Letters home, 1927

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SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY ia

OF THE Es

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH y

IN EASTERN ASIA - :

KIANGSI CONFERENCE £

eee cneows January 2, 1927. METHODIST MISSION a
EXECUTIVE SEOnETAnIES NANCHANG, KI. .

pias

it

Dear Folks ;~

A bright, calm, beautiful day igs this first Sunday of &
1927. The air is warmer than it has been, and the mildness makes us
think of spring, though we know well that cold and rain are still in
store before the summer.

The old year is gone, We were im prayer~meeting here when the
moment passed, or at least our clocks and watches said twelve o'clock.
1926 was some year in our emall lives! I am sure I would never choose
freely to go through the agitation end unrest, and particularly the
horrors of warfare, but take it from me I would not chooge to be in
America when days like these are passing in the Orient. Look up again
the quotations in your Bashford ("Ghina, an interpretation") and you
will realize that these are tremendous days. Certainly civilization In
the Orient will be advanced tremendously £4/4//¢AdL#, or else a
yeversal equivalent to several centuries will result. At present the
final issue is absolutely unclear. The immediate outlook 1s dark, but
for the final outcome many very hopeful factors are already in evidence.

We ourselves are living im peace and quiet and carrying on our
@aily work each day as usual. It is strange to me that we have been
left alone so long, but I aecept it with profound gratitude and try to
put in each day a solid day of accomplishment. We hear of wild happe~
nings in other places, but we have been able to carry on much as in

the haleyon days gone by, I judge, forever. Furthermore I have seen mo
indication to the contrary but that this situation will continue, so far
as we are concerned.

The New Year was quiet here. Near us a few folks fired firecracker
put we expect that celebration of this kind will be heard more at the
old-style New Year for some years to come. This year that is on Feb. 2,
a month from today. In official circles for some years the New Year
has been celebrated om Jan. lst, and now they are stricter than ever,
put it will take more than official pronunclamentos to make the country
folk change. It seems to be plain conservatism and inertia asserting
itself.

My work in the school has been the source of very great satisfac-
tion to me. The boys are interested, awake and responsive. They work
hard and are evidently trying to make up all they can for tHe time
lost in the fall. It is a pleasure to work with them.

Last night I finished the Hospital report for the year, and have
only to incorporate the effects of criticisms I invéted from a group
who met last night to hear it. The finishing of this report brings me
nearly to the end of the work I have to do in connection with the hos~
pital. For two weeks I have been giving half an hour a day (nominally)
to the hospital, and will keep it up until I have cleared off all that
is left.

We are all in good health. No letters have come from you since
last Sunday, so there must be some in soon.

~

Love to all
EVANGELIOTIO.
~  SCONW PULI-TIMI MISSIONARY

OUR FORWARD Look
KIANGS] ANNUAL CONFERENCE OUREVES TON

, METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

HUOHOW COMMUNITY CENTER
KIENOHANG COMMUNITY’ ONNTER
YMINERANT BIBLD SECLURS

¢

EDUCATIONAL

me

‘ONS PULL-TIo MISSIONARY
HIGHER PRIMARY BOHOOLS AT
HUOHOW AND KiNNOHANG
28 LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOLS
ALL TRAOHBRS NORMAL GRADUATIS
ICAL
ONS PHYSIOIAN
ADEQUATE BUPPORTING STAVE
‘ORGANIZMD MEDIOAT, WORK

KIENGHANG DISTRICT

Waup R, BRowN, Superintendent

Mrsstonary Rnstpmnos, NANOHANG, Kr,

At home ,
January 9, 1927.

“A DISPRIOR DOTTED wrt
ScHOOLS AND OHUROHES,
WHERE ACTIVE WORK 18
GOING ON IN THE oHNIS-
TIANWATION OF TE ENTIRN

LIvE OP THE WHOLE PEorLM,”

Superintendent's Report, 1920,

RDUCATION

sna Db Tolke

SUIRABIN HOUSING FoR AIK. WoRK Nolka 5 ~
PULLY SRATNED WORKERS ear ,
ShisqUaN OantravaNs FoR

e are Tighted to hear from you right along nearly every week, but
sorry that you report letters much more irregular going to you from us.
The past week has been quiet.
from fresh milk to tinned. Our cows disappeared between sunday night
and Monday morning, and although we could trace them for a mile or so,
and our servants traced them farther, and the, police have been on it and
reyards offered, we have made up our mind that they are gone for good.
Thig makes three cows that have |'left our employ! since Sept. 1st.
Johnson's cattle are still here except one calf that was wounded during
the fighting and died or was killed, I forget which. | Our entire herd
iss gone, but they were a nuisance to care for anyways
We keep hearing reports of trouble all around us, but we are as
usual here, continuing our work. There 1g a great deal of anti-British
agitation and apparently the British Consul at Kiukiang has ordered his
nationals out. Ab any rate they have all left Nanchang except the Postal
Commissioner and his wife and a guest staying here for a while. The
Commissioner has been transferred, however, and 1s leaving soon for his
new post, and an American is to come here, we are told. <All. foreign
employees held a meeting and parade yesterday. When our servants returne
they told us that it had been decided to make exorbitant demands of all
employers im Nanchang except Americans, and that they/vdeé British and
Japanese are to be driven out. Some time ago they bad presented us
with demands for a five dollar increase per month per servant, and we
/ had offered two, upon which they asked for three instead of five, to
which we agreed. Yesterday they decided to make no further demands on
Americans except that we do kot reduce the number we employ in each
household. When drug~store employees, for instance, are demanding that
their 5 or 7 dollar wage beAncreased to $80, we are perhaps not being
diseriminated against! It seems clear to us that such demands as emplo~
yeeq, in the elty are presenting are merely a method to drive out the
progiet OFS »

Another tnteresting item from the servants' tale was that when they
started out they all avmed themselves with spears (impromptu affairs, I
suppose, made of poles). In the meeting the soldiers came in and took
part by severely reprimanding them for the matter of the speare and
warning them never to pull off such a stunt again. Appawently, too, the
authorities dictated the lemient paeta of their action. Personally, in
our own house we are om good terms with the servants, but they are Like
sheep, at the merey of demagogues. That the disgruntled spirits who
have been behind this particular union as agitators are being curbed
py the mone too gentle hands of the soldiers themselves is certainly
surprising and also hopeful. However I do not yet understand the
reason back of the spears yesterday unless it was to execute coeraion
on servants who are still unwilling to joim the umion. Last time they
used ropes as arguments. What next?

We are told that Nanchang is now the real center of the Nationalist
government Im China. Wuchang, Hankow and Hanyang are to be made into

a new great united city to be called W uhan. This Wuhan, they say, is
to be known as the Natlonalist Capital of China. Wuhan, however, is

. still far too agitated to be suitable for this purpose yet, and so we
are it, for the time being. :

Yesterday noon we entertained at dinner Ling Chen-hwa, the boy to
whom I applied for a time Mrs. Ingersoll's gift. He has been at Nan-«
king University for more than four years now and is here eonvaleseing
from an attack of-typhoid fever. He told me that the Kwomintang: (the
‘Peaples Party" of the Nationalists) 16 so far from desiring to do away
with migsion schools that they propose to subsidize all school #which
come up to their standards and meet their requirements. This plece of
timformation had come to me previously from I son who was told the same
thing categorically by some high officials 4m the new regime here. At
this time, I believe, regulations are being worked out for this provinee,
and it seems to me that while they are regirictive, they are by no means
unworkable for our schools. They denang effective Chinese control of

but our own folks do the efmtrolling, not anyone appointed

Nde. They require that w@/ give up all required Bible
NY gious Instruction, alW services of a religious nature

ely jévertheless, there is no restric~
yond. Christian propoganda, and fur~
fligious instruction as is elected by
(4 graduation. On the whole, and con j
in\ the new attitude toward education,
And(@nould, im my opimion, be accepted
course for still more liberal
t puts our religious propoganda
Yet we should weleome such a
wnitete age ean we put on a series of
pnt students with the same power
which mow draws them ANCHANG ¢ © our fye Classes now being given
in solence and in English? If not, then what is the matter with
our religious teaching? In Aidrica,. ‘IENCHANG the teaching of
mathematics has been greatly Maproved o1stTRictby the expedient of
making it elective instead of M@tginryrequired. This method of
treatment will not do with bdys sud‘girls in the lower schools, but
when they get as far as High Schoolg fucnowthe situation is altogether
different. In this work I/hope ‘to pu 4o use the year IT had in Boston,

Meanwhile the fighting goeg on in Whidden Chekiang wlth
Shanghal as the objeetive.} Feng Yu~si KIENCHANG has opened gian after
most @wrrible experiences/undergone by tfogg in, keg @ity. The
Nationalists seem now tobe split over ISK of Bolshevism, but
to have postponed the dyawing nanrenc @ of thé lsgue untib Chekiang
is settled, Personally, while Bolshevijst iffluence is certainly
strong I cannot se! i timately prevail; There are not. in Central
China, the conditions which feed Bolsheyiem, and I am persuaded that it
is but @ passing phasd of the sitiation.: Clella just told me that
Johnson reports that a\Ll anti-British posters im Nanchang have been
pulled. down and nome hgve appeared’ these two days. This too is
encouraging, though Snr et? what I wrote overleaf still
holds. While there is lots, diAgitation and demagoguery duringzthese
days of the new self-determination, someone in the backgreund is
holding a strong hand which appears every once im a while and will
ultimately control the situation,.

You can see that we are busy here. There is no monotony and
tameness about missionary life in Nanghang nowadays, We are all well.
Love to all of you. 2

Classes and Ré
have to be ent Kel
tion on the most “ketitisesreligiou
thermore, @uch Bible ete
the students can be onan
sidering the groups interésted
this is an enlightened proposa
by us, while we continue agital
terms for the future. For one
- ‘on its toes' so to speak, §
stimulus and.challenge. In.a.f
courses in religion whitch. will

)

a

ge ePAA

SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

IN EASTERN ASIA
Nanchang, Ki.,
CH 1.007
Peep A, Brown January 16, 1927. wernonist mission

KIANGSI CONFERENCE

EXEOUTIVE SECRETARIES NANCHANG, KI.
Dear Folks; ~ '
The balmy smily weather we have been having seems to hae.
changed into typical winter, wet cold and disagreaable. This is tis
weather in which people like to hibernate, rather than clear snowy
weather such as the York State winters.

We wonder what mews you have been getting these days from the
Orient. The papers which have reached us have been full of seare-heads,
and it ‘makes us wonder what can be the impression broadcasted in America
as to conditions here. So far as we are concerned we are still personally
very much at peace. §o far as we cam tell not an atom of difference has
come to pass except the effect on ourselves of learning what is going on
in other places. The tale of facts and the string of comments on the
Hankow and Kiukiang incidents will be stale news b,; the time this reaches
you, but it must be clearly remembered that Brita&in won a victory of
very great importance by retiring at Hankow without firing @ shot. As
long as future developments grow along the lines of negotiation ingtead
of reprisals we are perfectly safe. The alarming feature to us is the
news of warships being hurried to China by America. If America decides
to use strong~arm methods and ‘clean up for them' as Americans like to
gay, then we become fugitives, I fear. The China Press proposes a
penevolent orotectoretée by America in China until the country is set-
tled, but I venture the opinion that this will not be acceptable to the
Nationalists mor to any other Chinese. Considerable light of understan~
ding came to me when I was told that these folks have been studying
revolutions in other countries with a view to adopting similar methods
here to those which have proved successful elsewhere. Thinking along
thoge lines I seem to discern now a history unfolding like that of recent
years in Mexico. If we understand the maln lines of effort and sympa~
thize with the alms of Nationalists to rule th@ir own country, there is
no more reason for our being disturbed than has evidenced itself tn the
recent stetus of Methodism in Mexico. We hear that our families at
Kiuklang have all left the city for Shanghai and most of the single
women. This does not necessarily mean that we shall have to clear out.
Proximity to the concessions (former concessions?) is not likely to be
the quietest place for foreigners now. As I said before there is not
here sufficient local reason for our doing anything but staying right on
the job.

Letters came from Northville and Latham this past week. Our mail
not only comes regularly but we are beginning to have two deliveries a
day. All lines of communication are open to Nanchang now. Economic
conditions in the city are, perhaps, a bit more settled. Work on
tearing down the city wall has stopped, they say because of 50¢ per day
pay demanded by each laborer for 8 hours loafing. However, we can
cross the wall freely day or night, and that means something. Our work
is going on precisely as usual. In fact it 1s a little hard for ua to
eredit 811 these haps elsewhere. The Johnsons, except W.R,, the Schubert
end Miss Baker leave soon, I believe, for furlough.

We are all well and send love. 0, I forgot. Clella is packing a
suitcase. I told her that I will pay her way to America if she wants to
go, but I do not care to go myself. Whether or not she goes remains to

be seen,
wh

SEH +e SOS

ge PAA

Dear Folk; -

In spite of the prognostications of gloom which were
in our letters last week, we are still here on the job and, so far ag
we can tell, in much the game circumstances as before, or, if any
change has been made locally it has been for the better. Nanchang seems
to be an oasis for us, and we are quite content to have it so.

This is not to gay that nothing has happened. Our Kiukiang folks
have pretty well skiddooed, we understand, for points down river. There
is a lot of nervousness in many missionary cireles, ginee no one quite
knows what may hanpen. CGraighill sent a wire to Hankow to ask consular
advice about our evacuating Nenchang and the reply wag about'If women
and children feel epprehensive the consul advises the#@. going to larger
port from which transportation can be had, Roots concurs! (Roots is
Bishop Roots, Episcopalian). This kind of a telegram is not particularly
categorical.

Yesterday afternoon f¢/duvidipidd/t4/éd¥ the missionary group #6 méet
informally Dr. Wei of the Central Nationalist Government Nducational
Commission. Dr. Wei ig a Christian and explained to us the regulations
for registration of schools, as well as took time to answer questions.

He cleared up for us afnumber of points we had wondered about. After
tea we brought Dr. Wei over here to dinner, and enjoyed an evening's
conversation with him, ranging over a wide variety of subjects. He is a
well~educated man (Ph.D. Chicago) and thoroughly convinced of the right-
ness of the Nationalist cause, as one would expect.

One inconvenience has arisen out of the Yangtze situation. British
boats have stopped carrying the mail, and so we get mail once in two or
three days, and I suppose letters go out in about the game fashion. The
evacuation of Hankow has affected directly some 000 employees with a
matter of 40,000 dependents, and it is easy to gee what a calamitous
effect a similar occurence at Shanghai would have. liven at Kiukiang the
large number of coolies who lived on the stevedore and other work at the
hulks, plus the servants and workmen in the concession have been many daye
now without work, making at Kiukilang and Hankow a most serious economic
problem for the Nationalists to face. A few outstanding attitudes seem
to be predict&ble regarding Shanghai. 1; the Nationalists want the
enormous revenues from the port; 2, the foreign powers are determined not
to allow Shanghai to be taken by military force or intimidation; 3, the
Nationalists are determined to take Shanghai even by military forge; 4
should the Nationalists get Shanghai by foree they will in the process
destroy the revenues of the port. I confess I do not see a way out of the
dilemma. Granting the simeerity of the Nationalists and their claims, it
is hard to see how they can view with equanimity the Shanghai revenues
going to the militarists of the north. At the same time the Nationalists
cannot afford at this juncture to have England om their back, particu»
larly since England will doubtless draw the other powers with her.

1 Well, the Grace of the Lord still has plenty of ehances in thig old
worldt

SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY ¢

OF THE Ea

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH Z

IN EASTERN ASIA e

KIANGS! CONFERENCE xz
a sfeviimares, Hie,  werweawe ameran £
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES January 23, 1927.  NANCHANG, K. a

&

?

Love )

i
No A am SEVENTY: FIFTH ANNIVERSARY : ' as

ay: > Vx OF THE x
* Sy METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH wb

age og IN EASTERN ASIA z
wy KIANGSI CONFERENCE Nanchang Ki. ~ ° +&
a palette January 30, 1927. mernooier mission mae
¢ (Diner gecetamisa : NANCHANG, KI. E
py

#2

Dear Holts; ‘
I am alb alone at home today. CGlella and the, children left, .

this morning for Shanghai, and I am holding the fort, I trust , until they

meuurn: p

In writing of this I, would emphasize. that there 1s no local reason

for their leaving. Officials and peonle et Nanchang are friendly. I would

not say that the scum are too friendly The other day I went into the city

for a walk. One man said 'Tnpertalist! as I passed. A child call. me’

'Russian'. Formerly, in piping times of peace we were very used to being

called ‘foreign devils', and now, when our ears are vrimed for the slightest

iddicetion of. eit agoalstle fe oLing, to hear only what’ wo do convinces me

that tt feeltug azainat foreigners. tn Nanchang has’ not intensified a bit

as coarmared with five years ago, and well way be even less now than then.

£ There are in the main about three reasons for. our fanilies LBevNE 3

first, Mrs, Libby 1s expecting confinement’ in less than two months

already have three en ren, Bae" oldest younger than Hester, and the

ins ho go to Amerlea. Dr, Libby igs taking them ge tar a8

al. §eao *9 ig no very Glear assurance yet ag to the’ laberna~

L situation. Britain is certainly preparing to defend Shanghai. If an

untoward incident should occur there, we are in a bottle with a very naprow

neck, and it is best that we men should be able to move without the

y re for women with ch ren. Third; on Fr. : y é

Pror shop Birney which was categorical ingtruct ion to mo hers and children

to leave Nanchang, accompanied with strong ure@ing from the Shanghai Consul-

general.

Just before our folks ‘left one of the high officials sent out. by
some of our best Chinese friends insisting that the southern soldiers will nay
enter the Shanghai concession except by invitation of the author|ties there.
This was very reassuring. Some time ago, when Bishop Sirney urged ug to
evacuate mothers with ehildren, we apoointed thwee delegates to call on the
officials here, and they said that in case of trouble with the Powers, there
might of course be mob agitation. In that case they’ would do the best they
could for us, even to sending soldiers to protect us. However, we know from
Hanxow end Kiukieng that, soldiers. are forbidden to fire on citizens under the
new regime, and, while we should. certainly not desire’ them to fire in our
protection, their restraint over a mob is gone when once the mob gets past.
them and beging to pour into a compound. Although these officials were
auked by our delegates if' we could be escorted to Kiukilang, for ihstance, in
goes of trouble,.they did not give us any assurances on that point. When the

Bishop's wire, came, Clella felt that it was imperative and‘so has left. The
Libby family left too, ag I have indicated above. Other families will
doubtless leave before long. ‘Single women and those without children are
advised by Bishop Birhey to prepare quietly for evacuation, though he has
not authorized their leaving. . Some of them, doubtless, will not leave ex-
cept in the direst emergency, but our hands are much freer if. we’ have. only
a few to help, and thoge without. children.

Now, I have tried to. put the 'scarey' things first, so ag to: be
done with them. Perhaps the following will be more agreeable reading to
you. ‘ . .

Last’ Sunday I led the English service, and in my prayer expressed a
favorite thought of mine, about the golden chain formed by the: Sunday cirele
of worshippers around the earth. At family prayers Hester prayed something

1.3

like this 'And, Dear Heavenly Fathers; please make a:e¢hain around the world 6
so that the bad things cannot get inj'. Not go bad, either!

a During the past few days the children have been busy digging a
big hole in the sand back of the houses “Ido not ‘know their idea, but
they were quite peeved when the amah-told them that was what the norther~
ners did. She saw the dug~outs. across the river after the last soughern
alr-raids, Perhaps this digging began when the kids found two Little.
dead sparrows and ‘decided tO have e funeral. They began to dig™up the’
front yard, when we called them off and sent them to the aforesaid sand
heap, Hester, I understand, conducted the funeral as. master of eeremonies.
Shé" said 'now ery', at the. proper time! oop”

- The other day: I saw the oldest Blydenburgh boy George, standing on

a ladder which leaned against an old tree. He was. quite sober about’ it,
but I cautioned him about. falling, He said 'See what IT can do. -I can
jump from’ here. Hester won't let me do it, . She. will only let Leland
do it.' Thereopun, since Hester wasinot in sight, he. jumped and thus
satisfied his instinct for freedom. ~ a .

Our cat disappeared gome time ago, but I am certainly glad, that
it returned yesterday. A woman came to get. it, claiming that she had
ought it from a beggar! However, the cat was happy to be with us again,
and I am glad for the ehildren's sakes that it was here yesterday and
last night. Today it 18 gone again, I suppose the. woman hag come and
taken it, probably locking 1t up. I shall not write. this to.dlella,
however,’ as the kids would grieve about 1t. The other. day Libby's. © :
pointer dog, Brownie, went out of the gate, and’ Charles came in tears. to
report it. The dog came back later’, but’ Charles would.not be comforted
easily. Poor kids, they have seen cows, pigeons and cat disappear’, and
Brownie just about broke Charles! little heart by running off... Brownie,
however, is quite able to fend for himself, and came back in a half~
hour or go. a voc epeen tte adi

School dismissed Friday afternoon for a short vacation. For
a couple of weeks I. shall ~ perhaps ~ have time. to breathe a bit and
get ready for mext term. I have no imtention whatever of leaving, ex~-
cept in the most grave emergency. However, I shall not disregard a
positive order from Bishop Birney. :

Tt seems a pity that. a movement like this New China movement

‘should be acco&panied by danger to us who favor it so strongly. We
believe that we could. get along all. right were it hot for the gunboats,
but there is of course a fringe of argument in there which.may never be
fully: straightened out. Gertainly we need emissaries of goodwill and
folks able and willing to take time to secure mutual understanding.
This morning, when we were trying to hold seats in the train a‘ soldier
helped us a good deal. One of the servants was trying-to hold seats,
and when anyone came along trying to take it he objeeted, The sbldier
said" You must not talk like that. Explain to them why you ave. keeping
the seats. Talk nicely, that will be much better," These boys seem to
be self~appointed monitors of public manners. That igs all o.K,

* It is interesting to have folks say to us "You ehurch people
need’ not think you are Christtams. We are real followers of Jesus.

We believe in Him and are trying to put His principles into practice!
That kind of competition ought not to hurt the church. .I often wonder
what kind of missionaries and ehurch people they can have met to get
such ideas. At any rate they are able to diseuss intelligently Labor
conditions the world over, Karl Marx and Henry Ford. Does this all
sound familiar to you? Did you ever read. 'The Christ of the Indian
Road'? This is the kind of a social upheaval I want to observe at
firet hand. I want to be in Nanchang hearing, observing, talking,
doing, explaining, living. These are great days to be alive.

. Love to all

jy

t

SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

t ‘
rit OF THE 3
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH x

ap. IN EASTERN ASIA e
gp “unset conrensuce i
ne ee ouacnaue — aoe G (Fu). +s meHopist mission +

ie seoneramies fF NAN RANG, KI i

pot shor is th Digi
ee ee Ban abl <a

ne am hovclng fof. 6, 1921
| 4 Coetnl, Unite Ir fecal

Abie oun t B pwanasal aut; irae , Qik; - Py oe a
Bh ace, ites te pha

Toy -ucpatt | by (Uy! |
4 ayn as Ait Ar fo a
a uate: ald E be goy Su wiff ofar

ge eA

SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
IN EASTERN ASIA

KIANGSI CONFERENCE

KIANG MING-cHIK
FRED R, BROWN METHODIST MISSION
EXROUTIVE SmCAETARIES NANCHANG, KI.

NANCHANG, LT.
FEBRUARY’ 19, “927,

MY CLD CORONA IS AT KULING, AND MY NEW ONE IS TARING A
VACATION, SC I SHALL HAVE Tu WRIVE YOU ON THIS ULD MACHINE WHICH HAS
CHINESE PHONETIC CHARACTERS, BUT WO ROMAN BXO' Li CArS, AND A GRY
D'FICIENGY OF PUNCTUATION MARKS. I GUPSS I CAN GET mOSY OF MY IDEAS
ACROSS ON I'l, THOUGH,
GLELLA, Il @RANSYIEN

PTET TSH

DEAK FULKS,

S, IS AY CHINKIANG, LIVING IN THE W.F M.S.

HOM) THY: THR CHILDRE “RAY SCHUOL Su THAT, ALTHOUGH CLELLA FF PLS It
IS A PREGLTY UCR BIND UF EXISTENCE, STILL I AM QUITE CONTENT. TO HAVE BE.
'HFRE RATHER THAN HERE. NANCHANG IS QUIVa Now, AS If HAS BETN SINCE
DAYS OF FIGHTING, “SPECIAL MEASURES HAVE BRIN TAKEN HERE BY EIN
AUTHCRIGIES TU REASSTE 1S, BUL I SHALL NUT URGE CL LA'S RETURN UNTIL UHE
re "TONAL SITUATION BECUMES CLVALER, IF SHE WERE ALL ALONE I MIGHT
BE WILLI J HAVE HER 1 a, BUY b GHUCR INVOLVES RESPONSIBILITIES Tu
AND I AM SURE THEY HAD BYST STAY WHERE VHEY ARE UNTIL THE
BISHUP GOR ENE OF SEMLLA Jk OrPORTUNTITIFS FOR JUDGING bro MS IT O«ke FOR
THM To RETURN.

LASSES BEGAN AGAIN ON TU'SDAY. EXAMS COME YhIS wiEn, AND Wh SLIDE
t RIGHT INTO THY SECOND, MANY UF THE BOYS HAVE ]
AND FINANCES WILL A DIFFICULL PROBLEM, BUD ul THAT TF Gi CAM
TIDE OVER THIS YEAR O TWO AND BE ON THE Siro? ATER HA HE BUYURE W

" GREAT GROWTH, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS NEW GhoWwTH MAY Bl IN DIRVCTIWNS
1 HINK UF NOW, BUT I FYPL THAY IT WILL BE OF GREAT VALUE Lu

ANITY AND CIVILIZATION.

& TERS CAME FRUM YCU DURING TH? Fk. MALL CUMING THIS WAY IS

‘ING BAC To VEE OLD SCHEDEL) IAL, THOUGH SHANGEAY MAIL IS A BIY

GULAR.
sini = ROE AS We HS
wrun ce BEB CUEW ReBBEP AT APELE BROENS FER PANG ty ln Rukhs B8x
SUMBINING WO HAPPEN. FULKS A? KIUKIANG ARE BADLY DISPIRIVED, AND
TALK ABOU? A SINKING SHIP, FUG. ‘THEY HAVE HAD ENUUGH ‘tC BREA MOST. ANY
GNES HGRALT, AS 1 BUT We AT NANCEANG, NOV HAVING HAD THEIR EXPE

Bee Banker See Hea es ON Eomghalh Beas re RN hh BENG vies
BELWPEN OUR SIT"

TUN AND THEIRS. HOWEVER, AS I SATD ABOVE, CLELLA AND
CHILDREN BES Out WILL STAY CUT IF IT CAN INFLUVNCT THEM TL DU SO,
y Le CRYSTAL CLTAR. THIS, I THINK, IS THT ONL"
KE,

CLONDS CLEAR ALVAW WE SHALL SEH UEP MEANING OF ALL
THIS, IN VRE NEANTIME If IS UP wo US Vo GU RIGH) ANEAD TAKING A STEP AT A
TIME SMRVING CHRIST AND HUMANI“Y TU THE BSi UF OUR ABIL ts

BISHUES TELEGRAM LESS URGENT AND SUE
QUIETING SILL

WE TRUST SO.
LOVE ‘tu ALL,

hi

Pam SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY e
nil OF THE 3
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ¥

a IN EASTERN ASIA ¢
gj MIaNes! conrenence - 7 : £
Pemp f, Brown, Nanchang, Kis,’ METHODIST MISSION x

EXeGUTIVE SRCRRTARINE February 20, 1927, NANCHANG, KI. oe
Dear Folks;~ E i

I have dated this Sunday, but I am really writing on Monday,
It was impossible to get’ this in yesterday, so I am filching time today
vather than leave it out, No letters have come from you since I wrote last,
and I had expected them by now. I still Hope to have them in a day or two,

It is very hard for us here to te sure we know #11 the important
happenings that are transpiring, Every day - perhaps an average would make
it more then one a dey - we have a telegram from Bishop Birney, One e day
from us to him apparently is not enough and he wired yesterday for more,
In days gone by we would have théught that the spring rains, which have been
onus for ten days or more now wakld slow down military operations, but
recent information is quite to the contrary. Things seem to diddie along
for a gouple of wecks, and then all of @ sudden we hear of a grand coup. Just
now it is the capture of Hangeohow, though of course the report may not be
true. Yesterday's telegram from the Bishop reported a general strike in
Shenghal, which is serious enough to dominate our thinking for the time
being. ‘The women still in Nenchang are ready to leave on very short notice
and we now have four men here, Schubert, Libby, Johsnon and I, Holland left
Saturday to see his wife in Kiukkang, and said he would be back today, but
in view of yesterday's news we are doubtfal whether he will come this way
or ship his family on down river. We have been living in the hand-to-mouth
style for weeks now, One day we pack furiously and ship out a box or two,
and the next day we sey 'O pshaw, whats the use of all this stew?! With
the exception of my books, most everything I really care for is already
shipped out. Perhaps fortunately I have no big expensive sets of books like
the Encyclopedia Brittanica or large commentaries or atlases, eto, The
bulk of my dibrary comes under the 900 group and the 500 group in Dewey's
Classification,

I have been hearing constantly from Clella, She is still in Chinkiarg .

and as contented as could be expected under the circumstances, The chil-

dren seem well and are hard at school. I am quite content to have her
there in thie prégent crisis, rather than here, Yesterday Iihad no léss
then four letters from her,

Classes began again today, and the enrollment seems enough to justify
running school thiis semester, In the Senior High School we are having co~

education with Baldwin school, It seems immensely popular with the
students, All Bible study and religious training is taken out of the
required list and made either elective or voluntary, which I believe will
prove eventually to be & great gain,

This morning I was told that the Russians are leaving Nanchang. This
news comes under the head 'Importent if truet, though it is capable of
several interpretations, I feel increasingly sure as the days slide into
weeks ahd months, that we are facing the great struglle for the mastery of
the Pacific basin, The struggle may be military or economic, but in the
long run it concerns three cultures, Slavic, Mongolian and Anglo-American,
All three are on the orena now, i,e, in China, and alll three are fully
awake to the situation and consequences, Bishop Bashford clearly envisaged
this day in his great book. Read it again,

eel

eee enn

Nanchang, Ki., February 27, 1927.
Dear Folks;~
It seems as though the curtain has rung down for a time on China
although we have no way of telling what may be the state of communica-
tions the other side of Shanghai. A week ago we had telegrams from
Bishop Birney dated the 19th, telling inter alia of a general strike in
Shanghai. On the 23d I had a letter from Clella quoting rediograms of
great interest: one read,"half million Shanghai factory hands organized
by reds likely cooperate with Cantonese any moment whereby revolution
likely surpass in violence any other Chinese revolution, notwithstanding
7000 foreign troops." Another said,"China reports Shanghai battle begun
and stated morthern troops pouring in Shanghal while authorities conscrip-
ting all available men including 1i5~year-olds." These radiograms were
dated the 19th and are the last word I have had from Clella. From Hankow
we hear that the Chen-O'Malley agreement kas been signed providing an
acceptable method for settling the Hankow difficulties. From the Chinese
papers (local) we hear that there were three strikes in Shanghai, a postal
strike, a telegranh strike, and a general strike 'to assist the revolutio~
nary army'.. The general opinion here 1s that the Shanghai strike was not
. anti-foreign. However, all the big boats have been called off the river,
and now we are getting no news whatever from the outside, that is from
beyond Kiukiang. The reference above to northern troops pouring in
Shanghai refers to the fall of Hangchow to the southerners, which took
place on the 19th, es well as we can learn. ‘Therd is a report that many
American families have been taken to Manila. friday I sent telegrams to
Bowen- in Nanking and Dodd at Chinkiang asking fro information, but no
reply has come as yet. If I get a reply before this letter goes off I
will add a note giving the contents.

Yesterday the one solitary letter I have had for days came from
Argelander at Kiuklang, and was a very pessimistic note regarding the
continued occupation of our Kiuklang property by soldiers and the servants'
difficulties there in the school. Working here we have been able to get
promises and the beginning of aetion to relieve them at Kiukiang, but the
action has never been fully carried out. Rather, as the days go on Kiu-
Klang seems to be getting more and more out of hand.

Here we are still quiet, evem more than usual since the military
activity stopped. Our schools have opened with very satisfactory enroll-
ments and a most gratifying good spirit among the students. My Sunday
School class this morning was twice as large (the first day of. voluntary
attendance) as it has been hitherto. Religious courses are drawing the
students better than we had dared to hope. Of course there 1s plenty. of
room for a change, but we are vastly encouraged by what has happened.

As we observe the general situation it seems to be 'running true to
form', An observer of Ghina's affairs just now neede to keep in mind the
status on which Russia's activity in China is based. The revolution of
1911 wags disappointing to Dr. Sun and to many others, beeause of the
corruption and militarism which crept in and characterized the movement
almost from the start. For 15 years belligerent tuchuns raged and roared
upfiand down the country for no end except their own private gain. The
Nationalist group worked and waited in Canton but were unable to find
enough pep to put their ideas across until a chain of circumstances led
Dr, Sun to see that in the Russian Communists he had a group of people
with the enthusiasm of martyrs and willing to propogandize anywhere. He
therefore coneluded an agreement with them whereby they pep up the army ~
to make it courageous and devoted, and in return they have licence to
propogandt ze among the people. However, we are told on the other hand
that the Kwomingtang, the political party of the Nationalists, opposes
Communism but are bound by this agreement. Coming to the spring of 1927
they seem to have their military alms pretty well accomplished as far as
the Yangtze, as there remains only the capture of Nanking, and we are told
that the high leaders in the party are now beginning to turn on the
Communists to put them out. They are finding, though, that even in a

270227 p 2 .

moderate stronghold like Nanchang the spread of Communism has been raoid
and it is not clear yet what the comparative strength of the two parts
of the movement is. Surely this is a most important matter. If these
folks do not destroy Communism, Communism will surely destroy them!

As to Christianity, I believe it cannot be destroyed, but it is absurd
to thinc that a definite movement against religion can possibly fail to
have a profound effeat on the course of a nation's history. Even under
a Gommunistic state it is possible to keep alive a true and deep relig-
ion, but I think that the adoption of Communism would mean the end of
foreign activity in Mission work for a lomg time. The church would at
once come to a house-to-house basis, for they would loge at once all
property, and it is certain that the weak brothers and sisters would
droo away at once. From my observation I believe that our church in
Kiangsi could stand even such an ordeal as that and come through still
Christian and essentially sound, but I pray God it may never come.

No letters have come from youfduring the week, and I think I have
had none since I wrote on the 13th. Doubtless events in Shanghai have
caused the holding up of mail there. We hear the Kiuklang postoffice
is full of mail umable to be moved up or down river.

Rereading, I see that I did not finish my remarks on the other
page. We believe here that with the fall of Hangchow the embarrassment
to Shanghai e¢ame from the large numbers of defeated northemners trying
to get imto Shanghal for 1 loot} 2 protection from the southerners.

The conscriptions seem to me to have been among foreigners primarily to
handle these defeated northern soldiers. With the approach of the
southerners to Shanghai itself the situatl@nm will be different. The
Nationalists will doubtless demand the coneessions, and now that the
Chen-O'Malley agreement has been signed I anticipate mo difficulty in
theiy making an arrangement for Shanghai simtlar to the Hankow arranges
ment, Therefore the situation will change at once to one of negotiation
ingtead of armed conflict, a change vastly for the better. Whether or
not there will be a fight for Naeing depends om Chang Tsung-chang. Sun
CGhuan-fan is now out of the running, squeezed out just as he squeezed
out Wu Pei~fu last year. ‘The real tussle with the Communists will

come ag goom as the Yangtze military situation is in hand with the
adjustment of Shanghai problems and the aaqhisition of Nanking.

Last week I wrote that. I had gent out some of my stuff. Somehow
wires got crossed and Holland brought it all back from Kiukiang. I
am not attempting to send it out again, thoggh, until we learn more
about the outside world. There have been vigorous and stringent pro-
clamations put up to protect foreign lives and property from all.
forms of molestation, and whatever may be the conditions elsewhere,
here at Nanchang we are all right now and there is absolutely no in~-
dication now that the situation here will change. As long as Nanchang
remains the moderate center of Nationalistic China we are safe and see:
cure. Chiang Kial~shi still has his headquarters here, and he is the
real moderate leader, so far as we can learm. The eivil officials have
moved to Wuchang.

The weather here for days now has been wet and disagreeable. We
had sunshine for one morning, but rain end snow has been the tale the
rest of the time. It ie our glorious spring. If it runs like other
aprings, though, we shall have a March with wind and rising temperature,
a few Lovely days, more pleasant weather as the month grows old and
April should see the end of our real cold. May and early June are apt
to be humid.

This is, I guess, about the outlook for this time.

rcieng owe ef cae, Ou Lots of love,

‘at ont oeserenn eobeeng }. ;
fin Lebish Eodacng 20 = grag seal,
4 rn aaa] ? Sud

DF meot

Mrs, Brown
Mr. Brown
Mr. Fondell
Dr. Gale

Miss Guffin
Mme. Ivanoff
Mr, Johannaber
Miss Macklin
Mrs. Mee

Miss Moore
“Mrs. Morgan
& Miss Posey
Mrs. Rice

+ Dr. Swan

Dr. Thompson
Mrs. Thomson

Nanchang, Ki.,
Mareh © 26.
Dear Folks; - iB Be Bee
After a few bright warm days, the clouds have again re~

turned and apparently the rains are again upon.us. The spring 1s

often like that here, but we are expecting that more and more the
pleasent weather will prevail. Last year we had a cold and late

gpring here, and should have a pleasant one this year. We shall see.

Our local, newspapers report that communication with Shanghai is
again interrupted, both by mail and by telegraph. The big boats seem
to be travelling om the river, however, so I take it that they have
had another disagreement about carrying mail, or else that the post»
office strike has been resumed. At any rate I am not hearing from
Glella. Last Wednesday 1 had three letters from her, and Thursday
three more, and that is the last mail of amy kind I have received
excepting one solitary letter this morning from Kiuklang. However,
in the big mail Tuesday (I guess 4t was not Wednesday) I had about
a months letters, including some from each of yous Even if there arg
irregularities, eventually it all seems to arrives E am glad you
keep on writing without discouragement.

So far as I ean tell, Clella and the kits are still in Chinkiang,
and are safe and well there, exeept such poor relations as colds, ete.
There is a vast amount of silehse here about Shanghai and its environs.
This morning we had a report that the northern troops are again taking
the offensive and have plunged back as far as Sungkiang, between
Shanghai and Hangchow. From what we have seen here within six months
it is hard to persuade ourselves that the militarists present an
insuperable problem to the Nationalists. Their real tussle will come
when they attempt to take accounts with the extremists in their own
ranks. The source of their woes is many versts away, and our cousins
across the Atlantic have rendered a signal service to humanity by
their actions of the last few months here. gome few keen minds are
coming to see that the source of anti»British propoganda, im the
Orient at least, is not really in China but has been 4mported from
the greatest enemy Britain (and in the longrun America) now has, the
domain: of the Bear. -

School ig still going well, but there is appearing a considerable
amount of disaffeation and lack of discipline, These are difficult
times, but I am by no means turning to pessimism. However, we may a8
well make up our minds that we are facing a different day in China.
Johnson and I were discussing only this noon that there seems to be a
vast difference in viewpoint between orient and occident. Their ideas
of land tenure, of capital and private property, of demacracy and
public office as a public trust seem in many important particulars to
be horizons away from what we have from infaney taken as the heaven»
givenwandwonly~correct views. It is very possible that we shall face a
conception whereby we hold title to land, for instance, by the tolerance
of the state only, the state retaining the power to revoke title at
any time for any reason or no reason. In many ways the Soviet system. of
government is congenial to Chinese thinking, and 1f so we might as well
acknowledge it and make adjustments accordingly. After all, even tho
-I am so convinced ef my ideas that heaven and earth caahd not shake ae.
the final determiner will be in China what the Chinese people need, want
and insist on having. Hence if we are tolerated and receive treatment
which is not diseriminatory against us, that is perhaps all we can
expect. Doubtless Mexico will furmish a test case before China 1a able
to settle down to any definite land policy.

