to preach to groups on the street and in neighboring villages; and every evening they have met the little flock in the chapel for vesper hymn and prayer. This is the pioneer preachers' theologi- cal school. At the eud of this mcming's study the mission- ary rises and says to Elder Dang: " I must pack my bedding now, Ging Dong, and start down river this afternoon. By the way, have you anythmg you would like to send to your boy in Foochowl " 147 148 THE CHURCH MiLITANT " I am troubling you very much," says Elder Dang, as he brings out a package, ready wrapped in coarse brown paper. " But if you would take this it will make Sing Ling very happy. It is only a long coat which we have had made for him." " Oh, yes, those fine young fellows in the new Gospel school must put on airs! " laughs the mis- sionary. *' But tell me," he continues seriously, ** what do you think of this new plan of a regular school for preachers! " ** Ah, the boys have advantages we old preachers never had; but then," laying his hand affectionately on the missionary's shoulder, '* we have had the advantage of a schooling such as they will never have." In China, as on most frontiers of the Church, the earliest theological seminary is not an insti- tution but a man. Its laboratory is the broad highway, its lecture-room the wayside chapel. The proposal to establish a Biblical school at Foochow in the early seventies occasioned con- siderable debate. Some thought the peripatetic method good enough. Members of the various missions dis- cussed the project together. It was a representa- tive of scholarly New England Congregational- ism whose arguments finally convinced the doubters. The most active promoter of the project was a young graduate of the college at Berea, Franklin Ohlinger, who had recently come to the field and AN ARMORY 149 in whom Gennan-American scholarship was omted with rare evangelistic zeal. He was the logical choice for principal; but he was still new in the language and insisted that Mr. Sites should be appointed. Mr. Sites agreed, for one year only. He was always restive when confined to a pro- fessor's chair. But he always took the liveliest interest in the seminary, often lecturing and con- tinually seeking out promising youth from country churches, whom he encouraged and often aided to come here and prepare for the ministry. It was the custom to send out students two and two at vacation times; some going to assist an overworked pastor in evangelistic work ; others going to large villages where family friends wanted help in preaching the doctrine to their people. As they came, one or two at a time, to say good-bye, Mr. Sites never failed to advise and pray with them and start them gladly on their way. And when they were gone he did not forget them. He often spoke of them and remem- bered them by name in prayer. Then, on their return, he would promptly bring them together, or if possible devote the first mid-week prayer meeting evening to hearing their experiences. I remember his coming in from such a meeting and telling me exultingly of the love for the work which ^aa evident as each told the story of work done and of eager desire to prepare for more effective service. A teacher in the school, who was a literary 150 THE CHURCH MHilTANT graduate, told how he spoke to a sick woman in her heathen home, telling her of Jesus who could heal her soul and turn her sorrow into joy; then good medicines would more surely heal her body. Being invited again to her house, he took the preacher of the chapel and one of the students, and all talked and prayed with the family. After a time, the man of the house said: ** I fully believe in your God." ** How can you say so," replied the teacher, " when here stand your idols, your censer and tablets? If you believe in the Christians' God you have no further use for these." " In very truth," said the man more earnestly, " I believe your God is the Lord and beside Him there is no other." And forthwith he remov( d all the idols and heathen emblems. A unique occidental-oriental programme marked the first public graduating exercises in 1876. For six years — says the Journal — we have been aiming at more direct development of this edu- cational branch of church power; and on this occasion with twenty young men in the Bib- lical school, and fifteen in the Seminary, the institution presented a very creditable appear- ance. Classes were examined in Theology, Bible Hand-Book, Homiletics, Acts of the Apostles, Geography and Astronomy. Of the native clas- sics, selections were recited from Confucius and ^m^ AN ARMORY 151 Mencius, and translated into the colloquial dia- lect. In the same way the students covered the Book of Historical Documents, the books of poetry and selections from ancient essayists. No need to go to Greece and Rome for classics. The Chinese student boasts his own ancient sages: Confucius, five hundred, and Mencius, four hun- dred and fifty years before Christ. Their later classic literature dates from b. c. 400 to a. d. 1600, and is full of wise saws and romantic history. There is found the story of the Emperor who built the Great Wall; of his magnificent palace, one hundred miles in breadth, whose height lacked little of touching the clouds; enclosed within the palace grounds were winding streams, spanned by high arching bridges of exquisite workman- ship, so dazzling in their beauty that the people often took them for rainbows,— and so the tale runs on. At this commencement, twelve undergraduate students made ten-minute speeches on such sub- jects as these: " The Place of the Pentateuch "; "Why was the Law Established?"; ''The Divinity of Christ"; ''Curious Things in Na- ture"; " The Solar System." Three graduat- ing students presented theses. There was singing; and, marvellous to relate, a Chinese student accompanied at the organ. The wife of the Berean scholar had for the past year been teaching a son of Pastor Hu and also two or three of the girls of the boarding school to play simple accompanin )nts. i 152 THE CHURCH MttilTANT thie of the subjects on which Mr. Sites lectured in the Theological School was astronomy. This subject was one of his favorite diversions. In collaboration with a member of the American Board Mission he j repared a text-book of astron- omy in Chinese, illustrated with elaborate charts. It was in the classical language and has been much used in schools throughout China. Always the itinerant, he was nevertheless al- ways the student. Like Asbury, and on a circuit of about the same length, two hundred and fifty miles, he studied " in the saddle." In his medi- tations, at the end of a year of peculiar stress and responsibility in mission administration, he records a stiff list of books read, devotional and biographical, which helps to explain the power of his personal touch upon his preachers. Yet he was essentially a man of One Book. At the last General Missionary Conference of China which he attended, he was a member of the Committee on Bible Translation. This Com- mittee reported the happy plan which solved a difficult problem, the plan of translation into three distinct versions, high classical, easy classical and colloquial Chinese. The project thus inaugurated is just now approaching completion. A few months ago a Union School of Theology was set up, comprising the schools of the t^ree missions at Foochow. The prophecy of getting together, which might have been discerned in the joint discussion of the school idea forty years HMk AN ARMORY 153 ago, has now been realized. And herein too is a promise of sui enlarged opportunities for the deeper study of theology as shall attract to the school the brightest minds among oar Christian students. XXIV MARTIAL MUSIC FEW native Chinese melodies have been made amenable to the expression of Christian sentiment; nor has Chinese poetic form been christianized. The tunes are generally im- ported with the doctrine, and the verse must be translated '^r constructed to fit the metre. And yet, to-day, our seminaries and normal schools are sending out young men and young women, to pulpits, to Sabbath schools, to day schools and kindergartens, carrying the gospel in music. How is it done? Once, during a week of annual meetings in the long ago. Brother Ohlinger was moved to test his fresh mastery of the language by translating a hymn. It was ** Revive Us Again." Teacher Sia happened in, and together they wrought. The first stanza went well. ** Hallelujah " was taken over bodily, likewise '* Amen." Their stumbling- block was the crucial word * * revive. ' ' If rendered etymologically it would be understood as ** resur- rect." Even so Methodistic a term as '* revival " had not yet found its place in Chinese Christian speech. But once the Berean scholar's idea had 154 MARTIAL MUSIC 155 been transfused into the Confucian scholar's con- sciousness, Elder Sia's quick spiritual insight divined the classic form. The hymn was quickly finishtjd. They knew it was good. It was given at once to the printer and within an hour it was distributed at the meeting then in session. From the fM, it took with the assembled preachers. It was in their hearts as they scattered to their appointments. At that meeting Mr. Sites had been assigned the Hinghua district, and, as was his wont, he went along with his preachers returning to their work. Two days they traveled overland afoot. As they went they sang: •• We praise Thee, God, for the Son of thy Lovt." So their aong rolled on, rousing echoes from quiet hillsides and awakening drowsy villages. Children and women ran together, and caDed the men, to see fifteen Chinese gentlemen and a for- eigner marching through their streets, singing: "Hallelujah, Amen, Revive u» again!" This hymn and a hundred others, in spite of their alien cadences, seem to have become com- pletely naturalized in China. There is life in their echoes as they roll from sou" to soul and they gather mighty volume as the years go by. XXV INTEBLUDE: WHEN THE HBAET SINGS IT was the old stor/. Our young theological students were not content. As the months passed, some of them developed a desire for certain electives which the men of the Faculty could not supply. That was where I came in agam. The first practical missionary work to which I was introduced, as you know, was a daily morning visit to our Orphanage to superintend the bath- ing of the babies and to look after their health and comfort, applying a lotion, a salve or a poul- tice as the case might require. Many of the little ones were sadly afficted, seeming to say, " Visit- ing the iniquity of the fathers upon the ckldren " Considering their many ailments it was not strange that of abort eighty who were taken in durmg the short period this institution was open to receive the Uttle outcasts, only twenty-three lived to maturity. I remember the reception of the last baby. The Mission had discussed the propriety of closing the asylum, and a notice had been put up saying that no more children would be received. However, there she was just outside the gate, rolled in an old rag, lying on a flat stone in the 160 IJlossoms from llu- Kindermartcn. 'lis the Wedding Morning. WHEN THE HEART SINGS 157 shade of the wall. Our attention was called to her by hearing that peculiar, gasping, infant wail which strikes so deeply a mother heart. The men folk said, " Let her lie there. Somebody is watch- ing around and will carry her away when they see we do not take her in.'' By and by she had cried herself to sleep, and there lay the little handful so helpless, so forsaken; but she soon awoke only to renew the piteous cry, her little limbs quivering from hunger and the hard stone bed. Our warm-hearted Mrs. Martin, whose window overlooked the scene, could endure it no longer, and her tearful pleadings opened the gate and gave to the hapleas innocent the food, comfort and care which the asylum afforded. Some were healthy babies. One, I remember, was favored in having for her nurse a nice little old woman who always kept her shining clean and well fed, and even to young womanhood her plump form gave credit to her good keeping. There were no kindergartens in those days, and when at about eight years of age, these children were place-^ d boarding school, they were not all especia ^lomising. Discipline by their nurses had been so defective that it required the utmost patience and perseverance to teach them that their own will was not iuw. Some were not strong and their lessons were often omitted while they were daily dosed with cod liver oil. One was especially quick to learn, but h-.d a fiery temper, and when undergoing discipline, in I 158 THE CHURCH MHilTANT Uie heat of paision, she more than once left upon her teacher's hands the prints of her teeth and the scratches of her sharp nails. But year by year she showed improvement in health and de- portment, in mind and in henrt, which gavi us encouragement to hope that such U. .a had not been rescued in vain, but that they might, in future years, rescue and save others. When about sixteen, with a number of their Bchoolmates, these giris were received into the ^rch, where they remained acceptable members. When they were finally among the oldest girls in school, we put upon them many responsibilities in teaching younger ones in the sewing and in the domestic department, and always we found them trustworthy and helpful. We used to think we might have some difficulty in mariying off our foundlings, as they were a class which we supposed might not be sought after as wives. In that day, an unmarried woman of good repute was an unknown thing in China Instead, however, we had difficulty in keeping them m school as long as they ought to stay, so eagerly were they sought by the choice youths of our Church. ^ After Chinese giris have reached their teens. It 18 exceedingly impolite for them to talk to or have any communication with young men. Imag- me then our horror and vexation to learn that one of our loveliest giris had received a love letter,-.a proposal, in fact,-from a theological student m the building a few rods distant A WHEN THE HEART SINGS 159 little investigation revealed the fact that young Mr. L , having fallen in love, had been advised by a venerable church father that in western lands these little matters were adjusted by cor- respondence, and that to address Miss Peach Blossom by letter would be the most appropnate and successful manoeuvre. The girl was fright- ened, — what girl isn't under similar circum- stances? — and was only too glad to take advice and burn the letter, cease to think about him and be more reserved and modest than ever before. The girls were p11 warned not to disgrace them- selves by answering or even receiving such letters, and were instructed that anything pertaining to the subject of marriage must come through the Mission. But our girls, going to church every Sabbath, seeing people frequently, hearing the theological students preach, joining in the sing- ing and other acts of worship, mingling with the people of the public congregation, — notwithstand- ing that tney were supposed to walk with down- cast eyes, — could hardly be expected to be un- moved or to have no likes or dislikes; for the Chinese are not the placid, unfeeling beings that many persons regard them, but rather our fellow- creatures, who love and hate, weep and laugh, much as we do, although their emotions are ex- cited by springs that often differ widely from ours. However, it was innocence itself, and must have been very amusing to sedate Miss Woolston, then in charge of the school, when Fragra-.ce-of-the- 160 THE CHURCH MH^ITANT Lotus came to her one evening to reveal her love for one of the students, and to ask her if they could not be betrothed. When reminded that such a proposal ought to come first from him, in blush- ing confusion she replied that she understood in our western countries the lady proposed, and she thought she was doing the correct thing to speak her love for him. But she did not have long to wait. Through some strange spirit communica- tion, or perhaps the kind-hearted gossip of some old church mother, young Mr. S soon peti- tioned the Mission to give him our lovely Fragrance-of-the-Lotus, and allow them to be betrothed. A Chinese betrothal is an elaborate affair, mak- ing out and signing papers with exactness, and bestowing upon the young lady bracelets and other jewelry. All this we feared might turn the heads of our girls in a way that would seri- ously interfere with their best success in school duties, so we gave the young men, as well as the girls, to understand that their wishes would have favorable consideration, but that the girls must remain in school two years longer, or until about eighteen, and that we did not wish any mention of