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AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MISSION.
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Report of the Chefoo Station for the Year
ending June 30, 1939.
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Personnel.
Dr. Herman Bryan (1902)--Medicine, X-ray and Laboratory.
Mrs. Herman Bryan (1920)--Teaching, Nurses' Training School.
Mr. William C. Booth (1903Y--Teaching, Yih Wen Commercial College.
Mrs. William C. Booth (1905)--Teaching, Yih Wen Commercial College.
Miss Anita E. Carter (1906) -- Principal. School for the Deaf.
Mrs. Grace F. Dilley (1907)--Evangelism and Music Training.
Dr. William L. Berst (1907) Medicine and Hospital Superintendence.
Mrs. William L. Berst (1907)--Industrial Work and Teaching.
Miss Susan F. Eames (1909)--Kindergarten and Normal Training.
Rev. George F. Browne (1913)--Museum, Hospital, City Evangelism.
Mrs. George F. Browne (1913)--Principal, Women's Bible Institute.
Mr. Roy A. Lanning (1914)--Teaching, Yih Wen Commercial College.
Mrs. Roy A. Lanning (1914)--Teaching, Yih Wen Commercial College.
Miss Caroline D. Beegle (1917)--Superinten-dence of Nurses.
Rev. Donald A. Irwin (1920)--Student Evangelism and Teaching.
Mrs. Donald A. Irwin (1920)--Teaching, Yih Wen Commercial College.
Rev. J. Edward Kidder (1920)--Rural Evangelism and Treasurer.
Mrs. J. Edward Kidder (1920)--Supervision Out-Patient Department.
Miss Marguerite H. Luce (1932)--Supervision and Nurses' Training.
Miss T. Melvia Westling (1936)--Teaching, School for the Deaf.
Dr. James L. R. Young (1938)--Surgery; Language Study, Peking.
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"Here and There"
The undeclared war in China which has been carried on for two years so
ruthlessly and has reached such gigantic proportions is still continuing.
Our missionaries in Chefoo have suffered no physical injuries because
of the war, though fighting and bombings have taken place in villages
only a few miles away. Several times we have heard rumors that it might
become impossible to secure meat and vegetables, yet all the while the
Lord has wonderfully provided for every need.
Dr. James L. R. Young, appointed to Chefoo to head the Department of Surgery
in Temple Hill Hospital, arrived the first part of last December on his
way to Peking for language study at the College of Chinese Studies. A
reception given for Dr. Young by the Advisory Board and Staff of the hospital
was a very happy occasion. Never has there been a more representative
gathering of the Chefoo community including many of the prominent business
and professional men and women, Chinese and foreigners, than those who
responded to the invitation to meet Dr. Young. It is needless to say that
he is much desired and much needed in Chefoo.
At the beginning of the year Mrs. Dilley, Miss Luce, Mr. and Mrs. Lanning,
Mrs. Berst, Mrs. Bryan and Mr. and Mrs. Browne were in the homeland. Mrs.
Berst returned in July, Miss Luce in August, Mr. and Mrs. Lanning in September,
Mr. and Mrs. Browne in February and Mrs. Dilley in March. Dr. Bryan left
for furlough in October. Miss Eames and Miss Beegle left in January, their
furloughs being antedated in order that they might accompany Miss Speake
of Tengchow whose illness necessitated her having an escort to America.
" In the Beginning of the Year"
Good weather, brighter rooms because of glass doors recently installed,
exhibits of moving wild animals through the use of new projector and films--all
contributed to bring large New Year crowds to the Museum. About 700 a
day was just about the right number to handle efficiently with nearly
a half hour's preaching to each group before they entered the Museum for
sightseeing. The people were very attentive and the tracts were treated
with unusual respect. The zeal of the group of volunteer workers who came
day after day was gratifying, as well as the return of several listeners
to hear more of the Gospel. Especially impressive was the clear and forceful
preaching of a man 91 years of age and the reading and preaching of a
blind man.