Tam well, but want to see my family again. They left here the
last of January, and I have been weeping in silence for more than a
month now. I shall mark one of these letters via Siberia, and should

like to know how they reach you.
Love | (

EE ON

flanchang, Kiengel,
Mareh 6, 198%

Dear Priends,;

thie afternoon one of our WP gd. Missionaries sald to me,
"My oplaione are changing so fast that J an just kweping quiet", Yhevre
oartainly ig a great temptation to do just that vow in this new and thrill
ing China, Hach day, sometimes each how brings a new grist of develop~
ments, some pleagant, gome otherwise, but all important, :

Tn Wenehang our work le going on ag usual, Wa had our mild-
tary experiences four. and six inenthe ago, and are nha: gown to the
work of tha new term, In the Academy T am: now teaching Six classes and
finding it a full schedule. Ouv enrollment is not as largo as in gaptamber,
bot: we have more than we really expeqted ip view of the anti-Christian agt.~
tations end the general feeling of uncertainty as to the future of Christian
institwtions. Up to the present we have found the atultuda of the yablon-
alist officlale favorable, and thave ig no veason now apparent why our
school and hospitals should not continua thelx work in the futwre much
as in the past, ,

Perhaps the most significant chenge whieh we have made ig in
line with the regulations of the government, both of pile | and of canton,
making our religious dndtvuction and worship, sunday gehool, eto., entiraly

. Mon Tequived. Bor most of theee activities we have’ provided al temative
courses, @.¢. ethics for veligion, philosophy for gible study, ete, ete,
Por the present wa (4nd) that the clagsee in religten and pible study are as
full as before under tha old eompuleory system, while ‘the attendance at
Church and sunday seheol while not unanimous, Le sthll very encouranging,
More. than. this, in my: own classes ~ find an interest in Satigion reater
then [ had known befexe., gome students who have ehosen my class la ve-
Vigton, protege thewsdlvds atheleta, ~ cannot understand such ehoo@ing
religion except von hedut~-hunger which for some reason they are too proud
to admit, They very. much need your prayars,

Now that ‘the schools ava no longer to vaquire attendance on
religious exarei@es of courses, a great burden for the evangelization of
the boys and girls, i.¢, tha future chuxych, falle on the pastors and on
the ‘homes now Ghyistian. My aaynest dasiva ia to see developed in our
schools courses in religion the strongest and moet aviractive possible,
and with aqual pece @ Sunday school and as means allow @ weak-day achoel
of religion in each Church, and a mightily epivitual family alter in each
home, ugh @& program Will in@ure, I believe, a epliitual ehurch in the
next generation, the ehildven of Ghriutians make far stronger Qhrietians
and leaders in soolgty in Ohina, as a rule, than thq ahilaven of non-
Christians, Pray for the suecass of such a movement,

5 ‘ vee. Brown and the childven are in Ohinkiang for the time
@ing.

fours in Wis Kingdom,

Pred R. Brown

Nanchang, Ki., March 13, 1927.

Dear Folks;~

At about 6;15 this morning I awoke to see the room flooded
with glorious sunlight. At 9;30 it was raining hard, and thunder
filled the ears. Now, nearly noon, the sun is trying again to struggle
through the elouds. It is about time that our winter stopped, and I
suppose that each day will pring us nearer the warm weather. The fire
in my study has stopped its continual roaring and I use it only
occasionally. Another month should see the end of fires for warmth here.

The calendar tells me that Clella and the children have been
gone for six weeks. For several days I did not hear from her, but
Tast night ber letter of the 6th came indicating all about as usual up
to that date, Doubtless today some time several letters from her will
pile im. It generally goes that way. I should have today, if service
were normal, her letter of the 10th or perhaps of the 11th.

We are peacefully going along here im Nanchang. Each day is full
to the brim with work, and if there does happen to be a breathing
spell, there is always 'the situation' to talk about. The Nationalist
army seems to be forging ahead on its predetermined program in spite
of the formidableness of its northern foes and of internal strain and
dissension. The swing and zest of a military movement seems able to
carry along much that would wreck a more peaceful activity. Is not
this 'as it was im the beginning’ though? With all the horror that 1a
war, still the appeal of martial music, the sight of eolorful banners,
the rhythm of- marching and even the fury of combat make a tremendous
pull on any heart with red bload in it. We are now im the midst of a
three-day commemoration of the death of Dr. Sun. This morning I saw
a big group of workmen headed by a dozen soldiers, on their way into
the city. For an occasion like this they get up huge parades, in
which eack parader carries a banner with some sentiment(Sloganish, to
pe sure) written on it. Following the parade’ the people are taken ta
a monster mass-meeting, impressive from its very numbers. At the mee~
ting sppeches are made, generally snappy, about 10 minutes each, and
full of pep, of which the climax is often a series of impassioned yells
from the orator, e.g. ‘DOWN with impertalism! AWAY with the unequa.
treaties} That LITTLE piece of NOTHING Sun Chuanefan} WHAT are we going
to do with HIM? That running-dog of the ENGLISH! And CHANG TSO-LIN
the arch»fiend’ DOWN with capitalism! UP with the workingman:', etc, etc.
That there is a curlous monotony and dearth of imagination about this
is apparent to neither the speakers or listeners. The psychology of
the curbstome is fully satisfied, go why whould they wory about anything
else? Thus far they seem to understand their business thoroughly.

During t he week our new commissioner of the postoffice arrived.
He is an American, Mr. Arlington, and is 71 years old, but still spry.
He is a bachelor and comes here after long service in many positions in
the far Kast. Of a totally different stamp from Mr, Gwynne who is
leaving, I wonder what the effect of the change will be. Mr. Gwynne is
@ quiet man, a professing Christian, fond of what we ¢all culture,
while Mr. &rlington is a more active man given rather, I should judge,
to business and political activity. Gwynne is more social. There has
peen a lot of talk about turning foreigners out of the postal service
here, but since the postoffice is not a money maker, and since the
foreigners are appointees and officials of the Chinese government, and
not responsible to foreign powers, I presume that changes will be less
violent than in, for instance, the customs service.

- J am well and as happy as the ciréumstances will let me. Felix
our cat has returned and is sleeping by the stove now. Johnson's cow
was found and returned during the week. That gives me some hope of

seeing our cows again.
nh )

Udy act Boe whi rac ai 9 fe acetal ot Goan Maas ones cif antl fbi bu

pdrowth ordhan, A&M; Thursday, Mareh 24, 1927.

It had been evident for some’ weeks that the South would eventually
take Nanking. That was what most Chinese and foreigners greatly desired.
Even though their armies and’ thely agitators had gone to excesses In Hunan
and Fukilen, there were meny sections where this had not been true, and*
there was plenty of ground to believe that the armles moving toward Nanking
were of the more moderate stamp and that Nenking might make the transition
with a minimum of disturbance. Most forelgners preferred to remain and
take a chance than move to Shanghai or elsewhere. When the Southern armies
were outside the walls of Nanking and flring could be heard, the Consul
ordered women and children to the gunboats. 2 had called up Vice-Cconsul
Paxton some hours before the order and told him that in the event of such
an order we would find it immossible to go, due to the serious illness of
Mrs. Brenton. It wag monday evening when the order caine out and Tuesday
when most of the women and children went to tne boats. Wwe were secretly
glad thet we did not have to go, and other familles, too, were glad of
excuses to remain. :

On Wednesday evening word got around that the Southern arules were
about to break In at several of the gates on the south side of the eity and
that the North was in retreat, Word came from the Uonsul for all foreigners
to concentrate at s.few designated places. There was nothing else to do
but tell mother (irs. here the! situatilon==for we nad carefully kept all
military news fro her for two weeks-+, taxe her out of bed and over to
Bowens. Trunks and suitcases had been ready for some time and we were off
in a few moments. We wenb acrosa the bacx way, other riding in our own
tiobha, We could heay random shots In the direction of Pehitenchaa.

4s we went across the hills the conviction grew on ime that after
getting the family safely placed at Bowense-a place, we thought, that would
be secure against an} disturbance--I should go pack. bo Hang Linen and stay
either in the school or La our home, in order to be on hand in case any
trouble arose in the school. elen (irs. Pryor) agreed to my proposald and
so I went back and stayed ab home that night.

Three or four times on Tuesday and ednesday { had asked our ricsha man,
whose home was outside our coapound, if he wished to move hie family in. for
safety. He was always polite and said that he did, but he never moved in.

He evidently had some inkling of coming events’

Aboub elght o'clock the next isorning (Thureday) L saw six or eleht
soldiers come down the hill back of our place, march up to the schoal gate
and demand admittance. I could see from where I stood that they stood
outside the main entrance to the building, fired a few shots, wd then went
in and broke down the door to the office. I[ learned later ti they had
asked for the foreigner, and on the oretense of looking for searched the
atudents' rooms, incidentally picking up valuables belonging to the stue
dents, as well as searching their persons.

The soldiers soon came out of the school and knocked at Dr, James' wate.
He wags. out in the yard and aame and opened the gate, They searched his
person and toox him into the house Scores of people had gathered almost
immediately and they followed into the yard and into the house. [t was
only a minute or two until T saw people begin to issue from the house
carrying articles of furniture, disheg and food. ky first thought was that
the soldiers hed impressed these veople to come out and carry supplies to
their camp. Sut when [ saw people come out and run down the street with
their pluitder, and others go in and do likewise, I knew that the people were
out for themselves.

* .
Before long I sew a young soldier come out of the house leading pr.

R.d,P.2 :

James. Oubside he took Dr. Jamas by. the throat or by the collar and tried to
make him get down.on his Imees or on his hands. In his hands was a lagee
sword which be flourished wildly about and with which he occasionally struck
“pr. James. Dr. James told me later that the soldier was trying to make him
bow down to have hig head chopped off! My attention was soon called to
something else and I did not see how Dr. James got eway.

When the soldiers left the James they went to pr. howe's house. The
gate was Locked and. they went around the corner toward the hill and
knocked down the wa The soldiers and the rabble rushed in together. 1
could not see Lt the soldiers dod there but the rabble began their same
work of destruction, carrying off furniture and other th 8 from the house.
Ib was not long before they n tearing down doors, breaxing 1n windows,
and even taking, oul the fraeiias.

{ watehed these activities for n
was plenty of time to get over the w » but why did I stay? Bee#
cause. I thought at these were Nerthern soldiers getting what they could
before they would be discovered by the Gouthermers who were then supposed to
be in the city. And because £ kaew that when the Southern soldtera found the
Northerners doing this sort of t they would quickly dispose of them, It
geemed worth while to stay.and protect my pL ron the rabble in the hope
thet the Southerners would get to our section of the elty before the looting
Northermers could get to my house.’ I therefore kept our gate locked to keep
the rabble out, but ve lao isu (the house hoy) the key with Instructions toe
unlock the gate when I told him. , I also opened a trunk bhat had a silver tea
get in it. : .

ty op tilrty winutes., There

My reasoning about the haste of these soldters proved to be wrong. They
were in no hurry to move on. toward Hslaxwan, They came to the gate and
hammered with the butts of thelr rifles. Lao lisu,ran to oven it, but before
he could get 1 open one of the soldiers had climbed the L, with ¢ydy the
whlling assistance of some of the rabble. 3 was standing on the front pporeh
to recelve them, but he waa In no mood to be received. His face was that of
a demon. He demanded in most threatening tones why had not opened the
gate, wherekpon in the twinkling of an eye he proceeded to render hig own
verdict of the watter by raising his rifle, polnting Lt at uy chest and
pulling the trigger. lWortunately for me the shell wes a bad one and did not
go off. He instantly threw ln another shell and repeated the attempt. This
fine the shell was a good one and went off, but by this time others had
entered by the gate and as the shell went off a passing soldler brushed the
gun to one side ard the bullet entered the door behind me. The would-be
dlayer was not to be daunted in his determination to get revenge, and after
gaining the porch was ready to fire point bla at me asain, only to have
some one knock his rifle up as he fired, the bullet lo ~ in the facing
above. Still he was not to be deterred in his purpose. He pulled an ugly
dagger from a sheath ln his legging and ade ready to put Lb into operation.
During this time, which wes only a few seconds, 1 kept telling them that 1
had prevared for them by opening a trunk conbaining silverwore and the safe
eontalning cash. The other ¢ ers wore wore eager to get thelr plunder
than see ® comrade avenve 8 personel grlevance. and they rushed me into the -
house and uo to the trunk. That was the last L saw of the soldier who had
my number. Before takir the things in the trunk, however, they relleved me
of my wedding ring, glasses, small. change and wetch--a cheap one I was
carrying for ~A/ just such an occasion. After giving them the valuablefrom
the second floor £ took them down and opened the save for them, and there
they found all our wedding sliver and about twenty dollars in cash. | They
demanded more and i declared that they had 1t all now. ‘hey soon went out.

After these soldiers had gone i puszzled about them. Their uniform
were nothing different than i had geen before, but Chinese soldlere many
times wear what. we would call non«regulation garments, therefore I did not

Rad. P.3
attach any significance to this detail. But on their caps and shoulders
they wore no devices of any sort, and I looked for these at one time, But y
their dialect was nothing Ehat f hed heard before, end £ had had the greatest
difficulty understanding then. I knew that thelr dialect was none of t&e -
Northern dialects that i have ever heard. But I was still convinced that they
were Northerners, because we were expecting only Tooting from retreating
Northermers, I may aay here that in the afternoon { found out from the
datudente that they were Southernerg; that while in the school the soldiers
told the students that if they had had up the RevolutLonary fleg they would
never have entered the school. The flag was soon at the school gate.

Vhen the soldiers were well

out the gate I went about the house watching
the rabble work. I avproached a man. who was trying to shoulder the Living
room rug and said to i "You know that this is not yood business. Did we
ever go to your house and treat you this way?" jlo Lumediately dropped the rug
and went out like a. dog. Others followed him. Many 1 had simply to
Took at end they ‘heads and departed. Phis method was effective
till f arrived at store room where sone half do coolie. women and ‘a

man or two were wading around in itereinch of kerosese loading. up with
provisions. Jf coaxed them for a time, but could not dislodge them

until a more frienc 1 yerhaps one whth more authority, canes .
along and told them to g phem out the ¢ door and around
to the front and every one left. ‘ d

Still thin , that the soldiers work in our sectlon were Northerner
I asked Leo jisu any one could run over toward twa Pal Sou and tell the |
Southern officers about our predicament and get them to send a detachment to
our aseietance. He looked at me for a moment and sald that such a request
would be useless. te wu a me to taxe any veluables { might nave left and
Wide them more securely. I told him that 1 had done all I could several
days before. He wented me tbo do something so Lf told hia to take the bed :
clothes to his room and the mattresses and a trunk to the atthe which he did.
He urged me to hi wn the attie and & tol im Lt would be useless 1f our
house was treated Like the other two.

About this time the chief police officer of our section came In and
apked what had beer. done. We showed him around a little, letting him view
the wreck, which at that time looked pretty bad to us, but witch proved ta,
be insignificant compared with what was to follow. The officer remarked on.
‘how bad the situation was, and the soldiers and the people, and then departed.

Before long two officers in dark green uniform, with @ "gun" on their
can devices--men whom I took to be lower officers of the Soubhern army-~came
to the door and wanted to know if any soldiers were In the house. Northern
soldiers T sunnosed they were Looking for. f was go glad to gee thei that ~
almost grasped thelr hands, I sald to them, " You are from the Southern
army, are'nt your? That Le fine. Tf certainly am elad to see you. Now we

are safe! Sone Af Norbhern defeated soldiers have just beeu here and taken
all my valuables and done the same at those other two houses. | They have Juat
gone around that corner. if you go fast you can catch thes" ‘hey bowed and
deoarted.

Soon another group of soldiers entered the compound. Their uniforma

were the game as the first group, but these had "suns" on thelr caps. I
thought they were coming on a friendly mission, and ent down to welcome —
them. They greeted me courteously enough and said thet (1?) was wanted at
the Red Grose. { told them that T was willing to go if necessary, but that
if I went the “peh sing" (common people) would come in and take my things,
We went inside and closed the door to Keep the people out. One’ of then
quite politely helped. me off with my overcoat. end then did likewise with my

coat. He asked for my trousers. I asked him to come up stairs and I
would give him another palr just like them. We got to the head of the

RJ oP 4 ; |
staire and another group of soldiers were trying to open the attie door. |
They told me to open it, which'L aid by foreing 1%, since { had lost my 4
house and trunk keys. they said they wanted two things--revolvers and |
money. I told them that the first group of soldiers had taken all my valu-
ables, but that I would oven some trunks of clothes for them.

I had intended to have these trunks open, but for some reagon had not
done lt. I searched two or three times through my pockets and through the
pockets of my coat and overcoat which one of the soldiers carried, Looking
for the keys, but failed to find them. I kept telling them that the trunss
contained mostly clothing, waich they kept saying they did not want. However
they insisted that the trunks ke opened for their inspection. One started to
henner the locks with his rifle and another tried to cave in the sides,

Both worked for some tine without matsing much impression on the trunka. 1
ola. then to re and let me try it with a piece of gas pipe, which J

ped on my own trunk-#a large “averl o", [t took
twenty-Pive or “thirty heavy blows before the Lock yielded. The soldiersdid
not know how to get out 2 at go IL did it for them, and showed them that
there was nothingbut clothes, as I had told them. also offered to onan the
other trunks lf they wished, ‘put declared that they contained clothes,too.
They did not wish to walt to have them opened. I also kept telling them that

. the only other »lace where we kevt valuables Ln the house was in the safe, and
that E would open that for them when they wished, to show them that ib, too,
was empty,

By this time the house was full of veople carrying off everything that
gould bepicked up. Some of the ddorgs had already been wrenched off their
hinges and tbe books thrown out of the shelves to get the wood of whichthe
racks were made, The safe d been knocked over and was lying with its door
on the floor. With tho as ance of several soldiers we set “ht up again, and,
I opened it. As I had told them, it wasempbyf Needless to say the soldiers
were mad at this. ere they had worked for some minutes and found nothing. of:
value to them. Then for ten or fifteen minutes ensu . lively scene tn which
they demanded money, and ? sy would me. This occurred
etaht or ten times, and near they backed me off toward the wall
and one man would back off, ra unosnd prepzre to shoot. Hverytime T
told them to g° ahead and shoot, often another soldier would step in
and aay "Don't sheaot".

The thing that supprised me et the time and has gurorised me as I have
thought about it since, wad the tobal absence of fear and a strong sense of
seoublity. My ibn WE, fy and [ was verfe Ly selfepossessed, This was
true from the tlio st soldier cewe t | finally got rid of the
jast ones.

After arguing with the soldiers for soe fifteen minutes I began to see
that they were not nrenaring to take a negative a 3 and that £ must do
gomething. I sald to them,"Forelgners do not bury their money in the ground
Like Chinese. lost foretgners elther keep thelx money and valuables in a
gafe ln the house, or in the bank. I have alr y opened the safe for you
and you see that At is empty. You looked in our trunks and found only clothes,|
Wow, 4£ you can Pind our ch book in this mess on the floor I will write you
a check and you can io down to the bank and get the money." Whereupon fT
began to search among my booxs and pavers, whish seemed a foot deep om the
floor, for my check -b They stood for this only a few seconds and they
told me to get un ond tae them to the bank, T gaild thet I would gladly ga to
the bank with them 1f they wished, but that I was afraid the bank would be
closed, and furthermore it was nearly five Li (one @ half miles). to the
bank. They said to wet out and go, and I did. .

Our march was down the main streets to Pelmenchao. Shortly after star-
ting the soldiers got a small boy of fourteen or fifteen to lead them. What
PS
he actually did was to follow along behind mé and verlfy the turns. Several
times along the way I thought that I was going to loge them, when they were on
the point of following other pursuits, but each time they were SROOUREHSE. by:
gome of the rabble who followed to keep after me.

The streets were heavily Lined with peonle. They had soon learned, if
they did not know in advance, that the drive that day was exclusively against
foreigners and therefore it was safe for them to be out watching the show.
Occasionally I sew someone in the crowd whom I recognized, but for the most
part my eyes were on the road some distance ahead and not on the people near by
The cwowd wes silent. Except for an occasional "¥ao pi ta"(high node) from a
smell child not a word wes spoken as I vassed, On the streets we passed dozens
of groups of soldiers, six or elght in a group, all carrying loot. They were
mixing in with the peonle and the people were not afraid of them. All these
groups were wolking calmly about ag present occur lon Was an every
day task with them. There ¥

were no officers in evidence,

When we arrived at the bank I turned in and stopped, but my followers
eontinued on down the street, turned off to the side and stonnped. f.gaw that
several officers had been following us in rlexehas for sowe distance down the
street, and it was evident that the goldiers ¢ not wish Ad to be found with .
me, therefore.they had passed on by, let the officers pass, and. then came back
to me. Gome of the bystanders told me to run while the soldiers were on down
the street, but £ was not sure of the temper of the crowd and did not wish to
risk it, knowing that the results mlaht be disastrous if. i-feiled to make my
escape. dl Y

The soldiers told me to call out. I gaid in an prdiiary tone, “Me. Chen,
I have been forced to come down heve and write gome check Gan you give me a
check book?" Soon the door onened; and one of the clerks appeared The sol.”
diers shoved me through the door and f 6 e clerk explained thet they
were closed and thet they had no Ine told hla my predicament’ and”
asked for a cneck book a0 that 2 could ¢ ge imen some checks and they
could come another day ani yet the cash. He gave me a book. The soldlers
wanted a thousand dollars. I told thet [T had only about 7300 in the
account and that Lf check were larger than the balance they could not get
eny money. I wrote a @300 check and gave i bo the leader, Then another
soldier wanted a like amount and the third and then the fourth. Perhapsthere
was also the fifth. { told each one that they could not get money on the
checks, but they wanted them anywe, .

The soldiers then went after the clerk and demanded cash. jie remonstrated
with them saying that there was no money in the gafe, and furthermore this was
a Chinese bank and that no foreigners were connected with it (the
being tt they were gunposed to bemaking, demands only ou forelL
Chinese). { also vouched for the clerk's statement, but they were not to be
awayed by such excuses. After much storming the clerk offered to get the key
to the sate if two soldiers would accompany hii, which they did.

While we were waiting, there wa ) time when all the gota lers were out of
the bank, That seemed to be tay et to escape. { ran back through five or
aix “taing"( rooms) until £ ca back yard where I found several servants
I esked them where I could. t to. They said that [ could hide in the
store next door--Tsel, Hwa--, b t could not run to oven country fram
there. I gtarted in when 11 at onee £ gob en impulse not to do this but go
back and take my chences with the soldlers. I knew thet if my attempted ep-
cape should be unsuccessful they would finish me on the spot. Therefore I
van quickly ¢¢/#4d back v@ the Tront of the bank, arriving just in timeto meet
two soldiorg coming jn, They never knew but what I had been there allthe time.

The two soldiers told me to take my’ keys and try to open the safe. ” The
keys were for padlocks, cuphoards, and drawers in the school office. ixcept

R.J.P.6
for, one Yale door key they were all. gimple plain keys. I went through the
bunch twice trying each key in the safe lock (it was not a combination lock),
Several of the small thin keys, I noticed, would turn part way around in the
lock but would not. open it. After I had failed twice they took the keys, and
with the assistance of a small pen knife or some other small instrument, were
able to oven the safe! I was dumbfounded! Opening a bank safe with a fifty-
gent padlock key! But the clerk was right, there was no money tn it. The ,
soldiers then took a big "tsal tao" ( cleaver) and hacked out the cash box, only
to find it empby too.

hours and got nothing.
and get some money or
ahead and shoot. ~T

same Little boy

Now the soldiers were made. They had wasted several.
They said in effec £,"ALL rlant, you WiLL march back hor
We will shoot you." [ did not tell t nig time to ¢
picked up the check book went of f with then following
wag there to take us back.

Just before we reached the school gate it occurred to me that possibly

e friends could helo me. J asked the gableman to call Mr. Hu
to the g; soldiers told him to open the gate and we went in. They
took me 1. school office and sat own cherie. Several of tha»
students came in and thro their services ae middle men we settled on $300 An
cash within two hours. rogone time Dr. Lo Yang, a friend of the school,
came in and offered to raise the money for me. f thanked hii and promised to
repay him when I could. When he eame back with bhe money in half an hour {
suggested thet he pay it to them as they wa 1 toward the gabe. while they
were doling thig the students put me in a Ch gc robe, gol ie behind the blg
Revolutionary flag, ruaued me through s smell back gate and into the home of a
teacher, where they hid me behind reeds, llere I stayed for three or four hours

Phe

. In the house were a large number of students from the Academy and from
“ing Teh. When it wes safe gome of them would come back and talk to me,
keening nie _ifomred Q8 to what was gotng on. They told me several times that

be off ab twe o'clock, an ng the middle of the
ted that Looting ir i sect Lon was quieting down
and. that only the rabble re still at vk off materials from our
homes. The students brought me tea and rice, fo eh Ll was beginning to
feela need.

Tt was in this place of comparative safety, where I had time to reflect on
the past hours and contemplate tne hours shead that I first began to fear.

From my place of hiding I could hear the shoot! outside and the gnouting, and
the work-of the rabble in Ch'en Ahesiings next door, ly yureatest concern,
however, was nob for myself ff/d bub for Helen nd porothy and mother,

During. various intervals in the morning, du the time i had waited in the,
office I had prayed desperately for them, an nov uy only consolation was in
continued prayer, Th h 16 all had been not only a sense of my own seaurkty
but an assurance tha was Well with then. In thie assurance wag tae
strength that had borne me un.

While waiting, in the offlee for the money Lao lisu and a0 Ghten (our
Yiesha man) had cove La to see what was golng on. If told one of the students
in kne@lish that these men were in the room, and to take one of them out@ide. >
and tell him to go over to Bowens and find my family, tell them that I wag:
aafe, and do anyt oosslble to help them Af they needed 1t. A number’ of
times while behind the reeds I told varlous students to look up our servants
and see if one had fone o to Suleo. Finally about three o'clock camp. a
note from Helen saying that they had reccived rough treatment et the hands of
the soldiers, but that they were now all safe eat the University. Thisnews
came af such a relief that I must confess I indulged in a few tears.

Shortly after this Chi Yong-k'an, one of the Academy students, came and 7
sald that’ several of the students had been able to get a "ying"(50Q) soldiers /

if
[

. ® . ti
RTP. i
to-¢ome and live in the school. [ expressed some surprise at this bub he |
explained that this was better than leaving the bullding exposed to the
rabble. He gaid that our school and the University were the only two Church
ingtitutions that had not been ransacked during the day. He further asared
me that the "ying chang"(captain) was friendly toward the students and | :
Kindly disoosed toward the foreigners. He also said that the "ying chang"
was veady bo provide an escort to send Dr. Price, who had been brought in .
from Ch'enAh-mings, and myself to the University. It was with a good deal of
hesitation ai Isgiving that I followed Chi Yong-kan and several other gtu-
denta on to the street again. There we met Dr. Price, and we started up the
street toward the Seminary behind the big Revolutionary flag and armed with
passes frow the "ying chang".

Ne passed scores of goldkere carrying Loot, but none of them molested
ug, nor made reiiarke. When we e

people there told us that 16 would be impossible to get across to the Univer-\
sity because ing between the two places and because they said that ,
shells were ing dropped from Pukow. Ye had heard heavy artillery fire for
helf an hour but the explanation given us was that it was.the Northern dl-
a@lers across at Pulow who hud set un cannon and were firing back on Hsiakwan
and into the city. Several sugsested that it w the foreign gunboats in, the |
river, bub [ was sure that thin was not true. Next day. however, I learned
that it was true, But we in Hangimen did not know where Lt was from, and
the people along Sz Kan Kan Tz were going, about quite unconcerned, as were.
the soldiers. en we found 1t exixr Ly dangerous to vet across to the
University we decided to go back to the Acadeny and stay there for the night. |
ag the Ying Chang had Invited us to do in case we could not make 1t tothe:
University. Before turning back, however, nulled a note from my packet.
which I had written just before starting and gave it to our faithful riekshe
man, Lao Chien, who 8 following along behind, with an urgent request that
he make a strenuous
possible.

&
rb to get the note across to iielen that night if

When we got
stairs looking
that the Yi ad been very considerate.
downstairs for his troops and left the second floor for tho stu@ents. He had
aleo offered to buy eleht niculs of mice we had laid in for use tn caseof a
selge. The students treated Dr. Price and me royally... They brought te -.
water for washtig, tea to drink, and food to eat. They even went into their.
rooms snd shared their bedding with us.

Before dark Lao Caten returne
they were all safe and falrly ¢
had gathered in Bailey Mell. I

with @ note from iielen, stating that
and that a great many forelgners

L .d Ch'en end two of the students a9:
bout a box of school mo: I had hidden in the attie behind a chimney, and
asked them to go over before dark and see Lf by any chance the ‘box had been
overlooked by the rabble. After returning twice for more explicit insbruc--
tions as to its exach Location they found the box, toox it to the home of
mr. Wang, t school treasurer, and counted the money. There was $630; the
amount we had put in it! f bad thought of this box of money while I was
bargaining with the soldlers for my ransom, but I felt that if © started to
dig around and find hidden treagure after declaring for two hours that I had
none, I would be given the opnortunity to continue to dig around, and fl-
nally find myself in the same positionas L was then-- asking someone to raiee
cash for me. Therefore I decided to let the box go, even though there wit
seemed to be every chenee of the rabble finding it. ~

After dark the Ying Chang came to our room, and after a few simple
greetings said he wished to talk with ue for a while, We Listened while he
leunched into a long explanation of the purpose of the Revolution and an
account of ite glorious progress ‘thus far! He then declared that what had

rrived at the side gete of the Seminary f

RT PS

happened to ourselves and our homes that day was not a part of thelr "te muh
tih"(large aims), and that he was greatly humiliated and chagrined bhat some of
the common soldiers should get out of hand and comalt such depredations. » He
gaid that we should list up our losses .and give them to his government, whieh |
would reimburse us to the full. At least three tines he made this statement.

He really, then, had acknowledyed that hig men were responsible for the out-
rages during the day, end had really confirmed the report of the students, that |
even the first group of soldiers, whom i at first thought were Hortherners,

were Southermers

X

We fraternized with the Ying Chang for a tlae and while he was preparing.
to go Dr, Pri¢e told him that on our trip to the Seminary and back we had been
told that a number of foreigners were hiding in the Lumediate vicinity, and
would he give permission to the students to go out now and bring sose of them:
im so thot they would not have to stay out in the celd all alght? He veadlly
agreed to the plan. efor 1other hour Dr, Janes, Mr, wancaster, Dr, Goodwin,
Mir. Drummond, ‘ igon had be rathered in. ‘Hach ian had been through
great dangers that y, the accounts of which shell be omitted heres In our.
conversation none of us were able to aceount for the heavy flring in theafter-
noon, Fron our Indew we could see a number of buildings towards <uleo bur~
ning. That , even though our beds were able; most of ua * >
were too Pld of the past dey and too concerned. about oun lies and friends’
to sleen,

Next morning we were prevering with¢ the assistance of a guard from the
Ying Chang to start for the University, gathering up ell the forelgners who
were hiding along the way. dust ap we were ready to start who should walk,
but Dr. Bowen with a number of obher foreigners whom he had already picked
We bade the Ying Chang goob-bye and gtharted for the University, arriving there
with seventeen foreigners.

It ils enough to. say here that heeting Helen ageln brought a joy and 4
gratitude that are beyond words to express. The account of Friday in Bailey
Wall, our trin to Hsal swan, and our trip town the river to Shanghai hes q
already been given by others, therefore I shall not repeat it here. We have 4
nothing but th spest praise and eaporeclation for the officers and men on
the gunboats. ,ook wonderful care of us and brought us to a place
of safety.

ite J. Pryor.

staan) 4h fe fy Heatly

Ou board the U."8. 5. Nor, Noa
Nanking, March 26, 1927.

nd night before

dowa ty

porth out of
d four

This story begins tho night of March 23, The duy
there was fairly steady gunfire owt south cf the oity. brut i
noon or so of the 22nd, .nd tho No: forces degen to 2ov
the city. We expected bad looting c: that ad gut snd
patrols of three men each for ti :
for “ getting out: 2 z en asp
owe section houses end tc Weh GL
Mrs. Brenton end Doctor Pr: ob came to our house
about 6 pm Mr. Pryor them over cud then wet bi.
We sent a patrol of three of our mer.
with Thomson and Lowdermilk. Wo Irot
place @ll night, though ro were occasi:
ee North part ee the Unteerda ay is = 1i
eel looters. 7
Zoe evi custing his end of thor usands of troups g
morning without ony looting in the city that we hb heard of.
6A. Me. our petrol started to climb wp on the ram Tower ~ th
no single shots for over two hours, ‘Ve had getton only half-wey
slope of tho min tower whea thore wes a bus
gun shots ot the I Feng Mon. Apparently th
shots wero fired nosr us, on the north side of the Drum 4
down by tho Hospital, ond wo saw ~ cna heard - ; PrORS Oey uh? J
(infantry, co
then on till oight there was occasionol vith
oll through tho north city ond to the south. :
for we thought sll dangor tnd <All our troubles woro ovor ~ I ctartod ovor
for chypel at 7.50, congratuleting noighbors ead others on onto, Near
chapel I met Dr. Williams cnd Mr. howdermils. Just the waweonea Low
ren up from towards the tornis courta soying pr. Danic wos boing
lootod., Wo throo immediately ron over and found } G Ur. Lamson
and Mr. Speors thore, Mr. Lllick came over ali
ermod soldiers by the back pert of tho D
tie. He shot twico et Mr. Clomons, but heving cif
Meuser pistol, ho missed Me Wo hurried to the s
from Mr. Clomons but firoc one or two shots
us or in our direction and enllod four or five oth
triod to oxplein to them thet the Southern soldier
Mowoxr and that: if they did not run ewey west thoy wou le
thoy were Northern soldiers. Thoy fired off five or
floes, wp in the sir, and we all sort of wont out of ading
tho Deniels' house to in front of the Botes, Wison an peeses, talking
together. On the way Illick's Littic boy stopped out o is oh
of their house snd immodizxtely one of tho soldiers ahot in a .
fortunately not cxactly at him. The bullot, however, hi
foot above the child ond krrocked down pioces of the roof X
into the houso. Wo wont on to tho corner nnd Illick startod to go
his house, but 1 soldicr shorply ordered him beck. They liaod us up
cornor end bogan to tako our watches «nd go through our pockets for monoye
I pullod owt Philipts $2 tngorsoll ond gave it to my searchor. Anvothor wos
teking br. Williams! watch ana_ho was somowhot reluctant to give it up and
eithor™ “this soldier or enother just bohind him shot off his rifle. whothor

“boat

lied been
‘wp bho
machine
a six

ud. four

shots

“2,

ho intendod to hit any ene or not, no one olso will over know. Thoy had fired
a dozen shots more or loss, I suppose, wp to this timo. At any rato Dr. Wil-

liams was hit fairly in the templo end foll end dicd immediately, Tue soldicor
soarching him wont on with tho scarch ashe was lying on his back, and nnothér

wont on searching Lamson. Mine and the others sort of wont on off towards tho: ”

Hummol house, end thesg last tvo in & fow moments, moro cr loss unconcernodly
ond not firigg agoin, showed no morc feeling that Tf neticod them than if thoy
had shot a dog. I started for tho Hospitel for e stretcher, and Lowdermilc
with me to "phono tho Consul. I got as for as tho Nurses compound gote when
several, of our students urged mo most insistently not to go Into the Hospitel
but to go.” to Bailio Hell or homo end romain inside. as Pootors Bronton
and Pryor wero %. . cat. my. homo, I wont on. thoro, not seeing othor soldiors.
Protty soon Mr. Glomons ond Mr. Reisnor camo in, and vlso Miss Van Vliet and
Wiss Hunt end Mr. Speors, pretty much wrought up, as thoy had boon. to goo if
anything could be done for Dr. Williams, but of course they found him stono
dead. Ghinose toschors (Chang Sing-fu, Lew Tsung-poa, and othors) ond stu-
dents soon carriod him to his home. Bands of soldiors from ono to six or ton
in numbor wore now going obout,in verious compounds, firing rifles ond Idoking
for foreighors to loot and terrorizo. In duc timo . singlo, stupid-looking,
tough one came in via kitchon and I mot him thero and Jed him into tho dining
room. When he got in’he slipped a clip of shells into hig rifle and throotenod
us, demanding "hwa pion." Before this we hed docided to have $5 to $10 on us ~
and hed secreted the rest. The athors wore mostly sitting in the parlor and

U told thom now was the time to sholl out. In. wo hondod over $55 to. ~*
$40 and one or two watchos, but this stupid-looking soldier would not take
dovble dimes nd Left o $5 bili’ lying on“tho dining room table. Ho domandod
more but was not insistont ond soon loft. Bofore ho camo into tho kitchon ho
stopped to feston » Indy's wrist watch on his wrist. Frovious to this, when
ho camo around to tho beck, Spot, (our: dog) showed ko was a gontliomen by ‘rushing
up, barking and growling ond’ abowt to ottack hin. “The soldier sti toll to: Lesa .
wp to shoot him, but the servants eollardd tho dog nnd shut Aim wp in''tho rico
howsd,. ‘Hojws all right atout 3 P, Ms the'next dey “ind the sorvants suggested
wo give ‘him to Moi Pen-shbn, ‘which T 0. K'd. Tho soldiers hod shdt Dre”
Futchodon's im Gog at duge on ontoring his’ compt und, a EES

TA a fow minut og those’ soldi¢rs cfmo around pnd T

{ thoy cano in, Six or, eight of thom... Later, two
ink. “They dehandéd ‘money end we gave th d
led Mord, firing seYorgl shots in the’ cot

Se

every possible way. Ono fired 2 shot or two elmost at Mr. Alspech. Thoy
punched him ond ir. Spocra snd hit thom with tho butts of thoir rifles, but
through it oll thoy did not punch or hit mo. hoy hod with thom two or throe
local rusesls to holp put prossure on us to dig up moro money, 2nd tho whole
punch kept gotting worse und worso und wilder snd wilder. Somo throatoned

us, ond others circulated sround, picking ot whot looked good to them. Ono
took my ovorcont nna f noticed he hd on oidordovn quikt. There woro ton or
twelve civil looters in front, in tho hsll, ond thoy took the things in the
closot, but the soldicrs did not let thom roolly loot till they wore rondy
and through with us. thoy findly got so bed, shooting bout: our herds und
talking about tvking us out in tho yard to shoot us ond carry us off, ono or
two of us, thet ono of tholr better civilion looters advised mo to got out
end hidoe They mede us opcn up our vosts ond pnts, pulled out all our poo-
kots, folt cll over our bodics .nd dowm our logs to find coneonlod loot,

Thoy took Mr. Clemons’ end liv. Alspsch's costs - Clerk took his off to give
thom bat they throw it down Inter. Mr. Roisner faded eway ond vont down by
the sericulture building, into nn outhouse, rnd from thoro, Inter, students
got him to B:ilie Hell. I slippod out rhough tho kitchon and hid in tho

beck of the sorvants' room, Mossrse Clark ond Alspech hod gono up to

Doctors Bronton and Pryorts room, “.end Miss Van Viiot nnd Riss Hunt's roome
Of courso I did not soc whst happened for half an hour op so from thon.

