Chapter 71.
(Helen) We left Montreal in June or July, 1919, spent a week in Toronto, a week at Gordon Bay, a month or so in Victoria with Aunt Dora, who had come up from California to be with us. We left her in a boarding house —a sort of nursing home—when we finally sailed for China by the Canadian Pacific “Empress of Russia” in August, 1919. I went north at Shanghai for my teaching position in Peking and the others went to Hong Kong via Manila. Mr. Thompson met them in Hong Kong and took them on to Yeung Kong via Canton and Kong Moon. Mother almost died of seasickness on the junk going in.
(Christopher) Father wrote me on 14 September 1919 from Yeung Kong: “It Isaiah 4:15 p.m. We are sitting here in this lovely spot, writing. Certainly it is not very much like the labors and sufferings of the Apostle Paul, and I find it hard to persuade that it is right. Yet what could we do? I suppose we ought to set diligently to work to learn the language & no doubt the Lord wd. help us. Dorothy is doing so & is also going to start to teach English in the school here. A Miss Wilcox has the school—is its Principal, so to say. She must be a devoted woman. She came out when she was about Dorothy’s age and has stuck to it thro sickness, revolution, & everything for 15 years. And there were some terrible sights here last year. Seventy or eighty dead bodies in one part of the city. Men shot dead, lying on the road just outside the compound. They had nearly,1000 refugees in this compound at one time. So you see Miss Wilcox has some courage. She told Dorothy that nothing but the feeling from the first that she was called to this work enabled her to stand to it. And they are all so cheerful, brave and kind. I feel no doubt whatever that the Lord has sent us to help them out with this bank. It is a small concern—Capital $10,800 & part of that lost in expenses: the rest locked up in reconstructing a leased building. I have not yet been able to fully understand the position, but began yesterday to turn all the account books, from the beginning, into English. When finished, which will only be a day or two, I will know pretty well all I need to know. They have four or five employees when two wd. be more than enough. I am to have practically absolute power, so pray that I may have wisdom & be kept. Mr. Thomson expects that more capital will be put in now, and certainly the community has need of a bank. It has a constituency of about a million to service. They had me to a feast on the 9th. We arrived on the 7th I was requested to inform “my son” that all present would like him to come to Yeung Kong. That meant you. But when I told the gentleman who conveyed the message to my foreign ear that you were set on going North, it was passed on to my other son Somerville. “On the 11th we were at a wedding feast—all afternoon—at Pastor Ho Gwai Tak’s. His son was taking a wife. I enclose the invitation. On the 12th I was at the most refined feast I have had yet. It was at Mr. Leung’s. The Yeung. Kong food is even more savory than the food at Canton. And I can tell you Chinese victuals are not “hard to take”— due allowance being made for the difficulty of conveying them to the mouth by chopsticks. However, they are lenient & provide a china spoon & a two pronged fork to help out. I wonder if I can recall the menu at Mr. Leung’s. First, a soup with a very light preparation of white of egg in it, something like you might imagine hot marshmallow would be. Next course―most delicious chicken. Then—or sometime, boiled melon. Bear in mind each is served separately, course after course. There was a delicious “stew” of mutton, such as you never saw or tasted. There were mushrooms. There were fat pieces of roast pork with pancakes to wrap them in. Finally there was a large plate of rice flavored with scraped ham, enough itself for a meal. The drink was of the genus ginger ale but not ginger —more strawberry. Just like what they sell in Hamilton, only better quality. I think there must have been more dishes but I cannot recall them.
“Our host is the secretary of the Board of Directors. I am sorry there was not much opportunity to speak of the things of the Lord. Mr. Thomson was my interpreter. He is very much in earnest, & has much simple faith, but the gospel as we have been privileged to know it is not known here. But what they do know has filled them with love, and they do not seem to think of themselves at all—so to speak. Dr. Ewers, with whom we are boarding, has to go North to be nearer his wife, who has “sprue”, & has to be where she can get fresh milk & fresh beef or mutton & veal, etc. We are to pay Dr. Ewers $34 a month each. We are getting the best of food. We live in a house by ourselves having the four big upstairs rooms & big verandah, where we sleep. There are four rooms downstairs unfurnished. A Dr. Dobson is expected to relieve Dr. Ewers. He opened the station, practically, 22 years ago. He is about 50. I wish you knew medicine. We have each a bathroom & toilet, i.e. one for Mother & me, & one for Dorothy. It is lovely. It has not been insufferably hot, & last night was almost cool.
We had a sheet & a white counterpane over us, & would have preferred a thin blanket. The houses are well screened & the mosquitos & flies are not bad. Getting here—the junk—was terrible for mother and Dorothy. I stayed on deck all night & tried to sleep, lying on some oil-cans. I did not suffer, but, really, for Mother, in that box, it was terrible. I am thankful she lived through.
“Well give our love to all the dear friends, & of course this letter is for them. Dear Mrs. Hill & Mrs.
Trigge, the Misses Gausby, & any others who you think may be interested. Also please send it to Somerville for whom it is intended also. Ever so much love to you both & to Jean & the little ones.
Daddy.”
Aunt Dora was still at Victoria, but she was not well. Christopher and family (Jessie Hope had been born in Hamilton on 18 March 1919) moved there to take care of her, purchasing a house at 1759 North Hampshire Road. Old Dr. Malloch had just died, so Jean felt free to leave. They felt this was the first step towards China. Christopher worked at the Victoria Harbor Marine Drawing Office. He was offered a job at Prince Rupert, B.C., but turned it down because of the thought of going to China eventually. He also worked for Clark Printers, selling advertising.
(Christopher) Mother wrote us from Yeung Kong on 15 October 1919: “ ... . It sounds so nice to have a little place of your own on the mountain, but that wd. seem to be goodbye to China. If you are coming, it shd. be soon, for the longer you wait, the harder the language will be to learn. If Jean & the darling babes cd. be with us while you are learning, so much the better, but if you are going to labor in the North, it is of little use learning Cantonese. There is plenty to do anywhere in this vast country, but you must know the language. We have now been here nearly 6 weeks, & so far the climate is very pleasant; it has turned quite chilly & wet since Sun. —4 days now; the ther. was 66° this morning & we were glad of sweaters. Miss Wilcox complains of being bitterly cold, but I am much more comfortable. Bring all your blankets if you come & small kitchen necessities as spoons, egg beater, mincer, aluminum saucepans—not too many—a double boiler & good butcher knife. I told you salt cellars, mustard pot, yr. dinner set wd. be a great comfort if you mean to settle down. We had to get a few things, but had some trouble as you cannot buy much beyond bowls of all kinds, & teapots and shallow dishes suitable for cake or fruit. They have plenty of crocks and cooking utensils in pottery. You cannot get an iron frying pan, which is almost necessary & you need a charcoal iron. There is one at Gordon Bay in the attic; I am sure you could get hold of it. A casserole is very useful, all kinds of chairs & wicker things are very cheap. Electricity is so dear, it wd. be no use bringing the iron or toaster, it added $6 a month to Mrs. Thomson’s bill when she heated the baby’s food on the electric heater. Cocoa is very dear, coffee $1.00 lb. Jam Isaiah 48e for a small can. You can get all canned goods in Hong Kong or Canton & I suppose Pekin. You will need some vases for flowers, but the less you have the less trouble. The Chinese servants muddle along & you have to do all the tidying and dusting. Here the place hardly ever needs dusting, having no vehicles and no smoke from factories I suppose keeps it cleaner and then we are surrounded with grass & trees. There is a paved walk into the city, each block a foot wide—two blocks wide—we wd. call it a narrow country lane—hedges of cactus & other shrubs on each side, but it is really a much frequented road, & winds round among the hills to Canton.
