A Visit to Swatow and Amoy, China
By J. E. Fulton
I LEFT Hongkong by the steamship “Haitau,” in company with Pastor B. L. Anderson. After one stormy night at sea on this small steamer, we arrived about breakfast time at Swatow, where we were met by Pastor J. P. Anderson, who is in charge of this district, and Pastor T. K. Ang, our native evangelist. We did not have very long to stay at this place, so we tried to spend the time well by using the few hours in visiting the points of interest in our work centered here. First we went to see the new piece of property which has been purchased, and upon which our brethren desire to build soon. Land in good locations is very expensive in the large cities of China, and the Swatow property has had to be filled in to a depth of several feet to make it suitable for building purposes. It is upon a branch of Han River, and will make a very convenient location. On account of the war, building materials have greatly increased in price, and it seems impossible to erect the buildings with the amounts allotted for them. We visited the girls’ school conducted by two of Pastor Ang’s daughters. They have about one hundred pupils. We wish many of our readers might see this school. The girls are bright, well dressed, and clean, and the school is a real credit to the denomination. Students are coming to us from other schools, but we must turn them away, for more cannot be admitted because of the limited accommodations. We had dinner at Brother Ang’s pleasant home. Everything was neat and clean, and prepared in Chinese style. All but myself ate with chopsticks. I tried, but as it was so awkward for me, I was provided with knife, fork, and spoon. We wish all might see Brother Ang and his interesting family. There are five girls and a son. The son is away from home at present, but we saw the others. They seemed to us a model family, and we were informed by our missionaries who have long known them13that they are always as we saw them—wonderful examples of what the grace of God has done. All will be sorry to learn of Sister J. P. Anderson’s sickness, which makes it necessary for her and her husband to leave the country for the present. Sister Anderson had been failing for some time, when it was at last discovered that she had sprue. They are now in America to regain her health. This is a great loss to the work, as Brother Anderson had charge of both the Swatow district and the Hakka field during the furlough of Brother S. A. Nagel. Brother and Sister Anderson have labored faithfully in China, and their services are greatly needed. Pray that God may restore her to health speedily. Amoy is the headquarters for our work in south China. Here is the home of Pastor B. L. Anderson, the superintendent of the South China Mission. Brother W. C. Hankins and Brother Floyd Bates also live at this important center. We were glad of the opportunity of visiting at the homes of these brethren. Pastor Anderson has a beautiful home on the very top of the hill on the island of Kulangsu, right against some immense rocks. Their house commands a fine view of the harbor, and later as the steamer passed out of the harbor, we could see Sister Anderson waving to us from the veranda. Brethren Hankins and Bates live in most pleasant quarters nearer the water. On the same island, and not far from where our missionaries have their homes, the training school building is now nearing completion. The brethren are to be commended for the neat and attractive appearance of this building. It is expected that it will accommodate about sixty young men. There is great need for such a school here where young men can be trained for the ministry and other lines of Christian endeavor. In building, the brethren have found that the cost of building material has risen very much, and it will be necessary for them to call for some additional appropriations for next year.