Some of the servants stood in tho sorwents' quartors' door and wore in the room
whon I was, 2nd lator sovoral studonts came from timo to timo. to urge mo to
lic low - which I was willing to do cli right. Inter { learned thet Ir.
Spocrs token out by the soldiors, but viet thoy did to him T hove not
yeard ~ ‘sro too mony tales told about whet thoy did. Hach one hrs his
own tele to tell, ond thoy are oll full of "humon" - ond inhumen - intorost.
Boh ig weiting his own oxgerionce “nd wo shell hopo to got %.lot of thom to~
gothor. About ten soldiers wont up into tho room where Doctors Bronton end
Bryor ond Hiss Von Videt and Miss Hunt ond the Pryor brby wero.& Mr. Alspoch
wad throstonod them terribly, firing ton or twolve shots +11 about thoir
heads, partly stripping Miss Van Vlict to undorclothes, fult oll over her and
felt her sock buckle ond demanded it, or renched down indide end got it (I sn
not certain which). lér. Clark hed gonc up into tho attic to got Dr. Brenton's
weteh end rings from whore ho hnd ooneuslod thom, Mrs Clemons hd gone into
the study snd stood bohind tho door, after a while they el] wont outside ond
shot off quite a lot of shots, possibly to scare off looters who woro gethor-
ings In the maantimo Choo ng~i ond students hed boon frontie lly trying to
got sn officer. About now ry got ono, “nd ho ordered these oight or ton
soldiors to quit ind they obeyed oll right. Fifteen or twoaty minutos loter the
sorvants end ono or typ studonts s-ic it wes Cll right, as “ responsible officer
hod como. TI came in, and fincing none of our perty ¢ $oirs wont wp nr.
found thom ell, excerpt Spoors end Roisner, in thc micdie room, sitting enc
lying on tho floor, sll tll right. Tho studonts with tho officer shen took. us
over to tho ettic of Bailio Hill ~ tho six ox cight soldiurs mookly wolking
along with us - “nd we wont in, whilo the soldiors prosumsbly went clsowhere to
loot. ‘Tho students and toachors wore on tho job gotting other foreigners into
Boilio Hell vith the help of any officor thoy could find. Tho officors could
olways ot oneo control o bunch of oight or ton looting soldiers, oven if unarmed,
showing thot tho soldiers wero not out of control oscopt in so far os was de-
aired by the rool lenders. aftor wo bad beon in Baillo Hall oa couple of

aie

howrs or so, in spito of o11 our students na Chinese te :chors ond friends
coulda do, -nothor bind of fiftoon or tvonty rushed into the builcing. after
shooting quito » lot just cutsido, coma through tho windows ond same in tho
“iy, Sm-shing coors snd gliss in tho ¢, loo.wing for loot. They rushed
upsteirs to the attic ‘ne mde the punéred of@ vomon ond ohildrcn ‘nd men
ovewl out of the smoll roome nd pl:oos uncor the oves end threatened thom
211 vory fiercely with death if thoy cic nut Gig up more monvy. Vory fow

hed ony now, but the soldiers wont through overy ono oxcopt vory smell cinil-
dren end got tho last pickings of money ind wotches. A fev of those proscnt
hed bean in the University cll dey (o. g Mr. Lowdermilk wnt Mr. Portor) snd
so still had e littl Messrs. Roberts and Jonos ond I wore in the south

end of the building, in the socirl hy ll, whon vo hoerd tho soldiers coming.
Tho othors wore in tho north ond of the build slipped kk into: tho
dork pl.cos uncor the onves, end Mr. Rebc I cxswlad up on 1 slenting
berm, ane IT ley sui ke set there for so rorso. Dr. gonos got behind

‘nd under somo stray ine Cork pleco on the other side. To differcnt loot-
ors (not soldiors) ¢ ereud undor Roberts ena myself, stocping to got under
the sloping boan on vhich I S lying strotehed out ond on vhioh Mr. Roberts
8 sitting shove mo. Tho first ono gothercd up the bedding snd 9. few othor
things of » sorv nt or yorkaen who slept there, and tho socond urperontly

g thorod up whrt was Left, but ncither sav us. The studont Chon Wen-hwa, who
Bs beon arrested by tho North ond ¢@ Llifo scversl of us hed beon »blo to
ve by writing letters ond eslling ilitery Governor ond others,
finnlly wes found or found < % "a8 happening in B ilic Hell 2nd ormo
with on offieor ind porsu-ded thoso looters to let up ond leave, Prom then
on we wer. not disturbed; but in oll prob-bility it wos booruss tho British
gunbort just shout berted scver.1 olaces: dard OiL Hill,
whither Consul Devis y ond forty-seven ¢ ther "

a with or

undor £ fire

blo; "nd » fow thor
on’, offeotive barrogs mrvund
the next dey, ofter wo bac
ok in the rfternoon wo
ant out students with on
to bring them in. "Er.
Toh, wounded in the leg
roing, bofore enting,
( ‘Lice over to

ning foreigners over

by soldicrs
uneoweul ly ecw
2

spont a night in Boilic ee nh
checked up to find sut just
officer onc. guerc and, in me
whrailk brought in liiss Moffet in an nuto
ough the staarch, end Miss Nell, cto.
Dr. Ploppor cnc I get stuccnts snd an officer «
Hensigen to try to loonte inc round up cll tho va:
thore, We found Dre Ts. James, Plopper, Mrs. Sen “née pr. Richcrdson
in © Chineso hut ~«t the beek of ¢ hot woter kitchon neoy the Buuth ete
Sunforonac Acetoay, Dre Price essere. Pryor,
nd, heyaonl vr, Buamus Ag Mre St,
Smith fron « ricksh mis “De vol, WILLE
ond Metti from in ompty, n go GOMpound; ond
iiss Mebol Leo in @ hut south of Ying clits - seventuen in ¢ll I think 1
chocked off ng they merohed into Boilie - ¢ good haul ond i
w6 bod hesrd in sovorsl ways thet br. FE ra boon kill a6
nded. Drs Prica : Mr. Pryor brad t rote) times, but that is
nother story enc. oach his own. We shell write Inter nbout those tra
t+ least, During the Cey wo givhor got in nJl the others or had foirly reli-

able inform:tion that thoy had got in with Consul Davis ond party or to Hsia-
lovon. Ir. Diotorich's story will be interesting. I havo not soen him as ho
is on anothor boat, but ho finolly reachoa the woll opposite Mr. Megeo'ts ond
saw tho lending porty of soilors who had boen sont to got Messrs. Magoo and
Poxton. Ho attractod their ettention ond they got him down ovor tho wall.

In tho montino, that is Friday, we woro doing all
possiblo, through toschors snd studonts and officials tho cnnc to "cxplain, tt
to mko tho lntter furnish s guard to oscort us to tho gunboats. Wo nlso
got on officor with cn cuto 6 tekO Mossrs. Roborts and Lowdermilk to Hsiskwan
to the boat to sco Gunsul pavis. AS a result of it oll - and undoubtedly as

a° - Tosult of tho bombardacnt ogpecially -about four or five buglos sound-
ed and the atmosphere cleared up a lot, and about 5.30 or 6.00 o'clock though

tho help of the Chinese Rod Gross or "lan Isa Hweit °', 2 ond its hoed,

Mr. Tao, on old frioné, quito a fow carringcos ond rickshows and a strong
guard to oscort us, overy lost forcignor wos on tho way out of tho city. I
Supposo there wore twonty-five or thirty volking, some of thon women, but en
routo wo got rickshas or mro carriages for thom. I wklicod to beyond tho
Postal Commissionor's residence. At Haiokwan boats from tho ships took us
off to the gunboats. I wont to tho destroyer Noa and was there that night,
comfortable, till about 5 Ps ti. the noxt dey, yostorday, Saturdey, when ell
from tho Non and olsowhere wore put on two British froighters ohd en American
dostroyor to go to Shanghri. I was trken to tho dostroyor Preston, which
loft for Shanghai sbout 5 A. M. Sundry. (todey). Tho tw freighters started
tho ovoning beforo with a British dostroyer -s convoy. Wo prssod Chinkiang
sbout 9 A. Me All foroignors nro out of thore. Quite a fow from Yangchow
got on hore but there aro cight oY nino still thoro. However, our nows that
we fro sending thon will suroly moke them evacunte. Ch inkiong ond Yangchow
‘wont overt and things have started mildly there, ot vith a bang as in
Nanking. ‘They aro trying to got ell foraignors out of the Yangtze valley at
once. We hoar Honkcow and Wuliu are going wild. Apporontly tho Rods and
redieals are in control. Wo are going down rivor ct tho rote of twonty miles
or so per hovr and will got in by 4 or 5 PB. LM. Shall give more dote1s later
though shell be busy buying en ontiroly now outfit, muking out a List of
properties lootod, ete., otc.

Stetement of Miss Goliseh

Our W. F. M. 8. Ladies left for the gtm bost Puesday, March 22, \92 7
at noon. I was ready to go with them but asked permission of Dr. Bowen
(who was in charge of people from our seotion of the city) if I might
wait end go among the last of the group.so as to get as many more
school girls off'to their homes as possible. Dr. Bowen sai many
seople were not going just yet and I might be able to stay a day or
two longer providing I would be ready to go at a moment's notice. I
assured him that I would go whenever I was notified.

When I returned to school classes wore going on as usual and the
girls were delighted, that I could stay longer. They seemed to be per-
fectly confident that I vould not need to wo at all’ and that the
others would return in a day or two.

Tuesday afternoon I went over to swe Dr. Brenton, I also called
t the James home and learned there were still many women and children
well as all the men still in Nanking. ard evening Tuesday,
March 22nd, there was considerable noise of battle going on «nd we
thought the Southern soldiers must be near the city.

Mr. hk. M. Tysinger came over and asked if there was unything
he could do to help. “LT asked him to gleey in our house becatse [

vaunted to be in the dormitory with the girl teachers end students.

Soon Mr. Alex 5, Small omme and said that he had been appointed
by the Committee to-sleep over on our place and help if there wag
qoed, With two men guarding wand Mr. Kiung keeping watch cround the
dormitory, I hed little responsibility, so I went to bed early «and
ad © good rest even though thea noise’ of battle grew newrer ull the
time.

Wodnesday, March 23rd, classes continued. We heard tas shooting
vag from Chinese gun bosts 3 nst the Northern troops. We ilgo

1a4rd thet the Northorn troops were Lighting ugsinst themselves.

5 Dowsrd evening we heard shooting in the city «nd foenred looting.
‘a@ school girls e.thored in the dinine room. Mr” sm-1ll, Me, Tysinger
100k turns keepins ; Mr. Brose slopt in our house, Mr. Kine

nt the night wolking Around in the compound und I sit up with “the
thelgs. we heard ching 2nd shooting, Wo he.r” doting wis going
om oin Hsis Kuan “nd that the Northern troops wero retre.ting, We ex-
seted £11 to be peuceful the next Gay, bechuse Wo heard ths southern
-roops were entering througa the south get.

Thursday, Murch 24th, the throe men nd I n a4 just finishod breik-
<ost sbout 7:30 4. M. when Mr. Sm211 told ms ta.t soldicrs were onter-
ng the Hitt residenes und I hsd better got the girls topather. ho
ion ran over to Hitt and I eslled the girls to coms to the dining
com. In in inatunt the girls h.d me tucked “wey under tho m.ttress
f£ tho metron's bed. I wis covered with bedding -nd girls s.t on the
1de

The men b.rely age.ped being shot; thoy.giw the soldiers break
n the front door of Hitt residence und could io:r doors and windows
ving smoshed 11 over the house.

Parry

Our next hiding pl.ce wis in the teachors' dining room where
the girls surrounded us in perfect confidence that they could pro-
tect us. Then tho first group of soldiers entered our compound ~nd
the girls with Mr. Kiang mot them at tho gito. hoy shot into the
adv and demanded tho foreigners on the place. The girls told them
that tho foreigners living in tho fsculty house had gone to Shanghai.
Their statement was porfoctly truthful becsuse my room wis in the
dormitory. .

The soldiers went to the house :nd broke open the front door,
the girls wont in with thom .nd kopt them from destroying things by
playing on tho pisno and giving them bread and spples from the
kitchen. They wore hungry ind «ta.

; As soon «s this group of soldiers left the girls w.nted us to
hide undor the school building. We run over thors but decided we
would bo found there go wo went biek to the dining room.

Anothor group of soldiers cums and demanded entr nce into tho
school building. Mr. Kitng remained’st tho gate on gucrd, even
though his lifo was in grost denger. ‘The servints «11 truo and
courcgoous, holped Mr. Kinng.

The girls took tho soldiors through Liwrence Hill und persuaded
them to sign « piper that thoy would not destroy tho school building
or the dormitory, ‘They pisted this paper on the gate ind the girls
seceptod it as . sincoro promise.

Tho next.group of soldiers were more rude snd dom:ndod the
foreigners. hoy went to the f.culty house .nd broxe in more doors
windows snd light globes. Tho rabble followed .n@ ¢srried awey overy-
thing they could lsy hinds on, Gvorything wis earricd out of the
attic ond storeroom. Evory gl2ss in the communion got W.8 broken
in pieces, dishes were broken und cirried aw:y, tho men's bedding
was carriad off. Only the hosvy furniture .nd dining room rug which
wes still on the floor wis not tiken «way. :

The school girls hurricd us to the dorm y stbtic and hid us
behind boxes and bundles of bedding. we could ho:r groups of sol-
diers coming in ealling for tho foroignurs. In eash c.so the girls
met thom snd kopt thom from destroying tho school building or the
dormitory.

Tho girls brought us food =t noon ond roport2:d to us from time
to time whit w.s going on. They folt sure wo would be Killo¢ in~ —
stuntly if we wore discovered. We could only writ snd pr:y for safoty.

Then the report eamo from Mr. Kiang that Dr. Willi.ms hid
peon shot snd dicd instantly, .lso thint the Wilson, Mills nd Detrick
housos were being burned. ‘Tho next report from the girls wis th..t
tho dormitory of tho Union Bible Treining School und Hillerost School
were burning.

We fonred our puildings would be burned in spite of the pro-
mise mide to the girls oarlier in the diy. Wa took ropes from bedding
rolls «nd Mr. Sm2ll pl<nned to smish out the tile near us so that wo

naw
sould slide down ropes in case of omoargoncy.

; About 4:30 P. M. we were greatly alarmed by the sound of shell
firing. Wo know it came from. foroign gun bout and indicated a
most serious situstion. :

. Hiding under the roof w.s no longer possible, we went to the
first floor 2nd wondered whit would hcsppson next. when the firing
cecsed the girls, alsrmed lest the soldiers rush in wnd discover us,
once agiin hid us in tho nttic. Reports camo thet Dr. Hutchinson's,
Mrs. Keems and the Leneester houses were burned.

As it grew dark the girls cimo with the glad news thet tho
University students hod planned to bring s oxr snd tuke us to the
University where Americans had assamblod for protection. Mr. Chon
Weng Hwi, one of tho student loaders who so nesrly lost his life
when the Northorn 2rmy were in control, eame to porsonilly escort.
us. When I thanked him he snid Dr. Bowon h.d snved him snd ho hoped
to do wh:.t ho could to repsy such kindness.

Wo were hurried out to the ctirs Whe girls sat on our Ilsps,
stoop on the running bonrds xnd completely hid us. im we renched
our compound gite . group of soldiers were p.ssing and stopped to
inquire whit was goinz on. The girls told thom they were going over
to the Univorsity to the Nationslist hondqu.rters which w.s quite
true :nd satisfied them.

Rescusd poople continucd to come throurhout the evoning. There
wes groat rojoicing ind h:ppy reunions. ‘They carricd Mise 4nns
Moffett in with 2 bd abdomins1 wound and « r in ths log where
she was shot and compolled to turn over one thouscnd doll.rs Tres-
surers' money sho and hidden cwey. fhe people who arrived at the
University ourlier in ths duy had 211 boon searched und robbed
thore snd neirly lost their lives.

We had s heavy gusrd for protection furnicheod us through tho
splendid menagement of the student body of the ™ ‘versity.

Fridsy, Merch 26th, was . day never to be forgotten bec-uso of
tho wonderful kindness shown us by our Chinese Christiim’ frionds snd
studonts. All duy groups of tonchers, students, friends «nd serv.nts
eome. They were heart broken becnuge we were boing forced ‘to le-rve.
They brought bsgeigo they hud risked their livos to 3 during the
looting; they brought their ow zood co.ts snd g.vo them to poonle
who hed been robbed; thoy brought food, hundkerchio2s, towcls und
soap they hid purchnsed for us sven though thoy wore not sure of ever
having smother month's 8 sry.

Cheng Di dio ind tro Hitt students cumo to inquire “bout Hitt
houschold nd to report thit everything «bout Hitt regidsnce was 2
tote] loss. Miny groups of soldicors h.d gono shrough it, searching
for forcimners. ‘thoy broke Mies beickors s-fe, “11 furniture, win-
dows, doors, electric light globes, then tho rabble followed ind
carried everything aWy. Sverything was token from the ~ttic smd the

che

steirwey was torn up by throwing heavy boxes down thom. The Yitt
cook came and verifisd tho statement; his looxs identified the fact
that he hed suffered. He said the servunts lost everything they
had on the place.

¢, Kept tho Hitt school

Cheng Di Jic with a few girls to hslp h
building from baing looted. nus far they w safe and the build-
ing untouched. ‘hers was © fair, however, th.t both this building
and Lawrence H:ll wore boing reserved for quirtering t 3. Troops
wero already quartered in tho ie-demy snd they four Ginling College
has -lso been kept for herdqu.rters of some kind.

3

I could not got directly in touch with students from the Union
Bible Training School, but wis informed by Ginline students thit
tho ontire pliant is : hopeless wrock. fhe @ormitory to the rizht
was burned. The soldiers smashed door und windows in «11 the build-
ings, then the rabble crrrioed everything lnrge snd small,- desks,
chsirs, tobles, window s.shes .nd oven tho floor bourds.
fled to Christinn homes. The College girls think 111 sre s¢

Mr. Kiang, Miss Vwi, Miss fsing nd Miss wei roported thet
plseos were provided for «11 our girls in our own Mothodist homes
in ense troops exme in, but they were quite confident t the
officers from the hi qu.rters in the University could nder sol-
@iers coming in and with Mr. hicsng in charge, school work might con-
tinuc, but I m do them promise not to risk their lives t) ssve pro-
perty or ony of our possessions.

Miss Yuen, Mil “nd Moilien dhune ewme to tell us that thoy,
too, hd suffercd ze y- Their lives were not in but thel
house wes looted snd they lost bedding -.n yo clothing. Thoir
pisnos ond furniture were not touched.

Mr. King's home wis antirely clesred out,- on puilding
weg erved. Hs syent the dy in cur e.tu sving us 47 not know
th t his wife, drughter .nd biby wore in a Chines bat ae. He
would hive been shot s¢vornl times if the girls acd not intercedcd
for him.

Pastor cad Mrs. Lee evme snd roported thit they were safe and
thoir house hid not been looted, but everything wos tiken 1rom st ther
snd Mother Lea's, home by the mob %n@ not by solficee,

I wets not ~ble to lewrn wbout Mre. 9. 2. siu's hom. . The
University Middle School wos loots d. The mob orrri A awey the iron
beds, dosks, chnirs, everything they could ly h nds Bleek
stone house wes ilso burned toward 3voning.

Wor@ e mo from the hospit.1 tht tae sheok from the shooting
vinging through tho University h.2 killed Lo Gen, our faithful o1d
night wrtchm.n, who wes . prtient thore. Our ge sevents hol@ =
funor-1 servios for him in our church cemetery, his own nephew, our
goolic, conducting the service.

abe

about 4 P. M. word o.me thit the American gun dost "Noa"
soul open fire on the city .t 5:30 if wo wore not furnished suffi-
riont gucrd to bring us to the gunboxt. Both the British Emersld,
moriecn No., .nd U. S. 8. Preston were forced to fire the day bo-
ore in order to s:ve « hopeless situ.tion in their consulstes. Dr.
mith, the British dootor tnd « Customs officer had been killed; the
sritish Consul wes wounded, and the Smoric.n Coneul shamefully troated
y Soldiers, but shown ovary Kindness possible by thoir person.1
shinose friends.

At B P.M. th:
3everc] cnrringes enme J
zith children took the cnrring
azin@er wlked.

srty. Those who were ill :nd women
8. Othors took ricksh.s and the re-

I started out wolking.* Lee M., Luthor Ki.ng ad Proderick
tn were with mo carrying my suitesse . gtouwmer rug. Soon they
.0und c riecksh. for me “nd Lee Ma went back to school, but the boys
eciced to escort me until we e.me seross «. esrris At Lu lo I
cransferred with Dr. James snd Miss Clirk to + corr @. Wwe passed
through fields of loot znd hundrods of diszrmed Northern soldicrs.
‘twee 211 2 gight too dreidful for description. It wag 2lmost dark,
ine Siturtion wos tense ona it wes ~ wonderful relief when we resdhed
the river shore whero Amorienn marines were waiting with lnunches to
yvake us to the gun boct.

Iw.s sppointed to the U. 5.8"Issbel", the Admi powte
wmeriesn Consul Davis was also on board snd we .11 received 2. warm
elcome nna saved the city from being shalle Wo lesrmed soon thit
the situation was fr more serious thn we ever dronmed.

At noon S:turdsy, March 26th, we were ordered to trunsfer
to two merchant stemmers “nd proceed to Shangh.i escorted by the
J. 5. 8. gunbont "Preston" cad the British destroyer "Wolsey". I was
a the Hsiu Tse.ne Tah. We hid comfortable plxces to slecp, .nd
] side from oceagion:1 sniping from the shore we wars quite safe.

We reeched Chinkinng by evening ind spent the night there
9ec7uss they thought best to pss the fort below Chinkix in the dvy
vime. The report crme to us there that Olivet Mom 1 School had

deen looted by « mob duriny the dny snd thet presching had bean prop
vibited & for Sunday. :

40 transfor

At 6A. M., Sunday, Merch &7th, wa wars ordsrod
mtloss".

a British Cruiser, 3 Isrge beautiful one, "H. MM. 3.
were taken to the soeinl hill below, the guns .nt or:
tiness to Gestroy the fort if nocossary. Tho British s<il
19t scy "destroy" but “touch it up : bit". wo pissed by the fc
vaacefully «n@ were th.nkful it wes not neocesssry to firo. This
rvuiser is provided with s:v-ge looking six inch zuns of the newost
odel -mé gome smill anti-crift guns.

29:

All dsy we thoroughly enjoyed the hospit.lity of the crew;
vw women have hvd the experionce 21 being on « battleship rosdy for

26x

etion, Three times proparstio wes mode to shell if necessary,
pictures were t kon down, light Blobes were removed <nd wo were
ordered to sit quiet. We wore sstisfied, howsver, to see the immense
puns without hecrinz thom.

Abt 6:15 we transferred agiin to the British Merehint boat
and into Shangh.i <bout 1.30 4. M. Mond:y, March 28th, It wis
Severs] hours later before thy Ismeh o:md to teke us to shoro. We
were received by mmy kind psople und brought to the astor House
where we were provided focd ine . place to rest in their besutiful
reception hall.

I ee nn en rE = Renna Meteo Sr hebescee na eT

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai, Kuso,
April 7, 1927.
Dear Folke;«

Ag some of our friends are leaving on Saturday I am writing
tonight instead of waiting until Sunday, and am asking them. to mail these
letters in America. The Post Office ig in the throes of labor difficulties,
and I fear that mail may be delayed here a lomg while, to say nothing of the
risks of censorship.

At the same time, it is very difficult to write now, things are inf such
a fluid state. Last night came tihe word of the raid ef the Soviet Embassy in
Peking by Chang Tso-lin. To us it seems beyond belief that Chang should do
this on his own hook. The note concerning the Nanking ineident has beem dew
layed so long that some of us are wondering if there has not been a deliberate
slowing-up to give time for this very raid to happen. At least one of the
local papers speaks of British actions at Peking which look very suspiclously
like aiding Chang im his raid. Of course the raiding of an embassy is an act
of war and mo verbiage can camouflage that successfully. Then too we are
sure that Japan has had a hand in this raid. She has her own axe to grind
and take it from me Japan is not the most inactive power 1n the world now.
Curhausly enough, the report further states that Chang Tso~lin had written
permission from the legations to enter the legation quarter, one paper re~
porting that the Dutch mimister had giventhe permission. This is all very
queer imdeed as setting to an act of war. It is clearly now up to goviet
Russia. She breathed death and defiance upon the seizure of Mrs. Borodin
some time ago, and what won't they say now? And do??

Them tonight we hear that Chiang Kiai-shih has iesued an order that his
capital 1s to be established in Nanking with Kwangtung, Chekilang, Fukien,
Kiengesi, Anhwei and Kiangsu as his bailiwick. He is said to have broken
definitely with the cammunists. This is tonight's palaver on the Bund.

Now what will happen? Nanking must be settled for. It is not to be
thought that England and the rest will hold off on that. Peking affairs
come peetty near bringing face to face the real enemies, England and Russia.
Ie Chiamg Kiai»shih able to take on at once the communists, the Great Powers,
and Chang Tao-lin AZY/A¢/pfed? It seems to my humble and clouded vision
that the next move will be some kind of an alliance between Chiang Kal-shi
and Chang Tso~ling. That will leave Japan to take care of Russia in
Manchuria and Mongolia, Japan to receive Manchuria as a reward for service.
England will patrol the Yangtze and take care of Russia above Kiukiang,
while Chiang consolidates to move against Chinese communism at Wuchangfina
other places, and Chang to move his ponderous war machine against Feng Yu«
siang. This may pop off the next world conflict, which I believe will be
between communism and the rest of the world, with England again as a chief
factor, thig time against Russia as chief om the other side, and Americaonce
more tagging im at the tail end. The Nanking settlement will then be
enforced on the communists wherever they happen to be, with perhaps Chiang
offering formal apologies and perhaps some indemnities. If he denounces the
perpetrators as communists and they are still uunder his command he can
immolate them with a cheerful smile, killing three or four birds with his
one stone furnished by Japan!!

In the meantime we are a»settin' here at Shanghai waiting. I am con~
eluding an arrangement to rent this house until the end of June, but you
should continue to address us im eare of Rev.W.A.Main, Associated Mission
Treasurers, 23 Yuen Ming Yuen Road, Shanghai. Many in Shanghai are getting
very panicky, but I see no reason for it. The omly Ure toul ey T see is
some form of labor trouble, and with two rival organizations bidding gor
supremacy, a general strike would be very hard to engineer now. I am very
confident that from a military standpoint Shanghai cannot be taken now. We
are virtually a garrison and can esarry on for a long time.

The next two or three days are telling the story I am sure, and areof
great importance. I am enclosing copies of Dr. Bowen's account and Miss
Golish's account Sf their personal experiences at Nanking, one in each
letter and ome letter without either. Make as much use of them as you please.

Lots of love
“why

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai,
April 8, 192¢.

Dear Folks;~
I have a chance to add one more word, as our friends Leave
tomorrow on the President Pierce.

Today has seen am increase of nervousness among the local Chineséew at
least it has seemed to me that way. Last might there was a shooting affair
over in Chapet betweem the Japanese and some snipers. The Japs shot out the
street Lights and then turmed machine-guns loose. This was im a region
where the streets only are under the comtrol of the settlement, the houses
liming the streets being outside. It 1s really byyond the defense. Lines ~
or at least W277 was ~ unless the Japs move out their lines, as they are
wery likely to do»

Today I happened to be on Szechuen Road im Hongkew and saw a route
march of Japamese marines. As closely as I could estimate there were 1000
men in lime, and Lt was an impressive demon#tration, speaking from a military
point of fiew. At the same time there are many thousands in Japan ready to
move on the drop of a hat.

This evening Mr. Dodd called up the American Consulate and was adsured
that the situation at Shanghai will remain quiet for another week. How
they Imow is more than I can guess, but perhaps a shrewd guess would have it
that matters are much more interesting in Peking, Tientsin and Hankow now -
than in Shanghai.

Johnson was trying to get permission to start up the river tomight with
the idea of staying on the boat at Kiuktang and trying from there as a base
to work through the men there and at Nanchang. There are many deeds of
W.Fall.8. property still at Nanchang and he wants to get them out if possible
as well as to engineer the salvaging of a lot of our personal belonging. So
far ag we know everything is still safe there, though there are indications
of a rapidly rising amti~foreign tide which may yet make lots of mischief
with our duffel. J hate to think of having to stoek up all over again.

Hester started in school this week. She 1s in 3A grade. If her arith
metie were better she might possibly squeeze into 4B if they had such a
grade, but we are willing to let her go easy on other subjects to get her
arithmette in shape. Their grade supervisor told me yesterday afternoon that
there 1s considerable doubt whether they will have enough to warrant
running the school after this term, so much of the American community ie
leaving.

This is sure the place and time for meeting all your China friends, but
the chance ig not lasting long. Boats are leaving crowded to the gunneas.
The Dollar boats are making over the steerage and packing it with hundreds
of refugees, who have lst class food and run of the decks. That is a good
long way from my idea of how to cross the ocean, but I heard @ moat cultured
lady, mo less than our Nanchang Mrs. Gwynne, say she would go that way or
any way to get out of here. Many feel Just like that, but we do not » yet.

IL believe that the place where we are now jiving is perfectly safe so
far as military movement is concerned. However, we are directly underf{the
Amertcan authorities, and they have a welleworked out plan for coneentration
in cage of trouble. In that way we are mueh different from the Interlog, as
we ave in charge of people interested primarily in our safety, so we do not
have to waste nerve energy on the problem. Of course you understand that
these are the days when mobody prophesies anything, or rather when every

prophesy must be big~labelled "Guess". Another two weeks may see us off for

another country, but I think not. We hear now that Peking is being
evacuated of women and children. A wise move, I think.

It 18 a long time aince we heard from you, but we are patient, as we
know of the postal difficulties. I will not write om Sunday, but will plan
to get another letter off im about a week, if a boat 1s going with some of
our friends. Frances Woodruff 1s, I think, gone. Mabel is staying on for
awhile. Dr. Perkins is busy giving typhoid imoeulations and smallpox vae~
einations im the midst of packing cases on the top floor of the Missions

Xo So it goes. The Daggop has not given me a job yet, but I suppogs

SUSAN TOY ENSIGN MEMORIAL HospftaL
Nanchang, Kiengsi, China

Kwassui Jo Gakko

Nagasaki, Japan

April 10, 1927
Dear Associates in America:

i Much has happened since I last wrote. And some of the danger-
ous possibilities mentioned in my earlier letters have developed. The
outrages in Nanking have demonstrated that the fire of anti~British agit
atlonwith which the Nationalists have been playing got out of control
and flemed into a general anti-foreign rage. There are also many evi-
dences that the shackle of Russian communism has as yet by no means been
broken. General Chiang Kal Shek, who was very friendly toward us is

the continued hope. He is apparently doing all he can to eradicate

from the Nationalist movement those extremists and communists who have
brought about such a deplorable state of confusion, and who by their
acts of violence, and by their false promises, and destructive programs
have done much to harm the worthy objects of the movement.

Since I last wrote, the work of the hospital has continued unin-
terrupted, but the affairs of the Blydenburgh family have been unset-
tled, Shortly after the Hankow riots it was deemed wise for several
mothers and their children to leave Nanchang.. We also thought it wise
to heed the edvice of Bishop Birney and the American Consul to take
our family to Shanghai. We counted ourselves fortunate to find a room
in the small apartment of a friend of Language School days. There the
"Flu" put the family in bed and kept me with them until they were well,

As soon as I could safely leave, I started back to Nanchang.
In Kiukiang, the port city of our province, I found a febling of tense-
ness still present. But the business men who had stayed on a boat in
the river for over a month were again on shore and in their offices
along the Bund. It seemed that the pendulum of politics had started
its swing back to normal. Our schools were running on full schedule,
and the compounds which had been occupied with soldiers were again free
of them, and filled with playing school children. There seemed to be
a definite reaction against the redicals. A few days before my arrival
several] thousand farmers with crude farm implements marched into the
city, They had rough banners marked:- "We rise early in the morning
and work late at night to feed you lazy city people. ‘Ye'll not share
our property with any of you." These rough farmers raided and destroyed
the headquarters of the Communists and killed several agitators. A few
cays later a similar demonstration was staged in Nanchang.

Back in Nenchang I found the moderates still in control, even
tho General Chiang had left for the battle front. Everyone was glad to
wee me back, and everything pointed to normal progress. I found the
labor bodies sympathetic and so planned to hurry the completion of the
hospital. A foreign supervisor of Construction had come with me from
Shanghai to help. Materials were in hand. Friday was the day set for
starting work.

But Friday morning, March 25th, at 4:30 in the morning I was
awakened by a servent who said that Mr. Johnson wanted me immediately
in Mr. Brown's house. This was no call for a doctor! Something else

- Oe

of & very serious nature, I knew it must be, for Mr. Johnson was sup-
posed to be in Kiukiang, eighty miles away. And when I joined the
group of three, I learned that just what we had feared for three months
mibht happen, actually had occurred:- American and British military
ynits had found it necessary to use their guns to protect their nation-
als from men made mad by the radical, rabid propaganda of the commun-
ists in many cases thot to be in the direct employ of Soviet Russia.
Foreigners had been killed by Nationalist soldiers, This news had been
received by American wireless in Kiukiang. Mr. Johnson had fortunately
found a night freight to Nanchang--a night freight 1s an unusual occur;
rence--and brought us the word. The American military representative
in Kiukiang had also instructed Mr. Johnson in no uncertain language

to get all Americans out of Nanchang.

In our study of the situation thru the previous months we all
realized that just such incidents would make it necessary for us to
leave our work, The communists would most likely grossly distort the
truth of such actions and inflame popular feeling against all foreign-
ers. We'knew from previous riots that Kiukiang, our port on the Yang~
tze, would be easily fired. And we, in the interior, having to pass
thru this port, might find passage impassible. Should the ignorant
masses in Nanchang be fired against us, our deaths by their hands might
further embarrass a peaceful settlement of the Nanking situation. In
such a situation the‘loyalty of our Chinese friends might save us and
find an avenue of escape for us, but surely it would bring disaster to
them and to the work for which they were responsible. Consequently we
had decided that should military action be necessary in Nanking or
Shanghai we would all evacuate. And this we did. We certainly found
our hands full. Before train time the other foreigners in the city
had to be informed, the two schools and the hospital had to be put into
the hands of our capeble Chinese staffs with the meagre Instructions
we had time to give, and we had to close our homes and get together
the minimun anount of personal effects necessary for any travelling
emergency. By 10:30 that morning eighteen adults and five children
were on the trein leaving Nanchang. No members of our mission were
left.

It is impossible to deseribe the feelings we had in finding our-
selves finally forced to leave the work into which we, as well as you,
have put so much, the work that had gained for itself thru the last
months of stress and storm the approvel and support of all types of
local people, and which held such promise for the future. We were not
totally discouraged for we knew we had started something that could not
die. Whether or not we would be priviledged to return we knew that the
work would go on, not perhaps as efficiently, or even quite in the same
spirit, but would continue. Our leaving was made harder because the
local situation did not demand it. Altho communistic forces were at
work, the moderntes still controlled the situation. We had some minor
nationalist officiels in the hospitals as patients. They were Christ-
jans and friendly. One of them had sung for us at our Sundey foreign
service, Our staff and servants were loyal and did all they could to
help us get ready to leave. The hospital pastor and the doctor we left
in charge, crossed the rough river in our small bout and talked with us
until time for the train to leave. We left them and the whole steff
pledged to cerry on as long as possible, I understand that in a New
York paper appeared a report that the Ensign Memorial Hospital had been

~ 3 ~

forced to close on account of anti-foreign feeling. This is quite
untrue. The hospital has not been closed and still is peing run by a
loyal Chinese staff, as far as I now know, There was a strong tempta-
tion to stay, to regard ourselves as indispensable, as martyrs if nec-
essary regardless of the distress, and perhaps harm, that such individ-
ualistic action might bring to our Chinese friends, our own relatives
and to our American authorities, But we had to think of the whole
eause and to realize that perhaps our best service under the circum~
stances would be to withdraw and to give the twenty-five years of ser-
vice in the Master's name that the mission had rendered the Nanchang
community a test of its worth.

As our train approached Kiukiang we grew apprehensive. Had the
distorted news of the Nanking affair yet reached the masses in Klukiang?
Would there be hostile mobs? Were the coolies gathering alongside the
stopping train interested in us or in an opportunity to carry our bag-
gage? The latter proved to be the case. Expecting us, the American
military officer in Kiukiang had succeeded in having a British River
Steamer wait for us. It was anchored in mid-stream. The sight of it
cheered our weary string of rain-soaked, mud spattered folk. And de-
spite the fact that three hundred and ten foreigners were crowded on
a boat planned for only eighteen foreigners, we were relieved to be
aboard. The Chinese quarters of the boat had to be used. The cabins,
halls and dining rooms were reserved for the women and children. The
ateel deck was left for the men, By the fourth night it really felt
quite comfortable. In Kiukiang we found that all our Methodist mis-
sionaries had already left. We were much worried, however, when the
Captain of the American gunboat, looking at his watch said, "In five
more minutes the gunboats at Nanking are going to shell the military
areas of the city. Yesterday following the bombardment an ultimatum
was given the Chinese to evacuate all foreigners from the city by five
today upon penalty of anothér shelling. And until now we have had no
news that the foreigners have been evacuated." Several hours later we
were relieved to learn that a wireless message had said that the shell-
ing had been postponed as groups of foreigners were being escorted out
of the city.

our trip to Shanghai was without real incident. We traveled only
by day, anchoring in mid stream thru the night. Going by some forts
which had fired on passing boats we had to be convoyed by a destroyer,
Our fellow passengers had all kinds of experiences to relate. They all
came from Hunan, Hupeh and Honan, bandit infested and communistic prov-
inces. One young lady in the company of another woman and a man had
been held by bandits for seventeen days. Only the miraculous appear~
ance of a spring in the floor of a high and inaccessible cave in which
they were kept saved them from much suffering. Others had to pay large
sums of money to local bandit chiefs before they were permitted to
leave. Others had their institutions taken from them by students fired
by falsely directed patriotism. Some were discouraged, others patient.
Some saw real cause for optimism.

In Shenghai I found that when disturbances broke out there, Mrs.
Blydenburgh and the three children had left for Japan. Finding passage
as soon as possible I followed, and now we are here together waiting
to know what to do next,

In some quarters there is a feeling that missionary work in

~ 4

China is finished. It is very human for people having passed thru har-
rowing experiences to be discouraged and even embittered. And such time
as now gives an opportunity for those who have never understood the
modern missionary and his service to voice their sentiments. On the
other hand, the situation offers much encouragement and presents a chal
lenge for greater effort. The heroic, self-sacrificing, and in some
cases fatal acts of Chinese Christians, and even non-Christians in time
of danger, on behalf of their foreign friends, are forceful witnesses

of the value of the missionary's service.

I must acknowledge that I was greatly surprised and much encour-
aged on that Sundey morning lest November when an armed group of Hunan-
ese soldiers (members of the same division that took part in the Nan-
king outrages) charged our hospital, when their bayonets were touching
us, and shots were going off, to see several of our staff rush out to
the soldiers, push their guns up, and remonstrate with them. It was
more then I expected. And reinforced by the testimonies of the wounded
officers hurriedly brought to the door their efforts were successful.
Hundreds of such stories will come to your attention. These tell of
those who know the foreigners, who have heard His message. Are they
not more convincing of the merit of His service than the acts of lgnor-
ant, hungry soldiers, and heedless agitators fired by false propaganda?
Are not the testimonies of gratitude and-appreciation expressed freely
in times of peace more valuable then actions and propaganda orising out
of the heat and disorder of a vast national upheaval? No doubt the
teaching of the missionary has a part in this upheaval which reaches
the foundation of a racial group forming nearly a quarter of the peoples
of the world, and which 1s being used, many believe, by scrupleless out-
siders to setisfy their own ends.

On the other hand the mere fact that such barbarous acts heve
been perpetrated demonstrate more than ever that Christ is needed, that
the missionary, the ambassador of good will and understanding between
peoples, is still needed, and needed more effectively. I do know that
the Chinese want missionaries who will work with them and not over them,
ones thet will seek to conserve the best they find, not to supplant
everything Chinese with things western, Thinking Chinese who know the
missionary end his real motives still want him. And this is particular-
ly true of the medical missionary. Frightful disease and suffering is
no less today than a month ago. Novless today than then is China a
source of world danger from pandemic disease. Thoughtful Chinese know
their need of modern medicine, and want the mission hospital.

While the Chinese are fighting to find themselves politically,
while they ere learning bitter lessons by experience, the foreigner may
serve best by standing aside awhile. But when the day comes when China
rests from her struggle>, whether it is next month, or & year or more
from now, the Christian missionary will be wanted and needed, The seed
of goodwill, the seed of Christ's love, has by no means been killed. It
has taken deep root, it has sprouted, and will, in its day, bring forth
its fruit. Let us remain sympathetic, regardless of circumstances or of
steps that may be found necessary to meet the situation. Let us keep
Christ's spirit in our hearts and continue in the great cause of His
Kingdom.

Faithfully yours,

George T. Blydenburgh

_ *Rev.W.A.Main,23 Yuen Ming Yuen Road

Dear Folks;~ Shanghai, Ku., April 13, 1927.
This certainly is a cold wet spring. Yesterday the sun shone

for a time, but today we are again having vain,~ miserable weather.

Thére is not much to add to the mews I sent last time, except what
you have furnished. last might we had letters from you as follows:

Latham February 28, March 7, March 14

Northville March 7 and March 14. These letters
were stopped at the postoffice here im Shanghai. Whatever mail may have
gone to Nanchang is still between us and there. I suspeet there is not
very much, as these letters hiteh on to the last we had from you.

Today we are supposed to be having a general strike. Water and
electricity are still going, however, and the postman brought mall to the
house this morning. It is certain that the strike 1s a long way from
complete, as it is caused by a split im the Nationalist ranks. Yesterday
the Nationalist military surrounded and disarmed a lot of folks in the
various regions of Shanghai not within the defense lines, and the present
strike is a dying squeak (some think) of the Shanghai General Labor Union,
a Bolshevized organization which Chiang Kaieshl has tried to supplant with
a labor union of moderate leanings. We have no fear that essential services
will be cut off im Shanghai, as the chance for that has come and gone. I.
take one newspaper and other folks in the house take amother. One of the
papers came this morning, 60 we are not without the latest scareheads to
keep us misinformed of what is happening.