betrothal until within a few weeks of the time of marriage. The young men went out as itiner- ant pastors, and the girls, to all appearance, for- got that such men existed. A year later, at the close of the commencement exercises of the Theological and High School, titmm TVilEN THE HEART SINGS 161 Precious Pearl revealed to me her admiration for Mr. T , one of the graduates. She had observed the brilliancy with which he passed ex- aminations in different classes, and withal his deep piety and zeal in work for Christ. I admired her choice, but had no idea how his heart was beating, when to my surprise, an hour afterward, Mr. Ohlinger came in to tell me that young Mr. T wanted us to promise him Precious Pearl before he left, and that then he could go off to his work in great happiness. What human agent assisted the communication between these two hearts, we could not ascertain, but that they never spoke or wrote to each other we were sure. Graceful Chrysanthemum, who was always rather shy and backward, although the eldest of the girls, had as yet no offer. There was a certain young man, a student in the Seminary, whom I esteemed for his own worth and because I had known his gifted parents as earnest toilers on the very outposts of our work, ever since he was a little boy. Mrs. D , his mother, had written to me, asking if we would let her son have a wife from among our girls. I decided to bestow upon him a choice girl — one so quick, so bright, so good that she would surprise and delight the heart of her mother-in-law with her accomplishments. While the selection was made in my own mind, it was not necessary that the girl should know about it as she was young and he ought to go out and preach a year, at least, before he married. M ■ 162 THE CHURCH MHjITANT One day when he called to bring me a message from fci3 mother, thinking I ought to aid him in getting up sentiment on the subject before he left the Seminary, I mentioned to him his mother's wish, and the name of the girl I designed for him. He looked lown at the floor, blushed and smiled, but that was all. The time had now come for the betrothal of the three who had been promised. They were to be married at the close of the term in June, and the wedding trousseau of each must be provided by her betrothed, requiring from four to six weeks of dressmake s' and jeweller's work. This was attended to with exactness, although the parties never spoke to each other. About this time Mr. Sites, returning from Hinghua, said to me: n Mr. C who graduated last year, and is doing well on his circuit, asks if we will give him a wife from the school." I replied, ** I don't think I like him very much, but what one does he wantf " '• Oh, that doesn't matter. He will be glad to get any one of them." Finding the missionaries all spoke well of Mr. C , I finally said: ** Graceful Chrysanthemum has had no offer. We had better let him have her, and she will b • pleased not to be left behind when the others w' j are younger are being married." I went to her the following day and told her that Mr. C , of whom she had known, would like to take her WHEN THE HEART SINGS 163 have him. She hesitated, " Mr. D (( the C- subject — , and for a wife if she was pleased n quietly said: - is my choice." Now," thought I, " this is a fine state of things ! She has set her affections on my young friend, Mr. D for whom I have chosen quite a different girl I " So I said: " Oh, don't think about him. He ought not to be married for two years, at least, while Mr. C would like to marry at once — as soon as we can get you ready." I supposed this pr^-^entation of would quite decide her to take Mr. told her to think about it and talk with Huoi-mu, the grandma matron, and let me know her deci- sion. Two days later, Huoi-mu came to me and said: " Graceful Chrysanthemum is in great trouble. She has not eaten for two days, but she wants me to tell you that she will be submissive and obey your words." I answered: ** If she does not want Mr. C she must not take him. Tell her not to be sorrowful. She is welcome to stay in school many years, but tell her she must not think anything more about Mr. D ." Two days more passed and our Grace- ful Chrysanthemum still drooped. When I spoke to her about it she replied: " I cannot be happy; you do noi love me 1 You allow the other girls to marry each the man she chooses. I won't marry Mr. C . I'll live to be twenty-five years old, or even thirty; yes, I'll ii !1 164 THE CHUBCH MILITANT die in the school before I will marry him. I want Mr. D 1 7 Cheu nguai, nguai cheu i, ia ong laul " Literally, " He has looked at me and I have looked at him this long time! " When I saw aU this spirit in our shy little Graceful Chrysanthemum I thought: '♦ Yes, dear, you deserve just such a superior husband as young Mr. D will surely make," so I told her to be assured that I did love her and wished her best happiness, and now I wanted her to worry no more, for I believed it woulr" all come right. Afterward as I thought it all over,— how differ- ent she was from the girl I had chosen for my favorite, and how he might not be willing to give up the pretty bright girl I had named to be his, in case she were willing,— who should come to the door but Mr. D himself, saying he wished to speak a few words with Mr. Sites privately. I withdrew at once, but was soon afterwards in- formed that his portentous few words were, that if I were willing, he would prefer Graceful Chrys- anthemum- she had always been his choice. How glad I was ! and I resolved then and there to make matches no more. Mr. D was made an exception to the rule requiring him to go out in the work a year or more before marrying. As he must go away a distance of two hundred and forty miles, it seemed better that he should take his bride with him, so they were betrothed at once, and preparations mti^M WHEN THE HEART SINGS 165 began for the marriage of our four eldest fprls at the same time. Early on the morning of a sunny June day, four elegant, bright red bridal chairs stood in waiting at the door of the sohoolhouse. The last touches were put upon the toilets of our four brides. The church bell rang a merry peal as we assisted them into their sedans, whence they proceeded to the church, each chair carried in state by four coolies. These gay sedans, carefully closed all around, were carried through the wide doors into the church and placed side by side facing the altar. The chairs were then opened and each bride led to b' ' place where she was immediately joined by h ridegroom. It is customary for Chinese bride to be kept closely veiled through- out the marriage ceremony, and this, I think, had given our young men some uneasiness, lest among so many, a mistake might be made. But I did not fancy having our pretty girls covered with heavy red flannel veils on a warm June morning, and so, instead, I provided each with a veil of rose-colored net, which was exceedingly becoming and very pleasing to the Chinese. Mr. Sites read the introductory portion of the service and prayers for the four couples at once, and the questions of mutual obligation he asked of each by name, and pronounced each couple man and wife in the name of the Hol^ Trinity. Our people had never seen more than one couple mar- ried at a time and predicted great confusion, but we had a carefully arranged programme which mi m h I 166 THE CHURCH MHjITANT was as carefully carried out, and all passed smoothly and to the delight of the native congre- gation, one of whom said: " Since the creation it was not so seen in China." A delifentful reception followed the ceremony, after which our four precious girls started away, each with her young preacher hushand, in a little native boat, up or down the Min River as the case might be. They were stationed respectively fif- teen, fifty, one hundred, and two hundred and forty miles distant from Foochow, to find theirs, possibly, the only Christian home in an entirely heathen city. Upon them, in those heroic early days, fell the responsibility of holding up before a sin-sick people the Christ who promised if He be lifted up to draw all men unto Himself. Rapid Transit. A houseboat waited at the jetty for the turning of the tide. XXVI THE ABSENAL ON a New Year's eve a houseboat waited at the China Merchants' jetty for the turning of the tide. Three passengers were al- ready on board. They were old friends, not only to one another but to you. There was Elder Sia, and with him, as in the old days when they tramped over the hills together on preachmg tours, the converted blacksmith Lee and the boy preacher Yek, both of them now elders too. " Conference " had just closed, the Christmas Conference of 1877,— Conference with a big "C.|' Like the famous Christmas Conference at Balti- more nearly one hundred years before, it had meant great things to an infant church. This had been, in a legal sense, the first session of the Foochow Conference. The growing annual meeting of the early days had attained, so to speak, its majority. There being now a sufficient number of ordained ministers, they had been con- stituted, according to the laws of the Church, into a self-governing body like any such in the home land. Isaac W. Wiley, who came first to Foochow as medical missionary iu the early years of the Mission, had now come back as Bishop and, m 167 D 168 THE CHURCH MILITANT the name of the Church at large, hati received this ninety-first commonwealth into the Methodist Union. The three men on the boat, while they waited, talked of trifles as Chinese will when matters of essential import are on their minds. Soon the missionary arrived — alone. He had hoped to bring the Bishop to attend the Hinghua district conclave; but a winter storm was b-ewing and the Bishop was weary with travel and toil. So the four set out without him. The houseboat swung off with the tide. It was still early. They had ample time for a good talk before unrolling their beds. The missionary re- joiced in this reunion with his fellow-soldiers of many a sturdy fight. It was eight years since the three had been ordained, in that first group of seven, and sent out to their several pastorates; so the old friends seldom found themselves all together as now. Moreover, for the missionary it was watch-night; and although "he western New Year's eve meant nothing as yet to the Chinese calendar, it made the westerner reminiscent. He spoke of the first formal Annual Meeting at Foo- chow, in 1862, the year after his arrival in China, anci of the growth of the little group of workers of that day into this strong body. He went back to the beginning and recalled the tradition of Collins' heroic challenge to the Church on behalf of China; how Collins, within the year after the founding of the Mission, went home to die, and how others came. Then the whole decade with- THE ARSENAL 169 out a convert — the first small beginnings — and now I The Bishop had conducted the communion serv- ice, in the closing hours of the Conference with Mr. Sites as interpreter. A great audience had been deeply moved with the spirit of the solemn service and the Bishop's inspired words. Then the appointments had been read, having for the first time the full force of episcopal authority. And with the appointments, many of them carry- ing the assurance of toil and pain, had come the episcopal benediction weighted with richer than earthly comfort to that band of workers who were now, as never before, united in one body for the furtherance of the gospel. Mr. Sites had continually rejoiced in the grow- ing strength of the native ministry. Of the class of preachers .ordained at this conference some were graduates of our Tbeological school, and all had seen from two to four years in regular work. The missionary, in his work of supervision, had taken pains to put upon the native ministers all their responsibilities. He had found the growing Church greatly pleased to receive the native pas- tor, and he rejoiced to say with John the Bap- tizer, ** He must increase, but I must decrease." When prayers had been said and good-nights exchanged the boat was well away toward Drum Mountain Point, halfway to Pagoda Anchorage. The plan was to catch the early morning tide at Pagoda and go up with the water, on the south branch, to the landing-point for Hinghua. But ill I 170 THE CHUBCH MILITANT ala»— says the Journal— the wind arose furiously, and after rolling and tossing to and fro, and again and again tacking vainly back and forth across the river against a cold, heavy head wind, our captain declared he could go no further, and so he cast anchor. Several times through the night, when there was a lull in the wind, we urged him to be off, but he always answered, •* T-ipossiblp." The next tide met us here in mid-course. A whole day would be lost. At seven o'clock in the morning wind and tide were fair for us to go back to Foochow. Elder Sia moved to go back. This was seconded, but after discussion Elder Lee moved to amend by pressing on against the tide for a few miles and seeing the Government Arsenal and Dock-yards which are a little above Pagoda Anchorage. This amendment carried by unanimous vote with up- lifted hands. Some hearty pleasantries followed in which all participated. '* In all the sixteen years of my travel on this route," said I, "never before was our boat thus delayed. There must be a Jonah on board!" In a moment all had set on Elder Yek as the man. He was going east for a brief visit with Elder Lee when he should have been going off to his own work in the west. Yek insisted on the casting of lots before being consigned to the water. The evidences were so clear, all the rest rf*i THE ABSENAL 171 dedared lots were unnecessary; however, mercy tempered justice and he was spared. Approaching the Arsenal at noon, every man felt the zest of the schoolboy starting in on an unscheduled holiday. To these Chinese preachers it meant mnch more : a day of wonder at ihe power which God has committed to man and a big ** find " of sermon-material. For to the oriental mind the parable is the common resort in ex- pounding any theme. Elntering the shops they see the noiseless drill, the gentle lathe, the mighty shears clipping off half-inch bars of iron, which Brother Lee thinks so gentle in motion that they would stand still if he would but lay his hand upon them ; and then the whirl of the band-saw and the buzz of the circular saw! Hundreds of feet of shafting and numerous bands and fi!y-wheels communicate mo- tion and power everywhere, and lead them to in- quire for the source of all this power and motion. Yonder, away in a little building, working noise- lessly, is the mighty engine. How wonderful ! On then to the rolling mill and forges. As they enter they hear, Thump! thump! and soon they see a bright glare of light from the farther end of the great shed. A shaft of iron twenty feet long and over a foot square in cross section, some six feet of it burning red, is under the great forge hammer. Up goes the ponderous weight of seven thousand pounds and down again on the red-hot iron, which loses nearly two inches in the first stroke. Again and again the shaft movcs and the • 172 THE CHURCH MILITANT hammer, like a thunderbolt, does its work, while the earth around trembles at every stroke. The little blacksmith, Elder Lee, is especially inter- ested and seems at a loss to find words to express his astonishment. Fortunately while they wait the ponderous bal- ance wheel starts up, the furnace door is lifted, and plate after plate of red-hot iron is taken out and passed under the rollers. Common and un- common things are all new to this company and their enjoyment is intense. As they start to return they see there by the riverside the slip gently gliding down into the water, fixing itself under a great ship, then bring- ing itself and the whole ship bodily up out of the ^ater;— and all, again, worked by the unpreten- tious engine yonder, whence the power is com- municated to a system of forty-eight screws, at equal intervals, the whole length of the building. I explain all this to the brethren and they exclaim : '* Wondrous power 1 and wondrous skill to in- vent and apply machinery to such useful ends! " When we are once more seated in our boat, the essays in application begin. The engine they com- pare to the Bible; the fire to the Holy Spirit; and as the man at the lever of the ponderous steam-hammer, so is the minister at the Gospel lever: he opens the valve, God sends the power; and as the bands communicate the power of the en^ne to the machinery, so love brings us into communion with God and with one another. As the machinery moves steadily, doing its appointed MM THE ARSENAL 173 task in the midst of surrounding confusion, so should the Christian go steadily