p. 3 | Editorial by William W. Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 6, 1907

Editorial

By William W. Prescott

Editorial Letter

Jottings from the Editor's Note-Book

CANTON is the most populous city in China, containing nearly one half as many human beings as are found in all Australasia, and yet it does not cover a large territory. There are no sidewalks, the streets are in most cases no wider than an average sidewalk in a Western city, and such things as parks and public gardens are an unknown quantity. Besides this the people are densely packed in the houses, sometimes three and four generations living under the same roof. These facts suggest the reasons why the census-taker (if there were such an official in China) would not be compelled to weary himself with long journeys in order to find the two and one-half million people.

The foreign settlement, called the Shameen, is in marked contrast with the native city, with its broad and well-shaded streets and its handsome buildings. Only a minute's walk across the canal separating these two districts so completely changes one's surroundings that he could easily believe that he had traveled half-way around the world. It is like a sudden leap from Europe into the heart of Asia.

Within the city of Canton there are neither carts, carriages, nor wheelbarrows, the only public means of conveyance being the sedan-chair. The river swarms with boats of all kinds—steamers, launches, “rice-power” boats (boats with a large paddle wheel at the stern driven by coolies), flower boats for pleasure parties, junks, and sampans of all descriptions. It is said that more than eighty thousand people live on the river, children being born and spending their whole lives with no other home than a house-boat. Both here and at Hongkong these house-boats are managed by women; and if there is a man on board at all, he fills a merely subordinate position under the direction of a woman, who at the same time may have a baby strapped on her back, and two or three other young children occupying reserved seats in that small part of the boat which serves as kitchen, dining-room, sitting-room, and sleeping-room. There may be a cat or a dog about the place, while one or more hens, and sometimes a pig, are kept in a little basket pen under the stern. With all the rest there is without exception a little altar somewhere about, where incense is burned to propitiate the malign spirits. I found no such an outfit elsewhere in all my travels. It is a merely local institution.

The headquarters of our mission in Canton is in a building on the river front, owned and formerly occupied by the Baptists. Brother J. N. Anderson lives in the upper part, while the lower part is finished off for a chapel and guest-room. Within easy walking distance live Brother E. H. Wilbur and family, and Sister Vanscoy, Brother Tidbury and wife, Brother Wong, Brother J. P. Anderson, and Sister Ida Thompson. Quite a large girls' school is conducted by Sister Thompson, a smaller one by Sister Vanscoy, while schools for boys and for the Hakkas are held in the house where Brother J. P. Anderson lives. Some Chinese helpers are associated with the different workers. Dr. Law Keem and wife have recently opened up work at Fat Shan, a “village” of from three to five hundred thousand inhabitants on the railway line about ten miles from Canton. We spent one day in visiting this place, and Dr. Law and his wife joined us in the meetings at Canton.

During my stay we had a Bible study every day, and usually one or two business sessions. The remainder of the time we spent in trying to become acquainted with the local field and its needs, and in counseling with the brethren.

The problem of providing more suitable headquarters for our work, and more healthful homes for our workers, is a pressing one, and considerable attention was given to it. No foreigner can, with safety to his health, live inside the native city, and even the outskirts of the new city where our workers now live, can not be commended for a health resort. At the same time, property is high, and the tendency is upward all the time. Canton is a city of wealth, and the longer we defer establishing a fitting memorial for the truth in that city, the greater the cost will be. This matter must have early and serious consideration.

A local committee to take direct supervision of the missions in the province of Kwangtung was chosen at this meeting: J. N. Anderson (Chairman), E. H. Wilbur, Dr. Law Keem, and J. P. Anderson. A committee for the school work (a large problem) was also selected: E. H. Wilbur (Chairman), J. N. Anderson, and Sisters Thompson and Vanscoy. This provision for local supervision will doubtless be found helpful in carrying on the work.

On the Sabbath the Chinese Sabbath-school was first held with thirteen classes, and an excellent attendance, including a large proportion of those in the different schools. After this the chapel was filled while Dr. Law Keem preached a stirring sermon, and then Dr. Miller and I each spoke for a short time through an interpreter. It was encouraging to see so good an attendance at these services, and to note the earnest attention given to the instruction imparted. Surely there must be some of these who will receive the seed into good ground. In the afternoon I gave a Bible study in English, and this brought to a close the services of a profitable Sabbath.

One morning I saw that a bamboo frame was being erected on the shore in front of Brother Anderson's home, and on inquiry I learned that a poor old woman had died in one of the boats, and preparations were being made for the funeral. I watched the whole program with much interest. After the framework had been put in position, it was covered with matting, and during the day various things were brought to it, including different kinds of food placed upon a table in front of a paper chair in which a paper figure of a woman was seated. A sedan-chair of paper, and some other articles which I could not name, completed the outfit. In the evening the funeral began, and it continued the greater part of the night. There was

much wailing, interspersed with the sad cry, “My poor mother, come back;” “My poor aunt, come back,” etc. The priests chanted over and over again a weird, monotonous ritual, accompanied with a flute of mournful sound; and as my room was only a few rods from the scene, my sleep naturally fled from me. At the close of the service all the articles made of paper were burned, and in this way sent on to the spirit world for the benefit of the deceased. Poor old woman! Poor deceived Chinese! How sorry I felt for them! How much they need the truth of the blessed gospel which lights up the tomb and reveals the glory beyond! O that the light of life might speedily shine in all that dark land!

Our closing meeting was held on Monday evening, March 11; and accompanied by Brother Anderson and Brother Tidbury, I left the next morning for Hongkong, to take the steamship “Princess Alice” of the Norddeutscher Lloyd Line for Europe. Fog delayed the arrival of the boat, so that she did not sail until Thursday forenoon, and I thus had the opportunity of seeing again Brethren Miller and Wilbur, who had visited a place suggested for the opening of a new station. As the brethren stood on the dock, and the great ship slowly moved out into the harbor, I felt deeply stirred on leaving these lands of the far East where I had spent three months in earnest work and such pleasant fellowship with the workers. With a greater sense of their need do I now pray for Japan, Korea, and China. May the time of their visitation speedily come.

W. W. P.