Shanghai is much the same as recently only more so, Every time I go
around the streets at all I seem to see new signs of military activity. A
big municipal girls' school near here has had soldiers billeted im it, but
yesterday for the first time the lower floor seemed completely occupiedd
The military have taken the parks and all available open spaces, and I see
them marching back and forth, stringing telephones, convoying supplies eta
ete, with the ceaseless sentry=pacing everywhere. To us who are trying to
watch elosely the Hast this constant augmentation of forces in Shanghai
seems ominous. These folks are not here for a midsummer plenic, To those
whose minds have not been lulled to sleep it is increasingly clear that
the real antagonists are jockeying imto position. I mean England and
Russia, as I think I have written you before. If the issue is not faced
and faced squarely now between Communism and the rest of eivilization
(imeluding America), the whole mess will settle down to another period of
stewing and disorder and jealousy and sugpicion will again reign until the
moment 1s again propitious. I certainly lean toward Pacifism, but I seeno
way out of the present boiling pot except through some method of giving
Russia a sharp and effective rebuke. I trust I am not an alarmist regar-
ding Communism. Theoretically 1t is none of our business, but really it is
to my mind the most imsidious and deadly foe eivilization now faces. If we
do not kill it 1t will kill us, and for my part I consider the good of
all the people to be vastly superior to the good of any single class, n
matter how deserving or numerous. [ favor the moat radical revision 4
order to assure fair treatment to all, but I do mot imagine any single
productive class which has in any measure forfeited its right to existence.
The way We are arranging these questions in America is not ideal, but is,

I think, the best the world now has, and it can be made petter. Communism
ie different from what the etomology of the word would make one think, and
it is different in practice from its theory.

We are well. Hester goes to school every day, but Charles still stays
at home. I have been approached on the proposition of teaching selence in
the American School here until June, but the matter 1s not settled yet, al~
though Bishop Birney has consented. If that deal does not work through I
shall try to find something else to do.

It was good to hear from you. We shall expect to hear regularly from
now on, That bird who wrote about Gen. Feng was euckoo.

Love
Aud

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai,
April 21, 1927.
Dear Folks; ~
We are still here, and are now able to be a little more definite
about the present situation and the probable course of our future actions.

Internationally we are waiting for the second note to Eugene Cheng and
its consequences. It seems to be agreed on by the papers that this notewill
pe a stiff one and contain an ultimatum. In the meantime Shanghai is quiet,
and the local situation is easing considerably. Near our house the big
gates in the barbed wire entanglements are open during the day and not many
patrols in sight. I do not notice so much evidence of extension of military
activity here, though there is no receding from positions already oceupied.
Of course a day may change all this, and the troops are prepared for any
developments which may arise. Today we saw from our house 4 airplanes in
the sky at the same time.

Johnson went back up the river. He got to Nanchang and wired ‘quiet!
from there, amd wired that he was leaving Kiukiang by gumboat, on his way
back. We are all anxious to see him again and hear his story. He should be
here in a day or two now. Blydenhurgh went to Japam ta join his family there,
but was back here yesterday afternoon. He wants to make a fimal arrangement
for them, either sending them to America or getting the Bishop's word that
they are to stay in Japam for the time being.

Bishop Birney advised Glella and me to go to Japan for July and August.
We have written Bob Speneer for a house, and if he cam get ome for us there
will be no difficulty about getting there. The N.Y¥.K, runs express boats
from here to Japan every 4 days. We shall probably leave here the end bf
June. I almost think that Wlella and the children will be in Japan for a
good many months, though I will doubtless be hack im China in the fall for
work, If I cannot get back to Nanchang the Bishop will doubtless set meat
work elsewhere in a more acéessible place.

Our mail is now being stopped here, and since I wrote last we have
heard from each of you, and Clella has heard from her own folks. These
letters are the last before Nanking, and we are wondering what will be the
tone of the next ones. Truly our lot has been in green pastures and bedde
still waters compared with plenty we know.

The battle lines seem to be forming im a way I had not contemplated.
The Yangtze is to be the theater of war, apparently, for a few months now.
Roughly we can say there are four leaders. Chiang Kal~shi in the S.H.,
Chang Tso-lin in the N.E., Feng Yu-Hsiang in the N.W. and the Wuhan crowd
in the 8.W. Chiang and Chang ¢¥d are professedly anti-Communistic, butfthat
is about all they have in common. The Wuham bunch are the Communists: Feng
is not ready, perhaps, to reveal himself, as he truly holds the balance of
power in China now. If he turms against the Communists, Wuhan might as well
go out of business. If he goes with them, Chiang and Ghang I think will be
foreed into an unnatural alliance or else Chiang is finished. A most remar-
kable feature of the situation 1s that the powers addressed identical
notes to Chiang Kai~shi and Eugene Chen. Chiang was responsible for the
Nanking trouble in the sense that the army which did it was under his command,
and yet Chen, answered the notes, taking a stiff attitude, while Chiang. said
nothing. Now Chen has repudiaked Chiang, and, though he was not near Nan-
King, is still carrying om the diplomatie correspondence about it. Mean~
while Chen is growing more out of favor with the powers, and Chiang seems
elimbing into their good graces, Truly it is a strange situation.

The Soviet 1s coming 1m for its share, too, I have wondered if the
delay Shanghal papers are complaining of tn negotiations with the Nationa-
lists may not be due to a desire to work up the case against Russia, the
real culprit? Startling revelations are now coming to light as to Russia's
machinations tn China, and I feel sure that England's real purpose is to
come to grips with Russia. Time cam tell more about that.

We ave well. Hester goes to school every day. I have to go down town
almost every day on Mission business. Clella and Mrs. Dedd seem to enjoy
running the house and us. Lots of love.

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai, Ku.,
April 27, 1927.
Dear Folks; ~
I have been writing irregularly these days, but I have
* averaged a letter a week and I think more. Today came your letters of
2 ana 3 (from Latham) A number of letters from all branches of the
family have come im recently and after this rush is over I shall get
them together some day and list them for your information, I feel sure
that just about everything you wrote up to early April has already
reached us. You are correct im addressing us in care of Mr. Main.

Thig Letter I am asking Blydenburgh to take to Japan and mail there.
As long as friends can get our mall away from China we have hopes that
it will go through. The postoffice situation in Shanghai is very uncer
tein, and while we shall write you at least once a week it may bethat
labor trouble will tie things up for some time ~ even under the Revolu~-
tionist government.

L cannot write you a long letter tonight. The situation 1s as
confused and uncertain ag can well be imagined. The delay of the Powers,
the vacillating attitude of America, the whirling kaleidoseope of
Chinese politics - all these make our heads buzz.

The question of reparations is up, or soon will be up, There seens
to be a strong feeling against asking for reparations, but I am not sure
of the source of it. Certainly there was not a dissenting vote on the
question when it was raised in a meeting of Kiangsi and Central China
men soon after I vreached Shanghai. The women seem to be divided, some
feeling that reparations should not be required, and I fear that the
prophesy of some may be fulfilled, that on this rock the missjonary
hody will split. The Nenking men who are along in years and have be
earrying family responsibility feel that when 2 movement was deliberetely
ingtigeted to rob them of everything, it ie right that repayment ,not
punitive indemnity, should be required. I sort of see it their way,
though very good folks are urging that such an attitude cannot be
reconciled with Christianity. If I should lose all my property still in
Nanchang I certainly would be hard hit, though I imagine I could wiggle
along and slowly get the most of it replaced. I cannot reconcile myself
to the thought of the Nanking folks losing absolutely everything except
the clothes on their backs and getting no return from the folks respon-
sible, and I feel prepared to do all in my power to get them reparations.

These are days when a great deal of very fundamental rethinking of
our whole missionary position 1s being done, and it is good that it
ghould be go, I presume that there will be much writing in America
these days ranging through all the grades from superficlality to depth
and real comprehension. Before me as I write is a headline "Massacre of
40,000 whites im China is feared by writer who says world fate is at
stake there." I agree that the fate of the world may be at stake, but
this 19 a bit dramatic as a way of saying so. However, America sure
does enjoy her newspaper thrills and China sends ‘em out now in a
steady stream. This next world war stuff, a la the April Worlds Work is
hot and will go across big, bulleeve me.

Today I asked Bishop Birney for a job. He asked me 1f I would be
willing to go to Seoul, and I said, sure, I would go to South Africa or
South America if mecessary, provided I could do good after I got there.
He said there ig am opening, perhaps, teaching im Corea. In another
day or so I shall ask him again, and perhaps after a while I shall have
a steady job. We are still going ahead with our phans for summer in
Japan until the Bishop changes them for sotlething else, which he umay
not do at all.

We ave well and glad to hear from you so often.

Lf a aastt Oa andl at Ay psu d ana “ Love,
dt

aiapelsil dling footy Belay obey, ound, lay ey
Gita ‘he Hit. We favs was! ity fas ned.

tel Ao Ue wef! ae of yoo y ef. Ve
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Wa using AhoXep Dp Krad
FLY FROM FURY OF FANATICS.—There are about } ‘ica refugees from vavyipus parts of China who are now staying at the
International Institute in Avenue Joffre. The housing and provisioning of the refugees is under the management of a committee com-
posed of Mr. Verne Dyson, chairman, Mrs. Gilbert Reid and Mr. John Reid.—Photo by Ah Fong.

International Institute in A
posed of Mr. Verne Dyson,

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai,
May 1, 1927.

T am resuming now the Sunday letter habit, and will plan to
write-you once a week from now on, unless some special reason comes up
for doing differently.

This marning I tried to check over the letters I have had from you
recently, and. find that there 1s here a complete set af letters fromn
Latham and from Northville from the beginning of 1927. The first letter
written in April and the last in March are the latest, respectively, from
the two places. It is clear that the postoffice has been reliable, and
not overly slow, even in all this rumpus. I trust our letters have been
as suecessful in reachimg you.

The Bituation in Ghina seems to be easing comsiderably. This morning's
papers carry reports that the’ Wuhan group has collapsed completely in its
anti-foreigniem, and 1s mow issuing proclamations forbidding such annoying
practices ag have made kife wretched for foreigners in the interior recently.
The Hankow Herald, they say has resumed with complete control over its labor
problems, as im the good old days (?) I confese this is all very puzzling
to us, and it must be more so to you. Is the whole Nationalist movement
about to collapse@ Are wo to sega return of the old concession days with
mere ‘agression' than before? I see that America is to be offered the ald
Russian concession at Hankow. It will be well if our statesmen Keep their
hands off any such bargain. The attitude of America 1s wishy-washy enough
without adding any such handleap. i . :

Dear Folks;~

: However, without entering into further discussion of such delectable
themes, it is quite possible to say a few things wore definitely than a
wook of two ago held posaibilities for. At the best, we may be -able to
travel-up the river to some extent before summer, making a trip or two, to

- take money, counsel and advise. Our family plans forthe summer have. not
changed, and we have no idea of ehange unless Bob Spencer finds it not
possible to get.us quarters there. Friday might Clella and I went to Bi.ghop
Birmey's for ehow, and he asked what we wamt to do in ease 46 is not
possible. to yeturm to-the station this fall. I am sure however, I do. not
want to take a family back as far as Nanchang this fall, nor for another
year, even if affairs are very.peaceful. The best we think of is a winter
in Shanghai, Olella keeping house, and I making my headquarters here while
spending nost,,posalbly, of my time in Nenchang, running back here for
Christmas, ete. If matters are so that. I cannot do that, and there is no
chance in sight for doing work 1m Nanchang, we shall probably take work in
Japan, Corea, Manila, Singapore, or some such place, for a year or so.
Returning to America is to be thought of only in ease China blows. up pretty
completely, as of course may yet conceivably happen. . Bishop Birney wants to
keep a shall group of men available im Shanghai, and.the group is getting
very gmall mow. Of the entire Central China area, the only General Board
missionaries left in China now are: Central China; Dodd of Chinkiang, Hale
of Nanking and Brown of Wuhu; Kiangsi; Jobneon, Johannaber, Mies Gaw and us.
Perkins, Blydenburgh, Argelander and Dieterich are in Japan or Korea and
available om ghort notice, but at best. there is only a emall foree to work
if the chance comea.’ For the present Bishop Birney has not given me: any
very definite work to do, suggesting that I study or flnd some other way to
fill up my time. This is not very agreeable, but I suppose 1s the best I
can do now until some definite work turns up to do. As long as my salary
keeps up I presume I have no kick coming, however.

In the meantime, continue to address us im care of Rev. W.A.Main,
the As#oclated Mission Treasurers, 23 Yuem Ming Yuen Road, Shanghal.
May Day in Shanghai came in with rdin. We have been hating bright

weather, growing muggier the past few days, and I suppose the rain was due to
come. May Day celebrations are sure to bq far less enthusiastie these days

than in balmy sunny weather. May is the mpmth of humiliation in the eyes of
patriotic Chinese, and there will doubtless te attempts to stir up trouble

‘ ‘

here in Shanghai, but there 1s no thought tn our minds now that there is

any real danger to life ox property. The Chinese themselves are divided
and seem ‘to be splitting still further into. various political camps. There
4s mot enough unity of purpose im Shanghai to get up a general strike or

a general movement of any kind among. the Chinese, and the powers that be for
the present are, ostensibly at least, and I think sincerely, opposed to the
strike methad of settling difference between employers and employees.

Dees all this mean that the Nationalist movement has' failed? I think
not. I trust it means that the Communisti¢ elements among, the Nationalists
have had a serious setback. I hope that China's reliance, om Russia 1s.
proving a bubble of froth in the eyes of the Chinese. I sincerely. anticipate
a day when destructive measures will be seen to he illusory. All of ue
wish for the time to come when Ghina will link) hands with the best of Europe
and America instead of the worst, and a new Nationaliem. will spring up,

“‘devated to securing ‘by cooperation a strong: China allied economically and
spiritually with the progressive. nations of the world and taking her place
in the sisterhood of nations by means of mutual trust and helpfulness: instead
of by ‘conquest. : it <b oe

There is very much in the Nationalist movement which is very worth
preserving. The youth and idealism of the movement ought to be put to work
for the-best of Chima. As long as Russia has a controlling. hand at. work,
just so-Long will iy be impossible ito get a movement free from the wildest
distortion, a paredy of national greatness will result and the whole fabric
of civilization will be endangered. All this 1s of course aggravated by the
antisforeteniam whieh is latent inal] netionealistle movements, particularly
im China, and by the arrogance which unfortunately has characterized all
anti~foreign outbreaks in Chima ginee tine “inmemorial. I fear I have come
tothe point where I have to admit that this last characteristic is far
‘gtronger ‘than we ae Christian missionaries like to admit. It is, I think,
the basic element wiich has led our strong English Quaker and pacifist, Dr.
Hodgkin to declare that if nothing is dome about Nenking, lf we simply. accept
the situation tamely, missionary endeavor might ag well stop. He ‘stands now
for vigorous action, which Bishop Birney declared.very surprising'as from hin.
My own ‘thinking leads me to observe that before Nanking, perhaps pacific
effort might have averted the’ catastrophe. England centeinly made an extra~-
ordinary imove in the direction of placating China by the rendition of the
Haitkow and Kiukiang concessions. America might have done something too, but
in-any’ ease it is now too late to talk about that. Nanking has happened and
the situation is tremendously. different.’ Every foreign boat travelling on
the Yangtze mow ig being smiped at, some.with shells. ‘The Logic of the
situation demands either that the foreign powers should mot have entered on.
this business or else they must carry it. through. Since the situation haé
been entered on, the rest of Dr. Hodgkins! Zddid position follows logically.

We are 1m good health. Hester's daily walk to the sehool and. back is
ae hurting her physique at all, and she is getting some roses in her
cheeks. . ‘ :

Please be sure to broadcast as you have opportunity that we are here
and O.K. Let folks know our address. It might-be well to have it. printed
in the Albany and Gloversville chureh bulletins. Can you ask the pastors
to do it for us? —~ : ‘ : .

I ghould like to rave on for several. more pages, bub as the folks here
want to have a Sunday. ae ging, I shall chop it short.

ove ‘

Wage
Mm ”

@Rev. W.A Main, 23 Yuen Ming Yuen Road
Shanghai, Chima, May 6, 1927.
Dear Folks;~
I am writing in en awful tear, as they say, trying to get this
letter ready to get off on tomorrow's hoat.«

These are busy days. Dr. Diffendorfer, Secretary of the Board, is here.
We are engaged in the usual fundamental rethinking of our problems and have
appointed a findings committee, and squaring up to the situation, and
reviewing the momentous events of the recent past, etc, ete, just as all
other mission bodies are now doing. I thimk though it ig fair to be mich
more than humoraus. Diffendorfer 1s really good and has the correct slant
on most of it, which is much more than some gecretaries and Bighops have
succeeded in doing in the past. We are peeved at some of his views, but
comparatively very little, which is also unusual.

. Kiang Ming Chih showed up in Shanghai yesterday. He was really driven
out of Nanchang, and from his tell, Kiangsi is now another Hunan. Our church
institutions are apparently slated for Holshevisation and that fast and by
the most diabolically oblique methods. Earlier im the week we heard that
Kiang was im hiding and bis second son being held ag a kind of hostage for
his appearance, Yesterday morning I saw and talked with each of them, and

80 we know they are safe for the time heing. Now we are worrying about
Klang's family and other important workera im both Nanchang and Kiukiang,

and the Bishop is sending telegrams to eare for the situation there.

Dyring the week we have had messages both from Nanchang and from the
American Consul at Hankow that ‘Nanchang Methodist Mission Looted and
oceupied by red troops', so I presume we have lost all we do not have
right with ue. Even at that we are so much more fortunate than many from
Chinkkang and Nanking. Recent reports from those two unhappy places show
that matters are getting worse there each day.

Sunday moon we are to have Kiang and his gon and Tsai Tehekao of
Kiukiang and Kiang's son's sehool chum here to lunch, and hope to give them
a little quiet and rest. In the evening Bishop and Mrs, Birney and pr. and
Mrs. Diffendorfer are coming.

_ Action has been taken which looks toward financial relief for us, and I
presume we shall be able to get om for the time being. My own plan now does
not contemplate an early return to Nanchang. Certainly 1t will be gt a long
long time before I take Glella and the children back there,-and the only
question 1s whether they should stay 1n Shanghai, in Japan, in Manila or
elsewhere or return to America. There is to be a ‘skeleton organization'
nheinteined for China if 1t becomes clear that we cannot get back for a
number of years, and there is no reason in our health or personal feelings
why I should not be a part of it, and I think Bishop Birney has that in
mind, We are still looking forward to the summer in Japan, but I am not
giving you an address there. Still send your letters as per above until I
send other directions. The pogt office ig on a better working basis, we
hear, but it might be as well Go\noy send matter of importance which cannot
be duplicated. I shall continue Yo’write each week, or at least to catch
the big boats. One goes tomorrow and another in two weeks.

T expect that each letter from now on will continue to have matters of
great interest. We look forward with eagerness to your letters.

Love

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai,
Dear Folks;« KBALY May 13, 1927..

Latham letters of April 11 and 18 came tomight. A letter came
also from Glella's brother Hd, expressing great relief at hearing from her
from Shanghai, so that you must have had our first letters within uw week
ftod after the 18th, i.e. the first letters telling of our arrival here.

Tonight I have been wondering if I have left out of recent letters any
comments on your affaibe. If so Il am sorry. Our minds are so full of the
Lumediate present and future im our own small lives that we do not think
much of other problems, even great and pressing ones. We are glad that the
Conference treated you as kindly as it did, particularly for the attitude of
the Northville folks toward Hagar. It is certainly heartening to have folks
stand behind you with an insistence on juatice. I trust this Conference year
just opening will prove to be full of unsuspected belasings.

Since Wednesday I have been teaching in the American School here, one
class in General Science and two in physics. My pupils are all high school
grade. The two physics classes are taking the same subject matter, and are
merely two sections of a large class. I am impressed witht he disbinotly
American character of the school. It 18 so easy out here to become de»Amerie
canized into a kind of nondesrriptnesa without much character. From what I
have seen so far the Shanghai American School has real character and is holding
to the best American traditions. For this work I am doing I shall receive
pay considerably less than my salary, but the arrangement is that IT turn in
my receipts to the emergency fund and draw my salary as usual, it being cane
sidered either that I am relieving the mission of as much as f draw from the
scheol or else that the mission is making that much contribution to the
school. Wither standpoint is legitimate and worthy.

In one or two of these letters I will put enclosures which may prove
interesting to you. Recent news shows a new kind of treatment of interna»
tional relations. Chamberlain's attitude is very severelysand caustically
criticized out here by business folks and not a few missionaries, particu»
larly British, but I cannot believe that Britain would take such a moderate
attitude without the very highest of reasoms. It may be a sublimated selfish~
nese, but when matters are analyzed down, to shoot up half a dozen Ghinese
elties is easy for the tremendous naval force now in the Yangtze, but after
all,.with all the suffering foreigners have endured in this crisis, their
sufferings have been insignificant compared to the suffering of countless
Chinese. Shooting up citles would merely inerease the suffering, accomplish
no Giscernable good, add endless diplomatic complications, give the Bolshys
excuse for staying on the job, put slippery Eugene Chem at the top of the
heap, reinforce the despicable Chinese militarism with a new anti~forelen
country-wide patriotism and widen the breach of color. If selfishness can
put a check on all this, by all.means let us have a selfish Britain!
However, I still think that the losses deliberately caused at Nanking should
be made good, that those directly responsible should be pumished, and that
guarantees should be given against a rep@tition, and this, I believe,
Chamberlain has im mind.

Bob Spencer has writtem that we can have a house in Gotemba this summer.
This place is at the base of Mt. Fujiyama, and we plan to sail soon after
June 10. The Johannabers are going in with us. I suppose, since we have
accepted the firm offer of the house, and the Bishop has approved the plan,
it 1s as decided as anything earthly can be in the Orient now. I was glad
to find the other day that my passport could be renewed, since I am now a
teacher, so that 1% 18 good now until January. 1928.

Our dandlady spoke some time ago akout our vacating this houge at the
end of May, but today infomred Clella that she will not want the house, so
we do not have to hunt quarters for the two weeks or so we have left in June
after sehool closes.

There must have heen some mixup ahout the cbhllection they took at
Gloversville, as I got tonight from the Board a draft for $5. I will wait a
week or two, and some explanation may come. However, $5 is not to be sneezedati

by refugees. ota of Love Aud

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had

Shanghal, Ku., May 19, 1927.

Dear Folks;2

I think that probably my letters will come to he written at
the end of each week instead of om Sunday, for the big boats seem to
have a habit of leaving Shanghai on Saturday. Mr, Pilcher of our
household sails this week Saturday and goes on the boat tomorrow night,
se we are asking him to mail these letters for us in Seattle or San
Franciseo_or wherever he lands. However, almost all of our friends who

‘2 planntfi¢ to go to America Addy ave already gome by now.

A letter from Nanchang I received a couple of days ago seems to
indicate that we may get the bulk of our things from there after all.
One of our workers there has posgegsion of them and says he will send
them with the first person coming to Shanghai. Johnson is again gone
up the river, this time with Bishop Birney, and he took a letter from
me asking for the stuff. If we do get it, our losses from this evacua-
tion will not be very much. Our houses are all occupied by soldiers,
the number at present reports being 1800 for the compound, but there
geems to have been some attempt by their officers to keep the property
from being ruined by their presence there. For this we are thankful.

Teaching at the school ig going well, that is, I am enjoying it
immensely. Today was ‘freshman day', and I was surpriged to see a
regular old-fashioned roughhouse, such ag many colleges im America have
debarred. The freshdmen appeared with red shirts ~ both boys and girls,
and it devolved on the sophs to remove the offenses, which they did in
tumble~around fashion. The soph boys cleaned up for the frosh, but the
freshman. girla fared better as their soph sisters seemed unable to come
to a finish with them. There was no lack of energy in either bunch.
Unfortunately ome of the girls accidentally had her arm broken, which
ehded the melee. At the lunch table there was a lot of talk, some
public apologies, and probably it will mean the end of this kind of
horse~play at S.A.8. I hope go. It is too bad that our American temper
makes it very hard to deal with this sort cf a quetcm until coreene Le
sericurly injured, as happened today.

I am unable to report any black-and-blue spots from oft-repeated
‘AO gpamks save one', but for supper this evening Clella invited over
the Johannabers and made a serumbumptious cake and had some mango ice~
eream gent in especially as a celebration to remind us of the great and
glorious occasion. We may be refugees, but we do try to remember the
little amenities of life now and again.

Clella and dna Johannaber are happy planning for our summer in
Japan. They have a long questionnaire for Boh Spencer (poor Bob!}).,
and evidently intend to go as forewarned as possible about everything.
Gotemba, I guess we have written several times, is at the base of
Fujiyama. It is about 1500 feet above the sea, and is a way~station on
the main ratlroad line through Japan, though only a couple of hours
from Yokohama. As it is one of the principal starting-points for the
elimb up Fuji, there are hotels there, and wealthy Japanese summer in
the village. We have no particular plans as to what to do after we
get there, and are not even decided as to whether or not we want to
attempt the climb of Fuji.

I enclose in each letter the printed 'findings' of our group here.
Give these publicity (except the printer's errors) for they represent
probably the very most accurate statement of Methodist missionary opinion
in Ohina which ean be had at this time. There were other actiona which
we took for ourselves, not for publivation, as you might guess.

We ave all well. Lots of love

,

Za

FINDINGS OF A-GROUP OF BISHOPS AND MIS-
“SIONARIES OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH, FIFTY-FOUR IN NUMBER, WITH
DR, AND MRS, DIFFENDORFER.

Shinghut May 5, 6, 10, 1927. °
A DEMOCRATIC WORLD CHURCH

The Methodist Episcopal Church, unique among all
Protestint churches, holds in one organic fellowship the
peoples of many raczs and nations. In its General and
Central. conferences these races and nations sit in fellowship
as children of one Father, This world wide character of
our church, becausé of its connectional form of organization,
offers an opportunity for the further development of this
fellowship, and provides the means for discussion and
development of a common mind and a’common purpose
among all the peoples of world. It is our conviction
therefore that the Methodist Episcopal church has a
distinct contribution to make towards the Christianization
of International contacts.

_ Missionary Aim,

We wish to call attention to this statement of The
Missionary aim: :

“The supermé and controlling aim of foreign missions
is to make the Lord Jesus Christ known fo all men as their
Divine Savior, to persuade them to become His disciples, to
gather these disciples into Christian Churches which shall
be self-propagating, self-supporting and self governing, and
to cooperate as long as necessary with these churches in the
evangelizing of the'y country-men and in bringing to bear
on all human life the sp'rit and pringiples of Christ”.

In accordance with the above doslaration as to the
character of the Church to which we belong and the
miss‘onary aim, we join in the following statement relative
to a variety of subjects that have to do with the problems
immediately confronting our Chinese brethren, the Church.
in America, and ourselves,

F [2]
“YNDIGENOUS. CONTROL-

. The Diseiplitie of our church gives evicence that the
General Conference. early recognized the. right of the
growing church in every land to- indigenous control.
Increasing provision ‘has been made for’ the exere'sing of.
this right, through the organization of Central Conferences
with gradually. augmented powers. ig

We believe that in China the time has come,when the
Central Conference should be given such additional powers
48 will give it full administrative control. -To this end we
would recommend the following proposals.

1. Bishops and the Central Conference.

We favor the revision of the Discipline in such a way
that the Central Conference may elect its own Bishops,
have power to six their salary and determine their number
and place of residence. We ask the Executive Board of the
Central Conference of Eastern Asia at an early date to
study the questien and to.prepare a concrete detailed plan
to be presented to the church through Annual, Central,
and General Conference.

2. Special Session of Central Conference for Election,
of Chinese Bishops.

. As soon as possible after legislation has been approved
by the General Conference authorizing election’ of Bishops
by the Central Conference we believe that a special session
of the Central Conference should be called for such election,

8. Transfer of Church Property to the Chinese
Church.

We believe that local church property in China should
be transferred to a Chinese organization as soon as the
same may be arranged. ‘fo this end -we advise. the
incorporation of-the China Section of the Executive Board
of the Central Conference of Eastern Asia, and the transfer
to it as soon as this is accomplished, of all title to local
church proporties by the Board of Foreign Missions. The
Executive Board should arrange for such petitions to the
Central Conference The General Conference and the Board
of Foreign Missions as may be needed for cltanges in

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[31

Disciplinary provision and for the transfer of local
Church ptoperty.
Right of Self Determination.

We recognise that ultimately the Chinese will decide
for shemeelves as to whether or not they will find the best
expression of their Christian experience in organized
chuach life by associating themselves with this world
organization, but we hope that every opportunity may be
given for the fullest discussion and comprehension on the
part of the Chinese of what is involved in this relationship,
pefore action is take.

Seli-Support.

Chinese Church leaders recognize’ the importance of
_self-support and we are confident they will of their own
accord increase the proportion of self-support as rapidly as
possible until entire self-dependence isreached. We suggest
that stress be iaid upon voluntary service, intensive evang-
elism, sacrificial giving, and the whole message of Christian
stewardship. A program of gradual reduction of foreign
subsidy to churches already organized should be planned,
the Board of Foreign Missions and the Finance Committees
cooperating therein, so that in individual churches there
may. be as rapid advance to full self-support as possible.
Thus increasingly funds of the Board may be made available
for further extension of Chirstian activity to the hundreds
of thousands of cities, towns and villages which have no
church organization and where the gospel is seldom if ever
preached. With these methods our faith sees a self-reliant,
self-supporting church ‘as an accomplishment of the near
future and sees a constant increase in missionary spirit and

activity.

Continued Support from Abroad.

An entirely new set of conditions, stressful in the
extreme confront the Chinese Church today. In addition
to the multitudes of unevangoelized. and the needs of our
educational institutions, there are especially the distress
and losses ineident to famined, banditry.and aivil- war, the
jack of employment, the burdensome taxation and-military
[4]

leires facing our Chinese Christians. These make it im-
possible for them’ to meet these emergent demands and
carry their own current expenses. It is therefore imperative
that the cooperation of the Américan Church should be
continued in full measure.

UNIFIED WORLD ORGANISATION

In order to relieve the General Conference of
adwinistrative matters that relate only to the American
section of the church, we believe the time has come for the
organization of a Central Conference in the United States
to deal with the great mass of material which concerns only
the church in the United States, and which now consumes
.such a large proportion of the General Conference session.
‘In this way the General Conference would be free to deal

awotzaen fully with those phases of organing Church life that

have to ‘do with the visible expression of a world wide
sweep of love, fellowship and co-operation in building the
Kingdom of God ‘on earth. .

EDUCATION.
Support of Middle Schools.

As to the importance of the middle schools and as to
“the necessity of mission support for these schools we would
call attention to the following paragraph from the Report of
the Chiua Educational Commission:

“The Christian middle schools are at this stage the
most vital part of the whole Christian enterprise. They
influence young people at the time when they are making
life decisions, choosing vocations, fixing personal habits
and social attitudes, beginning to form. permanent attach-
ments to friends, masters, school, and church, and accep-
ting or rejecting Christianity. They touch the great
middle classes of society among which the church is now
growing and gaining its greatest strength. They do not
produce the foremost leaders, but furnish the body of
study supporters of Christian society.-

wag: Gagan @ ance: . It is noé,. however, likely that the

ehburch itself can scon undertake the main support of this

2

[5]

grade of school. Therefore the missions should consider
the support of their, middle schools one of the first and
largest items on their budgets. In come missions this
may mean closing primary schools or withdrawing from
college work or definitely uniting with other missions to
make the middle school work strong.”

In the matter of self-support we believe that educational
institutions should. be considered apart from the organized
church. General speaking, our Middle Schools have made
great advances during the last few years in the matter of
increased fees as in other things so that students in our
schools are now ganerally paying for their education fully
as much as students in cHurch schools in America, when
the cost of living is taken into acc unt.

War, revolutions and famine have for the time being
reduced enrollment in some centers so that under these
conditions increased income from abroad is necessary if our
Middle Schools are not to be discontinued in the same way
as have most of onr day schools.

Even intAmerica educational institutions are not ex-
pected to support themselves from student focs or local con-
tributions, but are dependent upon large endowment funds.
No argument need to be made in stating that similar condi-
tions prevail in China and in larger measure. The resources
of the.Chinese church are overstrained in bringing the
evangelistic work to self-support. ‘The middle schools can
expect little or nothing for endowment from. Chineze
sources. The middle schools must continue to look to
America for funds for upkeep and endowment.

A Board of Trustees in America

In some instances Boards of Trustees in America have
been organized for Middle Schools, but it is obvious that,
were all of our Middle Schools to thus organize, there would
be an undesirable multiplicity of such Boards. It is our
judgment, therefore, that there should be organized in
America one Board’ of Trustees for our Middle Schools in
China, the primary object of which would be the holding
in trust and the proper administration of endowment funds
for our Middle Schools individually and collectively, entire-

[6]

ly apait from the Board of Foreign Missions; and holding
in these matters the same relationship as do the Boards of
Prastees of the Union Universities. It is our judgment that
this Board should be constituted in America because of the
unsettled state of affairs in China and the general insecurity
has of inyestmen's here and also because the Chinese church
not yet available sufficient personnel experienced in the
handling of large financial matters.

Should it not be found practical to develop this plan in
the very near fnture some oiher means must be found for
inereased support for-these schools or the early closing of
some of our’best schools will be forced upon us.

CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS AND THE GOVERNMENT.

- We recognize the right of a government to contro! its
educational institutions. In _ establishing educational
institutions in China, it has been our purpose to give
opportunities fr expression of patriotic aims and of
national :consdiousness. We have sought to make the
-education we offer both Christiun and patriotically Chinese.
“We bave emphasized above the importance of education in
the life of the church. In scientific educational work the
student desires and should be given the opportunity for
thorogoing unbiased investigation of all those forces and
factors entering into and holding civilization. On the basis
-of Christlike character alone can there be good will among
men that will make a true democracy possible; on that basis
alone can there be that mutual sympathy among nations
and races, will peace on earth may become a reality. The
building of this character is the greatesi contribution that
the church can make to China and to the world. We
earnestly hope that. in all regulations put forth by the.
government then may be no limitations placed upon the
full development and use of these essential, elements of
culture Minimum Requirements. :

We again state our willingness to meet the reqvire-
ments of the government’ so long as religious liberty is
recognized. Therefore we recommend as the minimum of
‘religious work offered in schools-of middle gehool or
- college grade, jastifying- mission support s

L744

. . 1: Elective courses in. religious education shall .be
offered. - P : : 7

2, Voluntary attendance at religious services shall be
permitted.

The School Staff.

The efficiency of our schools in producing character is
determined by the degree, in which character is possessed
by the staff of the school, In making up and recruiting a
school staff, the responsible authorities of the school should
select from candidates of adequate scholastic attainments,
those whose lives and characters give the best evidence of
being able to inspire and aid students to the attainment of
Christlike life.

Government Registration.

We are ‘in favor of registration of our schools with the
government as soon as it can be accomplished without
seriously compromising their Christian character.

In view of the fact that the regulations concerning
registration of Christian” schools in various provinces and
lesser districts under Nationalist control ‘very, greatly, we
recommend that our institutions delay registration with
the government until the government has become more
stable and uniform in its requirements. This recommenda-
tion is made only in view of the cizcumstances immediately
confronting us.

ADVICE TO MISSIONARIES.

1. It is our clear conviction that the right of the
jndividual conscience to determine personal action on
debatable issuses should be carefully respected. We alsov
recognize the moral obligation to carefully consider the:
ethical consequences of an act under varying circumstances,
whether tho.e consequences concern: international relation-
ships, the fundamental welfare of those whom we have
come to serve, or that of our fellow missionaries. The
decision having been made, it becomes us to manifest in
Christian love our commendation of those who, having
been guided by the same principles, have arrived at
[8]

different conclusions as to their personal duty, and who are
ready to make great sacrifices in accordances with their
decision. . ° 4

2, It is our judgment that as many as possible ow,
should remain in or near. China, and, by relating
themselves to other work or to study, with the Board’s or
Socie'y’s support, be ready for possible early réturn.

8. That those who feel, from circumstances of thetr
own determination, under the conviction that they should
return to America, either temporarily or permanently,
ought to be permitted to do so with our full approval, and
the approval of the regularly constituted authorties,

4, With regard to the time and conditions of return
to our stations or elsewhere in China, ‘we are convineed
that the following principles should obtain,

(a) We should await such a change in ‘conditions as

‘shall make practically inoperative the factors
- which determined our withdrawal -inthe first
instance, :

(b) Wo should expect much progress in self. depend-
ence and gelfdetermination, due to readjustments
and constructive experimentation on the part of
those Chinese co-laborers who have been eompell-
ed° by circumstances to take. over our work,
When we return, there should be such adjust-
ments in appointments and such sympathetic
approach as to carefully conserve every gain
in Chincse leadership “brought. about by the
stimulus of these emergent conditions.

In view of tho present developments of the Church in
China and of Chinese: consciousness ag regards the return of
missionaries to their flelds of labor, we rejoice that in the
establishment cf our ghurch in China, in which we have
membership, full provision is made in our. normal
procedure for the expression of the desires of the Chinese.

A STATEMENT TO CHINESE FRIENDS

The following statement was called'forth by the visit of a delegation
from Chinese Christians of Nanking, that mot with Nanking missionaries
sojourning in Shanghai, After the delegation had boon heard, -a cam:
<mittes was appointed to draft a reply. The committee. in. preparing

the statement felt that it should ‘be

addressed to a wider constituency

than that: represented by the delegation,
race ec

We believe that momentous: is~
sues which we-all, both Chinese and
foreigners, have at stake, and the
wide-spread misapprehensions which
exist regarding them, require us to
state as candidly and sincerely as.
we can our view of recent events
and ‘our convictions on certain cur-
rent questions.

We acknowledge our profound
gratitude to. many Chinese in Nan-
king who helped us in our time of
danger. They: exerted ‘themselves
to the utmost and even. risked their
lives in our behalf. Nothing can
ever deprive us of this ‘cherished
memory, 4 :

The Nanking Affair

With. regard to the unhappy
events which occurred when Nan-
king. passed into control of Nation-
alist forces, it'seems to us no good
can come from.. attempting to
minimize or excuse what happened.
Those ‘of us -who-. were eyé-wit-
nesses of those events have. con-
vineing: evidence of the following:

1. The looters were identified as
Southerners ‘through ‘their. speech
and physical appearanve, by both
Chinese and foreigners in all -parts
of the eity,

2. The plan to attack foreigners
was premeditated and. preconcerted,
This is proved by the uniformity of
acts arid. statements of ‘the troops
who carried it out; by: the simul-
taneous nature of the action in all
parts of the city; by the thorough-
ness and swiftness with which: it
was carried ‘out; ' by statements

BY 4 Group or NANKING MusgIoNARIns

overheard: by some of us in hiding,
unknown to the speakers; and by
statements made to‘ numbers of us
by Chinese: friends, while we were
concealed and they were in com~
munication with the soldiers.

8. The acts were permitted, if
not ordered by, officers. In numerous
cases officers were among the groups
who were active and even took
part in the looting and threatening.
The soldiers were called off by bugles
after the warships fired. Officers
are known 'to have shielded places
which they had a personal interest
jn protecting. This leads to the
conelusion that other officers could
have wielded equal restraining in-
fluence had they chosen to exert it.

4, The soldiers who committed
the outrages were guilty of wanton,
deliberate looting, burning, murder,
and indecent ‘attacks on women. No
excuse or palliation can be offered
for their conduct. Yet, so far as we
know, they still remain enrolled as
a regular part of the Nationalist
armies, ‘and have not béen called to
account in any adequate way.

Reasons for these Statements

Our reasons for making the above
comments are not to oppose the
national aspirations of the Chinese
people. With them we have - the

utmost sympathy. We have no’

desire to use the Nanking in-
cident to make capital against the
legitimate nationalist aims, provided
the two can be clearly ‘separated.
That is why we prefer’ to-see all
patriotic Chinese emphatically re-

pudiate the conduct of those who
committed the Nanking outrages, or
who weré in any way responsible for
them; instead of seeking, as we
think has been too generally the
case, to minimize and gloss over
those occurrences. _ This whole

affair has lowered China’s prestige’

in the éyes of ‘thé .world, and we,
who love the people because of our
years of friendly fellowship with

them, suffer as do all right-think- ,

ing Chinese because of this. Surely,
the ‘Nationalist movement’ as a ‘whole
does not:stand for: such tactics as
these, .and. its cause. would be
strengthened. by, making. that fact.
unequivecally. clear. ,

Some Chinese ‘reports state ‘that
the numbers of troops engaged in
the lawless acts were few, even
placing the: number as low as 200.
We ‘are convinced that the. number
actively engaged. was many. times
200. But even. if they were: rela-
tively. few in. proportion to the
whole army, the actual-number is
comparatively unimportant.. It is
the enormity of: the outrage that
constitutes. its significance, and: not
the number of those who accom
plished it, To say, as some do, that
an incident such as that which
happened at Nanking is the inevit-
able accompaniment of a revolution
and that we must not make too
much of 4 single dase is not a line
of argument which we can.‘accept.
This was the deliberate act: of offi-
cial troops acting under orders. It
is: the inevitable result of a wide-
spread anti-foreign propaganda in
which there is much untruth. And
it is not an isolated case, though
actually worse than any of the other
cases where attacks by Nationalist
troops have ‘been made, such as
Foochow,- Wuhu, Kiukiang, Chin-
kiang, and many. other, places.