forward undis- turbed by outward influences. And so indeed it was and must be in our own little section of God's great workshop for the making of men. The machinery was now complete and in good running order. More and more of it was being constructed of native materials. Our prayer as we went on our way was for the gift of Power, that the Master Workman might realize, in us all. His high design and form for Hunself even here in China a glorious Church without flaw or failing for the work of the years. II t ?J 1 UNDERTONE r '^ ■ «' Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee; I lay in dust life's glory dead, And from the ground there hlossoma red Life that shall endless be." GEOBOE MATHSBON. Ill 1 xxvu THE COST I HAVE before me the draft of a letter ad- dressed by Nathan Sites to his parents, in which he first tells them of his missionary call. In it he says: ♦' If my life and health are spared, I do not think of returning under ten or fifteen years, and it may be not at all." In those days the usual time of taking a fur- lough was after ten years of service on the mission field. We remained twelve. Why? Because at the expiration of ten years there seemed in our health no imperative requirement for the change; and Mr. Sites was unwilling to leave the work unless providentially forced to go. Another reason, though we tried not to think of it, was that we knew when we returned to China again after our rest at home we should be obliged to leave behind us in the homeland our first-born. Belle, who had commenced her strenuous mission- ary life when just five weeks old, entering the traveling connection, as the Methodists say, in going with us to our lonely country station of Oxvale; and our active little son. In the later years of our first term we some- times found brief respite from the midsummer heat on a trip by small native boat to Sharp Peak, 177 i ; i I • 4 mi 178 UNDERTONE a rocky island at the mouth of the Min River, where sea breezes blow. Once or tw^.ce the priests at the great temple on Drum Mountain kindly took us in to spend a few days among their rustling pines. One summer after we had been ten years in Foochow, Mr. Sites was suddenly taken down with a serious and excruciatingly painful ilhiess. Nowadays, I fancy, it would have been called appendicitis ; there would have been an operation, and doubtless his work would have ended then and there. Our ignorance was bliss. For a week he suffered, with very brief intervals of rest; while through weary nights and anxious days we poulticed and prayed. The doctor did his best, and at last the pain was gone as suddenly as it had come. That summer Mr. Sites enjoyed his first sea trip to the North, visiting the missions on the China coast and along the Yangtze River as far as Hankow. The experience was fruitful in larger views of mission polity and clearer visions of the triumphs of the Cross. When we started for America it was by way of Hong Kong and San Francisco. The Pacific Mail steamers did not then touch at Shanghai or at any of the western ports of Japan. At Yoko- hama we had time for the luxury of a railway trip on the newly constructed line to Tokio. In what seemed an incredibly short time— six weeks after leaving the China coast— we were back once more among the dear Ohio hills. THE COST 179 Father Sites was awaiting us in the old home- stead, happy beyond words to see Nathan's chil- dren. Mother Sites was not there ; she had passed on three years before to the heavenly home. Our children ran free in garden and orchard, or came shouting from the harvest fields, mounted on high loads of fresh hay. My husband was constantly being called away to make missionary addresses and was much of the time among the churches, busy as missionaries on furlough always are. But the glory of the free days i ' the farm, at home! The elixir of unpolluted air, the nectar of water uncooked 1 It made the man a boy again to gather pears from the gaunt old tree, planted before he was born. And then once more to swing the axe by the woodpile, choosing to split the knottiest chunks for very joy of conquest. Again we were back at my father's home in Mohawk Valley, Ohio, where the junior preacher had found his fate and I my effectual call. It was here with father and mother Moore that we really made our home. They would sometimes intimate that we had given enough of life to China and ought to remain in our own country. We often had to remind them that Mr. Sites did not for a moment entertain the thought of remaining in America. When he consecrated his life to missionary work in China, it was for life, and to die in the harness. But now the ever-present thought before us was our inevitable separation from our children. This unrest naturally detracted from our best re- 11 511 i1 180 UNDEBTONE cuperation. Mr. Sites was always comforting himself and me with assurance of God's goodness and His planning our lives in love so much better than we could do for ourselves. Then, we had His promised care for our children for Christ's sake and the gospel's. Alas, my heart could not then receive consolation. With tears falling, we often stood beside the children when they were asleep at night; and as we looked down on those innocent, smiling faces, we asked ourselves and each other: *• Does God require this! Never to see their child-faces again? " " Then, too," I said, " they have always lived so close to me; how can they stumble through their sleepy prayers at night beside another woman's knee, or confide to her the troubles or naughtiness of the day? " Willing and yet unwilling, we seemed to be car- ried along by force of circumstances— busy plan- ning for their clothmg and comfort when we should be gone, and all the time furtively saying: *• We cannot do it. Oh, must we? " The day came; we were saying good-bye to friends, to parents, to many dear ones. The ap- pointed hour to leave had come. We Lad gone through the form of taking our last supper to- gether. There was a drizzling rain. The LHtle son was waiting for his good-byo beside the car- riage which was to take us to the train. I turned for a final look at our little daughter. There she stood in silhouetted profile, in the open door- riMi THE COST 181 way. I heard her brave, tearful voice, as she called : « , . «' Good-bye, my splendid Papal Good-bye, my precious Mother 1 " The horses were whipped up, and the carnage rumbled and splashed through the slushy street, as if to drown the moan of my breakmg heart. I ! > xxvm THE CAMPAIGN RENEWED ONCE more in the mission field, we launched into the work as of old. New missionaries had arrived and some old ones had gone home. The home mail came — the children's first little letters. They told us what a happy time they had the next day after we left, helping grandma make maple sugar eggs and such funny animal cookies I We were glad that their minds had been diverted, and that they did not through those days realize the pangs of separation as their parents did. I no longer had excuse for teaching our own children. My hands seemed empty. So I picked myself up and went with my husband seventy-five miles down into the Hinghua district, where he proposed making a tour, stiffening up the churches ; while I visited the day schools and the women who were doing deaconess work. It was with joy and surprise that I now found the women of that beginners' class of four years before doing acceptable work as Bible women. When Mr. Sites' first morning meeting closed, he announced for me a women's meeting at two 182 \wm THE CAMPAIGN RENEWED 183 o'clock in the afternoon. When the hour came the women's meeting was more than half men. But I was pleased to see how confidently these shy women, with modest bearing, each in turn stepped forward and took her part. The preacher's wife-a young thing-offered the open- ing prayer. Then they sang, - Jesus loves me, this I know." I talked to them in the Foochow dialect, each sentence being interpreted into the Hinghua dialect by our sweet little Mrs. Wong I read from •' The Bible Picture Book' the story of Hannah, consecrating her little son to the Lord: and of Eli's failure to require obedience from his sons, of God's consequent displeasure and their punishment. Then three of the women were invited, one by one, to tell in a few words how she would teach Chinese mothers tc trail their children. _„ inff My husband, following his programme, left Hi-ujnua City and proceeded to another central point, where he had invited the preachers from circuits in immediate proximity to meet him for study, instruction, preaching and prayer. At the same time I went in my sedan chair in another direction to see and examine some day schools for girls. First, I went out W miles to see a school taught by a - church father because there was no woman there prepared to teach. No missionary lady ^ad ever been here before, and the novelty brought the whole village out to see, thronging the open court and school, room I found the school in session with sixteen 1 i J i ■a I % 184 UNDERTONE girls present. Five or six of them were between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. Usnally the pupils are only from seven to twelve years old. Now, as the teacher told me, these larger girls wanted to be prepared to teach and earn two silver dollars every month ! I was glad these girls were in school,— glad to see the modest blush moimt their cheeks as, with downcast eyes, they took their places to recite, standing by my side. The recitations were all from Christian books. I asked the teacher how it was that he had not raised the number of pupils to twenty. He said: *' The mind of our people is very dark. The parents fear this school is a trap and that the Christians will kidnap these girls and sell them to foreigners who will ship them off to America." Then he lifted the very little ones, as they came forward one by one to recite, and with grand- fatherly pride stood them upon the table, where with their heads above the crowd they could be seen and heard. Thus he tried to make my visit a means of reassurance to his constituency. We talked familiarly, sang hymns and had a pleasant time together. When I asked the girls if they liked to read, with one voice they answered: "DeUghtedl" I slept that night in a little room with earthen floor and with pounded earth walls, blank and bare and the color of the red earth of which they are made. When the door was closed, the only place where a ray of light could penetrate was a pane of glass about three by four inches, in the pper- Xul a sprinii nnltr. >s, l.ut l.lain boards. ■L THE CAMPAIGN RENEWED 185 tiled roof. My bed was not a spring mattress, but plain boards, between which and my bones there was only my cotton comforter; and although I turned many times, morning came and I had not yet found any soft sidel My next school was a long way ofiF in another direction. The road was generally level and much of it covered deep with sand, blown there by the wind; for we were now nearing the coast. We looked far out over the sea from whence a strong northeaster blew, so that it was with difficulty that my three good-natured chair coolies staggered along under their burden. At last the httle town was in sight and all its inhabitants on the lookout for us. One after another the Christians came forward and gave their greeting: '♦ Peace, peace." Modestly lingering behind them, but with an eager light of welcome in her face, came the young teacher, one of our boarding-school grad- She called the roll of her school, nineteen names, and I wrote them down on my prepared blanks, inquiring one by one what progress each had made, what books she could recite and made note cf it. Where all had memorized the same book, the whole school stood around in a semi-circle, and I called on each in turn to recite two or three pages until the book was completed. In this way they all went through the catechism and a number of Christian booklets. Then about half their num- ber kept on in the same way through the gospels I % I 186 UNDERTONE of Matthew and Mark; I tested them, skipping a chapter here and there, without in the least dis- concerting any one. Then three, who had out- stripped the others, continued all through Luke, and finally when it began to grow dark, finished by repeating in concert the first five chapters of the gospel of John. These little girls are inspired with a love for their books, as is their enthusiastic little teacher, who, in less than three years, has read, that is memorized, all the New Testament and through the book of Samuel in the Old Testament. It was here that my husband overtook me. He began to think I had been going alone long enough; so left his meeting in charge of so **« one else and came across to find me. The I ■ r - schoolgirls each smilingly bowed their good ir .; and ran away home. "One more day's work for Jestu, O, yea, a weary day!" were the words we involuntarily ^;ummed, as we turned into an adjoining room prepared for our occupancy. This room was an improvement on the one of the previous night ; it had a brick floor and a window, or rather an opening in the wall, two feet square, with solid board blinds. This bed was also beautifully improved by having an armful of fresh straw spread over the boards. As we made our supper on sweet potatoes and boiled eggs, with a little dessert of bananas and THE CAMPAIGN RENEWED 187 ginger-snaps, a friendly group stood around to see how we did it without chopsticks. Our little evening service had heen held in the chapel, hut the people were loath to go. We felt a strange warming of the heart toward them as we looked into their xaces hardened with the stre^^s of toil but transfigured with the light of love. It seemed, away down on that bleak peninsula, so far from home and our own darling children, as if we ourselves were drawn closer to the heart of God and so to all who love. As the people lingered, Mr. Sites took ov. his flute, and the dingy walls echoed the sweet plaint of ** Home, Sweet Home." And of home we dreamed. Next morning we breakfasted by the light of a candle and were early on our way, returning to Hinghua City. Our road took us through a town on the sea coast where there are fine Roman Catholic buildings. Mr. Sites called on the Span- ish priest, who received him politely. They were obliged to use the Chinese language in conversa- tion. The priest afterward told an English gen- tleman, a merchant, who happened that way, that he had been surprised a few days before by hav- ing a call from a heretic, who was traveling with his wife. H XXIX BATTLE SCABS ONCE, as the boat rnshed down the last rapid toward the smooth pool above " Watermouth," in the glory of another victory over waves and rocks, the Jonmal sang: " Beautiful, foaming, boiling, placid. Turbulent River Mint Ever changing, ever the aame. Ever going, ever abiding,—" And SO he might have written of the people too. Strange indeed it was that after joumeyings oft, in which he had been received with lavish courtesy by officials of all ranks and with brotherly regard by people of every class, he should be the one of all the missionaries to suffer brutal treat- ment at the hands of a mob in Yenping. After our visit home, Mr. Sites' appointed work, for three or four years, lay in the southern districts near the coast. At the annual confer- ence in 1879, however, he was assigned the super- vision of two districts in the up-river region of his earliest pioneer days, each of which had now also a native Presiding Elder. Proceeding promptly, as usual, to his field, he 188 UMillli ■■■■■ill a is 5 M. I I I . BATTLE SCABS 189 arrived at Yenping early December. There had been trouble, years before, between a Chinese elder of the church and the owner of the chapel premises. The landlord asserted, and with much show of right, that the elder had obtained the lease of the house by falsely representing that it was to be used as a bookstore. Later, however, the landlord had become agreeable, and Mr. Sites had no apprehension of trouble now. He did not know, nor did the shopkeepers and working people with whom he talked, that the literary guild of the city, with the approval and sympathy of the Prefect and other officials, had sworn to abuse and put out of the city any foreign missionary who came preaching the ** Jesus doc- trine"; and that a preconcerted and carefully organized plan was now on foot to bring a band of notorious assassins from an adjoining town to carry out their purpose. He arrived on a Wednesday; and the following days were spent in the usual meetings with preachers. Saturday morning they rose to find abusive and threatening placards on a wall op- posite the church, calling on the people to as- semble the next day and bind, beat and cast out