Mission Homes in the East by Irwin H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 21, 1912

Mission Homes in the East

By Irwin H. Evans

I. H. EVANS

At the last session of the General Conference it was voted to raise three hundred thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting schools, printing-houses, and homes for workers in several of the great missionary countries of the world. There is little need for me to relate the reasons for our building these homes; nor can the donors to the $300,000 Fund, who have made these homes possible, realize, without experiencing the situation before we had them, how imperative they are to the health of our laborers and the upbuilding of the Lord’s work in this field.

In China we have not been able to erect our much-needed printing-house because we could not get a deed to the property we had purchased. Up to the present time we have not been able to get the Chinese authorities to stamp our deed, though we have paid the full purchase price of the land. The consul assures us, however, that the deed will be stamped in due time, and that we can proceed without embarrassment. The revolution, coming on as it did, also somewhat delayed our building work.

At the present time we have succeeded in erecting four cottages in China and one in Korea. Two of these Chinese homes are shown in this article. The cottage in Korea appeared in the REVIEW of February 22. The Chinese cottages are located at Weichow, in the province of Quang-tung, and are occupied by the families of Brethren J. P. Anderson and S. A. Nagel. Weichow is the center of our work for the Hakka people, of whom there are more than ten million, and among whom we have a good work started. It is about two days’ ride by steamboat from Canton, the nearest place where we have other foreign workers stationed. These two houses are in a good location, on a side-hill, where they have excellent drainage.

One house cost $950, and the other $1,050, and the land on which they stand, including grading and other improvements, cost a little over $500. We made earnest endeavors to keep the cost of the houses within $850 each, but found this to be impossible.

Both these cottages are built in one compound, in order that the women may be near each other when their husbands are absent, as they must often be away many weeks at a time.

HOMES OF TWO OF OUR MISSION FAMILIES IN CHINA

At Chang-sha, in Hunan, we also have two cottages completed. We had hoped to build after the Weichow plan, a two-story building, but found the cost above what we could afford; so built two bungalows, which answer our purpose well, and provide comfortable quarters for our workers. These houses are very pleasantly situated, being on an island in the midst of the river. We have no good picture of these little homes; and as our workers are not there, we have no way of supplying one for this article. Elder R. F. Cottrell is in charge of this mission field, and Chang-sha will be the center of our work for some forty-eight million people.

Our workers in Korea are now looking for a location in Seoul, our headquarters, where we can erect a printing-house, and suitable homes for the workers. As soon as we find a good site that we can afford to buy, we expect to undertake this work. The price of land is so high in Seoul that it is difficult to get what we need with the funds that have been placed at our disposal.

We are indeed grateful that we have been able to make a beginning in providing homes for our workers in the East. To be sure, it is only a beginning, but it gives promise of better days for our workers, and longer service in the cause of God. The price of these homes will soon be more than saved in the extra time the laborers can remain at their work each year. Other homes will be provided as soon as funds are available. Our workers are pleased with their homes, and are most grateful to our brethren and sisters in the home land, who by their self-sacrifice have supplied means with which to erect the buildings.

Shanghai, China.