“Daddy left us on Mon. to go for a trip with Mr. Thomson, Miss Pike & a Bible woman; they took bedding & plenty of tracts & Chinese Traveler’s Guides; they went up the river by sampan & were to remain Mon. night & Tues. at the first place; there are a number of Xtains there, who are thankful for help & teaching, & they expected a good many heathen wd. come in to see the foreigners. Then they go on again to two other places & hope to be back Mon. or Tues. We feel quite lonely for Daddy, but Dr. Ewers is still here. We are keeping house now; I like it much better, the’ it is hard to make Ahoy understand anything. We have a nice new brick stove; it looks like an altar & has 4 holes at the top. You just make a fire under as many as you want. We have breakfast at 7 a.m. & tiffin at 12:30 and dinner at 6:30. I made a syrup pie on Mon. I had auite an amusing time collecting my material, but now I am beginning to know where things are. We have to bake in a tin steamer-like affair. The fire of charcoal is put on the lid & yr. pie on the perforated part. It is very expensive; wood costs about $10.00 a month & $20.00 for charcoal; then all the servants use your wood & electric light. “On Mon. Mrs. Thomson & I went to a feast at an Elder’s home. It was very select; 3 pastors, all nice looking men, were there, Dr. Ewers & Gun Slin Shaang, the head of the boys school & two other men. They all looked very nice in their long blue robes. This was the best grand feast I have been at. As I am Li Shie Ti (Grandmother) I had the place of honor; it is a pity I cannot get a few gray hairs. We all sat at a round table on stools, everything was in bowls & we eat out of bowls with chopsticks. They told me to use the china spoon but I stuck to the chopsticks & I believe they were gratified. We had numerous dishes, birds nest soup, minced pigeon, fried sea slugs, tripe, chickens’ heads & feet, duck soup, chicken livers, ancient eggs, fish soup, egg soup, ginger, preserved melon, & many more. The last was almonds boiled in sugar & water, quite nice, with it you eat a sort of rice cake, & dumplings with onion chopped up in the middle, & others with blue beans mashed with sugar in the middle. We drank tea & orange juice in tiny bowls. Dorothy stayed with the children.”
(Helen) On Mother’s birthday, 19 January 1920, while the family was living at the Presbyterian Mission Compound, a Chinese baby girl was brought in, the sixth girl in a family, which they felt they could not keep. Dorothy agreed to take it, Miss Wilcox the head of the Presbyterian School having taken three babies and Miss Pike, the evangelistic worker, having taken one. The Chinese father said: “You can have the baby but be sure to send back to me the trousers it is wrapped in”! She was named Hei Ling (“Happy Spirit”) after me; the sounds to represent Helen.
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 7 February 1920) “I wonder what you think of our plans as to my returning and your coming here in my place? My heart is fairly torn between Daddy and Aunt Dora, and it is hard to say which needs me most. But I feel that with Aunt Dora I may not have very long to care for her.... I was talking to Dr. Dobson about her. He thinks the first attack may have been brought on by some small blood vessel breaking due to hardening arteries and fears she may have a severe stroke finally ... . I am sure she should be cared for by her own family and not left to strangers. I keep thinking of two verses: ‘If any care not for their own, etc.’ and ‘If any man put his hand to the plough, etc.’ There must be a way to walk through this labyrinth and we are promised that we shall hear a voice saying: ‘This is the way, walk ye in it’. I do not think Daddy will remain in the Compound another year, though there has been less friction than I had dared to hope. True Christians do have grace to walk together. There has been a good deal of discouragement among the native Christians the last two weeks. One woman has sold a child entrusted to her care, as a slave for $70.00 and two preachers have betrothed their children to heathens. One case is particularly sad, that of Chiang Faat, the boy who preached at the teahouse 3 weeks ago. He knew nothing about it until everything was settled, so we cannot blame him. A betrothal is considered as sacred as marriage, so it cannot be broken off, and he is to be married next month. He looks about 17 and the Mission had hoped to make a preacher of him. He may be quite as well if he does not go to Canton to College, but it is hard to find employment for these half educated boys. Another boy belonging to the school was, so they say, attacked by his uncle and ten men, on Thursday night, who tried to kill him, but the noise was heard at the Yamen, which is nearby, and the soldiers came and preserved his life, but they had cut his arm and also stolen a great many things. The uncle claimed his dead brother’s money, which really belonged to the son, this boy. He went to court, but judgment was given in favor of the boy, so he tried to make away with him. Did I mention the Christian woman whose husband was stolen away by robbers? She kept on praying and he managed to escape after some weeks in quite a remarkable way, and got home. All his money had been stolen, $200, and he was very sick afterward, but he has begun to come to the services.”