the foreigner and his " foreign vassals," and then raise a sum of money to redeem the church prop- erty and restore it to its owner. That morning, in view of these threatening placards. Dr. Sites went to the Magistrate's office in person to re- quest that they be taken down. The answer was that the placards should be taken down, but that 190 UNDERTONE there mnst not be any pnblic service in the chapel on Sunday; and it was so agreed. On Sunday morning, a few Christians met in the parsonage, read the Bible and prayed, but did not sing or have any formal worship ; daring this time a few people came peering in, looking about in a bold and aggressive way. Toward noon, Mr. Sites walked out upon the hills. In about an hour he returned, but on approaching the chapel he sl > . .;veral ugly looking persons standing around it as if meditating mischief. Thinking his presence there just then might lead to a disturbance, he turned and walked up another street, meeting several person of the middle class to whom he had sold books on the previous day. They greeted him pleasantly and joined in casual conversation; there was evidently no disposition to rudeness from any one in that quarter. Returning again toward the chapel, he saw it surrounded by a large and excited crowd of men, all dressed in a uniform of black. Just as he saw this mob they saw him, and raising a shout they ran hooting toward him. Dr. Sites had a hope that he might reach the Magistrate's house, less than half a mile distant. But his pursuers were soon close upon him with clubs and stones. There were no shops in this street; but he pushed through the doorway of what seemed to be a resi- dence, hoping* to gain protection. Unfortunately it was old and broken-down inside and if any people were living in it they hid themselves in inner rooms. The rioters pushed in on all sides. BATTLE gCARS 191 He was stmck over the head, in the face, and about the bodv. One fiend, with a sharp, two- pronged, hardwood fork, thrust him in the face, aiming to put out his eyes, cutting a cruel gash under each eye. At this time Mr. Sites thought his eyes were indeed out; though blinded by the stunning blows and the blood, he broke out of the house and through the crowd for some distance, when he was quite surrounded and lifted off his feet, thrown upon his face upon the pavtment, his boots pulled off, his feet tied with a rope. Then, after a hard struggle, they wrenched his arms from where he had them clasped under his chest, and tied them behind his back. Up to this time he had struggled hard in self-defence. Now he was powerless, lying with his face towards the stone pavement. He merely moved his face a few inches out of the pool of blood which had flowed from the wounds below his eyes. He felt an assurance that God had not forsaken him, while every breath was a silent prayer that de- liverance might come. The noisy crowd discussed; — "What next?" Some said, ** He is dead already "; others said, "Let us pelt him with stones"; and others, " Drag him out of the city and throw him in the river." Lying thus for a brief space, he now knew from what the ruffians were saying that an officer was approaching, but he thought it was safer to make believe he was about dead, so did not stir. Soon the officer arrived in his official 192 UNDERTONE chair with a squad of unarmed soldiers; he sur- veyed the scene and in a leisurely manner ordered the missionary's hands and feet to be untied. Some one picked up a piece of hit> old broadcloth coat, which had been torn to pieces, and covered his bruised and bleeding face. The rabble now broke away, and made a rush again for the chapel and parsonage, which they entered. Fortunately, the preachers, expecting this, had already removed their families and most of Uieir effects by a back way and secreted them with friendly neighbors; and i;< native Christian was injured. The officer and soldiers, a.ter much delay and noisy talk, procured a sedan chair and bearers. Mr. Sites was lifted into it, and they carried him, he knew not where, but supposed toward the Magistrate's headquarters. The chair was finally put down; the officer talked loudly and made much bluster; the soldiers joined in and there was a great uproar. Still he sat in his chair, seeing nothing. Then he heard the voice of the preacher, who, on seeing him, broke into tears and sobs. Asking where he was, he found, to his surprise, that they had brought hhn to the chapel. Kindly hands assisted him upstairs to where his room and bed had been. Everything was gone. For a moment he was in despair at the thought of his helpless condition, and without bedding or change of clothes. Then he heard his cook-boy say: BATTLE SCABS 193 ** Teacher, everything is safe." The faithful fellow had, on the first appear- ance of danger, gathered everything into his trav- eling baskets and fled with them to friendly shelter. He now brought all back and arranged the bed, washed the blood from Dr. Sites' face, but was unable to make much change in his clothes or tend his bruises. The Christians were devoted in their service; all night long some one sat by his bedside bathing the wounds with cold water. Next morning, three of the highest officials came to condole with him, and express their re- grets. They hired one of the closest and best of boats, and detailed an under officer and a guard of ten soldiers to escort him home to Foochow. The cook-boy continued the cold water treatment, never permitting the cloths on the wounds to dry, during the forty-eight hours of their journey down river. Arriving at the landing, the faithful boy came to call a chair and to prepare us somewhat for the news. I was not expecting Mr. Sites until the day before Christmas, about a week later. I was standing in the study talking with some one when the boy entered looking deathly pale. I ex- claimed : *♦ Where is Teacher Siekt '* ♦* In the boat." •* Is he sick? " ♦* No, he is hurt a little." I cannot rehearse what followed. When Dr. Osgood had examined his eyes, he im UNDERTONE fcHid OD'' would soon be all right, but the other was iL'l: Laed and would need time. A little later tliu Amo? "in Consul called. After recounting the story to hlui Mr. Sites added: " But my Bible teaches me to bless them that curse me and pray for them that despitefully use me, and I want to go back to Yenping as soon as I am well, if I may thereby help to save the people." Two years later the sequel begins. In the Journal record of another long itinerary, he writes : Of course to the Mission and to the Jnited States Consul my visit to Yenping was the im- portant point of interest. They suspected tl.at I might go there on this tour, as m\ return trip would bring me by the gates, wherein no foreign missionary had entered since I was the passive* recipient of attention from high and low officials as they escorted me out that memorable morning. And now Yenping being in my appointed work, to enter or not to enter when passing was for God's guiding hand to direct. After spending two week^ in the cMes b* oad and about it, I now ventured to an* uor outeide the gates of this forbidden fity. I pi once sent a messenger to the chapel, and in lialf .-a hour our faithful preacher was bv ray side in * le boat. We carefully and pray^ rfullv talked < ver the question and then ^e ent-red the great gate of the city. We went uirect to tii office of the high- ri-.-»'i»-,-.:--....- BATTi^K Scars Id5 est official (Tao-tai), who was appoiuted here when tine iat net one waa removed after the riot. He dH not ppear but asked tli rough his sec- retary who e wet and what ir pu^po^'^ He tfjen requested us tc xo and report to the ? refect. This wad what I die not like to do. This Prefect is the same one who wa> acting in that office when the riot occurred id wb« doubtless encouraged the outburst of c^uelty and rage which fell upon me that day. No wt . ler I doubted the propripty of agan placing m; If in his tend r mercies. Dc bting, y^t going on, we were aoon at a street c 'rner wl e we must go to or retu n from the ir/a««»^' 3v vai shed and we went hxnjdy i tered. I sent in my ard. Ui marked all the pieliir i aries, an« were made. They kn ^ me now. for my passport. I was invitt ^ to eMer the reception room, and poon his exceiienwed as to the cities I had jupt been visits '. n I told him I wished to emain in th« over the Sabbath, he ordered three reliable cou es to see that all was quiet and no ins Its oft ere. me from the children. He assured me that the people were well u sposed; that under bis careful ruling hand no dist irbance should occur : that by treaty agreement tht Amer- ican and Chx ; people are as one family. He then spoke of the unfortunate occurrence of my then all doubt ward and en- sual dispatch few inquiries No one asked 196 UNDERTONE last visit and expressed deepest regret that lie had not known earlier of my presence in the city, that he might have provided for my protection. I pointed to the marks of the wounds on my face, and I assured him that the good hand of God had kept me from death and had restored my wounds and my eyesight. He expressed surprise at the remarkahle healing, and many regrets and apolo- gies that such a calamity had ever occurred. When we had sipped our tea, he escorted me to the second gateway, where he shook hands and we parted. The constables were fine gentlemanly fellows. They went with us to the boat to get my baskets of bedding, and then through the streets nearly the whole length of the city to our chapel, with- out any more excitement than if on the streets of Foochow. Before long I was on my knees in that same upper chamber in thanksgiving to God, where two years ago I lay with wounded face and blinded eyes. One of the three constables had been a member of the guard posted at the chapel on the night following the riot. He remembered, he said, hear- ing the wounded missionary that night, utter words like these : ** Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." At last we know the meaning of the name of this City of Lingering Peace. Peace lingered long in the coming, 'tis true, but, having come, it abides. It is a peace which, like the river, abides, yet flows, bringing ever larger blessing to all its borders. i I I c I 1 wei fro ten spc a Tl sti C( vi y 1 mum mL BBOKEN MELODY ^HE years moved ^ ^:^^.,''Z ' I things, boUi m *e ^™ ^P,t. Our Uves ^''"tr^entl^'ar, cheery lette" were very busy. ^''^". ' ^n- and lovingly wnt- from the ehlWren, «, toM ^^^^ ^^^ ,rtght ten, coming to us m every , ^^^ ^„^ spJtB to looV^^i^tdou selves fortunate, a month and we counted on ^^ ^^^ They brought news of woA»d<.^P„^„„, study hours m h'!" J^^tj, J and marks and fo^tt^rtl'^^-asdisap^— '^'^^- ^ i,*.r Belle was in her eighteenth UtUe daughter »f "« ™ ^^^ school course. year. She had completed ber Mgn j^,„^,, Cd friends who »Pf J^tleU as her beauti- andher progress > ^ ,^-*^ > ^'arcated to God and for^rtSntb^-^'-^^P— '"'''"" enter Wellesley College. j^^ ars Mr. and Mrs. D-J'^*',^^;' 3 infused into earlier, had f?™?<'«^5^'t«S, offered her spe- lt a strong -"''^''-''^ '^'"%ntal interest m da. advantages, and took a pa St. ' '^.^-^ - 198 UNDERTONE her. She was open-hearted and unaffected and withal of a sweet, sunshiny disposition. Natu- rally, in consequence of travel and much associa- tion with older people, she seemed rather more mature than most girls of her age. Then the peculiar conditions of her life, the long and dis- tant separation from her parents, caused her to be noticed and taken into the hearts of Christian teachers with helpful and sympathetic inter- est; while the young girl so believed in her parents and their work that when their letters came her joy and enthusiasm bubbled over and she shared them with classmates and loved teachers. She had come to the end of her Freshman year. The commencement season was a delightful nov- elty. To see so many beautiful functions I Such merriment and fun among the students! The commencement guests had been assigned, in squads of five or six, to different students to be shown through the buildings. We must know the names of those she had the honor to escort, and bits of the conversation which went on as they passed from room to room. It was a long, sweet letter, that ** conunencement letter," just such a letter as she might have written if she had known it was to be her last. As we read, our tears fell. We were so happy and so humbled and thankful. Among other things, in response to an incident her father had written her some months before, — some hardship he had met with in the work — she said: I BBOKEN MELODY 199 ** Papa dear, don't you get discouraged. It will be only a little time until I come to help you." This letter arrived at Foochow about the middle of August. A few days later, to escape the sum- mer heat we went to Sharp Peak on the seashore at the mouth of the Min. A long stone bungalow had by this time been erected there for the use of our Mission families. We had been there only two or three days when, just as we were at dinner at one end of the long veranda, our small mes- senger boat was reported. The brother beloved who with his family was occupying the other end of the house, jumped up to distribute the mail. Ahnost immediately he called: ♦♦ Brother Sites, come over here." I saw that his face bore a look of distress. As he turned back, my husband hastened to join him, I thought of three of our boarding-school girls who, a week before, had been married to theolog- ical students and had started up the river Min. They would necessarily encounter dangerous rapids. Perhaps there might be news of disaster to them. Then I caught the sight of my husband's face, ashy pale, his dazed look and that unmis- takable bit of yellow paper in his hand. I rushed towards him. " Which is it? " I cried. His lips could not readily frame the name. See- ing my need of support, he put his arm around me as he answered: " Belle." Ml 200 UNDEBTONE 4t Together we looked at the hard, cold words, Your daughter is dead! " A cahle message from the homeland, conveying snch an nnexpected and paralyzing announcement, can neither be imagined nor described. After the days of onr first inmioderate grief, we allowed the Comforter to come to us, assuring us of what we had known but could not realize through our hot, blinding tears, and saying to us, " Your precious one is with Jesus; the ravages of death are only upon the body. Those dear eyes which never looked aught but love upon you, now see the King in His beauty. She will nevermore know toil or tears ; no more days of longing and nights of care as she thinks and prays for you so far away. Her wish to work for Christ among heathen women and children is accepted for the deed; she is lifted away from it all, forever safe, forever with the Lord." Thus we thought and thus we talked, and such humbled rest and consolation came into our hearts as was not granted to us six years before when we ploughed those boisterous waves of the Pacific, leaving our darlings alone in this wide world. The expressions of sympathy from native Christian friends were most touching. Said one, " There is no comfort but God's comfort." Said another, '* Jesus loved her and would spare her from this world's sorrows." Many weeks must pass before letters with ex- planations or particulars could come to us. I wanted to get away to some place where we might ■I ' m^ BROKEN MELODY 201 <{ talk and weep alone. There were no " own folks " to go to. We closed our house and went one hundred miles, first on the river, then over- land to the new Oldfield chapel, with its now cozy parsonage rooms. We spent a few days visiting two of the four girls who had been married from our boarding school all at the same time, two years before. They were now doing good work with their husbands in this district. Each of the young matrons had an interesting day school of little girls, while their Sunday afternoons were given to teaching the church mothers and sisters. The first evening spent there the preaching hall was crowded with men and Mrs. Muoi Sieng's bedroom with women until a late hour. When she was married we had presented her with a little cabinet organ, which now stood across the comer of her room and made such music as had never before been heard within those walls. While she sang, the mothers vied with each other in the privilege of holding and amusing her pretty baby boy. I met that evening a very interesting little woman, whose face so pale, so shadowy, showed traces of tears. She greeted me affectionately and Muoi Sieng said of her: ** She is very sorrowful; she is dying of grief. We will talk about it when we have leisure. She has lately buried two little boys." I thought, " Now surely if I tell her how Jesus comforts me in my