The Foreign Bombardment

The .nayal action by , certain
foreign. ships on the afternoon of
March 24 was taken as the last
possible resort to save a group
whom Nationalist troops were then
making every effort to kill. It was

certainly the means of saving the
lives of this group of 48 foreigners
who were: beseiged in’a foreign
house overlooking the Hailing gate
at Hsiakwan, among whom was the
American. Consul and his family,
and it probably saved many other
foréigners’ in’ the city.” The ‘action
was éarefully restrained, and as
moderate. as could be to accomplish
the object in view. There was no
deliberate destruction of Chinesd
life or property, but every precau-
tion: was: taken to avoid, such a,re-
sult. In view of exaggerated state-
ments which have. been circulated as
to the: number of lives lost, we would
call: attention to the» fact that :res-
ponsible Chinese, official sources do
not report more, than: six. ¢ivilian
deaths. The bombardment can be
regarded as an act of. assistance. in
suppressing, a lanlessness which
right-thinking “Chinese themselves
must condemn. It is cortain -jhat if
the Chinese authorities. had, been
preventing the violence, the foreign
forces would not. have . intervened.
And:the intervention saved China
the far more serious international
complications that. would have re-
sulted from taking the lives of a
consul and of a large’ number. of
nationals of a friendly state.

Anti-Foreignism

With regard to assurances of
good-will. toward foreigners ‘and
promises of protection “by: the--Na=
tionalist government throughout its
jurisdiction ‘generally, it seems to
us that the actual facts dbout con-
ditions do not bear out these as-
surances, It is a matter of . fact
that violent anti-foreign agitations
have occurred repeatedly and. appear
to be’ more wide-spread and active
at present than-ever before. Foreign-
ers are steadily being’. forced ‘out
of all.parts of China under’ Nation-
alist control, and: the government,
despite all its assurances, is either
unable or unwilling ‘to alter ‘the
situation, i

The same facts ‘are true regard-
ing opposition to Christianity. The
Christian religion is being persist-

ently and systematically attacked,
jts ‘leaders’ ave being maligned and
persecuted, its properties are being
desecrated, looted and seized, and
no power or influence appears able
to check this conduct.

Treaties and, International Relations

Woe are awaré of those legitimate
claims which China has ‘for the
past several years been ‘presenting
to the other nations and we have
used our influence to support them,
Strong endorsement of China's
claims has ‘been given by the prin-
cipal Mission Boards, ‘and those
claims have been conceded by the
various foreign governments.

Candour compels us to say, how-
ever, that in our judgment the time
has come when the securing of
equal recognition ‘in the family of
nations depends more upon China’s
own efforts than on the foreign go-
yernments, ‘Although we have
taken a stand against the object-
ionable treaties, we feel that such
phrases as, “imperialism,” “tolera-
tion clauses,” and “unequal treaties”
have become mere catch-words with
which to explain the present chaotic
conditions in China. We must in
frankness point out that these
slogans are being overworked. They
are being used to explain too much.
Foreign nations have taken actual
steps in meeting China’s legitimate
claims, and are eager to go further.
But the Nationalist government has
not kept its promises nor fulfilled
its obligations. Such recent agree-
ments as the foreign governments
have negotiated with the Nationa-
lists (as for example, the Chen-0’-
Malley agreement) have not been
observed in an equal spirit by the
latter, a

Our Friendly Efforts Defeated

With special reference to requests
that we use our good offices to pre-
sent China’s case in the best possible
light before our home nations, it is
necessary to recognize that we who
have been termed “idealists” in our
attitude toward China, to-day stand

discredited before the world ag a re-
sult of the course of recent events.
‘We are known to have -protested
against the gunboat policy and other
forcible measures, As recently as the
first of February.- this year, 127
missionaries in Nanking, at con-
siderable labour ‘and. expense,
prepared and sent a cablegram to
the American’ government and
public; protesting against the use
of force in dealing with China, and
urging a policy of conciliation and
the prompt: negotiation of new
treaties on a basis of equality. In
but little more than a month after
that, we had to depend on the use
of foreign force.to save our lives.
We have favoured: the ‘return of
concessions to China, but to-day a
foreign settlement is our only place
of refuge. We have assured.. our

-people abroad that the Nationalist

movement was not anti-Christian
nor anti-foreign, but now we are
driven from our homes and dispos-
sessed of our property. We iwho
remained in Nanking on March 24
were not personally depending on
extraterritorial privileges nor any
other form of foreign protection,
but were putting our trust in the
assurances of the Nationalists, The
events show that our faith was not’
justified. In all these matters, the
facts of the situation flatly con-
tradict our words, Everything we
have said in behalf of the national
movement is made to appear false,
For us to say more in the present
situation would be futile,

Conelusion

We present these statements of
our views not because we wish to
discourage our loyal friends. On
the other hand, we believe that the
only way to bring about a change
in these circumstances, is first
frankly to face the facts and admit
the conditions that exist. We know
there are many Chinese people who
see these events as we do and who
sincerely regret them, But regrets
and good wishes are not sufficient.
Those sections of the Chinese public
who really disapprove of the con-

ditions we have pointed: out, should
find some way to make their influ-
ence and goodwill offective.. We
do not presume to. say how this
shall be done, nor even to say that
it must be done. We make. no, de-
mands of our Chinese friends. We
are merely pointing out what in our
judgment: is the way to continued
helpful, relations, In so far as our
Chinese friends see their way: to

W. J. DrumMoND
Le L, Hata
ALR. Ksprm
Joun G, Maun
EDWIN MARX

A, H, ReINHARD

April 21, 1927.

extend: their efforts in this direction,
they will have our sympathy and
co-operation.to the extent of our
ability. r 4

The undersigned committee takes
full responsibility for this statement,
but, in the preparation of it they
thave: consulted all’ the Nanking
missionaries | who. were. . accessible
jn Shanghai, and have, tried to ex-
press the views of the whole group.

D, W. RicHarpson

W. P, Rosurrs

Ena'C, SHAW

G, STANLEY SMITH

‘Mug. (Lawience Trurston
W. R, WinLiams

Batra copies in English or Chinese may be bought at The Mission Book

Company, or Kelly & Walsh, Shanghat.

Board Of Foreign Missions, Methodist Bpiscopal Church.
CHINESE CARRY ON IN ABSENCE Ol MISSIONARIES

From practically every mission station in China, from which mis-
sionaries have temporarily gone to places of greeter safety on the
coast or in other countries, there is coming back testimony to the
loyalty of the Chinese Christians, Much of the work of preaching,
teaching, healing and administering is still carried on by Chinese
pastors, teachers, doctors, nurses, - all mission-trained leaders,

The Reverend Frederick Bankhardt, veteran missionary in Yenping
City, writes: "Even if we missionaries are not at our stations just
now, the Chinese preachers, teachers, doctors, nurses and Bible women
are right on the job, Never have 1 been more encouraged from what I
have Been of our Chinese Christian workers and members than at
present,

Miss Alice Brethorst, dean of women in West China Union Univer-
sity, Chengtu, reports that the University Senate, the governing body
in China, has been reorganized with a majority of the members Chinese;
that Lincoln Dsang, a Chinese graduate of Northwestern University,
Evanston, I11., is vice-president and acting heed of the institution;
that S. H, Fong is now dean of the School of Education; and Donald Fay,
graduate of Rochester Seminary, is dean of the School of Religion,

According to Dr, A. J. Bowen:, president of the Nanking Univer-
sity which was the scene of the serious disturbances of last March,
the institution is being administered by a committee of seven Chinese,
of which Dr, T. 8S, Kuo, dean of the College of Agriculture and
Forestry, is chairman, Three hundred fifty of the five hundred former
students of the school are now in attendance, and forty or more of
them will be graduated with bachelor degrees at the end of June,
There is ae Chinese feculty of more than one hundred - several having
been added to take the place of the missionary-professors now tempo-
rarily out of the city. Most of the American faculty are still in
Shanghai awaiting permission from the American Consul to return to
their posts. Dr, Bowen states that the College of Agriculture and
Forestry, the College of Arts and Sciences, the primery schools, and
the Middle School, are ell open under the guidance of this Chinese
Administrative committee,

Dr, George T, Blydenburgh, superintendent of Susan Toy Ensign
Memorial Hospital, Nenchang, gives this answer to the question, "Is
the missionary wented in China?" "Thinking Chinese who know the mis-
sionary and his real motive still want him, This is particularly true
of the medical missionary, Frightful disease and suffering is no less
today than « month ago, No less today than then is China oa source of
world danger from pandemic discase, Thoughtful Chinese know their
necd of modern medicine, and want the mission hospital, When the day
somes when China rests from her struggle, whether it is next month,
or a year or more from now, the Christian missionary will be wanted
and needed."

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai,
May 21, 1927.
My dear Father;-

I am writing today a kind of a business letter, as
there are several inquiries I need to make the data for which are
probably last at Nanchang.

Briefly it is this: Will you kindly send me a list of the
accounts I have im America and the present amounts? I have with me
my checkbook from the Troy National City Bank, so the details of that
are clear to me. In what bank did you put ‘my savings money? and how
much does if amount to mow? How much is there still im your account
with me? Were I in possession of all my household goods I could find
these out for myself, but I fear it ig gome. One of our men wrote me a
letter from Nanchang saying that he had packed my possessions into a
trunk and was sending it to me, but alas! what I sent for would fill
a number of trunks and then some, I am anxious to see what comes through

Regarding my investments in China, I am not very apprehensive.
I have $100 gold im the Raven Trust Company, which, with accumulated 7%
interest since 1920 is now about $150. Dr. Diffendorfer told me he econ-
siders it still peffectly safe, and so does Mr. Main our General Trea~
surer. In addition I have $300 Mex in Kuling. Of this enterprise I
am the treasyrer and the only member of the committee still in China. I[
think that this enterprise will eventually pay its debts and we can get
our money, though for the present I am held to provide for nothing but
the expense of keeping up the property. In case of a windup we can pay
all our obligations if we get back only & the value of the property, but
im any case I am in position to wateh it earefully, and have given a
statement to Dr. Diffendorfer covering the whole matter.

This morning I put into the National City Bank of New York
my accumulated tithe money up to the present. I have no particular
eall for it now, but may have soon, and 1t might as well be earning
imterest as long as it can instead of making it seem as though I have a
bloated balance in my salary account.

I am so far behind in investments toward educating the ehil~
dren that I am asking the Board to send you $200 to be put into the
savings bank where you put the other money. We are being put on a
salary somewhat consonant with our increased expenses here, and shall
probably be slow im replacing the more expensive parts of the stuff we
may have lost at Nanchang. I feal that I ought not to pile up money
in the Orient Just now, nor again until a great deal more settlement
has come into the situation than igs now apparent,

Your letters of April 23d and 24th and a letter from Hdgar
dated April 25th came this morning. Bro, Pileher, who took letters to
be mailed you 1m America heft us before these letters came. About the
middle of next week, perhaps, we shall write again (if there is a big
boat going Friday or Saturday), and may have first~hand news from
Kiangsi. This morning's letter says:'Condition here 1s quiet, nothing
particular. Local government decided to proteet the foreigners' lives
and properties!

This is s& warm day, and I presume summer will be on us soon.

Love had
V4 |

Shanghal, May 22, 1927.
My dear Father; -~

Should we say tomorrow that we wish to go, our way would be pald and no
questions asked; so that our decision does not depend on lack of means.
It is altogether possible that my work may be totally different from
what it was on March 24, my last day at Nanchang, 1% may even be that

I shall have to start im another station, but I eannot see that such
possibilities make any particular difference in what I ought to do
right now, which ig to stick om the job, or as near as possible until
the time when there is real work I can do somewhere tn the interior, or
even here in Shanghai.

Ag to your gifts to Missions, I think you are wise in
waiting a little regarding further gifts to the Nanchang Hospital. That
enterprise, if we cam do so, will be carried to completion, but the "irt
is big at present, and when the next era dawns in mission work out here
it may prove to be the case that we shall not proceed with any building
projects whatsoever. You will understand that nothing of this kind has
been said publicly, least of all has any formal action heen taken. This
is simply FRB talking about a contingency which may never happen at all.
I do feel that we shall insist that tm the ease of our carrying forward
any building projects in the future, local support will be made much
more of a demand, so I think the Nanchang Hospital projeet will not
Awuhelwewtter for lack of foreign money as much as for lack of Chinese. You
have put enough in to fulfil the purpose for which you started.

At the present moment the foreign missions appeal will be for
the emergeney fund caused by China affairs. I believe the total is te
pe put at $200,000. Probably that will be "challenging" enough to
araw all the looge shekels around ten counties. The proposition is, I
believe, to present no indemnity claims for Methodist missionaries, but
for the Church to pay the bill. I am seriously considering withholding
any claim, except for our travel and excess living costs, even. Af at
appears that much of my personal property 1s gone. The time has not
come for decigton on that point, and Clella and I want to be of one
mind about it. My liste are ready, except for a few minutes compiling
when I learn how much is still safe, so I can know with fairly high
accuracy what my losses are. However, I wote for indemnity every time,
ag I know what some men and women face 1f theyfdont get it.

Love

Shanghat, May 25, 1927.
Dear Folks; -

My weekly epistles now come in the middle of the week, and x
will continue to do go, unless some friends of ours leave by a boat which
lets us be a day later. I pass a letter box om my way to school , so
shalluplam to write on Wednesday evening, mail the letters Rxkdagxmaxnin
Thursday morning for the boat leaving Friday.

This afternoon when I was downtown I got the package of paper hats
Helen gent: for the children. We had lots of fun wearing them before and
during supper. We have a notice of g#package sent to Clella, which we suspect
1s the missing birthday package, but when I went to the blg downtown post~
office to get it they told me it 18 at a sub-office out this way.

Today I learned that Bishop Birney and Johnson reached Kiuklang
in gafety and found things quiet so went ashore. They are reported to be
leaving Kiukiang tomorrow night on the return trip, Dodd is off at Wubu,
put due here any minute, so his wife thinks. On the river mow the custom
is to rum im ome convoy several boats, for instance one for Wuhu and one
for Kiukiang and ome for Hankow, The convoying wareraft drops one hoat
at each place. The boat waits for several days for a down-river convoy
to pick it up, so passage to Kiukiang is no longer a daily possibllity but
only once or twice a week.

Tonight's scareheads inform us that Britain has broken with
Russia. If so the international atmosphere ought to be cleared very soon
and the confliet brought into the region where 1t belongs rather thah in
China. CGhina has a certain amount of evoluting and revoluting to do, I
suppose. I know she has a lot of growing up to do before she can he a
first rate power. The pity is that all these International complications
have come im as a heavy handicap, heeause I believe that China has really
the makings of one of the greatest powers of the future world. The great
Russian people cannot be indicted, but the powers that be in the saddle
there have certainly indulged in the most malevolent machinations all over
the globe, and it ig high time they were brought to bookt

Last night the copper globe in a supply tank we have on the second
floer here took a notion to leak and fill with water. The torrent
threatened to drown us out. Finally about 1 a.m. we succeeded in getting
a workmen from the water works, who fixed tt temporarily and this morning
came and finished the job. Shanghal 1s a thrilling place to live!

A couple of days ago we leanred that a big box for us had come,
and tonight a table of contents is to hend, mostly rugs, plllows, ete.
Clella ts wery happy to get it, and tomorrow we hooe to see it here

4t school we are in reviews and testa 3 A for the finals.
I certeiniy like the kids there. They ere good oye e le, thoug
I must hasten to edd that in science they are not too brilliamt to be

human by any manner of means. If there te er: oriticlem of the course
it ls that they should have more training in dolng things. Many of then
are from homes where 'call the boy' is the way to get things done.

. Lots of love

Ny

No big boat hes come in since I Wrote last, so there have been no letters
from you. We ghall probably get them Saturday morning.

oe plot oad

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we ofuhig Way ahd Thay 7
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5 we SHaAi a Ceinade ow Che wag
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TL aE dy

Shanghai, June 3, 1927.

Dear Folks;~+
This week has been, bugy.for me, examinations to give and

correct, and I missed the Dollar’ line boat, but hope to get this into
the mail for the Canadian Pacific tomorrow, Letters from both Northe
ville and Letham seem to be coming im with regularity now. May 2
letters from both places reached, us om May 28, end May 9 letters, also
from both places, reached ‘us today. Bowne

The elipping from the Troy Times with our family foto was more or
less of a splurger. They misquoted and in other ways erred from the
stiriet line of historicity, but T doubt 4% ‘any ome in America apart
from yourselves and a few other well«posted experts would notice any~
" thing badly off. Even at that it 1s several thousand % better than a
lot of publicity China is now getting, ‘but of ‘that more anon!

I am glad and grateful to Hdgar's congregation for the cash. It
WiLL do them good spiritually, I know, and mé financially. When a little
more definite detall arrives I will write a special letter about it. In
case you have not decided by the time this reaches you what to do ta

get it to me, sed it to eht National Oity Bank of Troy for my checking
account. This can ‘be done with any money for me, ang Gime. Only be

sure to write me about it, as I fear the bank will not trouble to

notify me. - to ‘

So far as I can mow judge we seem to be in a ind of a lull just
now. The Nationalists seem to be driving toward the north about as
fast as Ghang Tso-lin and his crowd ean run away from them. The Nan»
King-Hankow split is for the time being patched up, though it 1s hard
to tell what may be going om behind the seenes.. Feng Yu~siang seems
to be with the Nationalists, though we ean not tell yet which camp.
Reliable mews 18 a8 scarce as hens' teeth, but foreigners in the interior
are apparently having hard sledding most everywhere. I am having a
growing feeling that comment 1s now apt to be even more groundless than
it was a few months ago. All we can do is to wait for a clarification
after some more of this turmoil has settled down to another breathing
spell. As for me and my house, nevertheless, our determination is not
yet altered, to sit around, at work if possible, as near Chima and we
wan get until it is perfectly clear that we can either go bagk to work
at our station or else another station, or else must fly the coop for
other gréen fields and pastures new. :

7 Glella is getting her ear up at Paul’ Hutehinsen, whe (I suppose it
is he) in the Christiam Century is spending hie time lambasting the
missionaries for deserting their posts of duty at the hehest of heathen
governments. The Shanghai Times lambastes.us for being pro»Nationalist,
so I presume we ought to feel much squelehéd by now. However, in
regard to myself I have mo self-reproaching to do. I still feel that
after all that went before, when my government was shelling Nanking,
the time had come for me to be elsewhere than Nanchang. If one wishes
to press the issue back, China has had in some places 100 years and
more of contact with Christianity. Wherever I have worked, they have
known us for 20 years. That gives them a chance to size ue up. If
they now say (as they have mot daid) that the time hes come for foreign
missionarLes to get out, I believe they have the right to put us out,
and mo one can say them nay. df To take any other position is to
deny one of the sovereign rights of a nation, f[ am an American, and T
believe I have a right to remaim one if I so wish, When I attempt to
follow out the logical. consequences of retaining that right, I think
no ome can with grace or truth impugn my Christianity or missionary
calling, I firmly believe that among the Chinese there ig no thought
of Chinese origin eriticising our action after Namking. There is a
distinct and strong current of criticism having its roots in Moscow,
but that current 1s totally antisChristian and antiereligious. I
sometimes wonder who supplies material for Harry F. Ward, Sherwood Eddy,
Stamley High, even Kirby Page, and now Paul Hutehingon? I am almost

no « ‘

. swinging back to Bishop Bashford's. positions, At the same time I
~t find myself objecting strongly, to ‘the willitary display here at

Shanghai. Some time, perhaps I. shall ‘be able to reconcile all my
various conflicting. views, perhaps. Maybe thig, summer “in the quiet
at the base of Fuji I can get time to think 1t out.

We start (DV). a week from Thursday. Sehool, is. over, a week from
today, leaving usa. few days still to pack and finish arrangements. We
a have passport, visa, feservations on the steamer, reservations at the
. Migsionary Homie » everything possible being arranged: for us in Japan,

: _ and: our “pel origitige aye not “so much that 1b ig a ‘great, burden to move then,|
1. May 30 passed quietly here, ‘in spite of all. sorts of ominous
tévitontngs: That evening we received our big box, which ‘had our rugs,
some bedding and pillowcases, a cot. and a dozen of my tools ~ not much,
but. far better than nothing... go ‘far as we know ‘most, of our things are
‘ sealed up im our attic at Nanchang, ‘though there seems ite, have been
ee some looting. | We, do not kmow the extent. of 1t.
: Clella. wants me to: hurry up. and finish, so I will ‘ao ‘0. We axe
well and as hedppy as the ciroumstances WiLL Let us. L.‘shall ‘plan to
fulminate again next week, a6 usual. ‘ _
tofla .. Love

ayers lor wu al ; A Anithay
tee fear i Rs

Community Church
Shanghai, China

et
Rev. Clifford gt, Aeury—Parstor
53 Avsue Potuin, West 3975

oe

Baccalaurente Service

Sunday, Yue Sth, 1927
Wao aan.

Order of Service

Organ Prelude... ... ... Mrs, C. A. Gunw
Processional... ... «1 High School Chorus
Rey. W.R. Jonxson
Senior Class Chorus

Invocation

Responsive Prayer

Prayer Rev. Cartnron Lacy
Special Music ... ... 4... Senior Class Chorus
Hymn 10...... “When morning gilds the skies.””
Offering

Sermon by Ruy. Davin §, Carrns, D. D.
Anthem ‘‘The Eyes of the Lord’’...chureh Choir
Hymn 208 ‘‘All the way my Saviour leads me.’’
Benediction . ue Dr. Rozere Frrow
Organ Postlude.., “... ... Mrs. C. A. Goxn

The members of the 1997 class of the Shanghai

Americat Sehool are:

John M. Antoniantz
Arthur B, Bankhardt
Mary R. Barlow
Elizaboth Billing
Elizabeth G, Blain

J. Sherwin Brenneman.
Willis B. Brown
Helen H, Campbell
Horave 'l', Day
Robert Hilliott

Mary Frances Espey
Leonard Everett
Janet H, Witch
Benjamin Fuson
Lester S$. Gale

Ida Gorelkina

John H, Gray Jr.
Olive M. Harris
William Johnson
Agnes P. Junkin
Martha Lacy

Lucy A. Lee

CO. Marshall Lee Jr,
Ruth P. Morgan
Lura Snell

Mary A. Selden
Helen Stroebe
Addison A, Talbot Jr.
George B, Talbot
Clarence M. Wilbur
E. Sidney Willis

J. Rhett Wilson

The Shanghai American School invites you
to be present during Commencement week at the
following events:

Monday 6:00 p.m. June 6th,
* Advanced Musid Recital
Assembly Hall

Tuesday 9:00 p.m. June 7th,
Assembly Hall
“You and I”
(Admission $ 1.00)

Wednesday 8:00 p.m. June 8th,
Alumni-Senior Dinner
Dining Hall

Thursday 7:30 p.m. June 9th,
Class Day Exercises
Senior Play
Assembly Hall

Friday 5:00 p.m. June 10th,
Commencement Exercises
The Quadrangle
Prof. EH. M, Poteat Jr,
“The Cost of High Living”

Friday 8:30 p.m. June 10th,
Senior Reception
Dining Hall

z

er

=

“ until we notify you otherwige,

oh get your statement of my bank account. I have never met Dr, Keller of
“2. Changsha, but know much about him by reputatiom, Your time with Dr.

3 give and turn it back to the treasury, At least I have been doing that
oe this past month ahd suppose the arrangement will continue that way.

&” him when I mot him in New York. We hear that the Southern Presbyterians

31 Brenan Road, Shanghai, Kuo,
June 12, 1927.
Dear Folka;~
This is, I presume, the bast letter I shall write you from

this address. We leave (DV) om Thursday for Japan, but go down town
Wedmesday to the Missionary Home, to avoid the fusa of eloging the
house and moving our hags and baggage to the boat six or seven miles
away to catch a 9 aom, sailing. The Misslonary Home is only a short
distance from the wharf.

We have decided to get off at Nagasaki instead of Kobe, because
it seems that we can gave money that way. It does imvolve a longer
train ride, but I guess we ean endure it for the sake of the spondulix
imvolved. Anyway, I doubt if we can be classed as ubterly inexperienced
in the art of travel, and we expect to survive. (Clella just told me
that she and Mrs. Johannaber have about decided to change their minds
omer and get off at Kobe. I can tell more about it a week from
now!

Closing school was not such a fag for me as it might have been.
My predecessor, Mr. Brooks, did the work of figuring out term grades,
and all. I had to do was to give the final examinations and hand in the
grades for that. Dr. 4nderson, the principal, bas asked me to stay on
next year im the science work, and Bishop Birney seeme inclined to
ratify the proposal. Much depends, of course, on whether or not it is
possible for us to get back to Nanchang this fall, The Nationalists are
drawing closer to Peking, but of course there may be a slip yet, though
Chang Tso-Ling's powex seems to be collapsing. Plenty of other factors
combine to make the situation very complicated. For instance, the
eompetition between Chiang Kaiwshih and the Wuham faction is not settled,
mo ome seems to know where Feng Yuesiang stands, Yen Siesan le another
|, uncertain element, and Yang Sen is driving om Hankow from the west. ALL
in all it 1s impossible to gay what will happem im the next couple of
months. Furthermore, when the Nationalists get to Peking, as they seem
now om thepoint of doimg, they have still to outlime a definite foreign
policy. I have not geen much of a rift in the cloud of anti»foreignism
yet. We sympathize most heartily with the desire of the Chinese for
nomdigeriminatory treatment, customs autonomy, and the re st, but
gome very disquieting signe have appeared. It 1s possible that their
armies, after sweeping into Peking, will feel themselves so Invincible
that they will turn om the foreign soldiers and marines at Tientsin and
. Peking and even Shanghai, If that happems 1t will-be a terrible mess
to settle, as Ghina ean expect little merey from the great powers when
it comes to a treaty conference (I speak of facts, mot of my sympathies)
Trying to think the thing through along these lines, I almost belleve
that a year from now ¥ T see me still in Shanghai, and I imagine that
4 is the basis of Bishop Birney's telling Clella this morning that he
thinks I should accept Dr. Anderson's offer, J will of course, he still
in the Migsiom, loaned, as it were, for a year to the Shanghai school.
They cannot pay as much as my salary comes to, so I shall aceept what t

As to your letters, comtinue to address us lm care of Bro, Main

Latham letters of May 14 and 15 arrived yesterday. I am glad to

, Hdwards, I am sure, was pleasant, I was very favorably impressed with

~have decided that if missionaries cannot return to stations im the fall
all are to be sent out of China. Well, we are still in the Orient and
ready to work. Paul Hutchinson would not give us a gold star, but maybe,
Bpme ome would allow us ome of the kind you can buy in the ten sent store

Love.
husk

ON OB fPIC gD Ens

Ni-no~oka, Gotemba, Japan
dune 19, 1927.
Dear Folks; ~

After a most intensely interesting trip, here we awe, in
Japan for the summer. We left 31 Bremam Road on Wednesday morning,
spent the rest of the Way finishing preparations for the trip, slept
that night at the Missionary Home, and Thuraday morning started on the
"SHANGHAI MARU", one of the new, thoroughly modern and very fast express
steamers. Friday at 1 p.m. we were in Nagasaki and met a lot of folks,
among them Bob Spencer, who gave us invaluable help in arranging our
trip. Yesterday afternoon we reached Kohe and had no trouble landing.
For all our stuff we paid no customs at all, but had a heavy bill for
excess baggage. Our plan was to stay over at Kobe until tomorrow
morning, but the place was full up, and in spite of our preparations we
had to come on. At Kobe we took a sleeper, quite as noisy and shaky
ag a U.S.Pullman. This express train we had to leave at Numadzu, where
we took a local to this place.

I wish you were here with us ~ the house faces Fuji, which is about
10 miles away as the crow flies, lohger of course by road. Today hag
been in general a fair day and we have seen Fuji in all conditions of
cloud from completely covered to completely clear, Our front door faces
straight to the mountain and tonight the sun set precisely behind the
peak. We are perhaps 2000 feet above sea level and the peak of Fuji
12387 feet.

The place here is a settlement run by missionaries who have a 99~
year lease from the farmers who have ih from the Imperial Household, who
are thereal owners of the land. There ig a comunity here, small at
any time, but with us, now onx# four families, three of whom are from
China. Mr. Alexander of our mission, who is general manager of the
place, hag been here all day and has helped us very much. We have hired
a servant, & woman who washes clothes and dishes, cleans floors, ete,
for ¥35 per month, and has started Im very satisfactorily. We were saying
tonight that it seems like starting in again as new misslonaries, trying
to converse in a language we know nothing of, Still, knowledge of the
Chinese character ig a very great help here. The few characters we ‘can
write have come in handy more than once already. Then too there is a
very great similarity 1m many of the sounds, particularly of common words.
It ie really lots of fum, and the couttesy of all the people here takes
off the sting of our laughable ignorance. I am sure we shall be trying
Chinese on them. It seems so strange that they should not understand it!

We are across the railroad line from Fuji, and in back are surrounded!
by high hills. Mr. Alewander tells us that beyond these near hills is
Suruga Bay which 19 not much different from the broad ocean. Whether or
not this is the veason, the air here today and particularly this evening
makes us think of Riverside, cool and snappy. It surely is a change from
the last two days before we left Shanghai. Those were fierce, hot and
wet. They say though, that in general this place is damp and rainy
during the summer. Well, there are compensations. When it is rainy we
have plenty of water coming through the pipes and a chance to go in
gwimming every day.

We have been told that there 1s a movement among the Japanese mem-
bers of the Conference to apply for the services of refugee China mis-
slonaries for a whole quadrennium. In some ways the proposition sounds
very sensible, but there is sure to be serious questions ef finances. TI
am gure that if the Japanese themselves put up a strong case, the autho~
tities of the Church and Mission Board will give it very careful attention
and favorable consideration. At Kobe I bought 'a Japan newspaper, the |
Osaka Mainichi, run by Japanese, amd the idea expressed in it is that the
5 main factions in China (Chiang Kiai~shi, Chang Tse-lin, Yen Hsi-san,
Feng Yu-siang and the Wuhan group) are now so evenly balanced that it {

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Ni-nowoka, Gotemba, Japan,
June 26, 1927.
Dear Folks;~
Today marks the end of our first week here. We have had
time to get pretty well settled, and have been fortunate with a week of *
fair weather. It seems much more tham ten days since we left Shanghai.
Thursday night after we were in bed there was a big thumping at the
door, I went down to get a telegram announcing that the Dodds were to |
have a house made ready for them. Friday we had the help of our friends ,
the Greens, amd opened the house and had 1t cleaned up. Saturday mor~
ming another telegram gaid they would arrive Monday afternoon, Mr.
Alexander, who spends the weekend here said they had to leave the boat
because of whooping cough. We certainly are sorry they can not get to
America mow, as they did want to go, but for the few weeks they have to
gpend, this is a beauty spot I am sure they will enjoy thoroughly. If
the pleasant weather continues the sting of their disappointment ought
to be considerably softened. Their house 1s a more Japanesy one than
this, in a beautiful grove with enormous trees im the front yard, and
@ most entranging view of Fuji. It 1s separated from the houses in
this group (d@liberetely chosen go om account of the whooping~cough),
No mew families have come into this Little group of houses, The
Obee fant) Methodist Protestants, aame Last might, bub thelr house Le
al. re ed from us 2. TL suppose enother week or so will see
folks coming in, Before another Sunday June will end and July come in.
We are having lots of fum at the language, & have been in to town
@ couple of times, borrowing a bicyele made apparently to order for a
man about 6 feet 4. It is a most awkward affair. With the seat as far
down as it will go, my feet just reach to the pedals at the lowest point
The back brakes do not work and the fromt hrake slezes badly, so that
coasting ts a venturesome basiness. Buying, when an interpreter 1s not
along is a combination of puzzling over Japanese words, sien language
and writing Chinese characters, Once in a while someone pipes up with
'Twoedellan' or 'tin-sen', but English is largely an unknown language
im Gotemba. Glella will write, I am sure, about her experiences with
-Baa~San, our lady-of~all-work., We kmow of course, 'o-hai-o' for

goodmorning, and 'sayonare' for goodby. ' enichi' means tomorrow,
so this afternoom Glella tried the combination 'sayonara', then, after
a pause | Onichi'. I fear this was no accomplished literary sentence,

but the old lady made a bow and has not shown up since. * Tomorrow will
pring the test of whether she understood the implication of the second
paragraph of Clella's speech.

China mail has not begun to come through in any quantity, We have
had a couple of aur newspapers but few letters, There should be American
mail before long. Mail im delivered at our house once a day, but we
take our own letters in to town.

Glella and Mrs, Johannaber take turns weekwabout in being chief
boss and second boss in the kitehen. They have furnished us some dandy
meals up to date, and the children certainly pay them the only compli~
ment worth mentioning, consuming them in toto and yelling for more}

Yesterday and today we have had some rain, Tonight is not rainy,
but it is dark and cloudy. We hope the Doddd will not have to arrive
‘in the rain.

I guess this is about all there is for this woek, It has not been
very thrilling - but we are on vacation.

Lots of love,

a

ES FF POM NO SS MSI! OR were RRS Rn A IN

Ni-no-oka, Gotemba, Japan,
June 30, 1927.
Dear Friends;~

Little did I think, when I wrote my last letter to you,
that this one would be written from Japan. Conditions in Central. China
are still go unsettled, however, that Bishop Birney sent us here rather
than permit us to go to Kuling, where we would normally be.

When I wrote in March my family had been at Chinklang since
the end of January. The local situation was quiet enough at Nanchang,
in fact we discussed bringing back our families, and it was only the
fear of developments im the general situation that prevented us from
doing so, Meanwhile our Consul sent us a number of messages asking us
to be prepared to leave om a moment's notice, and Bishop Birney, who
was im constant touch with the authorities both foreign and Ghinese,
refused to give official sanction to our famililes for their return to
either Nanchang or Kiukiang.

About March 22 or 23 many of those left at Nanchang went to
Kiukiang to attend a meeting of our Conference Board of Education. On
Fridgy of that week, the 25th, Mr. Johnson woke me up at 5 a.m. Bbe~
fore I was able to fully collect my thoughts I was conscious of. a
sinking at heart with a realization that a most serious crisis «had
occurred. Going downstairs to see ur. Johnson xaagionetpcee op finding
out the partieular turn the erisgis had assumed. His first remark was
‘Matters are serlous enough. American and British gunboatad are
shelling Nanking. It is feared all_forelgners.in the city ave killed.
Dr. Smith kriown to. be. dead,'. and* he went on with the report. which had
come to the American guboat..by wireless and received at Kiukiang on
Thursday afternoon. At that time it was perfectly clear to me that,
whatever the cause or circumstances, when an American guhboat fires
shells at a Chinese city, my place is mot in the Interlor. We had had
repeated urgings from our own Consul and from our own Bishop to get
ready for the erigis then on us. We knew that reports would doubtless
be broadcast over China in most exaggerated form. We knew that our
church members and Chinese administrators would be taunted with thelr
foreign connections and accused of complicity in al] the various ‘sins’
laid up against foreigners in China. It beemed to me that our going
would remove et once causes of frigtion and possibly prevent thus
serious local riots, as well as give our Chinese a chance to meet the
storm whithout the embarrassment of our presences, when our presence
could not help them at all.

All this, as f remember, was reviewed on our five o'clock in
the morning conversation. seside Mr. Johnson and f were Drs. Blydenburgh
and Libby, and, I think, Mr. Holland. Since then I have reviewed the
whole ground many times, and cannot see how we could have donw otherwise,
than we did, even had we known then all we learned afterwards. Later
happenings at Nanchang have fully justified our actions of March 25, so
it seems to me.

When I reached Shanghai I found my family had been there for
only a day, and that they had had an exciting time leaving Chinklang.
Tt seems a bit tronical that my family, who left Nanchang in January to
avoid trouble, should have such a narrow escape, while [ had a calm and
peaceful trip all the way to-the coast. However, we are personally
thankful that we were spared what many others suffered.

In Shanghai I spent gome time besieging the Bishop for some

270630 Parish Abroad 2.

work to do, and finally settled down to teaching In the Shanghai
American School. Their Seience teacher gecured a position in the
Gomsular service, and I was able to f111 im the last month of: his
work teaching two classes in Physics and one Im General Selence. This
school is a fine piece of missionary work, though it would perhaps
protest that it is not restricted to the missionary circle. Students
come from all classes in Shanghai, but the school maintains high
educational standards in the best American tradition, and the atmos~
phere is distinetly Ghrietian. To me the mohth I taught there was
thoroughly enjoyable, except that I could not get back to my own work
in Nanchang.

We left Shanghai on the 16th, two weeks ago today, and had a
pleasant trip to this spot. From our front door it 1s about ten miles
as the crow flies to Mt. Fuji, the famous mountain of Japan. This
wonderful mountain towers more than two miles in the air and we have
ever changing views of it from our windows and doors. Surrounding us
and in back aye mountains which would be imposing were it not for
solitary and majestic Fujii in front. Wonderful plant life is all around
and Japam is the home of beautiful butterflies and moths, so that my
biological yearnings ought to be well satisfied this summer. The
Japanese have reforested this region, and we see groves in all stages
of growth, the trees im straight lines, sometimes mere twigs in rows
of dots running up the high mountains, and sometimes well-matured
standing timber.

_ The Japanese people have done remarkably with their civilize-
tion, and we find in this country very much indeed to admire and praise.
I am anxious to have conversations with Japanese thinkers amd students
regarding the present situation in the Orient, for 1t is certain that
Japan is very deeply involved in events here. For that reason I am
reading with very great interest every expression from prominent
Japanese officials.

Our olans for the future are still to some extent uncertain.
Doubtless it will still be many months hefore I take Mrs, Brown and
the children back to Nanchang. If the situation settles I want to go
back there and get at my work again as quickly as f can. If that is
mot possible, the plan is that I shall teach in the Shanghai American
School until the way opens for return to Nanchang. We have no thought
of leaving the Ortent unless it clearly becomes impossible for us ta
open work again for a number of years, and that is not the present
outlook. I believe that prophesy is altogether unreliable until the
Nationalist axmies reach Peking or are decisively defeated.

For the present we can be reached in care of Rev. W. A. Main,
23 Yuen Ming Yuen Road, Shanghai. Mr, Main is our Mission Treasurer
and will forward mail to us.

These are days when I would not willingly be anywhere on earth!
except in the Orient. Chinese have told me of their feeling of inade-
quacy for their present tasks of leadership. Ome said to me, just before
we left Shanghai 'When' you missionary folks get back, your first task is’
to teach us how to be leaders'. May the Lord bless them abundantly! i
We mueh need your prayers, but they still more. Most of them are doing |
magnifieently, so far as we cam learn, holding firm and true to Christ |
and doimg both wisely and well in their strange new circumstances,

Yours very a !

‘ E Fred R. Brown, !
_ able to put my fingers on them right. now, .It 1s goad to have the weekly
-gbream flowing this way. Post offices are very reliable’ institutions in

1

‘the same eolor as. the Minister's outlook. In important situations the

the eet or inaction of any one may so seriously affect all that. a brand~
' goneered are carried on with at leash ban groupe; e.g. between America

tom; between France and’.CHine in Paris and between France and other

Amportence. . While the! Home-secreteriat and the Minister.are coming to

Ni-no»oka, Gotemba, Japan;~

July 3, 1927.
Dear Folks; ~- ri

‘ Beginning. Thursday of this past week we had a storm almost

tropical; wind, mist, rain and the most disagreeable muggy weather with
at.all. Thursday night the wind blew so that partitions were blown over
im our bedroom, and Friday the air was so saturated with molsture that the
lead im my ved pencil turned to liquid. Th&t 1s some humid! IT am used
to the lead turming so soft that I cannot write with a red peneil of

his kind, but to have it liquidate in the pencil 1s a new one on ile.

The partition which blew over 1s a Japanese style one im grooves, which
was easily repaired in the morning. It was glassed, but not a pane broke , }
This morning. the day dawned bright and eunny, and we: had seni~elear woathey
until along this afternoon. Now (5 p.m.) the mist has come 1a again and
perhaps we are in for more storm, |The alr.is much cooler, though.