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 24 February 1920) “We have had rather a trying day. I think we mentioned that Chiang (the King of the Amorites) asked us if Dorothy would be the adopted mother of his daughter’s baby. We agreed and he said the ceremony would take place at the New Year, and it would consist in her giving the baby a present and the baby giving her a present. So she sent to Hong Kong and got a small silver spoon for it. However, nothing more was said and New Year passed. Then we were asked to lunch and then again to a feast and we felt sure this must be the time. Then last Sunday, just as we returned from the meeting, a woman servant came with an enormous basket of cakes and a large dish of fried bean curd. Now you always return something when a present is sent, so Dorothy put two testaments in the baskets and the next day sent back the dish and the silver spoon. Later we were informed that.... was the day chosen and Chiang said he had told Faan Slin Shaang about it and he would explain it to us. That was on Wednesday and all we were told was that it is an ancient custom and that we must give a bowl and chopsticks and a china spoon for the baby—that they would come over here bringing food and money. So we added to the money and sent it back and kept the food. Also that we must entertain all who came, servants and parents, etc. It seemed a great ordeal, but we bought a lovely little bowl and cakes and I made a big dish of rice and salmon. Then I suppose Faan’s conscience smote him, for he came this morning when all was prepared and told Dorothy it was a thoroughly heathen custom and she should have nothing to do with it. The idea was to cheat the devil so he would not know whose child it was and that a great deal of idol worship went on in connection with it, though we were specially told that all we had to do was to pray for the baby. So poor Dorothy had to go over to the Lum House and tell them she could have nothing to do with it. She found the old mother-in-law and several other women and I think spoke to them very faithfully. They had consulted an astrologer as to the lucky day, so I am afraid their calculations were upset. Of course there was nothing else to do, but the ‘King’ should have told us. He said he had 4 adopted children. I think being the only Christian in the family he has got accustomed to idols and does not feel to them quite as we do, for he is a very decided Christian and I also think he felt it might be a blessing to the baby. Dorothy said she was sure they quite understood. One of them asked if ‘all the people in your land worship God?’ Dorothy said that all professed to, but some only do it with their lips. Ye Chai said: ‘That is the way with us. We worship idols outwardly, but believe in the true God in our hearts’. I shall be sorry if Chiang takes offense. We had him to dinner last night, also Faan, we told them it was a wooie gwawk (foreign) meal. First we had soup, then chicken pie and fried pork, Irish potatoes, corn, rice and water chestnuts, and ended with lemon pie and a sort of trifle. Chiang would not eat any rice and they both seemed to enjoy their dinner very much. Chiang pointed out to us several times how full he had got. Then he said: ‘My abdomen is full of food; I can eat no more; I would like to eat all that is on the table but my stomach is too hollow’.
At the end he loosened the string with which he tied up his trousers—they are all made like the pair I sent Hope, and tied up with string and a good deal of hitching up goes on.”
(Letter to Christopher from Father, Yeung Kwong, 5 March 1920) “As to Aunt Dora, it does not seem to be right that you should be detained in Canada, while we are able to return and take care of her. We are waiting a reply to Mother’s letter before deciding anything. The people here say they are all praying that it may not be necessary for us to return. If Mother has to go I think I will accompany her. The bank is nothing, and I do not feel that I should encourage them to put up new capital, both because it is not the Christian’s business to be promoting the earthly and also because I am not able to give it the care that it requires. I have told G.D.T. I would help to wind up the old one but would have nothing to do with anything new.... Should you come out it would be a good thing to bring a good Canadian ax. They use wood for fuel and a man needs exercise. I would enjoy splitting wood this weather. A couple of wedges would be useful, too.” Our father had no more to do with the bank, but devoted himself to Gospel work.
(Letter to Christopher from Father, Yeung Kong, 21 April 1920) “The LORD—I think it must be He—has been bringing me in touch with a number of young men and boys. Today I had four lads come to learn English. Of course, one cannot say much, but it is a comforting, as well as a serious thought, that it is what we are that counts. On Sunday mornings a few lads have contracted the habit of coming for ‘kung chai’ (picture cards like Sunday School tickets) and last Sunday I made them learn a verse. They are to come again next Sunday. Then I have a couple of intelligent young men who began coming for English, but have advanced to book-keeping. These come at 12 o’clock and 4 o’clock. At 5 several others join and we take up English. Last Lord’s Day afternoon, five or six of these came to read the Bible. We read the first five verses of Mark and the Lord gave them to understand quite a bit. 22 April—I had quite a good time with my young men. We were learning the use of ‘do want’. One said: ‘I do want to learn book-keeping’, another ‘I do want to learn English’. So I asked them if they had ever heard of Paul, ‘Poh Loh’ as his name is when sinicised. So I told them of him—how he had seen that great light, brighter than the sun, and heard the voice of Jesus, and after that his desire was to be with Him. ‘I do want to depart and be with Christ’. So, you see, in these simple ways, one can bring Him before them.”
(Christopher) Father, Mother and Dorothy stayed the first winter in Yeung Kong at the Presbyterian Mission Compound. Dr. Dobson, the senior missionary, was away at the time. When he returned, he appeared to be opposed to their being in Yeung Kong. Since they were asked to leave the Compound and could not obtain a house to live in because of continual opposition, they lived on the little houseboat, the Fook Yum Shien (“Gospel Boat”), 28 feet long which Father had built. It was ready just as they were turned out. This was their home until accommodation on shore could be obtained—all through the summer of 1920.
(Helen) I came down from Peking and spent about six weeks with them; and our cousin Euphanel Graham, who was a nurse in Hong Kong, came in for two weeks. The food was very hard on Mother. On the boat we could not even have bread and almost the only meat was very tough beef. The pork was sweet and tender, but after seeing the pigs gobbling up all the refuse in the streets one did not feel much for it. There was good fish and plenty of eggs. The chickens were very scrawny. There was no butter but sometimes we made peanut butter. In the winter we grew some tomatoes and carrots. There were no apples or pears except Chinese pears which are just like wood. There were no raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. For breakfast we had soft boiled rice with tinned milk and sugar or peanuts, eggs, bread and jam. Dinner was tough beef stewed with a sort of coarse radish. Supper often eggs or fish. We brought milk and other groceries from Hong Kong.
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, aboard Gospel Boat, Yeung Kong, 24 August 1920) “I was quite sick, really in bed or on it, for a week, and beforehand I was just dragging round. We had no medicine books and very few medicines, but when we got back to Yeung Kong Daddy got out the medicines, but it is hard to know what is wrong.
I could keep nothing down at first and then by taking only malted milk, sago and corn starch in small quantities, that got better, but I still feel constant nausea. I long for bread and butter and a potato and a drink of cold water. Yesterday I took some small doses of quinine and I think they helped me. However, I am slowly recovering and shall be all right very soon. I think the family are realizing that I cannot stand another summer in this climate, so you may, I fancy, look forward to seeing me, sometime before next June. But who knows? as Miss Bowden-Smith wrote to Helen: “I sail under sealed orders.” When the time draws near the word will be given. Yet even Paul could write: ‘Prepare me a lodging’. You will be glad to hear that we have really the prospect of a house-5 small rooms and 2 large ones and a chi fong (kitchen) about half the size of the Mansfield one. Then we have the three servants’ rooms, which are close by, and A Hoi should be willing to settle down in them and I trust we can get an amah. We are to have it by October 1St. There is a large garden and a pond on each side. We shall have the house all to ourselves. The rent is $16.00 a month and we are to take it for three years. 25 August—you will be sorry to hear the house has come to nothing. The two lads Jo Che Lai and Jo Che Yin came over last evening to say a heathen nephew had turned up just as they were going to sign the agreement and offered to fight his uncle if he dared to rent it to a foreigner. There are so many people connected with each house that it is almost impossible to find a place where all are agreeable. However, why should we fear? ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but our trust is in the name of the Lord’.