great sorrow, she will believe that I understand and will trust the same Jesus m m wm 202 UNDERTONE with her little ones, and be comforted too." Bat when I fonnd her in a qniet comer and tried to tell her of our sweet daughter, taken from us when we were not with her, and how the news was carried to us by a lightning flash, which smote us to the ground; then how Jesus stood by to lift us up and dry our tears with such sweet words of promise, she gave a look in which deep under- standing was mingled with despair. '• Oh, yes," she said, " I know that. I do not sorrow for my children; I know they are safe with Jesus. I am glad they are safe in Heaven. I mourn for the living. My husband uses opium and spends everything he earns and more, too. My father-in-law smokes opium and will steal anything, even his neighbor's coat, and give it in exchange for that curse of our home. I have prayed for them and pleaded with them to come and let Jesus save them, but they on^'^ go farther and farther into sin." Then in a i . .d of tears she cried, " Oh, what shall I dot " After three or four weeks we returned to Foochow to find piles of letters from friends everywhere. They sought in words of loving sympathy to tell us where comfort could be found. We had found it already, off among the hills, in carrying balm to souls in deeper sorrow than ours could ever be. 1^1 ! I I I S^MBk THE TRIUMPH SONG " Oh Love, they die in yon rich »hy, They faint on hill and field cmd river; Our echoes roll from soul to soul, And grow forever and forever." TBNNTBOW. atm -*"^-''^^" ^ XXXT YOLNO MEN FOB WAR RUMOR was rife on the college quadrangle one November day in 1911. A special meet- ing of the Faculty had resulted in the post- ing- of the extraordinary announcement that any student so desiring would be excused. Wh«' -I'l it mean? This: that the leaders of the r6/*;lu- tionary movement in Foochow had determined to open fire on the Manchu garrison at daylight next morning. They had courteously advised the col- lege president and other foreigners of their in- tentions ; hence the students were given full free- dom of action. Some would be in the ranks, others would be on guard duty, still others would serve in the Red Cross Ambubice Corps, and some were needed at home. Squads of young men in uniform were soon on the road leading to the revolutionist headquarters. For six months ** The Students' Athletic Asso- ciation," an organization quite outside of college authority, had been drilling, with guns, out of school hours of course. For some weeks the echoes of the revolution in the north had been growing louder and more i^isistent. Now the day had come ; to-morrow they would fight 905 206 THE TRIUMPH SONG And fight they did. One college student, a Freshman, was among the first to fall. He was an earnest Christian, the only son of his mother, and she a widow. His grandmother, once a wor- shipper of idols, now a willing worker in women's classes, lately told me how Teacher Sites' ex- hortations, long ago, helped her to the light. At the memorial services to celebrate the valor of this young man, mother and grandmother occu- pied seats of honor and heard the Governor- General of the province and other officials, dvil and military, tell how much the new Repubho owed to the work of Christian education. Was it only empty eulogy! Hardly. When, a little later, the student volunteers who were quar- tered in the great temple outside the east gate of Foochow smashed the idols, big and little, and cast their fragments into the street, was it only a boyish prank t No. Listen. One day toward the erd of January a battalion of Foochow stu- dents was embarking for the north to join in the advaLce on Peking. There were three hundred and fi:fty of them, from government schools and mission colleges. A teacher in the Anglo-Chinese College, who was on the jetty to see them ofF, asked one of his old boys : ' • Have you many Chris- tians in your battalion? " " Yes," was the an- swer, •* about one-fourth of us are Christians; and we have prayers every night." Not long after that scene of volunteering, there was another in the college chapel. This was for a cause in which American professors were free YOUNG MEN FOR WAR 207 to take part ; but the speaker was a Chinese saint. It was the last day of the week of prayer in the college. The message was a call to service. " You answered the call of your country,'* he said; " now it is for you to make your country worth saving. How many here are willing to listen to the call of God to go out among your own people and preach a gospel which delivers menf " Full half a hundred responded. From them wiU be recruited trained leaders in the greater revolution of China's spiritual and social order. In a way, that hour was the fruition of the work of thirty years. I think the men who helped to lay the foundations of the college must have looked down with joy into these illumined faces eager for the new crusade. Above the chapel plat- form is a beautiful memorial window to one of them, with the words in Chinese: ** The Cross my only Glory." Here, then, were to be conjoined the culture of the schools and the power of the Cros3. The founding of the Anglo-Chinese College at Foochow in 1881 involved a new departure. It was the first of its type. Mission colleges in China were few. The teaching of English in mis- sion schools «7as almost unheard of; and when it was discussed it was generally disapproved by mission authorities. But in this case the enter- prise was a part of the returns made by the native church to the parent church. The initiative was taken by the Chinese, espe- 206 THE TRIUMPH SONG dally by the preachers. After the orgamzation of the Foochow Conference, Bishop Wiley had reported thus upon the native ministry: " The elder of these ministers, now the leaders in the conference, have devoted themselves exclusively to the preaching of the gospel to their people, and organizing and superintending the churches; so they have had no time for acquiring the lan- guage of the missionaries. But they know their own language, their country, their people, their history, their classics and their philosophy; and they know, as we cannot know, the strength of superstition and the degrading influence of idol- atry. They know, too, the bigotry of their nation, and the power of that bigotry as it confronts them on every side. It is not strange that these men are the staunchest friends of education, and are longing and laboring earnestly to build up insti- tutions of learning in connection with the Church." Latterly the older preachers had begun to seek the co-operation of the Mission in making due provision for the higher education of their chil- dren. You remember their appeal for the teach- ing of the classics to their girls. Old China's pulse was beating quicker. Without doubt a lew era was coming. Would it be possible for them to prepare their sons, under Christian auspices, for usefulness and position in the New China f Just at this time a series of providences, a working together of circumstances, led the small Mission force to the conviction : '* Now is the time YOUNG MEN FOR WAR 209 and here is the place to establish an Anglo- Chinese College." To found English-speaking schools — says the Journal — ^has never been onr object; but the time has come for the recognition of the English language in our Mission. The spread of the gospel has created a demand for higher educational facilities, and God has rai^od up native help just at the opportune time. We have now offered to us a gift of ten thousand dollars from a Chinese merchant, to found a Chris- tian college in which both Chinese and English shall be taught. Mr. Diong Ahok, the generous giver, starting out in life a penniless lad, was at this time the head of a prosperous mercantile firm. Best of all, while meditating this magnanimous proposi- tion, he gave his heart to God and his name as a member of the Church. His keen business sense told him the great advantage of modem educa- tion for the youth of China, and he wanted them to get training of character as well. His love for the Chinese preachers made him especially desirous to provide good educational facilities for their bright boys. By the terms of the gift, the ten thousand dol- lars was to be applied to the purchase of a piece of property, comprising about two acres, lying adjacent to our mission compound, on an elevated slope. Upon this stood, and still stands, a spa- cious two-story mansion, well-built and in excel- lent repair. It had been built, and occupied for some years, by a London banking firm. The site 210 THE TRIUMPH SONG commands a superb view of the river Min, and beyond it the suburbs and city of Foochow, stretching away five miles to the north. Grassy lawns, flowers and dwarf evergreens adorned the grounds, besides a majestic banyan and some stately pines. This entire property was now offered to the Mission as the site of an Anglo- Chinese College. Prompt action on the offer was imperative. Chinese finance is an uncertain quantity. Gen- erous impulses are often at the mercy of sudden changes in family or business circum- stances. It happened that there were then on the field only three missionaries of our Board: Sites, Ohlinger and Chandler. They were not only ten thousand miles distant, but a year in time, from effectual consultation with headquarters in New York, If Mr. Ahok's offer were laid over for a year, no one could foresee what his business cir- cumstances would be; besides, the property was now available and must be secured at once. This necessitated the creation of a Board of Trustees and the adoption of a form of constitution under which they should hold office. Thus was the Mis- sion led on from step to step. Having satisfied their own minds that the thing ought to be done, and done now, their only course was to act, and take the responsibility of showing that their ac- tion was right. They first accepted the proposal and then sought the parental blessing. riMiili Man YOUNG MEN FOE WAR 211 In reporting what they had done, they asked for two men to be sent out to take up this college work at once. They also forwarded to the Gen- eral Missionary Committee for approval the Con- stitution adopted and a clear statement of the steps that had been taken, and the principles on which the college was founded. In the meantime, the enterprise was launched with Bev. Franklin Ohlinger as president. Wisely and well he guided the new venture through the breakers. As there were only three missionary families of us and no natives who could speak or read English, we all tried to help a little. I remember one morning running over to see Mrs. Ohlinger and her three- weeks-old baby. I found her sitting-room had become a classroom; while reclining on a couch she taught a long row of happy youths to read and spell. She apologized, saying she was only substituting while her husband was giving a lec- ture in the theological school. In the present halcyon days of the Anglo-Chinese College the vicissitudes of its beginnings are likely to be for- gotten. The logic of the situation was convincing, and our authorities at home accepted full responsibil- ity. Bev. George B. Smythe was sent out espe- cially for the college and was appointed president. •* I would that the whole Church could see," he wrote back, ** what splendid opportunities this work presents, how many through it are reached who otherwise were forever inaccessible. This college is a Christian opportunity. The Christian 212 THE TEIUMPH SONG Chinese who founded it was assuredly raised up by Ood for this enterprise." The generous founder later added a gift of four thousand dollars. He was, of course, greatly interested in the success of the "liege, and often came from his home in the early morning that he might be present with the students at the chapel service; he sometimes led in prayer and often talked familiarly with the young men, urg- ing them to diligence in study and to careful obedience to the rules. Often, as he passed, he would drop in quite informally to breakfast with us. Mr. Ahok was a notable type of the open- minded, open-hearted Chinese gentleman. His palatial Dative house was open to his missionary friends and to any whom they introduced, and his lavish hospitality made memorable the visit to Foochow of many a friendly tourist. The man- sion consisted of a series of three distinct houses of exactly the same design but each in succession more ornate, with larger mirrors, more elaborate fixtures, deeper carved ebony furniture and more exquisite hangings than the one preceding it. Each was built around the four sides of an open square, in which stood symmetrically arranged rows of rare potted plants according to the sea- son, and queer dwarfed shrubw trained into gro- tesque figures of beasts and birds and native junks. In the third and most beautiful bouse, many foreigners tasted for the first time sharks' fins, birds' nest soup and the countless other YOUNG MEN FOR WAR 213 dainties for which a Chinese banquet is famous, served in finest China, with ivory chopsticks and golden spoons. Mrs. Ahok was as broad of view as her hus- band; indeed, along literary lines, she was far in advance of him, having been one among the limited number of Chinese girls taught to read and write. Like the late Empress Dowager, she was of artistic tastes and scholarly mind. She had mastered the famous classics of her country, and read much of its history, poetry and litera- ture. Whether in her European drawing-room or Chinese reception hall, she was always the charming and graceful hostess. Gowned in the choicest silks and brocades, and supported on the arm of her maid, she could step daintily forth on her tiny bound feet, to greet one guest after an- other. She and her good husband were both given to hospitality, and never seemed happier them- selves than when making others happy. Some people say: China has rich men; why send teachers and establish mission colleges! Others say: Only the poorest of the people be- come Christians. China has, indeed, many well- to-do men. Of such men, more than one have become followers of the Christ and benefactors of their countrymen. But China's rich men, like China's rich mountains, still, for the most part, await the touch of the Master who will transmute their wealth into blessing to China and to the world. In the founding of the Anglo-Chinese 214 THE TRIUMPH SONG College the Church gained a new point of contact with rich men and yonng men, men who are the strength of China to-day and will be her rulers to-morrow. I H i ; i •uat wes- Transportation in Chiox xxxn HOME FROM THE FRONT HAPPY is the traveler who comes to a study of one oriental country with the equipment of long residence in another. India and Egypt, with their utterly oriental pop- ulations and their enlightened western adminis- trative systems, are apt object-lessons for China. So thought Mr. Sites, when in 1884, returning to America as delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he enjoyed his first visit to Southern Asia and the Levant. In the Straits Settlements the Chinese are, in fact, the predominant element in the population. Many among them have amassed wealth and live in princely style. At Penang Mr. Sites was en- tertained by one such merchant prince, whose family had emigrated from Foochow a generation or two before. At Malacca are memorials of some of the early English missionaries to China who began their work among the Chinese here along the Malacca straits. At Calcutta the traveler is shown, in the gar- dens of the Government House, a group of cannon which were cast in China and have Chinese char- acters on them. The tablet in front records with S15 MKXOCOrY RtSOlUTION TBT CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) Ik IB U ■yuu 12^ 13.2 1 3.6 14.0 Hi 2.2 H^ 1.8 ^ /APPLIED IN/MGE |p '653 East Moin StrMt Rochester. Ne« York 14609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox 216 THE TRIUMPH SONG characteristic British modesty that they were taken from the Chinese in 1842 and brought here to commemorate the peace dictated to the Chinese government under the walls of Nanking. Our traveler finds his old friend Scott in the very heart of India and together they visit famous shrines while they live over their old college days. In a Hindoo temple by the Ganges he comes upon a Buddhist idol with a Chinese namel He brings home a brick from the topee where Buddha him- self taught, just outside of that hot-bed of Hin- duism, Benares. In the tea district of Darjeeling he meets a well-to-do Chinese Christian, whose grandfather was fetched over from China to teach the Indians to cultivate tea. He looks over into Thibet, a part of China, and buys a well-worn