Two gets of Letters came from you this past week, but I do'not seem

whatever country they are’ found.' I. often admire the faithfulness of the
public- sexvants whe conceive that letters belonging to the people are
important enough to be considered almost a sacred trust. Matters in our
experience: which have gome wrong ‘have almost invariably had an adequate
explanation. ne ede : : ‘ ee

Some remarks 1m some of your letters lead me to’ another train of
thought. Regarding international. relations, there are many angles to the
question. Firat, the Government at Washington, let us say, or London or
Tokyo or Paris or elsewhere, needsito have a clear pieture of what is
taking place where national interests are involved. . Then. there needs to
be, I think always, a search for the underlying prineiples on which action
or inaction should be. based. . Ih important matters, Like events in the
Orient recently, the interpreter of loval affairs to the various home
governments is naturally the Minister » in his Lack the Consul or other
diplomatie officer. The. Minister, im his turn, has. his own ideas of what
should be done, and consciously or unconselously colors his information
and. recommendations accordingly. The Premier or Secretary of State has
to consider public feeling in his owa country, which may or may not have

Minister is @iven little or no diseretion but is pub under minute instrue-
tions, though hie recommendations should be considered of the highest

@ common viewpoint, other nations are engaging im the same process, and
new situation is produced. ‘Thus’ conversations’, where ‘five countries are
and China in Washington, and between’ America -and other powers in Washing~

powers in Paris, amd so on... :
:. ~The navel authorities at Nanking were faced with a great emergency,
the dire’ peril of British 'and American (mostly. American) citizens. As T
renember the story, ‘the American Admiral onee’ refused permission to fires
At any rate, Consul Davis ones gavé the ordex to fire and then counter
manded. it. What was finally done wae by deeiston of the local. authorities
without reference to bhe-hone governments. Ib wad an emergenoy.

. We who were neat Nanking were considerably mystified by the history
of the mext days and ‘weeks, but possibly a little of the mysbihy aan now
be cleared up. We thought that the tedious cy¢le of Aiplomatie procedure
accounted for bhe delay in idguing the jolat note to the Nationalists.
That maybe true. When the note was issued, it waa not precisely what
many expected. To my mind tt was elear and sane. It asked for three
things: punishment of those guilty; reparatlon for the ges suffere
ai Neattiag;. assudgnees that the aftale would aot be ve ro
Ghougity thé note Boo" haraly-aad: a

3.

27TOTO3 2 sa e
ber, Far more thought the note too mild and ineffective. Then,
os. When’ -the note wad seat, cane another delay. Bugene dhaa replied ta
Jus the aste wlth characteristic bombast, but aot a peep came 1a reply froa
‘the great powers. Kiang. Kiaisshl made’ what may be called. an informal
reply in which he undex personally to indemnify the losses Incurred

by flor era, and pointed out that Hugene Chen was the mah totale the
Offers Ye é

8 dletange ti time it seuaa to me that aa, soa, 28 the sobs
% svest rovers learned thet the Hankow group was near colLapse
and for that, reagon forbore to go further in pressing claims for the
Note. : So: far as Lt know the matter now standa’ there. Bote
aa | While: we were walting.for the note President Coolidge under criticim
Stated, that America and Britaan. were not ag: far apart in thought as some
had averred. -Britgin at. Hankew won a great victory. A recent comment
from China points out, rather hagnenimously for a Shanghallander, that
/Britaia's act in handing: back Hankow was, exceedingly lofty statesmanship.
Iteonvinced the rest. of the world, at least,.that England's polley in
China Le neither a rape leyourean polley, nor a hangeon-to-all-youre
‘eights policy, mut is being dietated by full consideration for the
national rights and aspirations of the Chinese people. Furthermore 1t
showed that England 1s ready for negotiation regarding the concessions
even infa, hogtile China. I guspeet that counsels of moderation after
Nanking. emanted ag moh, from Downing Street: as from Washington, and that
.bhe. eguse for delay lay in. another. quarter. ‘ .
“Possibly you have noted some item which has slipped my attention,
but I do not weeolleet any statement by any Chimese leader assuming any
». kesponsibllity. for the Nanking affair. -I cannot- recollect any expression
- of regret, exeept Chiang Kaieshi's, which he was careful to label personal
and not official. I presume that Chiang Kai-ahi, bas had to endure much
opposition, for I have. seen many expressions of discontent at the 'Lemient
attitude he hag taken toward foreigners. His. present answer ia his
constant ‘attack on dommunism, and attacks on Communism seem to have become
‘@11 the. rage in every section of. China and among all classes, ven the
Wahen group has professed: undying hatved of Communism, though I note that
es Comrade Borodin is still there, or at any rate, Comrade Gallen is his
-o J. worthy successor. I note also that these vigorous attacks on Comaunism
have: one point in .common with many ofher attakke ~ they do not. define
what Communieam is. I spent considerable time and worked my wits hard
« #ome time ago to get a: Chinese definition of Imperialism, and finally con»
~ : Gluded that: Imperialism ig what, one does: not like in the attitude of the
other party. nm gone cases at least it 1s a little hard ta lear what is
being attacked-under the name of Communism, ag there 16 no visible alte»
2 . Yation.in-the organization and methods. of paxties which. were but a short
time ago clearly .and profeggedly Communiatic.. Why the Gommunists become
so violently anti-Commnietic 1s fairly clear from recent history. An
, ov abtitude of favor to Comaunigm eute'.one off from Chiang Kai»shi, whose
» Wigtorious army is now, on the border of Shantung, 4f not actually in
4 that, Province, 1%, cuts one off from possibility of friendly negotiation
aad Noddnrglows £8 with the. Great Powers, and, whatever difficulties may be
t created with the Soviets are nothing at all. Probably, those master~
Turncoats dictated the very disghmulation we are now witnessing.
It 18 now. sald that Feng Yuesiang end Ohiang Kaleshi have come to a
v @lear.and definite agreement: against the Wuhan group. If this means that
the curtain has lifted and we know. accurately what,.Feng 1a doing, that is
, a veal and great. gain. If this alliance is actually consummated, 1b and
the copy-cat turning to anti-Communism both indicate that Chiang 18 now
the top of the heap in Nationalist Ching, and it ig he who will dictate hb
the action against the North» Chang Tso~lim et al. sos ‘
. In the meantime, to turn to Nenking again, apparently Ghiang has
- succeeded im securing for himself a kind of immunity until his own moves

270703 3

have been brought to conclusion. That is, the Nanking matter has been
protested in clear and unmistakable lamguage, and 1s now 'filed'. When
the government is finally established 1t will be brought up again for
friendly diseussion with the assumption that of course Justice will be
done. The attitude of the powers seems to me an indication of their
faith im Chiang's ability to push through to Peking and establish his owa
government, and most of us think 1t is omly a question of time when this
will happen.

I have thought often and earnestly since coming here about the Church
and our institutions back in Kiangsl., It is a tremendous joy to learn of
those back there who are at work, not ‘as usual' but with new and heavy
problems and responsibilities thrust upen them, working into new and
strange situations, reaching decisions and making adjustments without
any of thease who up to recently were the only leaders in the Ghurch. AlL
honor to those noble souls. A case or so has been reported with sordid
detail, of those who have fallen in these terrible temptations, but most
of them have stood straight and have not compromised with evil. This has
been, and perhaps will continue to be a testing beside which the Boxer
year fades into comparative insignificance, and I long for the time to
come when I can be back among the leaders of the New Day 1m China.

There has been no change in the general instructions I have, to go baek
tio Nenchang this fall if possible, and 1f not, to contimue teaching in
tha SAS. The last conversation I had with Bishop Birney he still
doubted much that I would be able to get back, and said that he felt sure
that I would spend the entire year teaching in Shanghai. Well, so be it
if that 19 necessary. I certainly would rather teach in Shanghai than
return to the Oceldent.

A word to Edgar ~ please explain to your kind folks that I have no
positive information that we have lost any of our personal possessions,
though there is considerable suspicion that some is gone. Regarding
McClintock & Strong's Commentary, I must plead ignorance to its general
nature and acceptability. I have only Peake's one-volume work (if that
is left from our stuff at Nanehang) and would greatly like another good
commentary. Peake is goed, mostly, though a little too radical for me in
some places.

The Dodds arrived here Monday afternoon. They left the boat because
their little baby girl developed whooping-cough. Father and Mother had
practically no sleep from Shanghai to Yokohama, and both are liable to
seaesickness, so concluded it was best to stop for a month ar go and give
the little girl a chance to recover and themselves a good rest before
going om. They are very much pleased with their house here, and we see
them real often, No one in either Johannaker or Brown family fears
whopping»cough.

Mrs, Argelander arrived Thursday with two children. They have a
house just"a few steps from us and eat meala with us. It is some mob)

5 adults and 7 children. Argy is teaching in Tokyo, and the family came
here in a spell between house~movings. With Dodds, Argys, Johnnys, Evans
and us, Chine is now in the clear majority at Gotemba, though of course
that will not last long. Other families are coming in fast, now that
July 1 is over. We expect Johnson and William here, perhaps before next
Sunday. They want to climb Fuji. The longer I satay here the more con-
tent I am to admire Fuji from the base! An erutpion of eczema on the toes
of my left foot doubtless helps my determination to atick around home.

I guess this is the lowdown for mow. :

Love

a] .

PORTUGAL PLAYS HER PART.—The Captain and some. of the officers of. the Portuguese cruiser
» Republica, which is participating in-the defence of the Settlement. The strength of the. crew. has bee!

reinforced by a fresh arrival of marines from Macao on board the 8.8. Amazone a fow days ago.
| Photo by Sanzetti. :

AL PLAYS HER PART.—The Captain and some of the officers of the Por uguese cruiser
which is participating in the defence of the Settlement. The strength of the crew has hb

reinforced by a fresh arrival of marines from Macao on board the Amazone a few days ago.
Photo by Sanzetti.

Ni-no-~oka, Gotemba, Japan,
July 10, 1927

This week had been proceeding much as the other weeks that
have preceded 16, until Thursday morning when without warning in walked
Mr. Johnson and William. They arrived om the morning train and came
right here. They wanted to climb Fuji, out the weather had been rainy
and dismal and it certainly looked unpropitious. We gave them breakfast
and had fimished family prayers, whem one of us happened to look up and
caught our first sight of Fuji im days. The day looked not so bad, and
it certainly was not raining, so we made up a party, the two Johnsons,
Johannaber and I, and Isabel, the L7year~old daughter of the Alexanders
went along to Imterpret and take general charge of the party.

We ealled a car and went first to Gotemba, Leaving here avout 2.50.
At Gotemba we made a few purchases of food, and went om to Subashixvi, 6+
niles farther on, and the entrance to the 'Zagtern Road’ up the moun~
tain, There are a mumber of well-marked routes for climbing. Leaving
the hotel at Subashirl we walked up the street to a beautiful big temple
where we turned off to the left and arossed a road, Large granite pillars
One on elther side motified us that we were officially ‘on the mountain,'
In the temple grounds and near these pillars were various memorial tableta
and pillars which we took to be from various parties that had made the
ascent.

From this portal we entered at once along a road wide enough for
vehicles. The slope was very gentle, through broad country covered thickly
with brush. Along the road were thousands of wild strawberries, and the
ground is very fertile. The road itself 1s hard travelling, mostly vol-
eanie seortae, like fine cinders, and the wheel tracks are gunk deep into
the road cover. We wandered on and om through this kind of country,
occasionally coming into an apen space where we could Look down on the
valley. Gradually, very gradually the road became steeper until, I should
Judge, two miles from Subashiri, we came suddenly to a rightwangled turn
in the road, and at the turn on either side was a rest station, the first
number one. We went up steps under two torit (one with a galvanized iron
mnoofing) and the character of the climb changed very completely. Under
foot were the same volcanic cinders, but om wither side were magnificent
tall trees. Im places the road became steeper and then less steep, but ,
steadily up and up. The first statiom we learned later is more than
4000 feet above the sea, higher than Kuling. The second first station
is somewhat the same sort of bullding as the first, but not so picturesque
After the second first station we came to a shrine at a bend in the road,
and then the first second station, still boarded up. Another house cane
before the second second station, but beyond that we began to get beyond
the tall trees, which had seemed to get taller and more stately as we
elimbed. Up a little rise and around a little bend I was surprised to
see snow fields apparently only a little stonewtess from us. They were
really more than a mile away at the neaxest, and we aould see then to a
point very near the top. A little further and the large trees gave way
to bushes something like those om the top of Crane mountain, and just
beyond we saw dwarf trees bent and. gnarled by the foree of winter wind and
snow, The guides took us up a kind of gully among the bushes, as the wind
was growing stronger, but soon we left all shelter and began to cross
fields of scortae, trudging along in fading light against the wind, which
was strong and cold. Johnson began to come along hehind the rest, walking
very slowly and complaining of his heart thumping. I felt very little in-
convenience, perhaps because I am not very heavy now.

Across the scoriae we bhegatf to zigzag up the mountain side. We
struck the road again, which was very broad, perhaps ten feet, but recog~
nizable as road only by the stone work on either side to keep it from
washing away. About 7.45 we reached the third station, 8000 feet above
the sea, and there we ate supper and spent the nbght.

I think most of us slept off and on all night, though we were awake
from time to time with lame muscles. Though there wags a snow field near

Dear Folks; ~

270719 page 2
us and at a lower level, but it was not excessively cold. During the
night we were plenty warm enough, as the folks there furnished heavy quilts.

Barly Friday morning it was raining and blowing. The guides told us :
that it would mot do to start out im a wind, as we could not possibly
reach the top but would be blown off the mountain. However the weather
cleared somewhat and by nine o'clock we had finished breakfast and screwad
up the guides’ courage to proceed. Beyond the third station we found the
fifth very close and were told that the fourth had been blown away. The
trail was steeper and we could see that we were getting well up the side of
mountain. Beyond the fifth station 1t was a long way again to the sixth.
Lower stations were built up with platforms, but the sixth looks from
below like some medieval castle with enormous walls. The place itself is
more pretentious than the third or fifth, and there were two or three men
there, a carpenter sawing & board, the rest heating water over a fire. I
saw also a shelf full of beer and canned food and posteards of the summit.

We started beyond the sixth station, striking ice at once. The road
was frozen, but at the very bottom a small stream was running out from the
ice. I had scarcely started when I realized that I had reached my roof,
so I tumed back and waited at the 6th station, As this ia 10,200 feet
above sea level I think I did very well. I had waited scarcely an hour,
much of the time indoors f7/A/*he%e to eseape the rain, when I saw the
bunch returning. I looked through my spy-glass and saw Isabel, Willian,
Johannaber and one guide. The other guide and Johmson were not in sight.
They came back, the guide first, who tried apparently to tell me that they
were badly frightened. They were soaking wet and said that 1+ was bitterly |
cold, and lack of warm clothes made them turn back before the elghth
atation, Johnson was dressed more warmly and had determined to try for the
summit 2000 feet higher. The guide was philosophical and indulged in a
bowl of rice and a cup of sake while the three frozen climbers tried ta
warm their wet feet. Soon we were ready and started the descent. It was
certainly much easier than ascent. The beds of cinders made footing sure
in spite of the steepness ~ that is it was something like coming down a
steep sandhill. At the third station we collected all except Johnson's i
own pareel and the food, which we thought he might need. Here we left the i
main trail and went over go a long slope of cinders and enjoyed the fun
of giant strides dow the sides of Fuji. On the way down we met a man
dressed 1m good clothes, though thin, with a silk shirt, no collar, with
low shoes gaping wide at either side, and mopping his brow every other step.
He aaid that he was here representing New York newspapers amd en route to
China to find out what is happening there. O yes! he was going to the very {
top. By jingo, though, he was afraid 1+ would be DARN cold whem he got
there. Well, I hope he reached it. We finally reached Ninooka without much
more incident, and today I am still a little uncertain on my pins.

The resuts of the trip may be a trifle uncertain, as the weather was
not of the beat, amd seeing not sa very good. We did have a few splendid
views. Onee we saw the gea, and a number of times we could hook off to
the northern mountains. With clear weather the view from the top must be
superb. I fear that I shall probably not be able to go beyond the 6th
station, and may not be able to reach even that high again. Johnson eame in
an hour or go after we did, and reported that he reached the top in heavy
mist, and knew he was there because he was on a round hillock from which
the ground sloped away im every direction, but he had no very goad view. He -
ald not stop at the various stations as we did on the way down, but plowed
right through.

The Johnsons left for Tokyo yesterday and Argelander arrived last night
to the great joy of his family. He 1s to satay until Thursday. This nor~
ming I had the pleasure of speaking in the ehurch here, and enjoyed 1t very
much. I spoke on the Temptation and had very good attention from all except
the very small children « the age of Charles and under.

Latham letters of the Sth of June came yesterday, but later ones sent

GUBQEY HGnG°VREPE AR ORONO GST,HEGLAYGEX Meaggate for 420 tron Rogar’ s

sete

Nieno-oka, Gotemba, Japan
Dear Folks; ~ July 17, 1927.

We ave juet home from morning service, amd as Clella says we
eat about ome, I am trying to finish this letter by then. The early
afternoom 1s devoted to naps for those who want them, and at 4;30 there
is to be a vesper service, so that my time veally is limited.

On Tuesday the 12th we had a Gathem letter of June 20 and Northville
of June 21. On Wednesday two Northville letters, of Jume 7 and 14
arrived, forwarded from China. We are glad that letters are beginning to
eome divect. It makes us feel nearer to you, as in facet we are.

I see the Zlom's Herald, ome of the late June issues, gives me two
pages for a letter to Deam Knudgonm ( which I mever intended for publi-
cation). As I reread this letter it seemed to me more pessimistic then
necessary, though one has to admit that matters in China are not yet
finished, by a good deal. We wish we knew more about Feng Yuesiang, as
his location 1n the China line-up is of pivotal importance.My idea has
been right along that the Nationalists will reach Peking before the end
of next month, but Feng's attitude and actions have a direct and great
bearing which cannot be ignored.

There has been started here a weekly meeting of China missionaries
for intercession for China. The firet meeting was held last night, and
10 attended. We all feel that we should hold such meetings.

~ The Southerm Presbyterians are now holding mission meeting here.
They started Friday and continue through Tuesday, I believe. Today all
the services are being conducted by them, Thelr chairman, Mr. Bray,
preached this morning and conducted Communion, and this afternoon they
hola a Japamege service at 2.30 and a vesper serviee in English at 4.30.

The Argelenders left us on Tomrsday morning to return to Tokyo. Our
table, reduged from 13 to 9 seemed small after they left. Even at 9 we
have quite a mob when they all get going at omce, though 4 adults axe
able generally to preserve a semblance of order most of the while. Hdna
and Glella take turns week about being chief cook and assistant coak,
while Charles and I take turns similarly being chief food server and
leader of family worship.

In family worship we have the very interesting problem of making the
children want to come to prayers and to learn the meaning of worship. so
far we seem to be succeding admirably, for they do not have to be urged.

Our researches into the Japanese language are producing results at
an amazing rate. We have learned that cabbage is 'kya~bi-ts' ', that
beet is bl-i-ts'. Yesterday I had my hair cut and was asked 1f I wished
@ shanepu. To fry, is f'ra~i. Japanese ink in cakes has a name of its
own, but the fhuid we use is im-ki. For many articles the Japanese has
several names, one of which the missionaries will say 'has a Chinese sound!
though generally we cannot recognize the Cathayan intonation. My guess,
that of a mere amateur of course, is that Japamese is a language essen-
tlally different from Chinese, though modified by contact with Chinese
and. to some extent by use of the Chinese written language.

We have done little hiking recently, as the rainy season seems ta
have hung om longer than usual this year, The Johannahers and Argy went
over to Leke Hakone the other day, and reported a grand time. The Dodds
peave for America on Friday, and doubtless their boat will carry this Lette

O Yous

A big bunch of papers came in this afternoon from Shanghai, but of
course where were no lewwers from you, as they now come the ether
ig the ticket ror th eck. Lous of love uv cal
sbildren are well, es em T, ane we are
LS Vacation a real wusy one.

Hud

ae afling enough to make

Wi-mo~oka, Gotemba, Japan,
Dear Folks; -~- July 24, 1927.

If I have counted correctly we have been here five weeks,
and our summer's stay is nearly balf over. Our experiences here have
continued to be delightful. |

On Wednesday Mrs. Dodd wanted to go on a pienic. She was the only |
member of their family who could go, but all of the Browns went along. \
We took a bus to the tunmel above us, in a pase across the mountain range |
to the east, and from there we walked across a broad valley and up a
most entrancing path through the woods to a high valley in the mountains
from which poured out sulphur~laden steam in great clouds. There ig
ghere a most villianous-looking cauldron, as big as a room, filled with
Dlack mud and water boiling violently. All through the valley the ground
ig hot to the touch, fumaroles hiss constantly and it is a fitting place
to gather settings for a certain feature of medieval theology. I
clambered dowm the valley a ways, and in trying to get a stone coated wit
polling sulphur I found I accidentally struck a hole in the roek, from
which the bowels of nature spat at me, covering my side with sulphur
vapor, even at a distance of ten feet. We stopped at this delightful
place for lunch, and the ladies, who had protested that the sulphur smell
would keep them from retaining food, seemed to enjoy the lunch thoroughly

From this place, called O-ji-go-ku we found another very beautiful
path through the woods down to the shores of Lake Hakone, as charming
as an Adirondack lake. This lake is sald to oceupy the crater of an
anetent volcano, of which O-ji~go»ku is perhaps the only remaining
manifestation. If that 1s true the old voleano must have been as huge
ag Kilauea. ‘The water of Lake Haltone 1s very cobd and it 18 a most
treacherous place for bathers, Near the shore, however, there 1s a
slowly sloping beach, and we waded for a while, keeping the children
within a depth equal to their knee~helght, which we thought safe. Close
to shore the sun had warmed the water so that 1t was very agreeable, but
wading around a bit we found a number of cold spots om the bottom. There
ig a little launch which seems to run the length of Lake Hakone, but we
did not patromize it. Mre. Badd, fearing time was too short, and not
wishing to become overly tired, left us ab O~jiwgo~ku to return another
route viw Miyanoshita. We sported about at Lake Hakone for an hour or sq)
and them clambered back up to ‘hhe tunnel and so home. Gur coming down
the 'shorteeut' was accomplished mostly after nightfall, and had we
kmown the kind of road it is we should not have attempted it. However,
we reached home at 8.15 p.m. tired but very glad for the day. Mrs, Dodd
veached Miyanoghita too late for the last bus, but they kindly sent a
special taxi #i~4 for her and another woman at the regular bus price,
and she reached home in good time. The part of the trip we covered by
walking I estimate to have been about eleven miles, some of 1t very
steep, so we feel that the children were certainly good little sports.

Northville and Gohoes letters of June 27 and 28 reached us on
July 18 and 20 respectively. I am grateful for the financial statement
of my accounts, and will work on it when I close my accounts for July.

A recent letter from Bishop Birney reports more hopeful conditions,
put I fear it is far too early to make any predicdtions for the fall.
The political situation in China seems peculiarly confusing now, partly
pecause of conflicting reports.

The Wieno~oka 'seagon' has now formally begum. The other day they
had a 'tennisetea', which we were too late to attend, having begrudged
too long the enjoyment of awimming. Charles can now swim unaided across
the pool here, 16 feet. Hester is a little mermaid, perfectly able to
take care of herself im the water. Glella can almost eross the pool
alone, amd is Keeping at it hard. Glella has charge of the primary
Department im the Sunday School, with 14 or 15 youngsters. The Bible

Clase ig studying Paul.
Lots of love, Kd:

000

ie A ian

FT

Ni-no-oka, Gotemba, Japan,
July 31, 1927.
Dear Folka;~
It seems that our stay im Gotemba is half over, and this Sun»
day is celebrating ltself by a very hob and sultry morming followed by a
thuaderstora whaiea ras mot yet (2 pem) cleared the alr very much. It ils
still vaining, however, and we have hopes. '

We half expected Bishop and Mrs, Birney to spend today with us, as
a letter came from them from Kyoto on Thursday, I think it was. They
dald though that Lb would be the ‘Tend of this week or the very first
of next! go we Loats’ for thea tonorsow vila uly felons. We
were surprised last evening when Frances stopped in to say hello. She
ig to be here several weeks, stopping at the Glub. She 1s resting frou
©. strenuous spring term, as she taught sehool up to July 194

Charles is not wekl today. We are not sure whether it is a kind of
erippy affection which the children all anound have been having, ox
whether it may be that water in the swimmimg pool affected his ear. The
evippy trouble shows itself im ears and head. Yesterday Charles seemed
to be recovering and came down stairs, but apparently overdid and 1s in
bed agen today

here has been no other news of importance this week, Clella is
improving rapidly in swimming, and can go perhaps twenty feet all alone.
She seems to have the 'feel' of the water now, and it 1g a question of
technique from mow om. I am very anxious to have her keep at it until skhe -
ean swim freely and without excessive fatigue. Hester is quite at home in
the water now and I consider that this summer will put her beyond the point |
where we have to be fearful when she is in the water, We are sending for
eaps to protect the, ears so that Gharles and I can enjoy all forms of
water sports without danger to our ears. Hester and Clella seem to have
mo such trouble, and I trust they cam be spared it.

This morning we received a 'round~robin' of Nanchang news. some one
of the Nanchang group thought up the idea of sending circular letters,
and we have all sorts of personal, news ag well as a good peppering of
ecolesiastical, political, ete. This has come from Nanchang miscionaries
in Korea, and elsewhere im Japan, but has not yet gone to those in China.
Some one wrote that our houses have been re-oceupled, and that damage
weems mot to have been excessive, The Johanabers hear that Kiukiang
property has been again occupied by troops. The Bishop fears a flare-up
on the Yangtze which will recall him prematurely to China. He very much
needs the rest of a few more weeks here and we are wondering how to make
his stay with us restful instead of wearisome.

Bdgar's letter of July 5 was mailed in Rutland, and the Riverside
letters of July 3 were mailed in Troy, but all reached us on the 26th.

We do wish you could all be with us here 1m quiet and beautiful Japan.
Last Sunday, the 24th we had an earthquake shock, vather sharp for a
while, but not nearly so disturbing as the one I felt in Albany, M.Y.,
U.8.A., and for the rest of it, we may have had mapy shocks, as folks say
we have, but not enough for me to moti¢e them, Our house is so flimsy
that folks walking om any floor shakeg the whole, and it 1s hard to tell
these from earthquake trembles, so it seems. A prophet is predicting a
pig earthquake tomorrow. I understand that the Japamese took the last
fellow who prophesied thus and clapped him imto jail! Also I think not
that hig earthquake happened in time to set him free as were Paul and
Silas.

This seems to be this week's quota. We hope Charles will be well |
enough next week to drop out of the headlines.

Lote of Aa

ahhoa ¢

wales Qanmnroy Yeon

Ni~mo~oka, Gotemba, Japan,

August 7, 1927.
Dear Folks; -~

I am weitimg om Monday morning, as it did not seem possible

to get at it yesterday. In the morning I led the Blble Class (on the
Jerusalem Council, Acts XV), and attended the Church service. In the
early afternoon folks take neps in this house, and at 4.30 there is a
vesper service. Then we had an early supper and took.a walk later, so
the letter slid over to this morning.

Nothing of great importance happened during the week. Friday
night we had a concert, in which yours truly shone in a double trio,
which was well received. Glella thinks it is a great joke to have me
appearing in concerts, and I guess it is. Yesterday morning in Church,
at the special request of the preacher we had a male quartet with little
Willy as first bass. The roof did mot fall or anything as a result, but
the ivregerent who were not attending to the prayer said we had an
earhtquake at thet time. It was mot enough for everyone to notice, even.
Alleged earthquake came before the quartet, however, and not after.

Fuji ig coming out of his bashful retirement behind clouds nowadays.
Yesterday morning and this a.m. he presented a most gorgeous displgy of
colors, varying shades of red and yellow, against a velvety blue skyline.
Hnough wispy coulds hover around to set off the whole scene and make it
lovely beyond description. This really 19 ome of the sights of the
world. I have been reading some Fuji lore, and it seems that the last
eruption was in the early xviii century. Even now a little steam is said
to issue from one place on the mountain. I can testify that it is now
one enormous cone of ashes over an underlying core of lava which appears
mow and them as one climbs. I suspect that an investigation of the
angle of the sides of the mountaim would reveal what the engineers
call the ‘angle of repose' for ashes. This is the same sort of angle
as enbered into the calculations in the famous Gulbbra Cut at Panama.

Gharles is much better. He is out playing today and seems about
a.k. again. We have bathing caps now for him and me which will keep
our ears dry, and add greatly to the enjoyment of bathing.

A letter from Bob Spencer appeals for help for their Japan mission.
It is not impossible that we may spend a year in this country, though
there atte so many ifs and buts in the proposition that we are not making
any serious moves until the Episcopal mind pute its seal om the matter.

And that veminds me~-our Bishop and Mrs. Birney spent a short day
with us here. They arrived Monday morning and left Tuesday morning. Mre
Birmmey was not well, but-has recovered since. We took dinner and supper
out that day im order to have more time with our friends, and it was a
very happy time for us all, though much too short. They went on to
Wike and Chuzenji, where they expect to be until the middle of the
month.

I find omly ome letter in my rack this week; Latham July 10,
reached us August 1.

Poor China is apparently more upset than ever mow. Ghiang Kiai-
shi ig losing in Shantung and Kiangsu, and Wuhan armies are coming down
river against bim, This morning I had a letter from Mrs. Walley from
Kuling, and she is not particularly jubilant either, though apparently
sticking it out all right.

I must stop and write friend Bob, work up my July accounts, and do
48 other things. 7

ove

lactrclera» tuamnid 4,

woman, phar

Mc ewwat sano A alt |

“thy bataahol dah eles dove all selaws ,
he ae wit, Hiack Jakoag they dlrs uf

Dake aced rlts aeode do, if thr, ars le.

Palate gol auld * 4

|
| Mr Fiat .

AX {esliond
| Bi paper
I
| =
i
|
;

Ninooka, Gotemba, Japan,
August 14, 1927.
Dear Folks; -

Wednesday, right after dinner, the Johannabers left for their
trip to Tokyo, Nikko, ete, and we have had the house to ourselves since
then. They thought they would be back by the 18th, but were not particu~-
larly definite about it. We have found them most agreeable friends and
companions for many years. The Dodds were lovely while we were with them
in Shanghai, but since January 30 thie is the first time we have had two
consecutive meals alone together, or more than two meals in total under
such eLreumstances, and we appreciate each other's company, I assure yout

A Northville letter from Riparius and a Latham letter from
Alnany, both postmarked Duly 18, greeted us on August 9, that is 22 days.
The weather here ig sort of half way between Kuling and Adirondacks
weather, not so humid and lifeless ag Kuling and not so snappy on cool
days ag Riverside. Friday afternoon we had a heavy shower, although we
have some fierce sun and some rain nearly every day. During this shower
the kids and I had lots of fun catching the water from the roof, and
filled up all available receptacles, ending for the time being our water
famine and algo preparing for our Saturday washing. There is a new
water supply being put in now, and they now say it will pef in operation
by, perhaps, Wednesday, and will insure enough water for the entire
settlement. We are looking forward to it.

Charles seems to be pretty well over his trouble now. Our
family 18 well on the way toward swimming expertness. Glella has gained
greatly tn confidence, and can really swim without acting as though she
were golng to drown 1M she did not keep arms and legs thrashing like mad.
Charles paddles like a little puppy~dog, but keeps on top of the water and
makes good progress. Frances Woodruff asked me this morning how the
‘little eels' are getting along, so you can judge of the impression
Hester makes on a bystander. She will certainly be a tip»top good
swimmer 1f she keeps going, as she has good control on top of the water
as well as under it.

Yesterday afternoon a man wheeled up a kind of wagon with
gorgeous banners lettered In Japanese kana. I could make out 'a~l-su
ka-liema'. Pronounce the vowels as per the Continental method, a as
in father, 1 as in machime, etc, and you get it. So many of the signs
one sees are simply transliterations of English words. We learned the
other day that/the new ideas of freedom have led to much outdoor sports,
hiking, ete, and 'kan-pu la-i-fu' is a Japanese word, thelr eqivalent of
eamp Life. The clerk ch&ss they call haikara, which is only high~collar
with am oriental touch. Charles spent the enormous sum of 12 sen for a
toy fire-engine, labelled on the side in big letters 'Pon~pu', in both |
letters and kana. This is of course 'Pump'. |

The other day in the swimming pool I saw with some astonishment |
avery nieve young lady making a face at me. I said ‘how come?' and she
said 'I am just eaten up with jealousy~perfectly green with envy at you
folks who can swim, and I eant'. She 1s one of those folks who go at
things the hardest way, and she seems determined to battle her way through
the waves as though they were an enemy army, but I assured her that she
is making real progress (which ig the truth), and that some day she will
surely swim 1f she keeps it up with determination.

Well, this letter seems mainly personal patter, There is not
much elge to write. It 18 four days since we had China mail, and the
confusion there seems not to be resolving much, except that one rumor
dissolves into another without much progress. No further light on our
probable lime of action this fall hag come. Maybe next week I can
report something more definite.

Love to all of you,

on ;

7

D

ES

: : ne

ar Dad3-

ters real often,
Regarding the
rches, I have receive
to me except throug!
nking him for the $5.
es which the Board hag
§ not seem to me wise
Bd the money and am int
fb, and all that, but I
anything’ about it exe
I my information has eo
an to have an idea get
ite willing to write yo
either the Board or th
en explain the matter t

I wrote you duifing the week about. fi ip
of our 'Ni-no-oka Hand

apEUEE tS edad

let me’ know, as I want

iL25 subseribed for usb)
$5 only, and not a hin
your letters. I wrote
There may be some kind
adopted for special gi
for me to take up the m
eprested that the wishes
pm sure 1t would not be
epting back through the
e@, and would rather dar
put that I am fussing or
freely to let. you’ kno
b Gloversville folks sh
b them,

4
HI ol

oe

nances, = panit aoaounbe?

ook'. If the letter
to check up on these

the Gloversville :

b of anything. else hag

Bro. Reid a letter

of a hitch im the) 3)”

fte of thig kind. It

atter. Of course I

of donors are carried:

politic for me'to..|.
channel through wiiich’
p the whole matter

er it. However; Iam
how the matter stands

uld write me I could

v .Ni-no~oka, Gotewba, Japan,

; August 21, 1927.
Dear Folxs;~

After being away a week the Johannabers came back on
Wednesday night, bring with them Miss Meeker, one of our WEMS folks
from Nanchang. They reported a great time on their trip, but were
very glad to get back here. ‘They went to Tokyo and Nikko and saw a
great deal of picturesqme Japan.

Here 1m Ninooka the most exciting event, I guess, has been the
new waterworks, After long negotiations a water Line from a new supply
up in the hilla has been lald, and yesterday the water began to come
through to the vicinity of our house. The old supoly was knocked out
by the big earthquake, and for two seasous there has been pretty much
of a water famine here, The new reservoir is 7 feet clear in each
dimension and fills im about three houws, i.e. about ten gallons ver
minute, which is enough for a community several times the size of the
one here. The swimming pool was emptied Friday night, and certainly

needed lt, as wag evident when the folks got in with brooms and soap
to clean it. We expect to swim in it again tomorrow afternoon, in
beautiful glean water.

A letter from Bishop Birney has persuaded me to return to Ghina

at onee, to go with him back to Kiukiang and possibly Nanachang.on a trip
to discuss matters connected withthe opeuing of the Academy, priheipal
anong which is the question whether the Academy will open at all ox not.
I plan to reach Shanghai a week from tomorrow.. Of course it may be im~
possible for us to start, but there is no need of lazy days for me in
Shanghai.

We had a letter saying thet we may have an apartiwent in the Shanghat
American School. They apparently still want me to teach Sclence, but
this whole matter is between Bishop Birney and the prineipal, pr. Ander-
Sun, ‘they nave also asked Clelle, to teach thelr Kindergarten, and as
Hester and Charles are both to be students, the Brown family will be
falvly Lmplicated in that Institution. The Johannabers have just had
word of a house they can rent, so they are happy.

The Troy Gonference minutes came last week. Thani you!
Lathan letters of July 24 came om August 17, and Northville of July 26
(cost me twelve sen to get 1b) « om August 14. .

Yesterday and today. we | m weather sultry.
It seems as though e storm mugt be ing. This 1 at
Church someone said the J a typhoon or an earth-
quake. hot, mug. ‘earthquake weather’ 1s more
fathom, but they prevails in dalifornta

s she will send you a copy. T do not know whether she has publication
in mind or not. The story is certainly thrilling enough, and I believe
you have never heard more than a vart of it.

newevaper coment ta} 1
There is much svecukattion as to what will haove and inany seem to be
looking toward Peng Yuesiang to prove the strong man of the hour in
China. The Revolutionary Spirit in China (I cannot now think of a better
neme for 1t) has been gullty of two major errors; 1, the vaiging of Yuan
Shiokal to the presidency, and 2, the alliance with Soviet Russia. Tf
believe these two chavterg in history are now finally closed, but the
Revolutionary movement 1s not dead. They may Lose much territory, but
finally, when the right man arrives (is he Feng?) will sweep the country.

Love

, foedana Mag — Ay Ai rnd Aesth, fy
| it; uy 7th, efpeeb.
ohh Kye [g00,00) por fosssal Many) Ureka ty hoy
Rae. all ba fd 7 hadi sd

ah io Ses -@Q

HA Welly ediny oy wrbailh —

Erste ae

Methodist Mission, Nanchang, Ki.,
September 14, 1937,
Dear Polka, =
My letter last week was mailed from Nanking (no, Wahu),
and I reached Kiukiang om Monday. While there 1 steyed with Brother
Taai, the District Superintendent, and tried to learn as much as I
sould about what has haypened since March, and also about the
present state of affairs in Kiangei.s At first I thought to come to
Nanchang right away, but that seemed not the wisest course, 80 of
Tuesday I started for Kuling, reachigg there about four o'clock in
the afternoon.

I found Kuling quiet and peaceful, with very few
foreigners. I stayed with Mrs. Walley, who I knew had been there
right along. On Wednesday I went on an imepection trip with Mr,
Baker, an old friend, and an American, to see our Methodist property.
This was practically as usual. Our owm stuff was: apparently just as
we had left it. ‘In the afternoon 7 wemt agaim to Mr, Baker's and we
drew up a tentative arrangement for a better oversight of our property
than we now have. Thursday morning I left Kuling at a quarter before
five, walked down the mountain to Shaho and came on to Nanchang.
brought with me Bobs Wu, the som of Mra. Walley s cook, This boy
is a graduate of Nanking University this year, and is a fine boy. 1
expect great things of him im tme future.

Here at Nanchang I found everything quiet, and cur old
acquaintance, the bear that walks like a man, very much in disfavor.
My first business was the matter of the Academy, and I found that
not at all an impossible job. The folks here seem determimed on the
very polats we desire to insist upon, and drawing up the agreement
was largely a matter of wording. We signed 1t yesterday, and so far
as I can learn everyone is very happy about it.

While T have been in meetings, and also when IT could
help, Bobs has been at the house cleaning up. Things were badly
scattered im indeserlbable confusion, but when they were sorted out
in such crude fashion as I cam do it now, there seemed to be not
so much gone by far as I had feared. My books and files T am taking
to Shanghai practically intact. i

The Academy opens on Wednesday the 14th. As no
missionaries are mle to return yet they are omitting the two higher
Middle School classes. I have been petitioned to retura and would
very much kike to ao so, but the Bishop will have to aay the final
word. At the present moment conditions seem very favorable. One
matter which plekses me is that they have invited Bobs to stay as a
teacher and he has accepted. His English 1s exceptionally good, and
I pelieve he will give them excellent service. |

This noon © am lumching with Mr. O'Neil the Commissio-
ner. He followed Mr. Arlington, the American who was here after the
Guynnes left. This aftermmoon T shall go to visit Dr. Kahm and stay
to tea. The autumn has set in here. The days'are warm, but the
north wind has begun to blow and I have to useia blanket at night.

It is certainly a great temptation to me to stay right on here, but T
wannet do so. Previous agreements have to be kept.

T-have decided to stop work at the house tomorrow
night and leave here Tuesday. TI am sure I cannot finish in this time,
put I have overstayed as it ia, and I suppose 80% of the work 1s
finishable by then. text Sunday T hope to write from Shanghai.

ve .

Septenber 17, L927.

OONPIDENTIAL.
Report on eonditions in Kiangeal and the Wuhan region.