“We have been seeing some striking instances of idol worship. We were told it was out of date, but it is far from that. The heathen quite accept the idea the idol is the devil and use the words interchangeably. First, last month, they built a matshed by the boat-building works. There they had a piece of wood which was worshipped with much feasting and drum-beating for three days to propitiate the devil and let them build good ships. Again at Pak Chaan last week, one dark night, a brass drum began to beat and fire crackers go off in great bunches. By the glare of them we could see a priest dressed in scarlet dancing about one of the fishing boats. There was a red flag too. The noise got worse and worse, bullock horns were blown and more and more crackers sent off. It lasted for an hour. Buk Yow said: ‘They have an idol in the bow and they are trying to frighten the devil away. Funny,’ he added, ‘they must think he is very easily frightened’. Last night, up here, there was a ship. It looked as large as a Toronto ferryboat and was one mass of light, all incense burning for the devil. It burned on until 1 or 2 a.m. It seemed awful. Surely where Satan’s seat is, how he must rejoice at being worshipped and made much of. No wonder he is trying all he can to get us out of the country, feeble and worthless as we are. At the same time there was a lurid light of burning quite near us and drums playing. A very rich man had died and they were burning models in paper of everything he had used or could need: house, furniture, servants, friends, etc. etc. It was a great blaze and lasted a long time and they really believed this and think he should be a very happy man because he will have so much. Next Saturday is the day on which all relatives burn paper models for their departed friends, to last another year and they seem as a rule indifferent as to what comes after death: ‘It is trouble enough to live here ... .
“Think of dear little Hope, knowing her Granny’s picture already. Do not be afraid of loving her; love is of God and is the only thing that resembles Him in this sad bad world.”
(Helen) In the autumn, Chiang Chai Hon, whom we used to call ‘The King’, helped them get the house where they were to live for all Father’s and Mother’s remaining years. This house was considered to be haunted and was empty. It belonged to all the people on the street and was next to the temple. The rent had to be divided amongst all the owners—six dollars a month. They had hardly moved in before Dorothy came down with typhoid, probably from living on the river, and Dr. Dobson felt that he must save her. He was a very good doctor. In later years he became very friendly.
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 22 October 1920) “We had a most exciting time yesterday. I was quietly teaching A Ming and A Wing. Dorothy and Faan were studying. Chung Yin’s mother had taken their baby to the hospital, so we only had Sheti here, who was holding the poor sick baby. Suddenly we heard a rifle shot and another. Then a man in a long, blue robe came rushing in, exclaiming: ‘The fighting has begun’. He rushed hither and thither to hide, into Dorothy’s bedroom and finally into the storeroom. Dorothy and Faan ran to secure the gate. The carpenter hurried out the flag and Dorothy and I secured the back windows with pillows. Sheti was uoved. Certainly grandmothers are the prop and support of Chinese. Whatever happens the grandmother is called in. Is a young man sick? His grandmother conveys him to the hospital and nurses him. Does he want to go to study? She works hard to earn the money. Does he want to travel? She carries his luggage and so on. Well, blue robe, who is a teacher in the Government school, hid behind Sheti and the baby. The little boys got very excited of course, as the firing went on just beside us. I was greatly relieved to see Daddy come in safely. He was in the Post Office, which was open for the first time, also the stores. As soon as the firing began everything stopped short and in a trice every door was barred again. Daddy had to walk right by the temple where she fun was, but saw no harm done. A man pointed a rifle at him but did not shoot. In about half an hour it stopped. By degrees we learned what had happened. This new General Lai, who has taken command and seemed to promise so well, sent a letter to the captain of the enemy band, Ong, asking him to come here and make peace, and fight under him. This seemed such a good solution to their troubles that Dr. Dobson signed the letter too, and of course his name gave weight to the letter. Ong and thirty men arrived and were put up in the temple close to us. Ong was invited to a feast to meet the other officers, seized and thrown into prison and the shooting we heard was the soldiers trying to get his men. They naturally ran and hid and the soldiers rushed round going into shops and houses hunting them. No one was killed. They say Ong had refused to submit to Lai and had gone to a merchant in town demanding money and threatening to kill him. Dr. Dobson feels dreadfully at having unknowingly been involved in this treachery. Ong’s followers, about 250 men, hearing what had happened, turned on the villages where they were and killed ever so many. Now they have escaped to the hills and will be a menace to all the villages round. Surely poor China needs the Gospel to turn them from darkness to light. Nearly every day Taam brings someone here who wants to know the Gospel. Daddy gives a testament and says what he can and surely the results will appear some day.”
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 30 November 1920) “I wonder if you got my letter of last Friday telling how sick Dorothy was? ... .She took sick about 10 days ago and has had a pretty high temperature ever since. We tried the lady doctor, Dorothy’s friend, who dosed her with quinine. As that had no effect she tried a sick Dorothy was? Peruvian bark. Of course Daddy tried his medicines but these oriental diseases are quite new to us; we should have a book about them. Well, by Sunday I was in despair, shut up day after day with her, constantly wandering and talking nonsense, so we decided to see if Dr. Dobson would come. I do not think him a good doctor but he does his best and I believe is better than these Chinese men who speak a language you understand not, so I sent a note by Sheti and he came over immediately and has been most kind. He examined her thoroughly and said he thought she had typhoid—it was very much about and A Hoi and Jung Yi had both had it. It certainly must have been a very light kind they had, as A Hoi was only three weeks in the hospital and seems perfectly well now. This is Jung Yi’s third week and she has had no fever for some days now. He ordered much washing with cold water and absolute quiet of mind and body. We have also two kinds of medicine. One is a kind of clay, which she makes a great fuss over taking every three hours, and the other is fluid with a bad taste, every six hours. Her temperature is reduced about one degree now, hovering between about 103 and 104, instead of 104 and 105. She has milk or baby food every three hours and all the orange juice she can take. Dr. Dobson was delighted to find us well set up with KLIM which he considers the best preparation he knows. So you see your KLIM was all ready for her, my dear boy. Chiang has just been in. He has been away. He says he found many men in the country with the high fever, but no one had died. I suppose it is a form of typhoid. I feel that the Lord had His own purpose in this and if it brings harmony between us and the Mission it is worth a good deal. Mrs. Thomson was here on Friday and Miss Pike. They came directly they heard Dorothy was sick. Mrs. T. was only in Yeung Kong four days. She just packed and settled up and went back yesterday. They sail for England via Suez on December 23rd She is so brave and true and said she felt she must come here before she went away and face it, and she wanted to sleep in her room alone in the house, but Slaam Shaam said she should not and came up and slept in her room. The little girl had rheumatic fever and it went at once to her heart. Dr. Dobson told her George would never be fit for China again but she does not believe him. They expect to be away about a year and ‘when we come back,’ she said, ‘there must be an end of this and we must all the friends. Why should we be unhappy because the men quarrel?’ However, the Lord may touch their hearts.