The three days set apart for women near the 15th of the first moon registered
around 1500 visitors daily. Conditions cf travel at the time being what
they were, this is an encouraging figure. Faithful witnessing to interested
women and children was done in the preaching hall, in the courtyards and
in the reception hall at the rear. The day of bound feet and bound minds
is swiftly passing as evidenced by a more intelligent interest being shown
in the exhibits, especially those of an educational type. Into such opening
minds the Gospel can, and does, find ready entrance. Before the special
days for women closed, at least one woman, who said she had heard the
Gospel at the Museum, enrolled as a catechumen in one of the local churches.
" They Went Throughout the Villages"
Last autumn a missionary, accompanied by a Chinese evangelist, spent a
month in a little village high in the mountains 30 miles south of Chefoo.
To reach the village from the north one has to climb a zigzag mule road
paved with rough stones up the almost perpendicular face of the mountain.
To push, pull, and lift a bicycle up this trail is a physical feat of
which any missionary might be proud. But the spiritual rewards make the
effort quite worthwhile. Here for the last three years two young women
evangelists have been teaching an enthusiastic group of young men and
women to read, to sing, to pray, and to witness for Christ. In this out-of-the-way
community there are now around thirty communicants, whereas a few years
ago not a Christian was to be found.
Several very earnest young women of this group have had to endure considerable
persecution from their parents who are ignorant of the true meaning of
the Gospel. One girl who attended the classes was married to a non-christian,
and seeing no hope of being allowed to carry out her Christian principles
in the home, she chose to end her life in the way so common to Chinese
women, hanging on the beams which support the roof so low overhead. Three
of the young women wanted to come to Bible School in Chefoo to pursue
their study of the Gospel. Surreptitiously they left home early one Sunday
morning, ostensibly to attend the nearest church service about 8 miles
away. That night with the money they had saved up from making lace, they
hired two mules and started out before midnight for Chefoo, about 33 miles
distant. By taking turns riding and walking they arrived, tousled and
weary-eyed, about noon the next day. The missionary was quite dumbfounded
at this sudden appearance and was more at a loss when all the details
leaked out. Before they could be received into the school, negotiations
had to be carried out with their parents by messenger, lest this escapade
should bring disgrace upon the mission and make further preaching in that
district impossible. The girls being determined not to return to their
homes, the parents finally submitted to the fait accompli, and sent in
their clothes and , bedding. Another girl, from the same village joined
them a few days later and another is coming next term. All are eager,
energetic workers and earnest Christians.
Following the Chinese New Year when all Chinese have leisure, a Leaders'
Training Class was held in the southwest corner of our field. For two
weeks fourteen young men and women studied Old Testament Introduction,
the Life of Paul, How to Reach Young People, and How to Lead Worship Services.
Each student received practice in leading a church service, in storytelling
and in giving testimony. Every evening the Gospel message was given to
a packed house of interested listeners. All the students eagerly hope
to attend other classes like this in the future.
Several years ago a man claiming to be an atheist was a patient in the
Temple Hill Hospital. He accused the hospital evangelist of being insincere
and a mere employee of foreigners. Later in Harbin he opened a laundry
and a liquor shop and from there transferred his business to Moscow. Money
was made, but also lost in riotous living. Returning to Peking in the
condition of the Prodigal of the parable, with his last fifty cents he
bought opium with the intent of committing suicide. Instead, however,
he entered a Salvation Army Hall where he gave himself whole-heartedly
to the Lord. On returning to his old home, thirty miles west of Chefoo,
happy and praising God, he talked so earnestly to his two brothers about
his new-found faith, that they thought him crazy, but later found him
genuine and now they, too, have become ardent believers. His house has
been loaned as a place of worship, and regular services are held every
Sunday and Wednesday. Each morning also a Bible woman teaches a class
of grown girls the Thousand Characters and goes out preaching in the afternoons.
In this village where there was not a single Christian a few years ago,
at Chinese New Year season the people packed the streets and stood in
deep snow for two hours listening intently to a local volunteer band preaching
the Gospel of salvation. Such are the marvellous and mysterious workings
of God's Holy Spirit!