_ Three days ago [ attended a feast given at Kiuxleng, at
which General Wu Chinepleo was a guest. The General waxed. eloquent
over present conditions, and 1 give below a regume of Lis reénarkea, a6
interpreted to me by Mr. fsal, Mr, Tasi's own ideas agree with the 4
General's in most particulars, but nob in all,

Feng Yuesleng 1s sound at heart, but ab present he is the
target of attack from 811 aides, Chang Teowling, Wu Pelefu, Yang Sen
and othera joining ageinst him, (iv, Tsai says thet since Feng held
conferences with beth Wuhan and Nanking, made oledges to both end
received old from both, at the same tlie, it le hard to see how he
gan be guite sincere in it all.) &

The Wuhan group has two main antvagonisme at present, They
aré opposed to Chiang <ieleshi, end this is sincere, There are alec
epoonsead to Gowmuntem, but this ts only a veneér asauiied for political
purposes, Chang Tso-lin, Pens Yueslang and Chiang Kiale-shi all ieaued
pronouncements against Gomminiem, and so Wuhen joined the majority.
Aowording to General Wu, Tang Sengechih is really comaunistio, and be
now only biding his tlue and waiting for his opportunity. to turn the
whole movement again commmistic, with Hunan, Hupeh and Kiengei undex
his control,

kyr, Teal points out; (1) in the 26 executions recently at
Kiuktiang not one high offielal, and not one military men wes Laoluded ;
(2) in private conversations the wives of offielale in siuslar ath
assume it as granted that Communiam ig the redl alm of the controlling
é@lagses; (3) although the labor orgenizetiond In Kiuxiang have been
éAebanded the chih Tans Pu is operating still,

after General. wuls speech I followed film out to the porch and
seid to him;"f have just been to Zuling and Manchang, and #11 is quiet
in those places.” "O, everything Le all quiet these deya," he said.
‘what ta fine, put will mattere remain quiet in tie futurer" 1 asked,
and he replied "Serfectly quiets You Americans need fear nolhing. We
have nothing egoinat you. The English may heave some trouble, but not
the Anertoans. You ought to wear arm bande with Mei Kwoh Ben on them,
and ther you would be safe."

jae. Green at the Standard O11 tn Kiuklang told me that a few
days ego a commander on one of the Pritish borate, wrabhy at the way
promises have not been kept, wanted to put ashore a landing party and
take back the British concession there, but the Consul would not
sanction Buch action. i. Green says trade is opening up and the §,0,
are resuming shipments on credit, though not on the foruer seale,

: At Wuhu the Japanese Consul denerel says Tang feng-ghih 4p in |
a bad way and probably unable to extricate himself, fhia opinion ta
important @nud worth following up.

A foveigner who has just come from Hankow says that within
the past two weeks 40 Ruselans have returned to Hankow. ae

50 an — moony teow Love

Nearing: Shanghai, september 18, 1927.

Dear Folks; ~«
é As I feared last week I am not writing from Shanghai, but
I hope to post this letter there.

My work at Wenchang: I stopped on Monday evening, without being
able to. finish it. You can imagine what tt was like when I say that
with three mento help me I was mot able im three working daya to
finish the crude sorting of books, papers and so on, which would enable
me to pack the stuff for Shanghai, to be resorted later, Add to this
that all was im our attie and not geattered through the house, and you
may get the picture fairly well. I am not sure bub that as 1t was IL
ought to.be pretty well satisfied with what was actually accomplished.

I reached Kiukiang on Tuesday to be-told that 1 could board a
steamer for Shanghai if I could he ready 1m an hour, With the things
T had and with interviews and converdations walting for me, that was
manifestly: impossible, so I reluctantly decided to walt for the next
boat. That came the next day, the Pingwo, but she 1s a freight boat

with no passenger accomadations, and they already had two passengera, 80
I had to let her go by, The next boat, the one I am now on, was the
Kungwo, a regular fleating palace, built only in 1922, and she left
Kiukiang Friday.

The days at Kiukiang I spent to good advantage looking at what
yidd 4s being done there, The schools ave all opening, both at Kiuliang
and Nanchang, and the hospitals have not closed at all during the
trouble. The Chinese are begging for the missionaries to return, but I
do not know what will be done about it. A number of important questions
of polley have to be- settled first. I am enclosing (in the Latham letter)
a memorandum I have made for the Bishop, The word 'Gonfidential’ is
put on in order to protect General Wu. If his name.is not brought into-
the limelight I see no reason for any secreey in any of the document.

He was a general under the northern regime in Kiangsi, and a very big
man in provincial affairs, and is. now living. in quiet retirement at
Kiuktang. Please send the paper on th Northville, if you think they
would be interested.

I do not Imow just where to. find Clella and the children in
Shanghai now, but am so sure they are 0.K» that I shall probably post
this at my first opportunity, Maybe not, though.

We expect to be in Shanghal shortly before moon, and I plan to
write my Parish Abroad letter before I pack up, se you can expect to
gee that before long.

Trade on the Yangtze seeme to be resuming again, Yesterday we
passed a China -Merehants boat steaming up Suyeen with apparently a
commereial load om board, The Chinese-on boat all cheered.. If this
line starts running again, the situation is most hopeful. We have
come: from Ktukiang to Shanghai in less than 48 hours, which is fast
running. time, and there has been no disturbance whatever om the way
down, At Nanking and Chinkiang the beata still anchor instead of
tying up as formerly, but I feel sure this will not continue after those
places become quiet again. I have heard rather bitter Chinese protests
about the British insistence on running boats on the Yangtze, and
British and Americans making money out of selling kerosene to the
Chinese, but they forget that apart from this beat service there has
been: ne service except from the Japs, The Ghinese have boats but their
own generale tie them up to rot at the wharves. Furthermore, apart from
Standard O11 and Asiatic Petroleum, the Ghinese have no Kerosene, and it
ig a blessing to the people to have it. I hear that In danton Russian
kerosene has appeared, but not here. :

I shall feel most happy when Chinese merchants begin again to
trade as they should. If Communism does not get a foothold thia
country will blossem and rejoice within 10 yearsy([[ | dues [4

3
59 Route Bolssezon,
Shenghal, China.
September 24, L927.

Dear Prionds:-

Our summer in Japan spent at the foot of old Pajd was indeed
restful, and as it shoud be it was followed by activity, as I starte
ed on August 31 from ghanghai for a trip back to Kiangohe

Our boat took five deys to make the trip from Shanghai to Kiue
Kiang, where ordinarily only two and a half are peguired. The pres=
cone of ieromendi sie souicere the benks and the great uncertaine
y the military situation made this necessar t
finished without accidents SSGTR, Mate She EELp ee

£ reached Kiuklang on Monday the fourth of September, and was
very much interested indeod to note the change in affairs since T
was last there, Our foreign residences in Kiukisng are still not
livable, end I stayed with our Superintendent, Brother Tsai in his
foreign~style home, During the evening © ge ore that the work in
Kiukis is preparing to carry on this fall, the Chinese brethren
and sisters being then busily engaged in their plans.

The next day £ went to Kuling, our summer resort, and found to
my delight that our property thore is practically intent. an Amere
icen, Mr, Henry lie Baker, a close friend of many of us, and a Chris-
tien doing work as en engineer and builder apart from mission cone
nections, had undertaken the task of sealing our houses, and apart
from potty thievery, not unknown at Kuling, every house was stillas
it hed been left last year. I made arrangements with Mr. Baker for
still closer supervision, and on Thursday went to Nanchang.

Nenchang was my real objective for the trip, and my mission
there was to discuss conditions of opening the Nanchang Academy+ The
Chinese brethren had written and telegraphed voluminously to Bishop
Birney asking his consent to their carrying on the school, but cere
tain matters brought in by the Communist element connected with the
Nationalist movement Bishop Birney rightly folt needed clear state~
ment and agreement before he could sanction Christian money going in-
to the institution. Before I left Shanghai the Bishop gave me in de~
tail his views on these matters, end I had been in Nancheng less than
an hour before we met in committee to discuss the whole situation.

I found thet the group appointed to represent the school, three
teachers, and two students, wes more eager than I, if that were pos-
gible, to insist on the very points the Bishop reised, mainly threes
1, the faculty and not the students are to run the school; 2, there
is to be free opportunity for every student to engage in religious
worship of a distinctly niristien character, and to study religious
and Bible courses; end 5, the question of finances. We held three
sessions altogether, the first spent in canvassing ‘the ground of the
agfeemént, the second in revising the first draft of the agreement,
ang the third, very short, in signing the agreement +

Wenchang Academy is to-open as & Ghristien school with religion
ag a voluntary element, thy boys to have complete freedom to be Chris~
tien. The school is to be menaged in the only wise manner yet dis»

covered, by the mature faculty under the headship of the Principal,
and not by the immature students. The local group in assuming ree

sponsibility for the finances, but is under a reement to work in
harmony with the “inance Committee of the Conference as a part of
our Church work.

Bu

Tt is a fragrant memory which will remain with me long that the
Whole meeting was most brotherly and Christian, Not all points were
settled without discussion, 4t times we spent many minutes over ques~
tions of wording and seeking to bring out bearings of proposed ar~
ticles, but at no time was there any hint of disharmony, end at the
end £ felt strongly that the Holy Spirit hed been at work in our midst
proparing us all”for the final outcane,

The rest of my time at Nenchang I spent in our residence gather-
ing up the remains left from the occupation by communistic sbldiers.
ZI found that our losses have not been great, and I have brought to
shanghai praetically all my books and papers. My Graflex camera had
been taken, as well as all my extra eye~glasses, some tools and some
other things, but considering that we had been told that 10% of our
stuff was gone, we are fortunate indeed to have what we have, enough
to live with, and not feel pinched,

Y took time to visit Dr» Kahn ana found her well and carrying on
much as usuale Miss Howe had her 81st birthday the diy after T left/
She is well in body und is being tenderly cared for by Dr, Kahn ¢
believe Miss Howe far better off there than anywhere else, .

The Nanchang Hospital is being managed by Dre Wu in Dr, Blyden-
purgh's absence, anda fine job he is doing, i went through the build
ing and found it in first-rate order. It had not been occupied by
soldiers even for a single day, Dr» Wu told me,

On my return to Kiukieng I had to watt from tuesday until ride:
pefore I could get e@ boat to Shanghet and thus had time to visit al.
the work there, The schools are all opening, I believe, and the hos~
pitals have not closeds

,

Conditions I found personally to be both quiet and friendly. at
Nencheng I was asked “are you Russian", and on my answering in the
negative my baggage was passed without exemination., People I do not
vemember at all stopped me in Nanchang, calling my neme and. smiling
all over in welcome, gveryone asked if I were not coming back to
live. 4s yet the American Consuls have not granted permission for us
to live again in the interior, but there are indicstions this week
that this attitude is relaxing somewhat.

after my return to Shanghai Bishop Birney told me that he has
had most urgent appeals for some of us to go back to Kiangsi to live

and to help the Chinese, and he has therefore asked me to returm as
soon as I Ben. My plan is to start about a month from now, as soon 8s

L cen arrange for my work in the Shanghai American School, and sort
out the ape of stuff I brought out this time from Nenchang. Tf this
works out IT ean promise you a most interesting letter three months

from now.
Prophesy about the gituetion in China is worse then useless, be~

cause facts and dutea are so hard, all but impossible to get at with
exactness. At present matters are quiet and the prognosis is for rew

wiBes

turning end increasing quiet and confidence in the yong Lae region,
put that is all one can sey noWe If China can shake off the Soviet
influence she will be in a position infinitely stronger.

Qhinese Christians are the hope for today. They have done mag~

nificiontly this summer end fall, 4t present they are doing their
task, not helping us to do ours, end T am strong for helping them»

Pray for ue alls

Yours in christ's Kingdom,

Fred Ky Browns

“,
La

ys 1 ng tee is in 4B and Charles in 2A. The entire family is going to the

Pe Ming,

360

oO tty AL

nae
ann

59 Beissesen-Read, Shanghai,
Route Bolssezon
September 25, 1927.
Dear Folks; -

It is now a week since I arrived here after my eventful trip
up river. The week has been almost overful preparging for my classes
in the school here. I have two séctions in General Selence and two in
Chemistry, the enrollment exceeding expectations. Hach of the classes
is as full as can be conveniently handled. That the school is truly
American may perhaps be demonstrated by some of the names om my book.
For instance, I have Gleb Sheveloff, Essai Shnapper, Vadim Pchelkin,
Oswald Wold, Leo Zukoveky, Servio Salvo, Michael Belinky and Rdwardo
c ae as well as the majority of apparently orthedox angry saxon

escent.

However, a rather sudden change of ideas has appeared to
start me again on the move. It seems to have been my fate for ten
years at least to be denied the privilege of a settled piece of work. I
think I can truly state that in the past ten years, no two years have
geen me at the same piece of work. This time Bishop Birney wants me to
prepare at once to return to Nanchang. In the cireumstances my judge-
ment agrees with his, and possibly ran before his. Independently of
that the Chinese brethren have sent 1m strong representations to the
Bishop asking my returm immediately and manifesting such a spirit al-
together that affirmative answer seems the only possible outcome, It
is quite out of the questiom for me to go within these few days. The
two Bishops (Birney and Grose) go up river this week, Grose to Weat
China, if he can get there, and Birney to wisit the Yangtze stations,
particularly Kiukiang, and return thence to Shanghai.

I brought out ten big boxes filled with books and the bricabrac
from my too-extensive files. This stuff I shall have to sort over care
fully, as it represents only a part, though I think the major part, 80%
at least, of the contents of our attic. Then I have to turn ever my
achool work here, and fortunately Miss Seeck of Baldwin, far better
prepared for the work than I is here and gladite take it over. I spoke
to Dr. Anderson about her and he is satisfied with the arrangement as a
temporary matter. I have yet to approach himion it a a permanent th’ ’
but he has no choice but accept, according to Bishop Birney's stipulatdon
made leng ago that if the way opens for me to return I am to be released
by the §.A.8. This matter, then, seema easy to arrange.

In my own mind I have set a month from today as the time to
atart. It is altogether possible that the political and military situe
ation may change so that by that time I can net go. Only the daye as 5
they pase will reveal that, I will say mow that such an outcome seems bo
me quite unlikely. Allen of the YMCA, and pone ey Oraighill plan to
go to Nanchang within a couple of weeks, Allen to live and Oraighill to
Wisit. If conditions remain approximately as they were two weeks ago
a couple of men cam live in Nanchang without the slightest apprehension,
whereas it ie possible that a large group might stir up trouble by the
aggravation of its numbers alone.

Clella seams very happy in her work with the first grade, and
Charles, who did not want school last year, seems eager now to go. Hes~

hanghai American Sehool.

I think it will be better for the present if you continue to
address us at the address above. My going to Nanchang is to be somewhat
of an experiment. I am not taking any great quantity of stuff, and will
he back here for Christmas anyway, D.V. Olella can deal with your letters
here and forward them or send me summaries of your letters as the cirecun-
stances seem to warrant.

Bishop Birney gave us a good sermon this morning. If you ever

et 8 4 (JOCK I think) on gunday morni: wil i
ity Chagek ‘das Ser tt £ steaye byoadcaste™ 39M MALL BOGE ERG Gomme

Love A bed.

The Shanghai American School
and the
Parent Teachers Association
invite you toa
Recoption to meot the new
mombers of the staff.
Thursday, October 6, 1927.
4,30—6.80 P.M. 10 Avenue Petain.

59 Route Gustave de Boissezon,

Shanghai, Kue, China.

October 2,.1927.
Dear Folks;~ .
The autumnal equinox of 1927 brought usf a mumber of days with
clouds and rain, but today is bright and fair and warm, and perhaps we
shall have typical mideChina autiumm weather from now on. This is the
veally delightful season of the year, at least in my estimation, here.

The Bishops have gone up-river, but went eeparately, Grose on
Tuesday and Birney en Wednesday. We are anxious for news from them,
Bishop Birney wrote back from Nanking, showing that the mail is moving
om something like the old schedule.

This morning's paper brings plemty to think about. Apparently the
military moves are beginning in the north, toward Kalganm. Yen Hei~san
the independent and hitherto neutral governor of shanai, which has been
wmown as the model province, has joined witht he Nanking branch of the
Nationalists. He is against Chang Tsowlin. Back of him is Feng Yuesiang
(2?) and back of Feng 1s Moscow (77) I have written what many are saying
and the 79 indicate that I want. more light in order to judge for myself.
The communistic brawes who ransacked things at Nanchang are partly at
Swatow « the more irresponsible of them,~~ and partly at canton taking
over the city with the avowed intention of restoring the communist reign
there. This 1s what the paper says. These people are loyal to the Han~
kow group and agetnss Nanking. Te whole setup is as perplexing and
complicated as it well cam be. A little while ago Feng Yuesiang seemed
to be the deciding factor. Now it may be Yem and the troops at Canton.
Well, anyway, interest has moved to north and south and for the time
being Kiangs1 seems to be quiet.

Work at the school is going well. It is a very pleasant place to
work and the students are very responsive and apparently appreciative.
Glelle seems very happy with her flack. Hesterte attitude seems different
from what itfwas Last year and she is going at her arithmetic with appa~
vently a determination to comquer it. It is doing charles good to be
with pdde other childven under school discipline.

It 18 good to see my hooks again. Testimony of others and our ow
small share of the experience taught us that it. 1s perfectly possible to
lose heavily in worldly goods as many have in Ghina and be strangely
calm and peaceful. about it. Mevertheless, having gone through that
change of feelings there is something very satisfying to get back what
was thought lest. My spare time for several weeks will be spent in
resorting and reclaseifying -had been sorted and classifyzed months
age. My books were almost all catalogued before I left in Mareh, so
with them the principal work is mechanical arrangement according te the
information alveady written in the books. With letters it is different ,
and I have so mueh of mission stuff in my files that the job will be
long and may prove longer than I mow anticipate.

Sometimes 1t looks as though I shall not get back to Kiangsi, and
if communistic regimes become again the order of the day I shall probably
stay here where I can be more useful than trying to buck as a fereigner
a@ proposition where a foreigner ia useless and generally a handicap te
the Chinese. However, until the way is closed my face is definitely
set toward Kiangei.

A letter from Edgar came during the week, I think it was dated
September 2.

In G@hurch this morning we had a philesophical sermon by Dr, Patton.
The Gommunion Service was a combination of Methodist ritual and Congre~
gational service, but we out here get great benefit from such services,
even though we have to use adapted forms. The spirit is the same.

Love jos

59 Route de Boissezon, Shanghal, Kue,
| Gotenar the: sts A ART es js

‘ hore eat te
‘go fara
to discuss Big of Peed Mer ipibedtews, which have 40 be. gottied at
~--onée. However; with this démed:a report of doings yeaterday at Wubu,

| after the Bishop: Yeft thereon bis way down: rivers. AIt;,scems that a
$a) more’ obstvepevous than the usual type; called..on Dry..Brown with.
Lain ‘thatthe DP has ‘been. making himsel?obpoxious: to. ares
y keeping. solaters'out.of! foreign property, and demanding that
op, making asa stipulation that. 1f Dr. Brow did: not.at once
i a Wn’, the” hospital, “our new) wu plant ,$would have to,
Hi itary/establishment.<.iDrs Brown: did mot: b
‘“.threaténing’ that: he: aent« an: 808.:tosthe: American
ewh th ben heaeel ts! J ioan marines were: lended to

: Hi cave 8

‘story. Bishop Durhey

'gpring’ a* wile story’ 4 /

_, possibly this is in that. “cater Ory. However there. ag ‘ni’! inherent ime
yssibility’ this time,” ana! th a exe i

pe ayivage Tr asked Bist (Bae

en in ‘tase ‘at. Aisi pier to: go.
H end: fs: the. agree ie

“explanation ‘of what’ 4
iik-Ate ‘math outlines.
There are four ma

and ' td ‘deferisive oe

ar

Loy thie ‘appalling laek of
\ pirit among
‘Lower strata Lo :
knowledge amo: ithe 4
ly “swamped: He ta teat casguitude blunder: Nevertheless,
id Wee jin ithifs:. movement “Lies: the vonlychope now
“The present Nationalist ‘movement, may give
‘to éne' a with ‘ai “aifferent ‘ngime , sbut' the mew movement will: succeed
: I s ié @seontial characteristics: sof theceld: ‘and

the “hu:
of

Os "BoLeheviam
it ‘Lea mistake ‘to suppose ‘that Bélsheviish is:without In~
“at has spread. wide Seebructions: Abpoady: an Chinas a ites

peara- ag: an: _oxérescence: ori: ‘the’ National ket move~

ooSWorl@swar now stéwingoup it 4g./between, Engle

+ 271009. Family 2: 00!
between Russia and ‘Bhgland, - taut, ab, Was not and could not have been
other than temporary and for temporary enda. Russia must. have an
outlet, to warm water... There. might: have been.a chance for Russia in
‘Mittel Euxopa, ee ‘I:doubt b+. Anyway her paths to the west and
“south are.now. definitely ‘blocked. She. seeks. wamm.water gs ‘oa, =
Padifie ‘coatt. «Her -former surge. eastward was blocked epee
the acquisition of Korea and Manchuria, and, the. Sagkest, pat ‘tert
Lay ‘through. the Yengtze:Valley. Here Russia : threatens Hngland again,
“end Hngland Imows it.The Bear still shuffles as before, only. ae
‘fines aré-now named /Iieniniend Troteky nats aa, of Nicholas. The
8 mo essential change, im hia natures ', F
Spothe firdt defensive :force.is Beghand.. it ‘bhere ‘ha.
and ‘Russia, and both
these countries geen well: reware Of ite: caer er-not t ne I
of ethics enter! in, ‘the struggle ‘is; ‘elearl hehe. andthe ylew-

tes peer thes of the two: rivals: seem: c¢learly.unrecencilable. . Rugsials

advance. under the: Nationalist: flag along.the Mangtze. wa,
England asa threat, end sovfar:as Ican)learn..the, ‘Russian,
in precisely the same light,..:A. trade: route. bighly shores! ty
danger°and England: seemedo to: feel. 4t,.her duby. to apne ne

opens’ Forthomore, ‘Ruselam) approaches. te: the, vagiotty. 6
wold: own England’ a;.epine.:. The..*
Force! “was ana 16: poet etieh British. It was te
“For dorely defending LeprrTtT “ae, a poner BS

“mildtartests. they are

‘ 8] ‘ t
* posktLon! im the morth..: The -only;: ies 2 14 }
he’ British: Empire iei.so huge and, J: mall, paratively, the
‘menace: Le: proportionately: mare: gcute’ to. Japan... Meats An; Many. ways so &
- @itferent ,. rect ah ‘pimilaritiies: betweem, England. and depen are; clear to
a-cakeful: etudent.:: Hach Ae) an. keland,;,commercial, indus’ trial, depending
on! importa, rather highly: monarchieal, with a-distinct, ruling class
(more: ao-inJapan than recently -im England), and so. om... Zach is
“datensely,-Antenested in keeping trade. xoutes:,open.. Japan, fought one
i wani-tbo keep Russia: off the warm water Pact: Oget, and.ip quite
om@adytovunderbake another. ..In fact, in wiew,.of, Japan's huge, invest~
‘nents im.China. I cannot::see:.:how Japan.can take. any other attitude un
oes ee is ready to Pregent her investments, Jolene mgt to China --- to
Rusata.
In other “words at ‘Japan amd Britain have. Q
: (the work here, England keeping the. Yangtze clear
North China, they axe ‘acting as though they. have. ;
ieTheresare other: measong. the attitude taken ‘against ‘the
Natdionalitgts.cby : bus tz Yan! Nationeliem here, a6 in
Tarkey ;.Mexbea, ‘idapan. here: not, ke opposed to foreign, eqntrol, to
unequal treati¢a; and ell the re “hits | However , in backing the
are backing the horse, Natdonaliem ig sure to
win sooner: ox JLate: a. Long a8 Lt seems ation. whether one foreign
“power en:another ‘shall contrel,selomen's.whips are ‘better. than
Reheboam!' scacorpiona and:E side with; Raglend and-Japans .T.am still
‘copUgeling over recent . events. , It lookeda while ago ad though Russta
hadcbeenf balked im Gentral Ghinas. A month, age ‘at, Hanohang it seemed
to me that the Rusaians were completely qut.of favor.» Nanking had
‘opronouneed against, Communism, and, .Wuhan,-had, followed ‘guit. Lakor
unions ihadvheen disbanded; and agitators. had been not, jay subject to
attackiin proclamations but were executed, 26 in Kiuklang.and ae many
fin Nethehangs When-at: the: railroad station et Nenchang I denied
~ Ruselan} \nationality::, my baggage: was not: subjected to. éxamtination, al.

agreement te divide
hile Japan cares for

271009 Family 3
hough* “T did not’ Bee: ahyene! else chexe. who aia not “pave tek open

dverything.’ Sette
; ‘On: my. feta: ‘to! ‘Kiukteng: 1 found’ General wa. atrongly: of the
dpanton that’ the ' prenouncenent: against: Communism.om the part of Wuhan
Wad:-pure buncum and ‘careful’ quest toring, revealed .the, same feeling
‘ationg: other leadens' ‘inthe. Church.) Of course: am ‘Anclination toward
‘Cohimunien' may: not be at! all the seme as friendship: for: Russians, and
yet, so far as the Soviet is concerned I find. .At hard to draw a
Yeh] digtinetion.:“ Much Russian:-activity has cortainly disappeared
inthe! Yangtze Valleyyi at least’ fon the -time. being... ,
: Stil there Sethe: orth: My. tentative ‘hypothe sia! is that
Non: Hel-sar As ‘backed by” Feng; Yu+siang and Feng: Yu~siang:.4s, backed
Bcow ,: yoo that: Russia ‘balked: on: the: Yangtze, 18, trying asain
tigfreach'the: ‘this time through Shang’ ‘and Chihli. ». Perhaps the
feel: fairly ‘geoure: of the:Yangtze, having. sowed,..20, much
ogendas. Qa. there, and are merely extending their lines. «?
MEfubhat. ig thevease,; D feel: the:Russians .have again blundered,
_. Om the Yangtze England is interested in: ‘trade: .and.will: do only so
: mach! as will inisure: the stream-of ‘trade bringing<shekels into the
coffers of British ‘companies. / In other ‘words Mngland will not bother
&o defend: concessions, banks: end: bualmese: houses in the face of
xeasure: from the: Chinese: Witness Hankow.and'Kiukiang on “this
When: Apter folks: touch Japan, ‘though, .1t wild: io different
ist: worry sd: much lover naval ‘etiquette. of be
Val ex y by the slaughtier:of “half. dozen Japanese business
2 cméx Ome eri by. ‘the sialtreatment: ‘of Japanese -wonen, .out, believe me she
. WELL defend “her: inveatuenta éven to. sending a-colum of marines in as
fat de Tainan or-Peking. v. Doubtlesa the distinction: te moti:so bald as
“have: drawme ‘ty -tat: ‘there.is ‘a teal: .<G,fference of viewpoint and
‘epan’'T think: ecudiders' itracvital-mattexof- national life and death
| ‘for Ruseia to gain a threatening foothold on the Ghi ‘oast, and will
car aet adcordingly. England’ still has ‘Singapore. Japan's.iwhole head
2 offied id: right across the street. and rot:avery wide ‘street at that’
oo *cHamkew: 1s. practically: & seaport.;:. while: Tsinan-is:far. inland.
De Df this ibe idorvect, 'and Isbélievevit:.substantiablyaceurate, we
need net thixk thatethe unrest IniChinavis settling:down,.: Rather 1t is
just beginning.» °These:forces ‘at iwork are larger thanidny:man or group
ef men = larger even tham any mation, and they will keep: working out
‘until ‘another balance is. seachéd, evem Af sanother:gneat war is the
‘price 'that: must: be: paid. '=Four mdin forees:are at-work as-I have
: outlined, but. only- three. great ideas; Chin¢gse Nationaliem,; which is
+ ' not: espentlally aifferent. from. nationalien -anywhere ;:- Bolshevism, which
_ ke fighting for ite’ life; and the:-Commercial idea: represented by Japen
“Vana England..’ For the time being Nationalism in: Ching.seems to have
» -@hogen’ Bolshéviamods. ite running partner, and I ;believe this choice
to be mtigtakem,.but:ion theother handoartific&al. and. temporary.
‘:@he mistake afose fromthe: bittersdisappeintment of:,sun Yat-sen
‘when America turned down hie ‘appeals: for, help, ..Seviet Russia an
‘oublaw among natdiona; a: pariahowith mo conselence by the specious
“elaim of equal: treatment. offeted help and: 4% was aecepted = perhaps
“<thecoffer was from Giuny.”:..)
The Chinese on the other hand are not Bolsheviste af ey have a
‘iwell-establishedidea.of:soclety and:they are essentially a commercial
people. The case 1s:.something: Like::the velations; between America
and England. Disagreements arise, frietion exists, quarrels take
Place, but logically and primarily England and America have the same
deep interests, essentially the same viewpoint and are in fact the
fame race. Peace between England and America ig natural and will
eomtimue to he the fundamental characteristic of our peoples. War
ia bound to be temporary and against all common interests which are

271009 Family 4 ee
“pure te-bring a restoration of:the natural. and, permanent, relations
of peace. Likewise China is essentially peace-loving: and..commer~
cial. and: will eventually return to friendly relations. with England,
. JapanvandvAmeriea)vandithrow: overboard hex unnatural connections
With: the Bolshoviste.,:Bhe’ time im not:yet,: however t.; ed habit
of miaL.bariem: takesa Long, time: to nereos ee there: are those among,
Hidviese who have :to ‘be::shown by: bitter peraonalfexperience the
of. Bolshevism... | tg et ug ae on dee
cholo Weldy:what of! the Chiurchy:. Your ‘Letter, comments. on Bishop
Grose, Dx. Bowen’.and Bro. Wilsom. <I; may.as; well) say frankly at onee
\ that: TD dieagree with Bishop. Grose, though:.I suspect’ Chella agrees
wit hchim,-: Object tona::to: our property: imvestments:4n. Ohina, I have
heard many'.tines,'dbut- from .weatiermera,: not, from,Chinese.. The Chinese
T have heard .oritictze:us ‘freely, and! Iam trying patiently: to dis-
Cover what.it 18 ell about, but thia item DT have mot, heard myself.
This Le-T think-another: of those. mattere.carefully. fostered gome
gversealous ‘Americans who think they know. better than the Chinese
whet thie Chinese. think, .. - fav i oertd gat

Ted fin

mam, OD: Was:

MOBe: |
of,,hle ow

compare “B: Pp
‘Bimey/with Bashford;.butolt ste imudaya ‘Like 6) ince, Nanking that
Bimiey"s neal greatness ‘has iappeareds':oDthinkBashford,were he here
_Swouldchdve had an earlier iand more -stive grasp of the,-essential facts
Jofuthd big ‘movements: going ons ‘and would:havebeenable te:appraise
found Jeach: leader .on vany iside,:keenly.and.iaceurately, ‘but Bluey has been
shown ‘tosusvdece. leaded ‘easerithally spiritual, with/a-mind aa keen,
penettating-and: active vas.:Bashforda' g-but directed: alightly differently.
Since Nanking..we have:meeded primarily.a.spiritual leaden,:for the
wspinvdtual squestion:is afterjall..the one: most needing resolution just
‘mOW : 7 Noe iad Paice melas

t

‘Mhere ‘seens-;t0ibe.a. feeling: that we ought mever,to:reestablish
; the Nanchang station as al bigumission. center he Chinese: there have
a4 ‘done: so werlarkably.'well;-leading and organizing); raising funds to
(oc segamdy on “the work, ‘that .some (ane: feeling: ‘strongly.omthis)peint. TI
o-think the: question wilL.come!up:im just! this form before: long. The
 ¢ Nanchang: Chinese havevasked ‘for my: returt, but Lt maybe significant
: that they/navée not asked fox::a' general i neturn'of missionaries. Pos~
‘pibly°theyshavéonet: thought through:'te: that. point. Tn anyoease my
aS yetuin hag no. essenthal: beavingsoncthesmath question,:as in any case IT
go'as anexperiment , taking nothing with me beyondiwhat L-meed for
Pare ékistence;. and. ready itovclearseut at:.any time advisable. I might
ada, to:make it Glear, thet thesproposition te'not: reestablish Nan~
chang has eome, so far as I know, only from: foreigners, :.not.from the
“OWinese) frtendae. oe oor Lue cede aS ag tite Balt
os \.dnywayz:these are. days when> enormous: questions,are. hurling then-
_-pelvesi'at-us. We: certainly/need! praying: for, ‘because. the strongest of
us feelppretty: humbles and helpless: just: now. ena. "eee
aN Ciel Ss + T-willonot! promigeto write: you an: eneyelopedia
>. ddkey this: ry. week. yy that ed vee

Lov us ;

ae

INTERNATIONAL FAMINE RELIEF COMMITTEE

OF

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE KIANGSI PROVINCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
FOREIGN MEMBERS as CHINESE MEMBERS
onsen sucnsvane rae # 4 @ hk sutetnis onscrhny
Wit. R. JOHNSON "TAI PIN-GHIN
vee, G. RAUDERER HEAD OFFICE ee CHEN HBAO-cHt
‘CORRESPONDENCE NANCHANG, KIANGSI, CHINA ‘CORRESPONDENCE
ome£, CODE ADDRESS: FAMREL. oom neon
Arde ALLEN : '
OTRO oa wm 59 Route Boissezon, Shanghal, Kuss wvesncanion
. em October 16, 1927. ae
INVESTIGATION, LU FAN
F..R. BROWN
Dear Folks; -

I am writing today on some letter paper I looted from my ow
houseylim Nanchang. I may have lost my Graflex Camera and 4 few other
trifles, but my letter paper was almost all still there, though scattered
almogt beyond belief.

My letter of last Sunday had an account of the 'Wuhu ineident', but
during the week it: turned out that mothing of the kind happened. The
atory started probably by confusion with an incident which took place in
Swatow. The reason I gave credence to the Wubu story was that it came
thro misaionaries I knew had been long resident in Wuhu. In this
ease lack of confirmation brings decided relief to our feelings.

Letters came from you this past week, Northville of Sept 12 arrived
on Oct. 12; Sept. 18 on Oct. 15; Latham of Aug 27 and 29 on Oct. 13; of
Sept. 10 and 11 on Oct. 12, these two via Gotemba; and of Sept. 17 and
18 on Get. 15. I am sorry for your difficulty in regard to the letter
containing the Ninooka booklet. I inquired as I mailed it and was told
it was not overweight, but I guess there is something Oriental at work
there. Many unexplainable things happen in the Far East, Hdgar's letter
of Sept 18th is the third one from him this year for which I have had to
make a special trip to the Post Office and pay 12 cents to get it. Hef
put on only 2 cents postage. The day of 2 cent postage to Shanghai was
ever several years. ago.

I have now stopped my teaching at the American School. Mr, Farrior
@ missionary from Chinkiang is taking the General Selence and administra-
tive work I was doing, and as he im umable to give whole»time service,
Mr. Quevada, of whom I know nothing much, is taking the Chemistry. Mr.

@ says he is a graduate from Georgetown and took a master's degree In
Chemistry, after which he taught chemistry for five years in Vera Cruz
or Santa, Cruz or somewhere.

' Late news fromNanchang is that all is still quiet there. Craighill
is due back tomorrow and will doubtless bring all details. Bishop Roots
of Hankow told me after the serviee this morming that all is very much
more quiet there than formerly ~~ on the surface. I was not able because
of interruption to get any further statement from him ag to what he meant.
Allen from Nanchang is reported to have said =~ or rather written that
Commmism is dead for the present, but that there is ‘boring from within.'
This all agrees with my own conclusions during my recent trip there.
Communism is certainly not dead in any permanent senee, but whether ar
not the C.P. will be able to stage a comeback is a question whose solutiion
depends on the strength of forees now all but impossible to gauge at all.
(Bishep Roots is reputed to be, or at least to have been very pro«Natio~
malist. Allen comes, perhaps, in the same general category. My planiis
to leave here om the 25th or thenabouts.

Dr. Kahn is in Shanghai for the meeting of the National Christian
Council, and 1s coming to tea and supper with us today.

Monday saw a sudden plunge from midsummer into midwinter, the kind
of change for which Shenghad s famous. We are well

ve \ (over)

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ss jeep fe th 4

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
59 Route Boissezon, METHODIST MISSION

‘) Shanghai, Ku, ares ¥,
October 23, 1927. '

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE
FRED R. BROWN

Dear Folks;~ \ i
For this week's effusion from my long+suffering type+
writer I have decided to catalogue and chronicle rather more personal
notes and lese general stuff than usual. Let me know how it goes
with you. Probably it will be mostly of myself, on Walt Whitman's
‘principle ‘there 1s so much of me and it is all so luscious! ete.
ae lst: my teeth. Following Kdgar's noble example I am today
: fuffing and shushing through where my front teeth once were. My
bridge work lasted for eleven years, but finally one peg gave way,
effeative repair seemed impossible, some infection was present, though
' the dentist was surprised as he reported ‘very little', and on Thurs-
day I had the two roots out et impressed tomorrow for a plate.
This will enable the holes teeth long gone from my upper jaw
to be filled, and I am sure will add to my general health, though 1
agoubt if the ideal of obesity Clella and Hester -Long for for me will
be realized. '
‘ ands my epties. Nothing much to report there, but since I seem
to have made the Nationalists an involuntary contribution ef 311 my
extra spectagles and thus had tio have at least one extra pair, I have
Joined the prevailing mode with round lenges rimmed in mottled
eelluloid to mateh my fastestreaking hair and ground toric ta make
- way for my eyelashes which are too lomg for the work they have to do.
3d: my return to Nanchang. The matter of my teeth holds me here
until the end of this week. I plam to leave on Saturday might the 29th.
This week has brought news of renewed military, activity up river, in
the region of Wuhu., Bishop Grose, trying to get to West Chima, turned
around at Ichang, and is now at Wuhu, prepared to stay im ease Bishop
Birney has to return to Shanghai, Mrs. Birney has been im the hospital
with pleurisy, and though she is said to be in no. danger, Bishop Birney
4s not quite easy, I guess, so he hag arranged for Bishep Grose te hold
Central China and Kiangei Conferences in case of emergency, Bishop
Eamey left here Friday night for Whuh, and is doubtless there nOWe
thithe school, They seem loth to let me reiep. Anderson keeps
chasing after me to check over chemistry orders, ete. I have finally
eut loose, I think, and left matters where I judge even Dr. Anderson's
sanguine expectations will be staisfied. Clella reaches the stage this
Week where the hael work she has had to do will diminish very much, and
I am happy as she seems to be over that. The children can gO on to
books, as I understand it, and posters will mot have to be made much
longer. Hester and’ Charles brought report cards for the first five weeks,
Hester with four A'a, as I remember, but both of them with D's in
Avithmetioa, Hester with U (unsatisfactory) im spelling and Charlea with
U an Pritings Both are improving, though and we expect better reports
next time. . .
5th: some would be surprised to hear of a canpletely- whalesome
movie entertainment 1n Shanghai. Yesterday we took the children and
faws 13; a news graphic, o.k.; 2, Felix migses his cheese a splegada
animated cartoon; 3, The Black Diamond Bxpress, nothing..wonderful, but
vefreshingly free from rot; and last Where's My Wife,prineipally slap~
stick but really funny. Since we went only. for entertainment we voted
the afternoon a success, and so did the ehilaxen. |
‘I may write next week from a steamer on the. Yangtze, but should not

be too surprised to be still here in Shanghai. "You never can tell" ts
the proper attitude for a prophet to take now in the Orient, :
Oe y
iis Who?
{hi Gh te Monnens

2

HHentey- Vhs oo Ieabley, Coca tpalip Goat as dean gnc he me polly:
NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
7 bi DIST MISSION
cate naows 59 Route Botssezon, Shanghai Nanehanes Kin CHINA

Gotober 30, 1927.
Dear Folks;

I am still here today, though it was only at 11 yesterday
morning that I cancelled my reservation on the steamer sailing at 1.
The first of the week I was all set to go, and I am now ready to leave
‘on an hour's notice. On Wadmesday Mrs, Allen had a wire from her hushand
from Nanchang About. thus leaving for Hankew. @.K.Shaw advises Brown
remain Shanghai". (C.K.Shaw is one of our leading Chinese in the Acadeny,)
The contents of this we wired kmmediately to Bishop Birney at Wuhu. on 2
Friday Mrs. Allen had a hurriedly seribbled note from Art written at
Kiukiang on his way out, saying in effect ‘they (the officials) have
adwised me tio leave Nanchang at onee as they are expecting Meavy fighting
‘within a very few days all along the line. Troop trains are running day
and night Loaded with soldiers,’ My returm was based originally on the
‘expressed wish and advice of the Ghinese, which is now withdrawn for the
time being. No ome in Shanghai seems to advise my going, and the donaul
is etrenuously against it, therefore I am waiting for further instructions
from Bishop Birney, Yesterday I met Bishop Grose’s boat as he returmed
from Wubu, and he gaid Bishop Birney is expecting. that I will wait here
for his rdéturn to Shanghai, probably Wednesday the 24. Meanwhile he ig
asking Kiangsi Conference for a threesweeks postponement. My opinion is
that Conference is already automatically postpomed by conditions. :

_ The Perkinges. arrived yesterday -from Japan. We tried to get them
here: to stay with us, but the matter slipped someway, and Ulella is -going
to ask them again at Church time thig mornings He said last night over
the telephone that; he wants to go up river with me and we two live’in his
house at Kiuklang,,making oceasional trips to Nanchang. This may be the
best thing to do, but I now'expect to stay here at least a week more, and
eertainly to await Bishop Birney's arrival : : os

The general situation is shill far from clear to.us, While the papers
feature Fengtien battles in Homan, Harl Hoose whites that in ‘Peking thpy
can hegr the big guns and there seems to be a real threat to the Capital.
Obscure rumors of a new big coalition in the southwest. (Szechuan, Yunnan,
Kweichow, Kwangel and Hunan) with a possibility of Tang Seng-chih joining
may explain and call for a tremendous military activity in the region of
Hankow, im which ease I shall sit here at Shanghai for a lomg time. Other
significant reports indicate an early collapse of Tang Seng-chih. Who
knows what to believe? ;

Well ~ in the meantime I have my new teeth, no trouble at all except
getting used to the extra hunk of rubber in the way of my tongue. I feel
still that I canmot talk quite plainly, but Glella thinks now that I am
veal handsome once more (aint. that mice?)