“The jam will be lovely but I must keep it till Dorothy is able to eat it. She slept so well last night that I went to bed and had a very good sleep. Dr. Dobson is very much pleased with her condition this morning and thinks the disease is lessening. He does not know about Daddy’s little pills, which I expect do more real good than the clay.”
(Letter to John Stanley from his Grandmother, Yeung Kong, 1 December 1920) “Our dining room window is high up. I cannot reach it, but there is a bank of earth outside it and numbers of children come to watch us eat. Sometimes big people come too. There is one little boy called Taam Lum. He is quite small, about 8 years old, perhaps, and he carries a big baby brother on his back all the time. Whenever we are eating, he and the baby come and sit on the bank and watch us. I sit opposite the window and whenever I look up, there is Taam Lum and big fat baby watching all I eat. Sometimes Granddaddy talks to the little boys and asks them what our food is called in Chinese. We have mosquito netting over the windows, so we cannot hand them any food. Some of the naughty boys threw stones at the netting and made two big holes, so the flies can come in. ‘You are bad, sinful children,’ Granddaddy said, but they all shouted: ‘I did not do it; I am not sinful’.”
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 16 December 1920) “This is Dorothy’s birthday and she is sitting up today for the first time; is to have a ‘real good meal’ for the first time for nearly a month. Dr. Dobson said she could have anything she liked, but we decided nice stewed chicken and sponge cake pudding and sweet potatoes would be a good beginning and a fine birthday dinner. She is wonderfully well, considering, but her back and legs feel very stiff and weak and she tires very easily. It keeps me busy keeping people out of her room, which you know opens off the reception room, and if they once get in, they have no idea of paying a short visit. Two Bible women have been this morning and now she is lying down pretty tired.
“Poor Daddy had a fresh supply of men in. We had about 15 for Che Chop (meeting), then I had 12 boys for English. Two men came while they were working and Daddy read with them. Then he had a little study and 5 or 6 more came and they had a little more Bible reading. Then he rushed to the meeting room for something and 6 more came in his absence. He had a few minutes with them and then dinner came on the table. We had asked Faan to dinner as we had an extra good one and we had nicely begun when the pastor from Puk Waan arrived and Daddy brought him in to ‘eat rice’. You should have seen how they enjoyed the pudding. As soon as dinner was over an old woman and five girls arrived and Jung Yi made them tea and tried to entertain them. When I went into the reception room at 3 p.m. he was reading with 3 men and had hardly said goodbye to them and returned to study when 4 more men came and are still here. So you see he has a busy life. Poor Faan sometimes helps, but he finds it rather dull without Dorothy and says he is praying that she may soon be able to study.
“We got rather a shock on Sunday when Jung Yi told Dorothy and A Hoi (told) Daddy that Dr. Dobson had sent for him and asked him to come and live with the Lewis’ in 3 months. I think he must have been a little surprised that we said nothing to persuade them to remain, but really he has been so indifferent to our comfort for so long, seeming to think it did not matter what we eat and taking no trouble to make bread, that in that way we really did not feel he would be much loss. On the other hand I believe he is a really good man and honest, and a good economical buyer, which is a great matter. On Saturday we ate our last crust and I spoke about bread. Oh, he would make ‘minbouji’ (buns). He makes horrible buns and it is almost impossible to make good ones here, as the baking powder is always poor and we have not a hot enough oven. So I said: ‘I loathe minbouji’. Of course he did not know what ‘loathe’ meant, but it seemed to strike him and he set to work to make yeast and had some beautiful bread by Monday night. Unfortunately he could not give up the minbouji idea and made a big pan full and Daddy and I are still toiling through them. He has taken much more trouble all the week and really made things very comfortable. Of course on the boat there was not much scope for cooking and ever since we came here, he or Jung Yi have been sick. It seems a pity after he had helped us through all our troubles and then we have helped him through all this sickness, that we should have to part. But we shall see what he decides. Meanwhile I am praying that he may be guided aright. He is anxious to do the right thing and he is very cautious and it worries him to see so many men being baptized without what he considers due preparation. Sometimes they keep them waiting a year at the Mission. They have to know the 10 commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and answer many questions. Of course Daddy may err on the other side, I don’t know. Life is very puzzling.”
(Letter from Dorothy to Christopher, Yeung Kong, 25 December 1920) “Thank you both very much for the pretty stuff for a dress. It is lovely stuff and I think it is very pretty, but the Chinese regard anything red as improper for young women, so I think I shall make it up-for Mother, who scorns all the ancient customs. Jean must be careful not to have red or yellow clothes; I don’t suppose you have, Jean. Yellow is mourning and unlucky. Raw silk is the regular mourning color. After this I am just going to make plain skirts and sort of middy blouses or tunics. The Chinese consider them more decent and respectable than ordinary blouses belted in at the waist.
“———-tries to deter people from coming by saying that Lai Sin Saang is so old that he will probably soon die or have to go home, though after all, he himself is only a few years younger. This mean, horrid saying has not come to Daddy’s ears, so do not mention it in any letter back. It is particularly inappropriate as Daddy is so well and happy and alert. He seems as well as he ever was, but of course he does get very tired at times. People are here almost all day long reading, talking and in the intervals he studies Chinese and in the evenings writes letters. Early in the morning he gets up for his own reading. So you would be a great comfort to him, and he would talk things over with you in a way in which he will not with us.
“Today at the matshed they have their usual performance, a sermon, then the school boys and girls sing hymns, and then the school boys usually act a play. This last is not on the program and is only tolerated by the authorities though much rejoiced in by the multitude. Jung Yi felt she could not miss the show, so set out early and A Hoi somewhat shamefacedly set out later, just to look at it he said. He came back rather low, not having seen anything; there was such a tremendous crowd.”
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 8 March 1921) “Our new cook (Yee Goo) is a treasure. She gets all kinds of new vegetables. Whereas A Hoi never got anything but that hateful ‘choy’, we have had nice green peas twice already and only 6 cents for all we could eat. Then she makes very good bread and keeps us supplied with it and does not put quantities of lard in it, as A Hoi insisted on doing. He was and is a good, honest man and he would not have let anything harm a hair of our heads, but he took absolutely no trouble to make us comfortable. Foo Hing is struggling with the washing and ironing, which is quite new to her, and she manages to get the things clean. The collars are the bug bear. I never could iron collars, but I made a strong effort yesterday and managed to iron 2 out of 5 (with the big charcoal iron) so that Daddy could wear them. Foo Hing washed out the rest again, and we are trying again tomorrow.”