" Preaching and Healing Everywhere"
Open doors and open minds make preaching a joy, and zealous co-workers
lighten the burden and increase effectiveness. One is ever surprised at
the number of volunteer workers who give a goodly portion of their time
to witnessing. In the hospital the whole personnel is so interested in
advancing the cause of Christ that the work in the wards and rooms needs
less outside assistance than formerly. Several persons have been baptized
in the hospital this year. Regular Sunday services for patients are conducted
by groups from the church and sometimes children from the Temple Hill
Sunday School come over to sing at these services.
It is in the Out-Patient Department that the main effort is made by the
evangelistic workers. And what an opportunity it is! Personal witnessing
to individuals is the aim, but sometimes the crowds are so large that
preaching to the group is the only possible way to reach all. In connection
with the showing of the movies, which takes the attention of the suffering
away from themselves and holds the people in the waitingroom rather than
in the crowded halls, personal work is done by the evangelists and a public
health nurse. Many patients have declared their acceptance of Christ as
their Saviour, and people have been known to come to the hospital waiting-room,
not as patients, but just to hear the gospel story.
" Go Into the City"
The Museum still functions as such and attracts a fair number of visitors
each day, but the place is gradually becoming an evangelistic center.
In the morning over one hundred small pupils gather to study under our
Christian teachers. A Kindergarten Normal graduate has been added to the
staff. In the afternoon one of the teachers visits in the homes and in
the evening she conducts a night-school for young women.
Several Bible Classes in Chinese and one in English are being held in
the Museum. The Sunday School has an enrollment of about one hundred.
At the morning worship service the attendance is good and steadily increasing.
On Monday evenings a lecture for adults is linked up with a gospel message.
Friday evening is given over to children, often as many as three hundred
crowding in to enjoy the singing of choruses and Psalms (set to Chinese
tunes), to listen to Bible stories and to see the pictures thrown on the
screen. Saturday afternoon is set apart for women. After the pictures,
the children are taken into another courtyard under the supervision of
pupils from our Bible Institute and there they hear stories and have a
good time playing, while the mothers enjoy the program prepared for them.
Once a month a more formal Mothers' Meeting is held.
"Let Us Go Into the Next Towns"
Conditions at Fu Shan last year necessitated closing the chapel inside
the city, but recently quarters have been rented just outside where the
work is being resumed. The Christian group of this district shows the
effect of the changes and the intermittent shepherding, but chastened
by the experiences of the past months they should be in position to make
a spiritual advance.
" Young Men Shall See Visions"
A "Youth for Christ" campaign was started in the summer of 1938, a united
effort on the part of a number of our Presbyterian missionaries and Chinese
leaders, along with leaders from other denominations, to win as many as
possible of the young people of this city to Christ. Between twenty and
thirty leaders have been helping with this work. Last summer thirteen
Bible classes were opened in different parts of the city, the enrollments
ranging from four to twelve. After the summer some of these closed, as
students joined regular classes in their schools. Other classes have been
opened during the year for business men and servants.
A fine opening, in answer to prayer, has been in the Chefoo Middle School,
a non-christian, co-educational, Junior-Senior Middle School, where between
forty and fifty students have been enrolled in Bible classes since last
fall and where more than twenty during the year have made decisions for
Christ. In a catholic middle school eight boys from Protestant and non-christian
homes have been meeting for Bible study each Sunday in a missionary's
home. For two months now a private, non-christian boys' primary school
has gladly welcomed a Christian message delivered each week to their students.
Attendance is voluntary and between seventy and eighty boys and teachers
have attended, the interest and order being splendid.
During the year there have been two paid Chinese workers or secretaries
for this campaign. One young man, Mr. Men, largely did secretarial work;
the second, Mr. Lan, has been spending considerable time each day visiting
stores, talking to managers and clerks, distributing gospel tracts and
selling New Testaments. He also gives Christian instruction in two higher
primary schools for boys, as well as doing visitation and personal work
in many parts of the city. Since last summer about 2,000 firms have received
9,000 gospel tracts given out by Mr. Lan. About 130 New Testaments have
been sold to managers and clerks, and more will be sold as soon as a long
awaited supply arrives. In these stores about 150 persons have shown interest
and have become inquirers, while some are eager to join the church. About
thirty are exceptionally earnest.