prayer-wheel from a pilgrim lama. In Egypt and Palestine he studies the records of the dust and traces the footsteps of Moses and the prophets. To his brothers in China, who love the flavor of reality, he will carry back the real Presence from many a spot where once the Prophet of Nazareth walked. He visits the Gar- den Tomb on the knoll which has been identified as the true Calvary, by Chinese Gordon. He is a good observer, bringing much knowledge to each new scene and carrying more away. Like Confucius, he asks questions about every- thing. Like the great Teacher, his chief interest eyerjrwhere is men, and men of every race become his brothers. On the summit of Olivet he finds HOME FROM THE FRONT 217 the universal prayer inscribed on thirty-two marble slabs in as many different languages ; one of them is his loved Chinese. At Beirut he makes a pilgrimage to the grave of Bishop Kingsley, who died here before ever he reached home after that memorable visitation to Foochow, when he cast his mantle on the Seven. The Syrian Protestant College at Beirut with its superb equipment, and Robert College at Con- stantinople with its fruitful output of enlightened patriots, both stir his ambition for greater things for the young college yonder in China. The traveler entered New York harbor on a stately steamer, just where our clipper ship had sailed out twenty-three years before. In the in- terval an infant church had come of age. In the community to which he went out, the Christians numbered scarcely more than one hundred, with no native ministry. He now came as the elected delegate from a body of forty ordained ministers, serving a membership of some four thousand. He had served his apprenticeship. After Conference he attended commencement exercises at old Dela- ware and found himself, to his surprise, a Doctor of Divinity, by authority of his Alma Mater. mnrnr PEACE HATH HER VICTORIES FOR many years there had been good work and steady growth on the part of the Church among the people of a mgged little island, Hai Tang by name, lying off the coast from Foochow. It has a population of some sixty thousand. Several preaching places had already been established and the people had been gen- erally friendly. In the principal town of the island a small house and lot had been bought for use as chapel and parsonage. A dispute had arisen between the populace and the church members over the right to the use of certain land in Iront of the church. Moreover, a modest second story had been built on the parsonage adjoining, and this was denounced as a deadly affront to the spirits of the air. The local Magistrate seemed hostile to the Church and his attitude encouraged the people to violence. One day the chapel was attacked; windows were smashed and roof-tiles broken up. Only after time for r nsiderable mischief had elapsed did the Magistrate come forth with due dignity and advise the people to go to their homes, 818 PEACE HATH HER VICTORIES 219 The case went tip to the American Consul and the provincial officials at Foochow. After much correspondence the issues were more involved than ever. Meanwhile the Christians on the island were being terrorized and pleaded for pro- tection. In his perplexity the Consul turned to Mr. Sites. Mr. Sites had now rounded out thirty years in China. He held the confidence of both officials and people. With the approval of the Mission he accepted the appointment of Deputy Consul and proceeded to Hai Tang, taking with him as secretary a well-known literary man from Clear- water. By this time the trouble making Magistrate had been suspended. The new Magistrate, who had been appointed to conduct negotiations for a set- tlement, proved to be a keen, intelligent, wide- awake lawyer with a fine sense of justice. With almost American directness — says the Journal — he went straight to the essential qnostions. After an inspection of the fateful second-story room he pronounced it unobjectionable and promised it to us unmolested. In the matter of our boundary line it was agreed that the testimony of the origi- nal landowner and all the thirteen Ek'^rs of the city wards should decide. They were called; they were unanimous tht.t all land beyond the very comer of our chapel was public property; so we at once resigned all right to it, and promised to remove the offending wall which the ol^nrch peo- ple had built across it. The entire ^ immunity 220 THE TRIUMPH SONG I was pleased at this; and the Magistrate issued a proclamation which was posted throughout the city, that, owing to the indefinite wording of the deed of sale, the wall had been built without in- tention of usurpation on the part of the Chris- tians. He also ordered to be erected two large stone tablets, one on either side of the chapel entrance, setting forth the same fact and forbid- ding any future annoyance which might seem to make a protecting wall necessary. I stated, on behalf of the Christians, that (be- cause) we believed the riot had been instigated primarily by the former Magistrate and was not due to any positive unkindness on the part of the people; iherefcre we wished no indemnity ex- torted from the citizens, nor would we bring charges against any of them. But we requested that the former Magistrate should be required to furnish workmen, and repair all damages. Many points of law demanded attention; eight interviews were held with the Magistrate, besides nine exchanges of correspondence. When all was settled, he made out a report for his superior officials in Foochow, submitted it to me for criti- cism, and accepted all the modifications we sug- gested. The people at large seemed touched by the magnanimous settlement of the case, which, while requiring justice, was considerate of them. To express their gratitude, the thirteen city Elders arranged to come to our chapel and apologize publicly for the wrong their people had done us. PEACE HATH HER VICTORIES 221 Such a ceremony is of deep significance to the Chinese and was regarded by them as the climax to our victory. These City Fathers, ranging from fifty to seventy-five years of age, came to the chapel, dressed in rich cerp^r^onial robes and wear- ing red tasselled Mandan . ^ts. They were ac- companied by the military band, the best the island could boast. We were in readiness to re- ceive them, and returned their low ** -ws as they entered. On the table they placed a pair of big red candles, and lighted them. This was a sign of reverence. At the same time a fusillade of fire- crackera on the open square in front announced to the city that harmony was restored. They sipped tea and smoked the pipe of peace, while their spokesman "i^de a speecn of apology, promising so to inst^ ' 3 younger citizens that hereafter there should never be trouble, but per- petual peace and good will with the Christians. Before leaving, they unfolded and hung above our chapel doorway an immense banner ^f red bunting, two and a half feet wide and fifteen feet long. Across the centre were four large gilt char- actero meaning " Chinese and Foreigners are of One Heart." In smaller gilt characters, at the right: ** Tendered to the courteous glance of the American Missionary, Doctor Sites "; and at the left, in small characters, ** Presented by the united body of the Elders of the City, vith their deepest respect." Our Chris dans had been so alarmed by the sudden danger in which they had found them- 222 THE TBIUMPH SONG selves that it was difficult to calm and reassure them. But frequent and earnest prayer with them, accompanied by careful study and practical application of Qod's Word, had largely accom- plished this ; and now the public apology dispelled their doubts and fears. We had spent twelve hard, hot days at it, and our work was finished. But a message now came fron the Magistrate urging us, our business hav- ing been completed, to remain for a few days of rest and recreation. This we well knew would involve on his part a costly banquet for us. The City Fathers now also sent word asking the privi- lege of preparing us a feast and holding a theat- rical performance for our entertainment in the open square before our chapel. All these we de- clined, not caring to place ourselves or the church members under obligation to them; and, in order to avoid being coerced into acceptance, we left at half-past five the next morning, notwithstand- ing it was the Sabbath. Before leaving, in the freshness of the morn- ing, we held a blessed service of prayer with the little group of church members. Then we pro- ceeded to the next chapel and held preaching serv- ices. So we went on, preaching in our chapels at four places during the day. After the last service, which was at the seaport, I was told that a boat was starting for the mainland. The wind being favorable, and feeling tht this, too, was the Lord's leading, we took pa&sage. These boats are only small, open sailboats, which provide no PEACE HATH HER VICTORIES 223 comforts and little safety, but are the only means of transport. In our case the elements were favorable and our trip across was made in a few hours. We arrived in time for an evening meet- ing at our chapel in the landing town, and spent the night there. Another hot day overland and half the night by river boat brought us home. My heart says, *' Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reignethi " How blesse^. has been fulfilled His promise, '* Lo, I am with yc a alway." Before Magistrates, in the face of an angry popu- lation, answering vexed questions and solving por- tentous problems. He the Lord of Hosts has been with us and with His Church on the little ocean- bound island. To-day our cause is in better re- pute and our workers have more opportunities than ever before. *♦ Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." XXXIV AN OVERTONE A NATIVE Chinese elected delegate to the General Conference I This was the message flashed home from Foochow. Now for the first time the Methodist Episcopal ^nreh in China was to be represented in its highest coun- cils by one of its own ministers. You who have followed my story will not be surprised to learn that the man chosen by his brethren for this high honor was our old friend, Elder Sia. The Christian scholar had been developing more and more, as the years passed, in qualities of leadership. Always modest and unassuming, he was also ready to take responsibilities. This was well illustrated when he became pastor of the great central church at Foochow. Most of the missionaries who are engaged in school and hos- pital work at Foochow attend there, and plans for special services had usually been left to their initiative. But Pastor Sia, immediately after his first quarterly meeting on that charge, began re- vival services. The results were marked, espe- cially in decisions for Christ on the part of stu- dents in the college and in the girls' boarding school. On one Sunday morning his theme was, 224 m Dr. Sia. AN OVERTONE 225 ** Christ, the Living Bread " Vividly he illus- '.i ted China's spiritual condition by comparing it with the horrors of the North China famine, when men ate uneatable things. Starving China, he said, was eating, that is worshipping, the dead men of the past; but now Christ, the satisfying portion, had cornel It was a wonderful sermon and strangely moved the people. From the day of his conversion there had been no more dou*^^ in the m •'d of Teacher Sia than there was in the mind Saul of Tarsus, that discipleship meani anoaiieship. In the early years, as you will remember, he went often on extended i Inerarie v/ith Mr. Sites. A favorite companioL ja these evangelistic joumeyings was Lee, the quondam blacksmith of Oxvale, whose nightly holding forth of the Word of Truth in discussion with Teacher Sia, in their little up- stairs bedroom, had been a potent factor in bring- ing the man of letters into the light. These two men, the scholar and the blacksmith, made a strong preaching team. On the day when the scholar was ordp.aed elder in the Church the blacksmith was ordained deacon. Three years later, when the annual meeting had convened under clouds of anxiety, in the face of threatened secessions, apparent failure of the self-support principle and open rebellion against church authority on the part of one of the elders, it was in the preaching of the consecration sermon by Sia Sek Ong that tue Holy Spirit fell in power upon the whole assembly, melting all hearts with 1!^" 226 THE TBIUMPH SONG refining fire, moulding wills into heroic resolve to reck not of silver but of souls, and bringing the recalcitrant elder in penitence to the altar. Then it was Lee who rose, as if by the common consent of his brethren, to voice their spirit of complete consecration. I well remember his figure as he stood up in the midst of the kneeling band and slowly and solemnly spoke as if for all, while his face shone with heaven's own light: ** These hands and feet are henceforth the Lord's; these eyes, ears, tongue, mind, soul, all, all henceforth and forever, the Lord's." During these years, Teacher Sia's pen had con- tinued busy. All the splendid literary equipment of the Confucianist scholar was placed on the altar of his new faith and love. A tract of his, entitled " Who is Jesus t " is still one of the classics of Chinese Christian literature. At one time he won a prize offered for the best essay on Chinese marriage and burial customs, the com- petition for which was open to all China. In the early days, with Mr. Sia as his assistant and writer, Mr. Sites had translated a number of Wesley's sermons, many of which were published. For many years he was either assistant or prin- cipal in the theological school, where his literary culture and his deep spiritual fervor united to make his influence most marked upon the rising generation of preachers. Li America Mr. Sia made a profound impres- sion by his breadth of mind, noble bearing and spiritual power. His sermons and addresses were AN OVERTONE 227 interpreted nearly always by Mr. Sites, who had aooompanied him across the sea. Beligious news- papers compared him to St. Paul. Some said he would make " a splendid oriental Bishop." He was characterized as ** a true Christian phi- losopher, a man of the deepest piety and high mental culture.*' In the course of his tour across the country an American university conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Dr. Sia's interview with President Cleveland in Washington was doubtless a unique incident in both their careers. It was at a period when our Chinese exclusion laws were much more dras- tic than at present, and Mr. Sites had had much trouble and anxiety in securing permission for the delegate, duly provided with passport as he was, to land at San Francisco. Mr. Sia had en- dured the inconvenience with his never failing urbanity, and now to the President, as represent- ing the people, he returned gracious thanks for the courtesy with which he had been received in America. " Since landing in your honorable country," he said, '• I have been treated with marked courtesy and kindness in every city and state through which I have traveled, and to whom is it more fitting that I should come to offer thanks than to the President of this great nation f " While visiting the Hall of Representatives wid the Senate Chamber yesterday," he con- tinued, ** I noticed, in passing through the ro- tunda, a large painting on the wall representing a company of people on board a ship, kneeling II 111 228 THE TRIUMPH SONG aronnd an open Bible. On inqniring what it meant I was informed that those people were jnst setting ont for this country to found a new na- tion. And now in so short a time what wealth and prosperity have flowed in upon you 1 Has it not sprung from this great fountain of knowl- edge, the Holy Bible f " In traveling from San Francisco to Wash- ington I was delighted all along the way with what I saw, and I loved your civilization; but loving still more ardently my own country, China, I desire earnestly that she may soon attain to all the blessings which your people enjoy.'