“We are in full swing of work again and I shall be very busy now I suppose till the middle of June. I have the boys from 9 to 10. I had 7 this morning. Those 2 or 3 who have come regularly have learned quite a bit. A Ming read this morning without any difficulty ‘Three ducks swim on the pond. A bad boy gets a big stone and throws at the ducks. The stone hits one duck on the head and kills it. The others swim away’. Of course it sounds silly, but it means a good deal of hard work to get them on so far. The others come and go. Two arrived today who have not been since I broke up the class when Dorothy was ill. They can barely read ‘Have you a cat, etc.’ so it makes it difficult to teach. Dorothy has drawn quite a number of pictures on big sheets of paper and we both use them. Then of course the covers of the Literary Digest, which Frank Gill sends us and sometimes has objects like flowers, etc. At 10 my 4 little girls come. They now come alone, which is a great relief, as the mamas and elder sisters and slave girls were a great nuisance. They stay until 11:30 —at least I dismiss them then—but they potter round until we have dinner. They brought me 10 eggs this morning. Meanwhile, Dorothy and Daddy study after Che’ Chop (morning prayers), till 9 and then Dorothy does her housekeeping and washes her baby and at 9:30 goes to the boys school, kept by the nice big man who was saved and baptized about Christmas time. There she teaches English to about 40 boys. Daddy studies meanwhile. Three days a week she teaches at the Lum House from 1 to 2 and 3 days teaches boys from 4:15 to 5. Then we try to take a little walk before tea. Daddy gives a Bible lesson at the school every day at 2 p.m. It is a wonderful opportunity, as the school is in a temple and comparatively open, on a public street, so numbers of people come in to listen. The big man who runs the school has already taught all his little boys to sing ‘Je so of gno’ (Jesus Loves Me) and has not one idol in the temple. He often comes over to Che’ Chop in the evening, bringing 2 or 3 boys, and Chiang comes bringing his little tribe, and a man who lives in one of the cottages round the corner and is a professed R.C. comes with his wife and 2 Children. On Sunday we had 50 boys and 10 girls at Daddy’s school at 9 am and Dorothy had 30 women and girls and 30 boys at 2 p.m. She had pressed Daang into the service and he taught the boys in the porch.”
(Letter from A. F. Willis to Aunt Dora, Yeung Kong, 11 March 1921) “We have been having a great ceremony next door; beating of brass drums and blowing of bugles, sounding very weird, like bag pipes.... quantities of firecrackers going off. Chiang told us with a giggle that they were keeping the birthday of the idol—’not your neighbor idol but the idol in the next room; it is his birthday, so they get a musicker and music—is my sentence correct?’ He is very funny, but it makes one feel the reality of heathendom and the gross darkness which covers the people, to see them going on in this foolish way. This morning many crackers were going off, so Dorothy and I looked out and saw a string of people, each with a bowl or basket, going into the temple. Each one had a child.... they came out again with the bowl full of food. The idol celebrated his birthday by a big feast and now it was being divided. One day this week I was out with the baby when I met Taam Buk Was and he took me into one of the temples a little farther along the street (in my morning walk with the baby, which is not 1/4 of a mile, I pass 5 temples). There were life size figures of generals, I think, near the door, one holding the reins of a white pony. Farther in the building was a man all dressed in sackcloth and other figures in gold and scarlet, all very clean and fresh. We passed through various rooms occupied by the soldiers who are quartered there, dining room, kitchens, etc., all mixed up with shrines and incense and idols. At last we came to a very large room. It had what you might call a broad counter down each side, with a railing in front. Behind the counter were niches, 5 on each side and each one contained 3 idols, small life size. In each case one of the three had an animal’s head and horns (sheep, goat or cow). On the counter were innumerable figures, all symbols I am sure. The predominating feature was torture. Dorothy said it must have figured the tortures of hell. There was the representation of a burning pit and a bound man at the bottom and a devil carrying another man, in the act of throwing him in. On the other side was a man being dragged along in chains. Then there was a tree and two men being hung on it and a man in the stocks, another being sawn in half, another being flayed and so on. There was another tree with a serpent coiled round it with a woman’s head. It was the most fearsome place you can imagine, the expression of the faces was so wonderful. The figures were each about a foot high, all very bright colors. It was a most creepy place, but I want Dorothy and Jack to go and see it; it was the most extraordinary place I was ever in.
“We are hoping to get the ship off on a little missionary tour with some of the native helpers and we are also considering a school in that new village where the 28 men sent to ask for help. We have a school teacher in view. If it comes to anything he will rent a very small house and teach the children in the day time and the grownups in the evening. ‘How can they believe on Him of Whom they have not heard?’ “
(Letter to Christopher from Mother, Yeung Kong, 7 April 1921) “Daddy has probably told you of our excitement last night, or rather this morning, when She Tai and Yee Goo waked up and found the ladder against the wall. Such a chattering and laughing and gesticulating and the baby enjoying the excitement kept cheering them on. It was quite dark, about 5 a.m. and they waked Dorothy up and Chiang Foon and after a long time we found out what had happened. It was really Sheng Chung Lai’s fault. He.... is a very normal schoolboy with a warm heart for the Lord’s things and an immense admiration for your father. He took the ladder into the garden to pick the tree melons and left it there. The garden has a high wall and a hedge in front facing the street. There was a big hole made in the hedge. Then the ladder was against the wall between us and the garden. A roof slopes down from the wall, over the verandah and he had made a ladder of 2 bamboo sticks and some boards across, fastened with the clothes line. This he let down on the court side and visited our rooms, taking quite a few of our clean clothes, including all our 3 night gowns, which were nearly new, the pick of handkerchiefs, Dorothy’s and my slip waists, a shirt of Daddy’s and Dorothy’s and Daddy’s under flannels, a skirt of mine and 3 good linen towels. The basket was at the foot of Daddy’s bed on a little table. Daddy’s watch was hanging in his vest just above it. His trousers with several dollars were close by and my watch and spectacles were on the bureau. The clock was on Daddy’s bureau by the basket and I suppose its ticking led to its capture. The only thing taken in Dorothy’s room was her watch, which was really no good. Of course the excitement waxed higher and higher as the men and boys came to prayers and everyone had to examine the ladder and the footprints and the hole. I expect we shall be overrun with puppies, as at least 3 people have offered to provide us with a dog. Yee Goo had gone into the street as soon as it got at all light and found 7 handkerchiefs, a bib and Dorothy’s slip-waist, scattered along the road. I wish he had dropped my skirt or Dorothy’s good blue fiannelette night gown. But ‘they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, having a better and enduring substance’. Taam Buk Was brought a civil official, who took a list of the things, made out by Faan and measured the footprints. Later Chiang Chai Hong sent the head of the police to investigate. You need not feel at all worried. These petty thieves abound and of course we shall see that the ladder is not left there again, and Daddy is thinking of building a wall in place of the hedge.