" I have Called You Friends"
The Christian work that goes on in the Yih Wen Commercial College cannot
be limited to formal instruction, chapel services, or religious program.
The lives and testimony of Christian teachers and pupils often speak louder.
Deep interest has been taken this year by some of these in conducting
Bible classes and in leading students and others to Christ. Christian
students and teachers in Yih Wen are organized into a "Friends of Christ"
group, with definite aims and program. One of their most interesting and
helpful activities has been the posting of a weekly bulletin. Attractive
pictures, articles on religious themes, poems, etc., collected by students
and teachers, have helped instill Christian . thoughts into student minds.
Attendance at chapel three times a week has been the best for many years.
Our new memorial chapel built last Fall seats about 120 persons and this
is often nearly full. This term we have about sixty Christians out of
208 students enrolled. This June special evangelistic meetings were led
by the Rev. Ding Li-chieh, brother of the late Rev. Ding Li-mei, many
non-christians attending. During the year twenty-seven Yih Wen students
united with the church.
Between thirty and forty boys and girls attended popular education classes
taught by Yih Wen students after school hours. A Christian Endeavor society
has been started, the students taking part quite well. At Christmas the
Christian student leaders distributed grain to the poor people as an expression
of the Christmas spirit.
A goodly number of Bibles have been sold to students this year. Aside
from voluntary Bible study all Yih Wen students are now required to attend
one religious instruction class each week, but are not required to take
examinations.
" He Called to Him A Little Child"
Last Fall only about forty pupils enrolled in the Temple Hill Kindergarten
since the city was still unsettled, and attendance at all schools was
very low. In the spring it rose to sixty-two, less than twenty being girls.
A Sunday School conducted by the kindergarten has between forty and fifty
pupils.
Religion is emphasized as usual, and sometimes non-christian pupils give
thanks in their own homes before meals and pray before going to sleep.
They also put into practice, the lessons learned to "Love one another"
and "Help one another".
The health of the children has been good, no epidemics having occurred.
Miss Eames has been on furlough since January. Two Chinese teachers, Mrs.
Lien, who has been in kindergarten work for thirty years, together with
Miss Liu, have carried on faithfully. Twelve girls are graduating from
the Kindergarten Normal Department this year.
The Southwest Village Primary School is sometimes spoken of as "The Poor
School," because the children are from such poor homes that sometimes
they must be absent because of lack of clothes. They pay twenty cents
a term for tuition, plus cost of books, probably another ten cents. At
the present rate of exchange this is less than three cents U.S. money.
There were forty students the first term and classes were held only in
the morning. The second term ninety-two students were taken in, the rest
being turned away for lack of room. At present there are seventyeight,
as some of them have had to leave to help their parents in the wheat-fields
or in other ways. Three girls from the Kindergarten Normal Department
assist Miss Sen in the mornings while she carries the entire program in
the afternoons. These girls are exchanged for three others each month.
Daily prayers are conducted at the school and some of the older students
take part. There is a Sunday School of between fifty and sixty. At first
there was some swearing but now it is seldom heard. All the children except
two are from non-christian homes. One boy upon being given an old pair
of shoes, closed his eyes and said, "Thank you, Heavenly Father, for these
shoes."
"He Maketh Even the Deaf to Hear and the Dumb to Speak"
Twenty-eight former pupils of the School for the Deaf were not able to
return after having been at home for six months in 1937 when war conditions
prevented the school from opening. A few of the older boys have found
work. Some of the boys and most of the girls who live in the country have
been prevented from returning because of the conditions which still exist
in districts through which they would have to travel. During the spring
term of 1938, twenty- four girls and boys were able to come to school.
By the end of the autumn term thirty pupils were enrolled. The spring
term of 1939 ends with thirty-six pupils in attendance--twenty-eight boys
and eight girls--ten of these being new admissions during the year.
Fortunately seven of the eight native teachers on the staff remained here
during the months when the school could not open, and the other teacher
was able to return in the early summer, although it meant a trek of two
hundred and fifty miles, mostly through fields, for her and the members
of her family who accompanied her.