* The President said in reply, that it gave him pleasure to receive such expressions of apprecia- tion of our civilization from one who came from an oriental land, and especially from one who had been engaged in the christianizing of his own peo- ple. The President declared emphatically that our American civilization rested upon the founda- tion of Christianity and that it is the only founda- tion upon which the new civilization of China can with safety be built. Dr. Sia returned with broader vision to become more than ever a teacher and leader of his own people. Is it not the greatest wonder of the world to note what one man's influence may do for a community? When Teacher Sia became a Christian, there was not another in his native village. When it became known that he had re- nounced his ancestral idols, the whole village rose in wrath to cast him out. His clan confiscated his AN OVERTONE 229 share in the commimal property. Thirty years later, as Mr. Sites went throughout all parts, he came to a quarterly meeting of the church in that village. The Journal tells that the chapel was filled to the door with earnest Christians and in- quirers, representing all ages, from young cate- chists to the great-grandfather eighty-three years old; that the Christian leaven seemed to he per- meating the whole village; that a mass meeting was recently held in the old village temple for the purpose of forming a kind of mutual pro- tective organization, to prevent the buying or selling of opium, to stop gambling, stealing and other crimes within the town limits; that the thirty-two elders of the village, four of whom are earnest Christians, were constituted a Board of Aldermen, before whom disputes should be brought for adjustment; and that Sia Sek Ong, D.D., was unanimously elected President of this Board of Aldermen. Three times he declined to accept this honor, because of his duties in the Theological school in Foochow; but they would not take ''no," and his name stands as honorary president of the board. From a social point of view the most important diflference between a heathen and a Christian land is the difFerence of moral atmosphere. When Christian ideas and ideals begin to be absorbed unconsciously by children as they are growing up, then there is the beginning of the Christian community. This will be evident to any one who makes a study of any mission field where, for a '1 li 1 ■l\ II 230 THE TEITJMPH SONG generation or longer, there has been a growing native church. The stndent of Christian sociology will note, for example, in Foochow, that a few family names figure largely in lists of teachers, preadiers, and other groups of workers now en- gaged in various branches of Christian activity. One name much in evidence is the surname Hu; another is Sia. The life of Sia Sek Ong would make a fruitful study in social evolution. Dr. Sia died in 1897, two years after Mr. Sites, but several years his junior. He had attempted and had achieved great things for God. Without complaint and without a moment's faltering he had endured extraordinary hardships for the faith since that Sunday morning, thirly-f our years be- fore, when he stood in our little prayer meeting at Oxvale and pledged loyalty to his new Master. The Galilean had conquered throughout those years, — conquered in many souls and in the life of many communities. How much of the conquest was due to the decision of that hour, who can measure? How large the issues of that hour for China through years yet to come, in the building of men, in the purifying of the Church, in the re- newal of society, in the making of the Christian nation that is to be, eternity will tell. XXXV THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS IT was a great day at the House of Lau in the Sixth Township village of Clearwater. The rambling old castle itself had changed but little since the day, just thirty years before, when the miasionaiy was first received within its for- bidding walls. Now a whole wing of the andent castle had been rented and famished and was to be opened as a women's training school. The pioneer missionary had, a year or two before, been assigned again to this field of his early plantin.?. His daughter Ruth was in c' ?e of the woman's work here, and together t^ / had planned the housing of the school. With fore- sight, bom of experience, Mr. Sites had advised an inspection day in order to forestall suspicion — to avoid any seeming mystery, and that heathen neighbors might satisfy their curiop'ty as to the whys and wherefors of provision for the educa- tion of Chinese women. On the evfej therefore, of the formal opening, neighbors and friends from near and far had been invited to a modestly grand reception and to inspect the arrange- ments. With the exception of the native clergy, the 281 I ■»kl.iiU v.-.-/' 232 THE TRIUMPH SONG gaests were mostly heathen men, including the Mayor and Aldennen and the village Elders. They had come with msic and fire-crackers and with gifts of brilliant silk banners inscribad with mottoes expressive of their appreciation of the interest taken by the " Enlightened Christian Teachers " in behalf of their " Benighted woman kind." The successful day was over, and weary but happy the missionary and his daughter sat and talked of their guests who had gone and of the pupils expected on the morrow. Suddenly across the fields along the narrow winding road came, staggering and cursing, one Lau, a desper- ate opium fiend and a small shareholder in the Castle property,— who felt his portion of rent money insufficient and who wreaked his anger in vile vituperations against the *• Foreign Devils." Loudly he beat on the closed gates, demanding admittance, that he might pollute with poison and filth the new deep well of crystal water which the missionary had himself recently supervised the digging and building of, in the school court- yard. Every one else was for barring him out, but Mr. Sites went in person, opened the gates and welcomed the angry guest with utmost cour- tesy. Half stunned by his unexpectedly kind re- ception, Mr. Lau permitted himself to be led to a seat, to accept tea and cakes and other signs of hospitality, though he looked with sullen silence into the smiling face of the missionary and lis- tened half-heeding to his kindly words. Could this winsome man, whose arm in brotherly fashion THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS 233 was resting on his feeble, opium-poisoned frame, be the " Forcdgn Devil " of whom he had so angrily thought but whom he had never before seen? The long, friendly interview ended. No poit3on went into the well, but poison was still in the man. Here was another challenge to the power of the Christ. The jifxt day, when Mr. Lau approached the foot-bridge to cross the creek for his usual seance in the opium shop, the missionary met him. ** I was thinking of calling on you, Mr. Lau," he said; ** would it be convenient for you to come with me to my house? " There was nothing to do but go back. The same thing happened on several succeeding days. Each day in his private room the missionary knelt with Mr. Lau, and Another was in their midst. The presence became a Power, and one day the slave of opium found himself free. There- after arose a saying among the natives that all Dr. Sites had to do was to put his arm over a man's shoulder and that man became a Christian. Telling the story, as he loved to do, after years of faithful discipleship, Mr. Lau was asked: — ** How do you explain it? " " Man cannot save man," he answered; ** but that man walked daily with God and through him came the power of God to me." Mr. Sites had thrown himself into this new work on old ground with all the zest of pioneer days. Eemarkable revival and ingathering had H 234 THE TRIUMPH SONG ensued. In two years the membership had in- creased sevenfold; and now at the New Year sea- son, a few months after the incident of the woman's school opening, he had planned a week of special meetings in the Sixth Townsk'p Church. It was to culminate in the love-feast and Holy Communion service on Sunday. Our daughter Buth was there to help with the work among the women, and with her was " Mother " Nind, of wide missionary fame. I was at that time in Amcnca. Usually the holiday season is a poor time for meetings, but this week the church was th' onged. Each day was filled with opportunities and there were many conversions. It was a week of supreme joy for Mr. Sites. Those who heard him in the services wondered at the power of his prayers and exhortations. Those who were with him in the home felt that even the blessing at table had in it the hush of the holy of holies. Sunday was the climax of the week. A large class were baptized and received into the Church. Among them we) v^ men who a f « w months before were vile sinners, opium smokers and gamblers, now saved by the power of God. The love-feast was full of rapid, clear testimonies from evidently saved men and women. When one man, regarded as the wickedest in the district, and another, nearly a mate for him in sin, both testified clearly to sins forgiven and joy in believ- ing, Mr. Sites, his face aglow, turned to his daugh- ter and said, ** Pretty near heaven, this, isn't it. THE HALLELUJAH CHOBUS 235 dearf ** And it was nearer for liim than he thought. Betnming, that evening, to their rooms at the old castle, Mr. Sites said: ** How many years I spent in seed sowing! Bat the Lord has been wonderfully good to me. Lately I have been reap- ing, reaping. What a glad, rich Sabbath day this has been! '' His aseal had consumed him. That night, fever developed. After two days, with no improve- ment, he was carried by loving hands to a little native boat, in the bottom of which his bedding had been spread, and on this he was gently laid, for his last trip to Foochow. On a great flat rock beside the stream the Christians knelt while the Chinese pastor prayed. " And they all wept sore, sorrowing most of all that they should see his face no more.'' He joined in the earnest Amen which closed the prayer, then lying in the little boat he raised his hands and pronounced the bene- diction, — ^his last act of public ministry and fitly closing his life's work. The next Sabbath, at the vesper hour, he fell asleep. The short winter twilight deepened into night; but ** he felt upon his fevered brow the breath of the eternal morn- ing." Among those who rose to speak at the memo- rial service was a literary man from Clearwater. He said: ** We who were often with Teacher Sites during the past year, observed that the more we reminded him of his need of rest, the more assiduously he worked. He kept preaching from \U n 236 THE TBroMPH SONO pulpit to pulpit, from village to village, from man to man. Everywhere he lifted up Jesus Christ, and everywhere men were drawn onto Him." The fnneral sermon was preached by Dr. Sia. More than five hundred native Christianu fol- lowed the coffin to the grave, all dressed in white. This is the Chinese garb of mourning. But they seemed rather to symbolize that welcoming com- pany of the redeemed who are arrayed in white robes, their garb of purity and joy, as they sing the triumph song. One of the native preachers in the Oldfield dis- trict died a few days later, not yet having heard of Mr. Sites' translation. Shortly befrre his death he lay for some hours in a trance. On awak- ening from it, he clapped his hands and looking radiantly happy, said to the sorrowing friends who stood about him: " Do not mourn for me. I have seen into heaven. I came near the gate and saw within it a vast company, all clothed in white. The first one I recognized was Teacher Sites. He stepped from among the crowd and grasped both my hands, exclaiming, * Oh, my brother, I am glad you have come.' Then he led me just inside the gates of that beautiful city; but I came back only to tell you what I had seen and to say good-bye." Thus did Oldfield first hear of the Homegoing of their beloved missionary. Some years afterward in Yenping I met a noble young preacher by the name of Lau. I asked him if he had 3ver met Mr. Sites. iijii a n '* 2 C I/) o S b t/5 E to c :l The Mission Cemetery, Foochow. THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS 237 ** Met him I ** he cried, his voice trembling with emotion. ** Had it not been for him I should be a beggar to-day. It wai he who saved my father from opinm, away down in Clearwater, years ago." A few days later, the father, a fine old gentle- man, a respected teacher in the boys' school at Clearwater, called to see me. The tenderness with which he spoke of his winning to God was beantifnl. " Some months after Teacher Sites returned to heaven,*' he said, " ; was taken seriously ill. The native doctor jaid I must take opium or die. * I will not take it,' I told him; ' I would rather die and meet Teacher Sites in heaven with clean mouth and clean heart! ' " Thus many an humble heart-strain among the sons of men throbs in tune with the heavenly chorus whose music is the gladness of the world. XXXVI THE SINGEE IT is a difficult task to analyze the character behind an active life. It may also be need- less, when the activities of that life have al- ready been sketched in some detail. But I must try to gather the essential lines of the subject into a miniature. His life was singularly rounded and complete within its sphere. His was an abounding life, like a spring of living water. He was not only — ** Fed from within with all the strength he needs," but his was a life of that self-giving sort: — "Whose waten overflow To deaerU of the aoul, long heaten dovm By the brute hoof of habit, till they spring In manifold upheaval to the sun." This exuberance of life had a physical basis. He had a thoroughly sound body and he always gave heed to keeping it sound. He ate simply, slept well, rose early. His bath, devotions, and morning walk,— usually including a friendly call,— were all enjoyably achieved before most of the world was astir. His abounding vitality seems THE SINGER 239 to lend support to a certain modem interpretation of the blessing pronounced upon the meek. They inherit the earth because their inexhaustible en- ergy serves all their own needs and the needs of other people as well. In circumstances where physical comforts were lacking, as is often the case in overland trips in China, it was always he who was able to make things a little pleasanter and easier for others. His normal weight was about one hundred and seventy-five pounds, his height five feet eleven. Deep-chested, strong-limbed, always erect in bearing, he gave the impression of being a man of much more than ordinary size. His features were regular, his eyes blue. He usually wore a full beard, which, in his last twenty years of serv- ice, was touched more and more with gray. This gave him a strong first claim to respect and ven- eration among the Chinese. In temperament he was cheerful, affable, giving himself whole-heartedly to his friends. In the presence of what seemed like unfriendliness or disapproval he maintained a certain approachable reserve. I think he might be called an ideal guest. He was certainly so regarded by his Chi- nese friends, in whose homes he was received, not indeed as a guest, but as a father and brother. Children loved him and clung to him. In his home letters, as in his family life, he showed only his heart of love ; but in the privacy of his journal I find, sometimes, sentiments of self-reproach and discouragement at what he conceived to be his 240 THE TRIUMPH SONG If I j Bhortco^iiings in that holiness, the pursuit of which was the dominant impulse of his life. His mental habits were orderly and definite, like the square and plumb of his carpenter's train- ing. His sermons were carefully prepared and outlined, his English sermons sometimes written out in full. P t the records of his meditations— usually in the freshness of the morning— showed best the thorough quality of his thinking. Often in his devotions, and always when working out problems of mission polity, he would record in order the steps by which he came to the height of his argument. Likewise the utmost precision marked his management of church records, treas- urer's books and all business matters. His mind was broadly hospitable to the great world of ideas, but none found permanent lodg- ment there if it did not serve his master-passion. His work absorbed him. It was evident even in his letters to his family that his thought life was in China. The little companies of believers in quiet valleys and on rugged mountain slopes in China were his brothers and sisters and mothers; and when on furlough in America he was restless to be back on the field. Said his classmate. Professor Whitlock: '' The greatness of his life was to be seen in his Chris- tian character and consecration. These were so marked and vivifying that they seemed to rec jt and invigorate his whole being. His charai .er was one of great symmetry. To the casual ob- server there was no marked individuality in any THE SINGER 241 feature of it, but his friends knew that it had no weak place." In a characteristic tribute, one of his Chinese fellow-workers said: "When Dr. Sites came to China thirty-four years ago I was not yet bom into the Kingdom of God. I soon heard of his work, of his traveling, preaching, and bookselling in villages by the seaside and in remote places. He did not shun the wicked, though he himself was virtuous ; he did not fear the vile, though he was pure. People readily came near him, and on first acquaintance even, had confidence in him as a friend and safe ad^Hser. In the far interior, when he found himself in need, away among strangers, people would gladly offer him money to be refunded later on his reaching home. His very tone and manner enlisted confidence and love. The officials knew him and praised him for his humility and his never-failing sense of justice. How patient and forgiving he was 1 At Yenping when he was mobbed even, many years ago, and his eyes nearly put out, he was nevertheless patient with the evil-doers, and would accept no indemnity for losses. But now his warfare in his Master's name is ended. He sees the King." xxxvn CAMP-FIBE S FIFTY years have passed since the coming of the " Cathay." It is the annual love- feast honr. With eye undimmed and form erect despite his superannuate dignity, Wilder Yek comes forward to take the leader's chair, as by right of seniority he should. He, the young- est of the Seven, is the only one left of those who first in this Church of the Heavenly Best took upon them the vows of God. Rising now, he looks out upon the sea of faces before him. The house of meeting is many times larger than of old, and to-day it is filled to the doors. Men and women are here — leaders fresh from the fir- ing-line — from Oldfield and sea-girt Haitang, from Clearwater and Bonniebum and the City of Lingering Peace. Hundreds of younger men and women are here, students in Christian schools, who, a few weeks later, are to listen to the first President of the Chinese Republic proclaiming from this same platform the oneness of the aims of the Republic with the* ideals of the Church. To-day nineteen are to be ordained to th.