“We have been much interested in the grave decoration which took place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. All the schools had holidays and we managed to get a few less classes. But the great thing was the giving of tracts. About 3 or 4 thousand were distributed by Daang and Taam and 2 or 3 more. We went out on Tuesday. The people were just flowing along like a stream, carrying the remains of their picnics in baskets. Daddy stood at one point where a very narrow path crossed between two fields full of water, and gave tracts as fast as he could hand them out. Only one man refused. He gave 1000 in about an hour. We also took advantage of having soft water and a sunny day to wash our mosquito nets, which was a great business. We got a woman to come with a bundle of branches on the end of a long bamboo and sweep all the inside of the roof, in case any more centipedes were there. She brought down much dirt and various insect nests, but no centipedes. After this we had a ‘personally conducted sweep’ of the floors, moving boxes and finding spiders and white ants, etc. So now we feel very clean and really I was very tired.”
(Helen) In July, 1921 Mother felt that she should return to Canada to be with Aunt Dora, who had had another stroke and was depressed and lonely. She arrived in Victoria in early August.
(Circular Letter from A. F. Willis, after arriving in Victoria, B.C. from China, 15 August 1921) “Just a week ago today I arrived here, after a voyage of about 19 days from Hong Kong. We had a good trip and fair weather most of the way, with the exception of a typhoon as we were passing Formosa. There were a number of missionaries on board, some very earnest Christians, and we had some interesting, and I trust profitable conversations. We (Mr. Willis, Dorothy and I) spent some time in Kowloon before I sailed, in a small flat. Kowloon is just opposite Hong Kong, on the mainland, Hong Kong being on a large island. Ferries run constantly between the two points. In Kowloon, as everywhere, there is an open door for the gospel. Mr. Willis went out nearly every evening and spoke a few words on the street, and distributed tracts, which were eagerly received. He was joined by a Mr. Winter, a young man who is working on the Boat Mission in Canton; he and his dear wife were having a little holiday, and staying almost next door to us. It was a great pleasure to meet two such bright earnest young Christians, so deeply interested in spreading the Gospel. We spent a couple of days in Canton and visited the boat where the Mission is carried on. It would be difficult for anyone to imagine the number of boats on the Canton River. It is quite wide but is so full of boats it is difficult to steer between. In each boat one or two families live altogether, very seldom going ashore. The able bodied men work, as a rule, on the large boats, carrying cargoes, and the wives and children live on the small family boats and earn their living by carrying passengers and freight from place to place. Each boat, however small or poor, has its little shrine and incense burning before it. Their possessions are few, a couple of pots to boil rice or fish, a small earthenware stove, a few bowls and chopsticks, a pillow of china or leather and a warm quilt. The small children are tied by ropes to the side, and if they own a cat, it is treated in the same way. Often they are intensely ignorant, hardly one can read, though those working amongst them find them intelligent and responsive. The Boat Mission is very small, and the members of it receive no remuneration, but turn entirely to the Lord for support, and during the five or six years they have been at work all their needs have been supplied. At present there are five workers, three in Canton and two others on boats in other rivers. Of course, as everywhere, the language is the great difficulty, but it is wonderful how these young people have mastered it. In Canton they have three good sized boats. One is used for a girls’ school, another for a boys’ school, and the third the three missionaries live in, and here they hold Gospel meetings, though the work is carried on, I think, largely by visiting the small boats. The schools are taught by native Christians. The hardships and difficulties are very many, but all are happy and rejoicing in the many souls being gathered in, and receiving Christ. It was very refreshing to meet Christians, who were so desirous to be entirely guided by the Scriptures, and believed every word of the Bible to be inspired. One longs for them to be led on and see the place of separation fully. While in Hong Kong, our younger daughter joined us from Peking, and was to return to Yeung Kong with her father and sister next day. The journey takes, as a rule, about three days.
“We spent two very interesting weeks on our own little boat just before leaving Yeung Kong. The first week we visited our old boatman’s village “Gow Tow”. Unfortunately most of the people were away in Yeung Kong at the Dragon Boat Festival, but some of the old women and children gathered round and listened to the ‘old, old story’. One woman in particular, who could not get into the boat, stood at the side listening through the window. She was very old and very poor, and for many years had been a vegetarian, which is a strict form of the Buddhist religion, adopted by many who feel the burden of their sins. She asked many questions, ‘What is sin?’ How can it be got rid of?’ Who is Jesus?’ How can I reach Him?’ Will He bear the sins of a poor Chinese woman?’ When the truth of the gospel really penetrated into her heart, her whole expression changed. ‘I understand,’ she said, ‘it is a heart affair, I do believe in Jesus and trust Him’. Her whole expression changed. It is at such times heat and weariness and loneliness are entirely forgotten, and one has a little taste of the joy so graphically described in Luke 15 The second night we spent at a small village called Bak Shik (White Stone) and had a little meeting. Adjoining this village is Hak Shik (Black Stone). Here Mr. Willis met a young school master who was anxious to be baptized and begged for forty gospels that his scholars might be taught from the Bible rather than Confucius. Our next stop was Gap Teang, which is as far as our boat will go up the river. Here a little company of five Christians have been gathered during the past year. They have been down to Yeung Kong many times and were baptized there and now were very anxious to remember the Lord. Mr. Willis had several meetings with them during the few days we were there, and was much encouraged. We were obliged to return to Yeung Kong for Sunday, and had work there all the week, but left Chung Shuan Foo, the native Evangelist there. The following Friday we set off again for Gap Teang, leaving about four p.m. It was a beautiful moolight night and the men took us a long way up the river. However, during the night a heavy storm came on, and by morning the wind and current were directly against us. We tried to pole against them but were blown ashore, and finally anchored. Collecting the men, Mr. Willis had reading and prayer, and prayed that we might be able to go on our way to Gap Teang. When we had ended, old A Yik, who is a very experienced boatman, remarked that when the wind got into that quarter, it was usually days before it changed. The words were hardly out of his mouth when it changed to the desired quarter, the sail was hoisted and we reached Gap Teang before supper time. The men were amazed and said: ‘It is the hand of God’. Dorothy writes as to our arrival. ‘That evening there was to be a meeting at seven p.m. and we wanted some of the women to come and sit in the room behind, but they are as scary as rabbits. Mother and I herded five of them to the door and then a little boy balked and his mother could not get him to enter. Daddy carried him in bodily and fearful shrieks ensued, which were drowned by a hymn. They had just found their places to read, when a man came running in to say there was a band of soldiers trying to force open the gate. Gap Teang is a market town and has a wall and a tower. At the news of the soldiers, all the men and most of the women fled at once. There was a great uproar of shouting, etc. and presently of course the soldiers got in. They were Yeung Kong soldiers marching up the country to fight—not enemies—but soldiers are apt to be disorderly here. There were sounds as if one of the huge fat pigs that are always lying about the streets of Gap Teang was being killed, but otherwise I do not know that they did any harm. Presently most of the men came back to the hall and the meeting began. We felt the power of Satan was very evident, first in trying to keep us from coming, and then in constantly disturbing the meeting. And doubtless he was very averse that the Breaking of Bread should be begun in this village, where until last year there was not even a Christian man. Well, Daddy and Chung S.S. had quite a nice meeting and decided who should break bread the next day, in spite of constant interruptions from people who came in to say the soldiers were entering such and such a house. Meantime it was pouring rain, and the hall leaked in several places. After the meeting was over, we still waited for the rain to stop, and Chung Slin Shaang (“Mr. Chung”), to entertain the people, told them the story of Moses. He had not got very far when someone shouted that a centipede was running about the floor. General consternation! And as they could not find it, they all sat with their feet up apprehensively looking about.