The beginners class is made up of four little girls and one boy. The latter
was brought to school by his grandmother who came to Chefoo to be with
her eldest son who is an officer with the Manchurian soldiers stationed
here. The child had been spoiled, but a few weeks of association with
four little girls has taught him that he cannot have his own way in everything.
One little girl was brought to school by her grandfather who stated that
he could not bear to see the child's mother punish her when she did not
know what was being said to her. This child is very affectionate and on
two occasions she has suddenly placed her hands on each side of the foreign
principal's face in a manner which indicates that she loves those who
are kind to her. Another little girl broke our record by crying every
day, and often during the night, wish, ing to return home. When the teachers
and supervisor were almost worn out it was decided that the principal
should deal with the child. A little sternness proved to be effective
and that same evening the girl ate her supper without having to be fed.
Within a few weeks she was friendly with everyone and willing to take
part in class-room work.
At the present time nineteen of the pupils in school and twelve former
pupils live in Chefoo. Twenty-eight homes are represented, and twenty-two
of them have recently been visited by the principal and the supervisor.
An evangelistic message was given in each home and to the neighbors who
gathered around.
" We Have Seen and Bear Witness"
Late August found the girls of the Ai Dao Bible School coming from east,
west and south, riding in mule-litters, on donkeys, in rickshas, or walking.
Two of them walked thirty miles to reach school. By that time people had
become more accustomed to unsettled conditions, so more girls ventured
from home, and we found we had fifty-four pupils for the Fall semester.
Travel being so difficult because of cold weather and torn-up roads, the
winter vacation was shortened to two weeks. Although the students rested
from studies, they worked hard all day making cut-outs to earn money for
the coming term. During the second semester numbers increased to sixty-six,
fifty-two of these being Christians.
Each Wednesday afternoon the teachers and the girls who know the Way go
out for evangelistic work. They go two by two into the homes of Christians
who cannot read and teach them to read the Bible, and into the homes of
those who do not know the Lord, but who are willing to receive them. Others
teach classes of women or children. Those unprepared for this work go
to the women's meeting.
On Wednesday evening a precious hour is enjoyed discussing and praying
for the people among whom we have worked. This is a most interesting meeting,
and we are often moved to laughter or tears as we hear about the incidents
encountered during the afternoon. For instance, one girl told of being
where there is an old hollow tree, with top broken out by some violent
storm. This tree, which has stood for perhaps a century, and is still
vigorous, has taken on a strange meaning for the people. Some one started
the story that an old man -- the spirit of the tree,-- was seen by a few
people and spoke strange words to them. Word was circulated that this
was a sacred tree and people began to believe that it could heal disease,
and so it has become a shrine. All over the tree hang red banners of cotton
or silk, and even nicely lacquered sign-boards. All bear the same characters
meaning, "If one asks, he receives." The student who visited two old women
living beside the tree told how one of them insisted that the tree could
protect her. But when the visitor asked her about the life to come, she
replied that she had no belief in such a life, and preferred to trust
in the tree. But the second woman listened gladly and asked the girl to
come again.
One team of workers goes to the penitentiary to work among women. Other
Christians work among these prisoners, too, but our girls teach them to
read their Bibles. When one sees the changed faces and compares them with
those which seem brutal, dull and unhappy, one rejoices that our girls
can bring the light to such as these. Out of fifty women prisoners twenty-six
are now Christians, and eight can read their Bibles and pray. Work among
children is important, so a number of our girls are working in the various
Sunday Schools, while some go to the Evangelistic Center to help with
the Saturday Mothers' Meeting.
Our industrial work enables the girls who otherwise could not secure an
education to have a happy, busy life for five years, to get a knowledge
of the Bible, and later to go into the villages as Bible Women or teachers
of primary schools. We are anticipating the use this Fall of two new classrooms
made possible by the industrial work. Whether in building buildings, in
building character, or in building a small part of the Kingdom, we ask
your interest and your prayers.
" Heal the Sick"
Temple Hill Hospital has weathered the storm of war and the change of
municipal administration. We know not what lies ahead, but we are going
forward in faith, refusing to stand still, since we feel that would be
leaning backwards.
Through our open doors the sick have come in ever-increasing numbers.