^ work of the ministry. Among them are familiar names, and the old man lingers lovingly 243 On December IS, 1912, ichile this book uu.h in process of /mnting, its autho,, :Jrs. N. Moore Sites, having completed her life and labor of love, fell asleep. . 4s her husbmuVs loyal companion and help- meet throughout his heroic life she was active in many lines of missionary work. Her most lastinq inprcss, however, was through her pen, translatinq our noblest hymns and e^uwhing ,rith numerous hooks the native Chnsttan literature. To her. as a wise, faithful, deeply affectionate mother, her children who mourn her loss pay loving tribute. 1^' i i IBS ''1P"*' IT was a dreary afternoon in February on the island of Haitang. I emerged from the wind- swept waste into a shelter of sand-blown ridges and bush-fringed homesteads, which broke the gray line of the sand-sea. Between sky and sea I cannot imagine a land so lonely, so nakedly and bitterly forlorn; yet I was not lonely, nor had I walked altogether forlorn in the bitter weather along the dimly traced footpaths on that winter day. The black patches huddled on the edge of the plain were villages, centres of cultivation in the stony waste. They stood over against the sand-swells and were fortified by lines of scrubby trees and mounds of gray sea-grass, with outlying fields of bean and wheat flanking with green lines these citadels of life. I climbed a sand-ridge, Cx-ossed a bare strip of earth, and broke into the Paradise of Duaibang, a village of deep-hedged lanes, and low-walled fields. The hout98 were sheltered in the background. It was quiet in there after the howling wilderness and its raving wind ; and I was at a loss to account for a strange sense of isolation in the first few moments. There was a friendship potently present and bracing, out on the barren trail, which seemed about to retreat from the proximity 347 ^ 2« THE DOMINANT CHOBD He pomted me ..lently. with an eloquent thru.t of the whole month, toward the chapel, which I knew wa. «,mewhere about among those lowly hahtation. of the poor. It found me first and "rt Te t '11! *""""J' '"'""> pre«dentMo e. wrt me into the eacred precincts, which, during t T^. r*''' *"* "»«'»' ""ice .; a day «hoo . Thither came en masse the residue of rte ^habitants, to welcome and give me the freedom ^t i».V^- 7'"' ^"'^ ■'^"«''«' sooi and long and .n*v,dually to its legitimate business of loaf^ fvL^t "" "'^"'"" '*" "^^o """J been rescued S" X"!""' "'*'"'"■"• ""^ '"^" '°'° " «■« w»^. ^'^'f^J^^ ^''"^' """^ *«■" to wofk. It was the day of the quarterly meeting, and the offi- vinLTo^r^ '"!'* ^f^-^i ^™«' 'he -at efd villages of the circuit to report on the spiritual ^d temporal state of the Kingdom whichCst their keeping. They were a group of primitive Christians. I thought of the relum of the ?we vT oott ^JI'^L""" »■"=« "P"" " t™» ^"0 sent out to publish the good tidings in hallowed Israel- and of later meetings, in old Jerusalem, when the apostles returned from far journeys o « and commune together. In this motley grourone might imagine more than a single prot?™e of countryman, this eager-eyed enthusiast this dreamy old teacher, this keen-faced ascetic, Ind liv Lone Sca-lircakers. «' IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A MAN " 249 this bronze-browed fighter, who had weathered years of persecution — would not any of these have found his kindred there among those early seek- ers of the great and goodly Pearl! On the bench beside me sat one whose queued head was rough and rusty as a cocoanut. Its continuous bobbing and swinging under the smoking lamp seemed to keep time to the staccato debate in which its owner bore a leading part. A seamed face, lighted by a pair of speaking eyes, was thrust backward across his shoulder, and brought to mind a lurking image of rugged Peter before the wistful sweet- ness of the Spirit had softened his rocky front. There was a dash of salt in his words and manner that whetted curiosity, so after the session had closed I sought him out for a quiet talk. He was a true sea pearl, — as I soon discovered — much incrusted, indeed, with less glorious stuff, but well worth digging to, for all that. He led me back over the long flinty track of his hard-got life. It had all been lived on the desolate stretch of rock and sand which he called home — his native bit of earth. When the Light-bearers first began to seed this coast with the Living Word, the island people were much engaged in the business of piracy; and it took close and heavy hammer- ing to break the granite surface of their iron- hearted paganism, before the tender Word of God could find soil and shelter. But to this son of the sea it had come in an easier way, — somewhat as the Light of the World must have come to the favored Twelve — in the form of a human friend. ^M 250 THE DOMINANT CHORD That friend is the subject of this sketch, of whom he spoke many things, waxing more and more glad as they rose in memory. But one thought remains with me now, ** He was patient above all men." Then followed an eloquent recital of bygone in- cidents that proved the gift of patience. The old exhorter placed the emphasis on the right quality. I had not heard it named so insistently before. It gave durance to a set of features as the final pressure of the graver's tool does to a carving. This was the last stroke needed to complete a picture which my mind had been drawing for nearly a decade. It gave the last outline to a human face whose growing lineaments were emerging into clear distinction, and I felt that I was seeing for the first time a true portrait of the man, upon whose trail I had been treading on that weary day in that desolate landscape. Lying awake on my board bed in the gusty darkness of the stone chapel, I thought, that night, of the one who had been there before me, and who had trod the same stony path through the island desert; had met with some of the same class ; heard much the same words from their lips, and had lain in the same place through the wild night years ago. And a vision of many paths, winding their lonely way over a whole province, and all converging at last into one that came to the foot of a cross, wove itself upon the dusking ground of sleep. And if I dreamed at all, my dream was this pattern of a man's footprints turned to gold, and a shining web whose silver wanderings were like the strands " IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A MAN '» 251 of a net which drew the great dark globe of earth toward a faint celestial coast. After I began to travel the old trails of the earlier missionaries it was not long before the sense of a fairer fellowship, moving parallel with mine, but in another sphere, began to companion my going. But when and where I began to iden- tify this communion with a single spirit it is im- possible to remember. The tradition of a saintly preacher, who bore the name of Nathan Sites, much beloved by all men, is still strong in Foochow and its neighborhood. But this was onl> the shadow, the nimbus of a head, warmly lingering after the owner had gone. Whatever else was added in the slow process of acquaintance, I know that the idea of goodness was the basis of the creation, and the other features, picked out here and there, as I became aware of them through the years of intercourse with the people he had moulded, were the variants of this first golden holding. He was remembered among them as ** the best friend of the Chinese," and " He loved us more than any other," and " His love was from within." But these sayings began to have another meaning when one heard that he was the first of the missionaries to care for their homely food; to eat often at their rough wooden tables; to sleep on their grass matting and cane beds; and to live for weeks and months under their smoky roofs. It was thus that he learned the kindly greeting which is still remembered, ** Brother, have you eaten your supper yet! " 252 THE DOMINANT CHORD Though flat and empty in our English phrase,' when rolled out in sonorous Chinese, it was his trumpet call to brotherhood in every friendly group. For him, religion was a partnership with every man who was willing to share life with him. He found that joy in the sharing which belongs to every whole-hearted host in feeding his guest to the full; and he was great enough, too, to share the host's part with them, and to play the true guest to his humble entertainers in more than meat and drink. In those days the faithful itinerant, whose circuit included half a province, was often isolated for months from all intellectual and social companionship of his own kind; his Chinese Bible was his chief source of mental stimulus; and Chinese minds, as bare of thought as the raw hills of clothing forestry, were the only sowing ground from which he might reap a reciprocal harvest of ideas and feelings. There are martyrs, indeed, who suffer slow atrophy of mind, and an inner loneliness that eats the soul hollow, whose oblation is for a life- time of years ; and there are those whose travail is only of flesh and blood; and there are those, fewer than these, whose sacrifice is the purest form of joy. I think he was kin to the last. There must have been a simple sc Jiething ir him which made him happy with the simp-est. This steady joy colors the surface of his picture, glowing from the depths. Many a time, toward evening, his robust figure, large in the sunset, must have loomed in the doorway, and his warm face, cheered " IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A MAN " 253 with a ruddy tinge, looked its own welcome into the dusky Chinese home, just before his friendly call went out, and the whole household of fathers, mothers, children and grandchildren, rose and ran to greet him. It would be a festal night, long to be remembered, with much eating and talking, laughing and pi aying, and a blessing shining from his face, as palpably as the misty light upon the low rice fields before the homestead. The next morning- after the rice was eaten, weighty matters of grave import would be brought out. A pig had been stolen by the scoundrels o** the large village under the bamboo grove ; a law- suit was threatened, or money was demanded by the stronger party for the procession of idols; or the official at the county-seat wai extorting strange taxes from the hard-pressed people. Where was the right? How should they behave as Christians and not be utterly downtrodden? It was then that he rose into the true ambassador of Jesuit Christ, and the majesty of judgment rested upon him, as upon the ** bearded coun- sellor of God." His lips spoke peace. At the bottom of his buoyant power was a drop of spirit, serene and deep; and this calm deposit rose and diffused itself over this troubled aspect of the life he lived with the simple Christian folk of Chinese cities and quiet countrysides. Once, in a great quarrel between pagan and Christian, in the Hokchiang country, his decision had been against the faithful, but the fame of the righteous judgment lingers to this day, and the name of 254 THE DOMINANT CHORD Christ became a sweet savor in that region to many who never knew of Him in any other way. Those were the dark ages in all the low-sea coun- try, where sunken roads wound away to mysteri- ous places on the ragged coast; where hidden villages were still the rendezvous of sea robbers and freebooters, and where lurking bands found easy-going and good hunting on the narrow trail. There were strange disappearances. The travel- er or merchant returning from the city, and foot- ing slowly down the afternoon, would find him- self suddenly alone. Before he was aware of the import of this, the dark squad was debouching from the covert; the onset followed, swift and silent; there was a cry, then ominous stillness; black figures moved in rapid silhouette along the twilight horizon, and a solitary one lay heaped across the path, but moved no more. Of such men, victim and robber, were his neigh- bors; for they had both fallen among thieves; and he understood the fifth beatitude and beauti- fully embossed it in the visible deed. Very lit- erally must these early followers of the Lamb construe the law of love, which, all too often for the frail faith of Christendom, has meant actually the loving of the robber, the assailant, and the murderer. Very stem, and with an edge of mortal sharpness, must the law of love have fallen from his lips in those clashing times of right and wrong. He suffered with these friends, more than for them. He saw them as they were, and he saw them in God. He lived for months at a " IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A MAN " 255 time in their dim interiors, and his soul found its home in the hrown shadows of their eyes. I do not think he was assimilated to the crude mass of life in which he lived. It was more that he infolded theirs with his own golden current of being, which kept its sphery balance, quite dis- tinct, yet not apart, from the homely element in which it hung. He was pure in heart, and it was this enlarging drop, with its cleansing blue of the living Spirit, which kept his vision true and clear. So these poor faces and withered souls discerned something besides their own lin and hue imaged in his heart ; and because the imuge was patiently the same and changed not, they began to be like to what they beheld ; to be what they really were, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. The pure heart made him strong. It was the chain armor of the crusading knight, the secret lance of Galahad, in the holy warfare of his lonely life. That is all that seems essential to him now. He walks his way with the spring of youth, a high- hearted hero to the poor; a friendly sun-treader, happy in walking the old earth-ways which still show the warm pressure of his manly tread ; and having never seen him in the flesh, I cannot think of him as bent or whitened by timely age. In fact, his years were not great, and there was no time for the long serene senescence which lays the cir- clet on the brows of those who endure, seeing things invisible, far into the eve. With him it was a sudden break from early evening sunlight to the sacred splendors of the summer mom. He 256 THE DOMINANT CHORD walks still in those old paths which his feet made years ago, and wo, who tread them now, know his coinpany well; feeling it as a human nearness amid the swarming crowds, and again as a com- muning spirit on the mountain paths-something that might suddenly shine out of .he all-embossing presence-if eyes were fresh enough for the sacred surprise of such a miracle. The elements of this sketch are limned deep and n%^f°? *'^®^'' ''P*'° ^^«^^y taWets; and yet not I fu r^: ^^^^ "^^^^ «^^«°«*^ ^rom the hearts Of the Chinese, who so peopled his own heart. t't''' u'!^ v^ '' "^^^^"^ «*"^' an apostle indeed, m the white Ime of the true succession, where stand all those who are linked by the Spirit of Chnst to the Living God. FWXTOD IX THE UKIWD STATES OF AKEBICA