“At last we borrowed umbrellas, and got safely to the boat. We had not been asleep long when we were awaked by a jerk. Up here we are almost at the head of the river, where it branches into different streams, and perhaps it is on this account, that when it rains hard, the water comes down all at once with a rush. The water getting suddenly deep the anchor chain was too short, and would I suppose have pulled us down, but the men at once rushed to the bow and let out more chain. Then with great difficulty they poled to another place to anchor, and during the night they were twice up again, looking for a better anchorage. The little narrow river expanded almost to a lake, covering great banks and flats of sand which lie on both sides. Next day, Sunday, it gradually went down and by evening was quite normal. Sunday morning at eleven was the Breaking of Bread, and a very sweet and solemn meeting. There were ten of us altogether present, of whom five were Gap Teang men. One of them, Mr. Poon, is a very earnest, intelligent man. He was talking to us this morning, saying: ‘The Bible certainly is good. The doctrine is very deep. The characters, of course, I know, but the doctrine has many mysteries. At night I light my lamp and read, and my heart is very happy’. Daddy was turning to the passages telling what the Word of God is: Milk, a Light, a Sword, Seed. When we came to Seed, ‘Ah,’ said Poon Slin Shaang, ‘that is the 13th of Matthew; I was reading that a few days ago’. It is so very seldom that the Chinese Christians know where a passage is.”
“‘I have got to know several women here. One of them, a Mrs. Liu, is very intelligent and bright and has had me in the house a great deal, to talk the doctrine. She calls in the neighbor women, who want to hear, and ejects as well as she can the men who talk and distract. She has two naughty, cute little boys whom she hammers with her fan, when they make too much noise. Nearly everything I say she repeats in case the hearers should not understand. Altogether she is quite the ‘Master of Ceremonies’, and quite a help, though also at times rather trying. Her husband also believes, and I hope they both will soon be baptized.’”
“We visited Die Baat on the Tuesday. The river had risen very high and had to be forded twice. Dorothy and I were in sedan chairs, but my husband had to walk through the water up to his waist—you can imagine how wet he was. On reaching Die Baat, he managed to get some dry trousers, and we had a meeting of about twenty Christians and a few others. Later on he baptized six more in the river. About three o’clock we returned to Gap Teang by a small boat. The next day, Wednesday, the boats began to collect for the market, which is held every five days. Nearly 100 boats were moored close to the shore, which is a long broad strip of sand. Mr. Willis and the native Christians had a meeting on the shore, which was well attended. Dorothy was busy too with the women in Mrs. Liu’s house. Five or six told her they wanted to be Christians, and in the evening twenty men said the same thing. These enquirers will need much teaching. On Friday we returned to Yeung Kong, did our packing and started early Tuesday morning for Hong Kong. In spite of pouring rain twenty or more of the dear native Christians came to see us off, and brought us presents of fruit and eggs. On the Monday we had a meeting at the meeting room to commend us to the Lord on our journey, and the brethren served us tea and cakes, and we participated in our first Yeung Kong tea meeting. It was a very happy season and it was hard to say Goodbye. Each one asked the same question: ‘When are you coming back?’ I am afraid this is a very long letter, but there seems so much to tell, and my heart is much in China.”
A few weeks after Mother returned to Victoria, Christopher and family left for China. The baby, Frances Mary, was a few months old.
(Christopher) The ship sailed from Vancouver and it was, I think, about one o’clock in the morning before it reached Victoria. Mother came down to see us off. There was a note from Mr. Stanley McDowell with $200 in it, which was most welcome as we had almost nothing left after paying our passages and various expenses. Mother went back alone to the hotel and there sat down and wrote the following poem, which she gave to me long afterward:
ON CHRISTOPHER SAILING FOR CHINA
(The name Christopher means “Christ Bearer”) Joyfully, gladly, my son I give to Thee; And still I deem him Thy choice gift to me, What Thou hast given, with joy, I give again, And yet what pain in joy and joy in pain.
Speak not my heart to me of utter loneliness; I have a Friend, whose every touch is tenderness; Say not I miss the shelter of that strong young arm; Not only is my Lord a Sun, but shield from every harm. Lord, Thou didst weep on earth, forgive these tears, Speak comfort to my heart, allay a mother’s fears. My firstborn son, my Christopher, I send thee forth, Show out in heathen darkness what that name is worth. When first a winsome babe upon thy mother’s knee, Thy parents gave that name of “Christopher” to thee, ‘Twas with the ardent wish that thou shouldst serve the Lord,
Shouldst carry forth to needy souls this blessed word. And, Lord, Thou hast given to me my heart’s desire, I see my boy go forth, his heart with love afire, With love to Thee, with love to souls in direst need. O Lord, I thank Thee, thank Thee with my heart indeed. Thou wilt preserve them all, the little ones, the wife, Who have gone forth in faith, alone, to this unequal strife.
Wilt keep those left behind, Thy promise wilt fulfill, E’en to hoar hairs, to carry those who seek Thy will.
Victoria, B.C., October, 1921.
After Christopher and his family had left for China, Mother brought Aunt Dora east to Toronto, and it was arranged that she should board with Mabel and Bertha Sydney at 39 Melville we. The Sydneys were old friends and Mabel a practical nurse, which ensured she would receive suitable care. They spent a very happy summer at Swallows’ Nest together in 1922.
(Somerville) Mother and I took a small apartment next door to the Sydneys. We furnished it with what remained of the family furniture in storage in Toronto and Montreal and spent a quiet winter there. I was at the time working at the Harris Abattoir and was out from 7:15 a.m. till after 6:00 p.m. and often later. However, Mother was able to spend most of her time with Aunt Dora, which was a great pleasure to her. Both were extremely grateful to Mr. Fleck, who picked them up every Sunday for the morning meeting at Gladstone Avenue. For me it was a unique privilege to have Mother “to myself”.