In the outpatient department it has caused us considerable anxiety to
know how to care for so many in such a limited time. No sick person cares
to wait long and yet each person must be given the proper attention. Many
are referred from one department to another for special treatments while
others go to the laboratory for tests and those for admission are conducted
to the registrar of the hospital. Five departments run simultaneously.
To keep the machinery running smoothly requires real supervision and credit
is due to the supervisor and the staff of nurses allocated to the dispensary
by the department of nursing. A growing number of these outpatients linger
in the waiting room to see the moving pictures and hear the gospel talks
and educational lectures.
In May the daily census of in-patients showed our highest number since
the hospital was opened, numbering 88 patients. Our bed capacity is 85
but we have extra beds and space in our large wards and enclosed verandas.
Very few gunshot wounded patients come to us. They are afraid to do so;
the fear is not of us! In April and May we had two patients very ill with
pellagra, the only two patients we had seen with this distressing and
often fatal disease. Both were cured. One had the typical acute raving
mania. The nurses willingly took the extra-needed care of this poor fellow
when they were told that he probably could be cured if we could obtain
the necessary drug. A radio message, through the courtesy of the American
Consul, was sent to Shanghai for a supply of Nicotinic Acid. When it arrived
and was administered, the patient's mental condition cleared within a
day and in a short time he was entirely cured. It seemed like a miracle
to the patients in the ward who showed much sympathy for this man and
were much pleased at his recovery. These two patients were under the care
of Dr. Liu Hsiao-liang. We are keeping a supply of this drug which gives
us the Vitamin B complex, as we feel that we shall have more patients
suffering from this vitamin deficiency. The lack of proper food due to
the wartime marked rise in prices is a sorrowful factor in adding to the
terrible distress among the poorer classes.
Two important factors contribute to the hospital's strength. One is the
increasing amount of responsibility the Chinese staff is taking. They
make practical, feasible suggestions which we are carrying out as far
as possible. This is particularly true of the head nurses who carry important
responsibilities in the school of nursing, anesthesia, special diets,
ward management, public health and housekeeping. The carrying of these
responsibilities by the head nurses, allows the foreign nurses much more
time and strength to devote to teaching and supervision.
The other contributing factor is the fine co-operative spirit shown by
all members of the hospital personnel. Behind this there is a strong spiritual
force at work. The national members under their own evangelistic committee,
hold two meetings a week for Bible study and devotion. This group has
been collecting money among themselves for German-Jewish refugees in Shanghai.
At our monthly staff meeting in March, the suggestion was adopted to unite
our two devotional periods into one active 15-minute devotional period
each morning. One doctor who had been a nominal Christian only, having
seldom attended any devotional services for many years, has attended every
one of these services and has taken his turn in leading along with the
other doctors, nurses, and technicians. The attendance of the hospital
personnel and ambulatory patients has been large. A very helpful service
was led by a senior student nurse who built the worship and meditation
around the 91st Psalm. This morning service has become so vital to each
one of us that we wonder how we ever did without it.
We have been very fortunate this year in securing the services of Dr.
and Mrs. Liang Chi-min, Miss Chen Wen-ch'en and Miss Wang Wen-yu. Dr.
Liang came as Dr. Wang's colleague in general surgery and his wife, Dr.
Florence Liu, took over the department of gynecology and obstetrics. Miss
Chen is a skilled obstetrical nurse and midwife, and Miss Wang, one of
the graduates of our School of Nursing, returned from Peking after a full
course in public health nursing and now has charge of this new department.
We are happy to see how the foreign community of Chefoo appreciates the
splendid services of our entire staff of Chinese doctors and nurses. Every
member is an active Christian.
We offer praise to God that all the patients have had an opportunity to
hear His Word of Love and Salvation and that not a few have confessed
their need of Jesus Christ as their Saviour. By doing our work as unto
the Lord we glorify the Father and fulfill the purpose for which He sent
us.
" Finally, My Brethren"
The past year has not been without its annoyances, and what we may have
to face is not yet disclosed. The faith and fortitude of our faithful
native co-workers is such as to give us courage and cheer.
[The above Report is reproduced from a copy located at the PCA Historical
Center, in Box 454, File 22,
the Emily Russel Collection]
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