p. 24 | Missionary Work Amid China’s Revolution

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 7, 1911

Missionary Work Amid China’s Revolution

We know that, in these days of upheaval in the great Chinese empire, many are watching with special interest for splendid news from our little missionary staff there. In a letter dated October 27, Dr. A. C. Selmon writes from Shanghai:—

“Dr. A. G. Larson and his wife and Mrs. Esta Miller came down from Hankow the other day. The consul there has ordered all women and children to leave. Brother Esta Miller is there yet, looking after our people and trying to keep up their courage. Since Chang-sha was taken, we have had no word from Brother R. F. Cottrell and Brother O. J. Gibson, but in case they have to leave, there will not be any great difficulty in doing so, because there are steamboats there to take the foreigners away in case of danger. The revolutionists are taking special pains to protect foreigners. Mail communication with Honan and Hunan has been cut off for over two weeks, and absolutely no letters have gone through. We wired our brethren in Chowkiakow, Honan [F. A. Allum and O. A. Hall], four days ago, and have just received word back by wire that all is well with them, but that there are many wild rumors. It is very probable that they have no way of finding out the real status of affairs. Fortunately we had just sent them five hundred dollars, that they received before communication was cut off. In addition to this they have recently bought a lot of wheat and rice, so they will be able to get along for a time. But one can not tell how long it will be before matters quiet down and communication can be opened up with the interior. I do not know how we will manage to get money to the Honan people when they run short of funds. Our work in the interior is paralyzed for the time being. We can not ship papers up country, so it cuts down this month’s issue over twenty thousand copies. Elder W. F. Hills, from California, passed through Shanghai the other day, on his way to Swatow, south China. Elder W. C. Hankins will meet him in Hongkong and go with him up to the station. The last word we had from the south reported everything quiet there. Shanghai is crowded with refugees of all classes,—foreigners, Chinese officials, and people of the ordinary stamp by the tens of thousands. Elder Fred Lee and Dr. M. M. Kay report that everything is quiet on the surface at Nanking. The money market is demoralized, and we are losing very heavily on exchange. Recent developments confirm my belief expressed in a former letter, that it will be a matter of months rather than weeks before things quiet down and assume anything like a normal tone. We are late in taking up our work in this field, and will have to work amid difficulties.”