Flood and Fire in Canton

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 21, 1915

Flood and Fire in Canton

The following is clipped from the Asiatic Division Mission News: “A letter from Brother B. A. Meeker tells us that the newspaper reports regarding the flood and fire in Canton were somewhat exaggerated. The section burned over by the fire, he says, is not so extensive as was first reported. The latest reports are that about five hundred houses were destroyed. However, he states that there has been much suffering caused by the flood, and that many were drowned or burned to death. There was scarcely any damage done to our chapel in the city, and the flood did not reach our mission property at Tong Shan, so our workers did not suffer. Brother Meeker says: ‘It is surprising to see how patiently the Chinese people take these misfortunes. It has been impressed upon me that they will not be slow to learn the meaning of the destructive elements when some one teaches them. Their gods could not save them; they were flooded with the rest of the things. Our meetings have been better attended since the flood. I believe that this is partly due to the fact that the people are losing confidence in their gods.’”