One letter came during the week from you, American mail was due
yesterday, but I was so busy meeting Bishop Grose that closing time was
past before I could get to the: Mission Treasurers office.

Hester had a very sore hip Friday so that she could not wiggle at
all, (except when she thought no one was looking), It did not interfere
with her going to a movie yesterday, thought §Seriously, we are watching
it and trust nothing will develop. Today she seems 0,K.

After church: We saw the Perkinses. He wants to start with me for
Kiukteng Thursday (1.¢. the day after the Bishop arrives) and go an to
Hankow if we cannot stay in Kiukiang. I had a letter from Nanchang, just
ag we returned from chureh, It gave a somewhat toned»down account of
conditions there, but in September they told me that om account of the
censorship they did not always dare write of conditions as black as. thpy

BGGn hobs pss Hf ilalaaiiadhin: Aah vr takes PR°RTRRS BB

‘

8.9."Poyang" on the Yangtze, nearing Nanking
November 6,.1927. :
Dear Folks; =
Today I start a new series of letters to you, and just at
present the prospect is rather bright that it will be long. Bishop
Birney returned from Wuhu, reaching Shanghai Thursday, and by that time
I had received a cheering telegram from Nanchang urging me to"come ag
soon as possible, Nanchang peaceful at present, I have still to
atraighten out the real meaning of the former télegram telling me to
remain in Shanghai for the present. :

A lot of Methodists had reservations for this beat, but up to late
Friday aftermoon it looked doubtful about many of us getting away. Dr.
and Mrs. Perkins and Miss Ploeg securdd consular permission earlier in
the week on the score of their being im medical work, Bishop Birney
worked at the question of the others, and finally at three o'clock he
secured permission for our other women to go to Nanchang for Conference,
provided they leave right afterward to return to Shanghai, so we have
in our party Bishop Grose and his secretary, the Misses Woodruff (Mabe),
Pittman, Thompson, Seeck, Meeker and Raab, Mr, Johannaber, the Perkins
party, as aforesaid, and little me. The women had to seurry some to
get tickets, visas, and pack their baggage, but here they are. Bishop
Birney is staying with Mre. Birney in Shanghal, as she 1g not recovering
as quickly as she might. His presence seems to cheer her a great deal
and he is staying on the doctors' advice, It is fortunate Bisvop Grose
is able to help out.

Clella came with me to the boat Friday night. We expected to sail
at 6.30 yesterday, but were delayed so that Glella came on board again
for a halfehour before we sailed. I was certainly glad to see her.

Just before she came Chas.J. gave me a couple of letters from you,
Northville and Latham of Oct. 10 » not such bad time. He picked them
out from a pile of unsorted mail which had just come in from the post.
office, and I am grateful to him for doing so.

It looks now as though we shall mot be able to-reaech Nanchang by
W ednesday morning, when. Conference opens, but we expect to he there
Wednesday evening. Gonference this year is a Chinese affair exelusively,
amd I am looking forward with pleasurable anticipatioms to sitting
pretty much om the sidelines. Next Synday I ean write much more in
detail,

The clippings in your letters were full of interest. I wish I
could see and hear the new Northville organ, It must add very much
to the services there, In the other clippigg 1t was interesting to learn
of the moving of Fujiyama (Nieno~@ka on the site of the sacred mountaim).
By the way, I did not travel om a gunboat, and never have, but our
hoat was comvoyed by a gunboat, the Gockehafer, a tiny little thing of
the Sindddt Upper Yanfetze shallowedraft boat ‘class, with a wicked sting

her armament.

My plan is to stay in Nanchang as lomg as I ean, coming out in
January to spend some weeks, possibly,in Shanghai. The general situation
geens to be a little more settled im this reghon now, as the result off
the last few days8and weeks' developments, but of course one cannot be
too sure, One very much unexplained matter 1s why Allen left Nanchang.
Some day I expect I shall know the whole story and then it will be as
clear as daylight. It has much bearing on my own staying or skipping
if those cireumstances should be repeated.

This seems like a monotonous and inconclusive epistle, but really
there is little news to write. I do hope the future will he such that
we can settle down again to genuine missionary work instead of being
battered around this way from pillar to post, some one suggests that
dust at present there is a lull. Russia is out for the time being, but
China is trying out to see what help she can get from Britain or America
or both, If she fails to get this help Russia will be invited back

Ce re, Th :
SReveRP Ss aMbtE EF, DEAN Es, of thowent., Buk oncof our fellow

Jud

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS! SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE
FRED R. BROWN

Dear Folks;- :

I might have lahelled this letter ‘at home' except that I
am not in our own house, but in the Baldwin residence (Harrington Home).
The men foreigners at Gomference are belmg housed here for the time of

‘the Conference, J have been told that ome of the houses in our own
compound has been made fit for habitation, and I plan tio move over there
after the Conference adjourna. I have been im our own house since
coming here this time, and mothing has been disturbed since I was here

- Whonth before last. 4

We reached here a day late, as I thimk I remember prophesying in
last week's letter. The brethren were waiting for us and Conference
opened on Whursday instead of Wednesday, Bishop Grose presiding. Bishpp
Birney arrived Friday evening, and Bishop Grose left the next morning.
Present prospects are that Conference will adjourn not before Tuesday,
and possibly mot until Wednesday. i

IT have been almost too busy to be decent to my friends since arriving
here, The Conference put work on me » I guess they did not want me to
make sppechea} « and every noon and night has seen an invitation out
somewhere. Today 1s the first exception so far.

The reports of the Gomference will appear in due. course of time. I
am happy over our General Genference delegates, Dr. Lo ministerial and
Miss Nieh lay. Om important committees and for important positions the
Goenference has elected older and more experienced men this year, and there
is a big swing away from the radicalism of last year and the year before.
Bishop Birney thinks that Kiangs1 is still more radical thah Central
China, but the fact remains that this spring and: summer knocked radicalism
pretty much out of their minds. They had a veryi stiff overdose of it.

Nanchang is quiet now. Kiuklang is far more disturbed than we are
here, and the present prospeet is that Nanchang will continue quiet. The
troops have mostly been sent away from here to the gcene of military
activity to the west and northwest of Nanchang. Of course it is a part
of my business to size up the situation as I cam, particularly after
Conference is over tnd the folks have left here, The general, I might
say unanimous testimony I have from those here runs about like this;"per
the present everything ig quiet and there is nothing to fear. It looks
as though this comdition is to be at least semi-permanent. However no
one is willing to give any positive assurance that conditions will
remain quiet, The result is that our policy is) pretty sure tio be
dictated by caution, and that our missionaries will not returm to stay in
any numbers for the present. Bishop Birney wantig me to be ready to jump
out om any hint of trouble, but I truat to be able to follow events closely
enough to have warning of really serious developments. It is certainly
not my business to adopt a bullehead die+hard attitude when the point at
Issue is political and not religious, and particularly when my presence
is at best a help and mot at all indispensable » when also my presence
may prove @ real embarassment to our Ghinese. They have already indicated
some things they do not want us to do, amd one is to try to turm soldimrs
out of our property. They say they can manage that much better when we
are not around, and I guess they can. :

Two letters have come from ¢lella, Miss Grane of the Gentral China
WFMS 1s moving over to live with her,and I am glad about that. I havd¢to
go to Kuling in a few days, but may put it off until Thanksgiving. That
will give me time to get started om my school work. The boys have visited
me in a delegation wanting me to begin again at onee, and-their call is

to my mind very urgent. Love #: me)

METHODIST MISSION
NANGHANG, KI., CHINA

Nemchang, Kile,
November 13, 1927.

, BAALY re ,
8 aad ae (ia, Ah (Haw dacorg)

hb Lh see a will aba

Nanchang, Kile, November 20, 1927.
Dear Folke;-~
Tm one of Glella's letters this week she spoke of having ©
letters from you. I have asked her not to forward letters to me, but
to write me important details from them, The only mail I seem ta be
getting direct from @merica is periodicals; Christian Advocate, gaiens
tific American, ete.

Conference is over, and 1t closed well, A number of personal.
questions involving some of our strongest Chinese leaders threatened to
disrupt matters along toward the end, but finally all were smoothed
out and the men all took thelr appointments. Bishop Birney had the
Superintendents read the appointments, each man for his own district.

A little place, Siaochihkow, right across the river from Kiukiang was
omitted by oversight, and the lay delegate, am old countryman and one
of the oldest members we have in the denference, jumped out of his seat
and started to the front exclaiming "Aren't we going to have a pastor
for SLaochihiow?" Of course the oversight was corrected at once and
the old man went .back feeling happier.

Bishop Birney took some important ballots on the closing evening.
Ome concerned important questions of policy, and we foreigners were
told to remove ourselves from within the bar of the Conference. The
second was a list of twelve names of General Board missionaries on which
the pastors were asked to vote regarding the matter of our returning to
the work. The vote was to be individual on each name. Ome of our oldest
and most trusted pastors aroge and said ‘Bishop Birney, we are about to
partake of the Communion. I am not willing to do this thing at this
time.' Bishop Birney of course said that a serious vote like that
taken with real heartesearching was mot incompatible with the Communion,
and might be indeed @acramental in ite nature Af rightly done. These
ballots were given by the men directly to the Bishop, and he declared
that no one but himself would ever know the resultse Bishop Birney has
told us that his real reason ta to protect some of our strangest men from
political annihilation on the part of men high in ecclesiastical position
im our Church, The issue is the sharp line of difference of opinion
regarding missionaries and the events of this year, and I think it is no
particular seeret that the missionaries most concerned are Dodd and John«
gon. It will out some day that the high offieial concerned is Diffendor~
fer. A matter like thig could hardly be explained in a gemi-publie
meeting like our Conference, and I sympathize strongly with the objection
voieed. Not all of our missionaries were mamed on the printed slips,
but I helped give them out, and know that my mame was on. (This ig a
private letter to you. Whatever May be published will eome from other
sources. I think Bishop Birney will have some surprises when he
looks over the ballots, though I am sure Johnson will get the vote he
expects him to get.)

Three of our WFMS women are still here, Misaes Seeck, Raab and
Meeker, and this morning they tried to decide to stay past Thenkegiving.
Bishop Birney asked the Consul to permit them to stay om and the anawer
hae not come yet. If they stay we shall attempt to have a Thanksgiving
dimer at. least, and probably a service. I am now living in house #8
(the 'Blydenburgh' house) on our compound, but taking my meals with the
ladies, though I ean set up a table very soon when they leave. on
Friday I plan to start for Kuling for the weekend.

Nanchang is very quiet and peaceful now, and I have noticed no anti«
foreignism. We trust this condition will continue.

Love to all

Awe . . Me - b. 4 g tee ee 4. i oe
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: 6

BEGINNERS PIANC RECTTAL

Shanghai American

organ Mant

Hskimo Lyllaby:
Country Band:
Selected:

Call of the Ocean:
Eskimo Lullaby:

Sea Gulls ~ Playing Cato

The Cello} ; 7
Peasant Dance: +
Waltgs: oom

Call of the Ocean: -
4A Musical Calendar: = -
Procession in the Forest
The Country Fairt -
The Jolly. Workman:

The Woodpecker: “=
Laughing Vaters: aii
A Close Chase? oe
Even Song: -

Barcaroble: mo

Schuberts Serenade: ae

ra

Rocking Chait Boat: - "=

+

po a te

ppebagad

School

ee a

propre

ne eG ee

PY PERE ET PR cg

Ppa

Nov. 23, 1927

Hester Brom
Dick Petitt
Nancy Thoi
Philip Petist
Barbara Thomas
Alice Bryan
Walter Hollander
Gora M. Marriott
de Peyster Brown
Alice Giffin
Winthrop Davis
Bobby Border
Margaret Thomas
Karl Border
Caroline Price
Elsie McCracken
Martha McCracken
Edna Hole

Jack Mullett
Patsy Smith
Betty Benjomin
Era.Kromeleff,

“A few seudtialene of the: pieces was unavoidable, as

the children have! used, the same books thus far.

4

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE |: December 4, 1927. METHODIST MISSION
rreDearvRolicg ; « NANGHANG, Ka, CHINA
Not far. from now you will, I suppose, be getting my letter
of the 6th, the first one I wrote on this trip. By the time this one
reaches. you, I suppose I shall be im Shanghai again for my so-called
vacation. During 1927, though, I should say I have had too much vacation
‘altogether and it is a relief to be om the job once more. .
I eame back Tuesday from Kiukiang, having kept to my sehedule in spite
‘-@ifi a change in the weather Monday morning. When I left Kuling there was
,», & heavy mist ~ almost rain, and t had to leave off my glasses until I
was half way down the mountain. At the same time the weather turned
colder, and since them we have had winter weather. Today, however, the
sun is poappeexing, and 1s so deliberate about it that I feel that we
are to have a spell of clear and fine weather again, as we ought to haeare
‘at this time of year.
£ Word has now come to me from both Nankow and Shanghai by. indirect
routes that while the official attitude our Gonsuls must take at this time
is that of refusing permission to any American to remain in the interior,
as long as matters are quiet they will not impose objections to, my phaying
here, and umeffictally they seem tio think that we ought to stay on the job.
This: word is satisfactory to me, as I want to avoid the appearance of -
running counter to the authorities of my own country. We desire to work
in harmony with them and in cooperation with the general policy of the
United States. i
'. The present period of quiet may be omly a lull in Kiangsi affairs, so
I am making hay while the sum shimes. I have started my classes and am
assuming that shall be able to carry them tntil the elase of the school
year in June. I am carrying 17 periods (of 45 minutes) per week, but
the outside. work I have to do makes this a heavy schedule. I am the only
missionary of our Church now in Nanchang, except Miss Howe, who has. not
left the place at all. Gonsequently I seem to be the residuary legatee
for all missiom matters great and small.

Last week was pretty busy with starting classes in earnest and in
other miscellaneous occupations of sundry varieties, but I am! trying ‘hard
to find time now-to get at my other appointment, in conmeetion with the
Sunday Schools and Religious Education work for. the Nanchang District, I
fail to see the use of putting ima whole year of post-graduate work at
Bogton and then letting it all drop, so when the appointment was offered
to me I jumped at. the chance, and yesterday I had a talk with the District
Superintendent , tay an to learn his ideas (which are largely unformed)

as an aid in laying out the work for the year. To my mind it has
een most invigorating to see the way in which the people’ here have tried
to maintain Christianity. They contributed over $2000 Mex for the instii-
tutions as a financial expreasion of goodwill. Mr. Wang told me yesterday
that one man gaid to him "Ave you folks teaching the Bible in the school
here?" Wang said Why do you ask that?" The man said "The Bible is most
fundamental. People camot. be’ upright or virtuous without ite teaching.
If you are mot going to teaeh the Bible, ‘you cannot. have my contribution,"
When such an attitude 1s possible amid anti~foreign and anti-Christian
agitation, there seems to be a real demand for Christianity which ought
to be encouraged and nurtured. Spiritually speaking, when people ask
for bread they deserve something better than stones.

I have determined, barring accidents, to be in Shanghai by the end
of the year, but the exact time of my leaving is as uncertain as ever,
due to the uncertainty ln steamer sailings on the Yangtze.

Love to all of you, te 3

‘ud

ca

| . . t eco
Your Miu! aheout, Phere 02 ankirseteacy

| 2 AAD cor dia
The wend, Cdnurmant. + View tleowg
Lr. l6¢Lh, for

ss eee lg. a mE ee

Nanchang, Kiangsi

Chins
December 5th, 1527.

Dear Friends:~

It was a happy party of missionaries that left Shanghal a month
ago with Bishop Grose, and it was a happier party which reached Nan~
chang on November 9th, and steyed here until the close of the Confer-
ence, Bishop Birney arrived on the llth and Bishop Grose left on the
léth, but the rest stayed through.

we had a wonderful Conference this year, The extreme radicalism
of last year was very considerably modified and this was accompanied
py a strong end persistent spiritual note which we felt from first to
last. As the preachers gave their reports the extent of their suffers
ing became clear, They had been misunderstood, had been called 'for~
eign slaves’ and ‘running dogs of the imperialists’ amd their goods
had been taken. Their chupches had been used for profeme: purposes,
gome had suffered beating as well as reviling. Church members had been
captured and held for ransom, and in one place at least, the whole
property of the Church was ordered evacuated by the Communists, and
only a most timely arrivel of help saved the isspe, With all this a
new meaning came to these folks: "Out of their distress they celled
upon Jehovah, Jehovah answered them and set them in a large place,"
80 that the sunday morning service was a relating by these seme folks
of new discoveries of God,

Not only in the Conference was a new spirit apparent, In the
Academy the spirit is as different from this spring as day is from
night. Thepoys are tired of meetings and processions and agitation.
Phey are not a bit less patriotic, so far as I can see, but they are
now determined to use the precious years of youth in preparing for
citizenship, The students are less in number, as we have only about
100 this term, but these are the cream of the former student hedyy
and they are here for serious business this time. One of the ringy
leaders of the spring applied for readmission to the school, but was
refused by the faculty in spite of his professions of change of hearts.

Those of us who are here "on the job’ find it very difficult to
understand all that is happening even in this province, and 1t must
be appallingly difficult to you who are 10,000 miles away, There is
not the slightest doubt that China has been shaken to the very foun-
dation during these hectic months. Never will the o1d conditions ree
turn, uor does anyone desire them, so far as I can find. At present
the old order is upset, discredited and pretty well demolished, and
the new order has not arrived, Outside of large centers confusion
end chaos are pretty well universal. Even in Nenchang which has been
very peaceful almost all the time, some of our missionary residences
are sorry sights. All this has been reported in the press so often
that I think it must be thoroughly understood. It remains to say that
not all Ghina is to be charactorized this way. What I have written
above of the Conference and the Academy is typical, so far as I can
find, of our Christian communities everywhere at this time, T have
been called names and scowled at end hooted at by those who do not
understand what we are trying to do, but it seems to me that in our

one

own circles I have never known such attempts to manifest a spirit of
walcome and deep appreciation ag right now in these upset days, Iriend-
ships seem to mean more and to run deeper, if possible, than formerly,
This attitude makes the other occasional unfriendly attitude seem ale
moat insignificant.

Right after conference I started teaching in the Academy and with
a Slight interruption have been able to continue, and trust that I can
eontinue until the close of the year in June» It has been necessar,
for me to straighten out my status here, as our government does not
feel able to give official senetion for Americans to live in the inter~
fore I have assurances, however, from both Shanghai end Hankow, where
we have Consuls, that as long as the present quist continues no objec~
tion will be raised to my remaining at my own risk. This is all that
gan be asked for now from our authorities, and under these conditions
Tam staying one

In the Academy we have discontinued the practice of requiring ate
tendance on worship services. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, when & worship
gervice is conducted for these who desire to attend, provision is made
for a discussion group Which I have been agked to lead. The first meet»
ing wes on Thursdey, when 30 boys, about 1/3 of the school met. We
talked over the pest method of conducting our discussions, and finally
L asked for indications of the topics they most desired to discuss.
Since they had voted to leave the selection of topics to the speaker T
felt that their indications would be very valuable, Of the replies
Which have come ‘in almost all ask for some phase of religion ag the
topic. "Religion and superstition", "Religion and Science" are the most
eommons One boys is much worried over Prayer. He says he is a baptized
church member but he has noticed that most people who profess to pray
do not act as they pray, He wants to know if prayer cannot be done away
with in this enlightened age. surely this poy will heve the earnest
prayers of many of you, since he is coming close to the real essence of
the probleme

In my class in Religious BHducation we seem to have finished the
available text~books provided for by the school and the boys discussed
an outline of the course. This group comprises the oldest boys in the
school and is practically all Christian and very active. They asked me
to prepare a series of talks on Comparative Religion, as they feel they
wish to extend their knowledge of religion.

{he surprising thing to me is this demonstration which f meet cone
stantly. In the face of bitter snti~CGhristian agitation, and when all
religion is being brought under the ban and outlawed (if 8 certein
group can have its way) the demend for ra@ligion in our school is very
strong and persistent, go far as others are concerned, the demand was
shown in a financial way when the school and hospital each solicited
and received $1000 in local subscriptions to carry on when the Mission
was out of funds, Brother Weng, the District Superintendent, told me
yesterday that one man, on being solicited sald to him "Are you folks
teaching the Bible in your school?" Mr» Weng said "What makes you abk
that question?" The man replied, "the Bible is indispenseble in the
puilding of veal character, If you do not beach the Bible you cannot
have my subseription."” Mr. Weng secured the money}

My family is still in Shanghei where I hope to rejoin them about
Wew Year and remain for three weeks vacation of meetings and confers
ences. I do not plen to bring them here before next fall,
Yours in Christ's Service.
FRED Re BROWN + ’

RECO DFO 19 1997

FILLE
PAID
Dear Daldyre_ I cannot, make up @ay vergses but,

T ded make up this vegirse_
A BAER preety

May the Love in my heat show im my face like a
flower and flow oul Like a sit reane

Me
ee

-

“e
!
NANCHANG ACADEMY
a BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 3
FRED R. BROWN 5 Ye wayonana, Kl, CHINA
* pee :
so ag Fagg 8 TIE Abe NOLL. Meg dre havlan a fae
ce rg, p *
Winey © Lo hil yor ‘rtte me anon,
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cs «
a
.

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS! SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE METHODIST MISSION

FRED R. BROWN December 11, 1927. NANGHANG, Kl, CHINA
Dear Folks; =
I am not getting letters from you direct, but as it were
relayed on, Wlella lets me know the more important items and keeps the
letters themselves there on file so thet I shall have a chance later to
‘read them in the hectic sort of leisure Shanghai affords during 'vacations,'
a This week has been famous im my history for nothing in particular.
‘Classes bave gone om and the boys are digging in well, Outside matters axe
. quieting very considerably, and this during the past two weeks. Let us
hope 1t continups. This is true locally. In Shanghai and in the north
the fracas seems as merry a whirl as ever, the same old sorry mess. :
é Once im a while I get something from America. Most of our periodicals
are still being stopped, I suppose im Shanghai and Clelle gets them. The
Methodist Review for Nov-Dec came last night, and I hope to get time to
read 1t some day. [I note that there 1g a very strong trend away frongame
attitudes of recent years. For instance, take the matter of miracle, Tt
Was assumed mot so long ago that we had come fairly cloge to the limit of
knowledge. Mankind getis that particular bug every once ln a while. Now
I vead that horizons are still being widened, mot by nibbles but very
appreciably. The discovery im Astronomy of a theory which accounts with
some satisfaction for the behavior of certain stars called cepheids ledds
to the startling deduction that the light from the great nebula in Andro-
meda has been on the way for 900,000 years. since light travels 186,000
niles each seconds, I judge that tihe Andromeda nebula is rather a far
journey from us here én the earth, It takes some mental concentration to
grasp sucha distance, and I might ag well confess that. I have not yet done
ao adequately. Take again another little matter, I quote from wddington
of Cambridge, a real astronomer, too, none of your amatieurs. "We Learn
about the stabs by receiving and interpreting the messages which their
light brings to ue. The message of the Companion of Sirius when 1t was
decoded rans 'I am composed of material 3,000 times denser than anything
you have ever come across; a ton of my material would be a little nugget
you could put in a matchbox’, What reply can one make.to such a message?
The reply which most of us made im 1914 waa »« 'ghub up. Don't talk
nonsense, '"' Nowadays this reply seems not to be made. The message is
accepted as sober fact. Our horizons are widening still.

I trust I have been growing with by reading and meditation. Im Bible
study, partieularly om this very subjeet of miracle, I wonder if any
serLous-minded scholar pays much attention nowadays to the idea that Jesus
stood in front of a cave from which someone passed him bread and fish uuntil
5000 were fed? Not to be so unspeakably crude as that, I have noted with
much interest attempts of different kinds to exphiin away miracle, and I
am, beginning to wonder what kind of a scientific result ome could obtain
by starting with the hypothesis that all miracles happened actually as
recorded in the Bible. Suppose there really were demons that really
possessed people, actual physical possession, what exegetical results
could one obtain? What spiritual values could one conserve? Suppose we
started out honestly to retain all possible of the Bible, to give the Bible
the benefit of every doubt, and to rejéeat only what cannot consistently be
retained, how much would be gained in. material of real worth morally and
spiritually? I am not go sure that this process could not be defended
selentifically as a eorrect tiveatment of historical material.

Another matter which strikes im on my conseclousness is the attempt,
somewhat pitiful to be sure, to rewrite many of our martial hymns from a
pacifist atendpoint. The latest effort of this kind I have seen is "the
Son of God goes forth to Peace." It is somewhat displeasing to me tio

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

DEPARTMENT OF SciENGE METHODIST MISSION

FRED R, BROWN “page Dw NANGHANG, KI, CHINA
see a parody generally, though I admit that one of our noblest hymns
(Come, Thou Almighty King) started im just that way. My 1dea is that
if we need a mew note in our hymmology the best way is to write new
and absolutely original compositions, that 1s, as near to original
as we humaas ever get. The point I have im mind, though, is not
just thet. I have been now for more than a year im a very upset
‘part of the world and have seen enough of this militarism business to
make me completely fet up with the whole proposition. War has no
atitractions for me. One cannot forget, though, that the Bible writers
struck a fundamental truth. We fight not with principalities and -
powers, to be sure, but yet I must fight if I would reign. There is

; a veal and constant struggle goimg on and we shall do well if we ine
duce im ourselves amd others a deep enthusiasm for that conflict and
a sense of gratification in vietory. The danger lies in conceiving
the struggle as material and our foes as human flesh and blood instead

. of our own wills, appetites and passions. W.J,.Bryan was a noble man,
‘but thinking back do not his grape»juice dinners and his sublime .

assurance of the coming Utopia im 1914 seem somewhat inadequate now!
The world was even then in a vast ferment and the huge forces of
hatred and disruptiom were seething just under the surface and no one
feemed to be comselous of them. I am no militarist. My deep sympathies
are all with the pacifists, but these things give one furtously to
think.

Clella's letters continue to be very eheering and come im pretty
regulavly. There is a boat nearly every day now, though Ihave: had
to wait two days between letters.

This afternoom Mr. Todd, chief emgineer for the Famine Relief
Commission arrived from Peking to investigate matters eonnected with
the construction of a highway which our Committee proposes to build s
out from Nanchang, probably toward Fuehow. We have $145,000 this
year, which will mot finish the road, but possibly bulld 1t halfway.
Mr, Todd plans to start into the eountry tomorrow for a reconnolsance,
as fer as he can get in a day, as hid time 1s limited. Probabky on
Wednesday evening we shall have a committee meeting and make a
definite decisiom as‘to the location and character of the road.

My plan is now to leave here December 21 and reach Shanghal the
day before Christmas. I shall be in Shanghai probably about three
weeks, though I doubt if that time 1s enough to let me finish all my
work there. rol /

Bishop Birney sent me results of the voting om various questions
put to the Comferences here. These results will be published, and
very soom, I suppose, in America, so you will see them, They are an
the whole conservative, and seem to me a heartening vote of confidence
in the Methodist Church and Methodist missionaries.

It is late, and I must write to Glella yet. tonight. I will
therefore sign off

With love

iy

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS' SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

MeO oc. December 18, 1927. eee kis oaNA
"Bear Folks; a
: This 18, I trust the last Sunday I shall have before
being with Glella and the children again. My plan is still unchanged,
and is to leave here Wednesday, veaching Shanghai, I hope, Saturday,
Chrigtmag Eve. This letter I am sending to Shanghai by a friend to
be mailed there, go that 1t will not have to go through the censor-
ship here in Nanchang.

I have had another week of teaching, and I must put 1t down as
another seven days to the eradit side of the account. The longer I
satay here this time the stronger is my feeling that we are mow in a
lull between two storms, ag 1t were, and the coming storm is apt to’
be worse than the one just finished. You will understand that I could
searcely write this from Nanchang. It mow seems that the Russians are
again in control in Canton, and Hunan is as bad as ever. Qur own

folks here are somewhat apprehensive that Kiangsi may soon be the seat
of trouble again. A week ago I had a letter from Bidop Birney stating

' that he desires to send the WFMS women back here, and asking for a
telegram from me giving my opinion. I wired ‘Yes, if Consul acquiesaes.'
A day or go a telegram went from one of our Chinese saying sigply 'yes'.
Friday I learned that thig same Chinese, ome of our best, wired again
'Wait,' and when I went to ask her why she wired that way she said that
it was a telegram of caution, because the 4th plemary conference is about
to meet in Nanking, there 1s no telling what they may deeide, and in
case of a disagreement among them and a new split (as likely as anything
to happen) Klengsi- would probably be the first province to have trouble.
For the present then, it was her idea that we should be aautious, and
wait to sea what would happen at Nanking. There is no local cause here
for apprehension, as the clty seems to have been more quiet by far

the past week or two than it was before that. | :

Consequently I am going a step at a time. This trip to Shanghai
may prove to he a long visit, though I do not really apprehend so, I
shall seek all the informatiom I can get before attempting to return.

If China goes back to Communistic control, particularly if it seems to
be more than a mere passing spasm, I shall be tempted to return to
Ameriea until it blows over. Time only can solve this question, and
perhaps even time holds no answer. This noon I invited 1n to lunch
with me Mr, O'Neill, the Commissioner of Posts here, a man perhaps 55,
an. Irishman born.and brought up in Australia, more pitiful in his
bachelorhood than I in that he never married. He has the notion to urge
me strongly to go into business, or transfer to Shanghai, anything to
get out of the interior, but I do not see 1t that way yet. If I-can
stay at Nanch , and gertainly if this threat of unrest turns out

to be illfounded, there 1s a mew, future opening im missionary work
here, and I want ito be in on the ground floor.

Mr, Ku (1,2.K00) of the YMCA has been here the past few days
holding a retreat (Bishop Binrye thinks these meetings ought to be
ealled advances), and I think the spirit in general has been excellent,
though I have been unable to attend more than ome meeting, besides this
morning's sermon, :

The weather here is rotten just now, cold and windy and just a
little drizzle of rain,

I hope to write you from Shanghal mext Synday

Lots of love

hl.

NANCHANG ACADEMY
BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

orn sme December 18, 1927. OR Ss
“Dear Folks; ~ i
This is, I trust the last Sunday I shall have before
being with Glella and the childwen again. My plan is still unchanged,
and is to leave here Wednesday, reaching Shanghai, I hope, Saturday,
Christmas Eve. This letter I am sending to Shanghai by a friend to
be mailed there, go that 1t will not have to go through the censor~
ship here in Nanchang.

I have had another week of teaching, amd I must put 1t down as
another seven days to the eredit gide of the account, The longer I
atay here this time the stronger is my feeling that we are now in a
lull between two storms, as 1t were, and the coming storm is apt ta
be worse than the ome just finished. You will understand that I could
searcely write this from Nanchang. It mow seems that the Russians are
again in control in Ganton, and Hunan is as bad as ever. . Our own

. folks here are somewhat apprehensive that Kiangsi may soon he the seat

of trouble agaim. A week ago I had a letter from Bldop Birney stating
that he desires to send the WFMS women back here, and asking for a
telegram from me giving my opinion, I wired 'Yes, 1f Consul acquiesces,'
A day or so a telegram went from one of our. Chinese saying sigply 'yes'.
Friday I learned that this same Chinese, one of our best, wired again
‘Wait,' end when I wemt to ask her why she wired that way she said that
it was a telegram of caution, because the 4th plemary eonference is about
to meet im Nanking, there 1s no telling what they may decide, and in
case of a disagreement among them and a new split (as likely as anything
to happen) Kisngsei- would probably be the first province to have trouble. |
For the present then, it was her idea that we should be cautious, and |
wait to-see what would happen at Nanking. There is no local cause here
for apprehension, as the elty seems to have been more quiet by far
the past week or two than it was before that. | :

Gonsequently I am goimg a step at a time. This trip to Shanghai
may prove to he a long visit, though I do not really apprehend so. I
shall seek all, the information I can get before attempting to return.

If China goes back to Communistic control, particularly 1f 1t seems to
be more than a mere passing spasm, I shall be tempted to return to
Ameriea until 1t blows over. Time only ean solve this question, and
perhaps even time holds no answer. This noon I invited in to lunch
with me Mr, O'Neill, the Commissioner of Posts here, a man perhaps 55,
an Irishinan born.and brought up in Australia, more pitiful in his
bachelorhood than I in that he never married. He has the notion to urge
me strongly to go into business, or transfer to Shanghai, anything to
get out of the interior, but I do not see 1t that way yet. If I-can
stay at Nanchang , and certainly if this threat of unrest turns out

to be 1llfounded, there is a new, future opening im migsslonary work
here, and I want .to be in on the ground floor...

Mr, Ku (1,2.K00) of the YMGA has been here the past few days
holding a retreat (Bishop Binrye thinks these meetings ought to be
called advances), and I think the spirit in general has been excellent,
though I have been unable to attend more than ome meeting, besides this
morning's sermon,

The weather here ia rotten just now, cold and windy and just a
Little drizzle of rain.

I hope to write you from Shanghai next Synday

Lots of Love

Yala Filo Grid bm aces Thad

A i ‘

CH We ene shail ia Awa NANCHANG ACADEMY

hovel pace : BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Departmen of scIENCE METHODIST Mission
FRED R. BROWN 59 Route Boissezon, NANGHANG, Kl, CHINA
December 26, 1927.
Dear Folks; -

This te the Day After, but it is no dold Gray Dawn at #59.
Our little family was reunited Saturday not long after moom and we have
“peem enjoying Life and each other's company ever since. There is a Lot.
of work waiting for me soltewhere in this town, but fortunately other
‘folks have also the idea thet these are vacation days, and have not begun
. to pile tt over om me yet. .

We had a very happy Christmas yesterday, It seamed odd to have no
‘hang up the Baby's stocking’, but we thought 1t best to leave nothing
downstairs after our Little experience with thleves a while age, Se we
opened things without previous eeremomiess I find that my gratedulness
‘must be expressed for =« let me gee « 2 neckties, a shirt, a new Hversharp,
@ shaving brush, a tube of Palmolive Shaving Gream and ditto kind of taloum,
cloth for a new suit of clothes, a pair of euff+links, a set of collars
buttons, a pair of manieure selssors, a toothbrush in case, and + guess
that completes the list. The other members of the family will doubtless
speak for themselves. oh

“ft have glanced through the lettersuthat aceunulated while I was ©
gone and find them all very interesting. Now that IL am here. and there is
mo more fear of censorship, as there was at Nanchang I am free tio write
more fully of the situation. The last couple of weeks has seen the con»
summation, so it seems now, of a profound change, It looks as though
China has deserted the Soviet crowd and 1s turning tio Hngland fox help
and advices This was confirmed to me om the way down river by a Germam
from the Hankow German Corisulate, and I.gather that a man im his position
has mo particular tendency to speak eomplimentarily of Hngland. The
international situation -seems to be easing greatly. Internally much
depends om the outcome of the 4th plenary conference to convene in about
a week at Menking, Will they decide tio unite and push the warfare in
the north? Will they try to make peace with the morth and draw a boundary
line which will give each side a little breathing space? Will they break
apart from wutiual jealousles and send mid~China back to chaos? We are
watching with very tremendous interest. Meantime Bro, Rape, just down
from Chungking télls of a football game there between the boys of our
sehool and the British sailors. After the. game the boys wanted a picture
taken, so they lined up formally, Byitish on ome side, Ghinese on the
other. The Chinese said "This won't do, we must mix in. together,' so
they mixed in together. ven then they were not satisfied, amd finally
the picture was takem with the two teams all with arms around each other,
Gan you beat it? All this looks bad for the Soviet bunch. I wonder if
Japan is trying to fix up.an arrangement with Russla? y guess is that
China and Britaim (and America?) have come tio a (secret?) agreement of
mutual aid and that Japam is frezen out, but was cute enough to bring the
Morgam loan to the Mahehurian railway just about to completion before the
situation changed.

Lt wonder if Clella wrote about our burglary, a few days before I
arrived? It looks to me like a professional job, as they removed a pame
of glass from our dining~room window. -Fortunately they did not get much,
and we have been more fortunate than others « Carleton Lacy. for instanee,
who lost considerable in this way. ©, yes} I brought our stuff from
Nanchang to Shanghai for safety's sake{ Clella thinks that $100 Mex will
about indieate our loss. Her winter coat and Charles’, Hester's sweater,
some dishes, a small clock and our sausage grinder fenege oag those

§

missing. They missed s 200 hich OL ‘ ;
~ . ; ave are ‘eoime oe me aaeet ns whieh Olelie 8 rea aieallaelaael
ofa eh Da .
.

‘ f Ay \wd aut prc Love

p TOR pn a paw Bord Stan a4 USA

‘p ane
\

Ue VU ch Ld

. Dy arrive th. hrtdbren,

COMMUNITY CHURCH
SHANGHAI, CHINA

Ds. J. V. Latimer Chuech Secretary
53 Avenue Petain. West 3975

ORDER OF SERVICE
Sunday, December 25, 1927, 11:00 am,
Organ Prelude.
Hymn 60 “O Come, All Ye faithful”
Invocation, closing with The Lord's Prayer
Anthem; “Shout the Glad Tidings" —
C. B. Hawley
Responsive Reading. Selection 25, Isaiah 35,
Solos Mz, H. H. Cameron, :
“Comfort Ye My People”
From the Messiah
New Testament Lesson: Luke I, 1-21
Prayer,
Solo: Ds. E. L. Hall,
“Cantique de Noel”
Christmas Offering.
Anthem: “There Were Shepherds”. Foster
Hymn 62, “It Come upon the Midnight Clear”
Benediction, and Response by the Choir
Silent Prayer
Piano Postlude

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Community Chutch Sunday School
December 24, 1927 '

Hymn Number 60—Oh, Come All Ye Faithful
(School and Congregation)

Prayer

Reading of Prophecies—

{see Him but not now; I behold Him but not nigh; Thore shall come
forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out af terol (Numbers

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: ‘They
that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them tig the light
shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

And nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising. (Isaiah 60:3.)

For unto us a child is born, unto usa son is given; and the government
ghall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall Tis elheg Wonderful,
Counsoler, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prinee of Penn (Isaiah 9:6.)

Hymn Number 62—1t Came Upon The Midnight Clear
(verses 1 and 5)
(School and Congregation)

Angel Chorus—Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Chorus—Thou did’st Leave Thy Throne
Hymn—Holy Night (School and Congregation)

Holy Night, Silent Night,

All is calm, all ig bright

Round yon virgin mother and child,

Holy infant so tender and mild

Rests in heavenly Peace, rests in heavenly peace.

Holy night, silent night,

Wondrous star, lend thy light!

With the angels let us sing

Alleluia to our King,
Obrist the Saviour is here, Jesus the Saviour is here.

Song—Away in a Manger

Christmas Story—Luke 2:8-20. Recited by Sunday School
Song—Once unto the Shepherds.

Solo—Sleep, My Baby Jesus.

Song—There’s a Song in the Air

Visit of the Wise Men—Matthow 24,2,8,

Song—We ‘Three Kings of Ogept Are,

Prayer— (School and Congregation)

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.

‘We hear the Christmas angels
Tho great glad tidings tell;

O. come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanvel,

Superintendent—God so loved the world that He gave His son.
(John 8:16)

OE Car BA) ew be to God for His unspeakable gift.
(2 Cor. 9:15)

Hymn Number A Q wt, othe? foion Al
(School and Congregation)
Presentation of White Gifts
Hymn Number 61--Joy to the World
(School and Congregation)
Benediction

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March 30, 2022

Using these materials

Access:
The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
Collection restrictions:
Access to this record group is unrestricted.
Collection terms of access:
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Access options

Ask an Archivist

Ask a question or schedule an individualized meeting to discuss archival materials and potential research needs.

Schedule a Visit

Archival materials can be viewed in-person in our reading room. We recommend making an appointment to ensure materials are available when you arrive.