p. 3 | Editorial Letter by William W. Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 21, 1907

Editorial Letter

By William W. Prescott

Jottings from the Editor's Note-Book

We left Peking early Tuesday morning, January 22, and formed quite a procession from the hotel to the railway station, a distance of a mile or more.

First came our baggage on a cart drawn by two Chinese coolies. This was piloted by the porter of the hotel, who carried at the end of his staff a large globe-shaped Chinese lantern, covered with red dragons, and also having the name of the hotel on it. Behind him were the rikishas in which we rode. There was something almost weird in our procession among the foreign legations to the gate of the city through which we passed in the darkness.

After securing our tickets we found a compartment in the train. Everything was Chinese, although the railway was built and is controlled by French-Belgan capital. The ticket seller and the train men, including the engineers, firemen, and conductors, were all Chinese; and the same was true all along the line, although they employ foreign inspectors who travel with the trains.

We journeyed all day through great plains which in many respects resemble the great flat prairies in Illinois, western Minnesota, and the Dakotas. It was nearly evening when we arrived at Chang-ti Fu, where the train remains overnight, since these local trains do not run nights. There is, however, one through express train which runs direct between Peking and Hankow, making the whole trip in about thirty-nine hours.

At Chang-ti Fu I had the first experience of staying at a Chinese hotel. As there were three of us in our party we took two connecting rooms. These rooms were about seven by ten feet in size, with dirt floors and one small window. The bed consisted of a raised platform topped with brick and covered with a Chinese straw mat. Every traveler is expected to carry his own bedding. We made up our beds on this solid foundation, and had “solid” sleep.

In the early morning we packed up again and took the train which left a little before six o'clock. About ten o'clock we crossed the Yellow River. The bridge which spans this is considered a remarkable piece of engineering. It is about two and one-half miles in length, and contains one hundred and eighty spans. The train passes over this bridge slowly, and it required fourteen minutes for us to cross. The bridge rests on iron piles driven into the ground about fifty feet, which are then filled with solid cement. This is necessary because of the treacherous current of the river and the nature of the soil, which is so sandy and loose that in high water the channel is sometimes dug out in new places to a depth of thirty or forty feet. The construction of this bridge was the last work in the completion of the line between Peking and Hankow. After crossing the river we passed through a long tunnel, then found ourselves in the midst of sandhills of a peculiar formation, in which the Chinese have dug out caves for homes.

At about 4:30 we arrived at Si Ping, a small village where we left the train to go to points inland. At the railway station we found a native evangelist from the nearest mission station who had come with a donkey cart to meet us. A donkey-cart means a heavy two-wheeled cart to which is attached one donkey in the shaft with two leaders whose traces are ropes reaching clear back to the axle of the cart. The top of the cart consists of Chinese woven mats fastened on a frame which is so low that it is impossible to sit upon a seat in the cart without hitting one's head. The only way to sit under this cover is to sit practically upon the bottom of the cart, Turk fashion. It has been said of the Korean chair that the most comfortable way to ride in it is to get out and walk. And this applies in a general way to the Chinese cart also.

We piled our luggage into this conveyance and started for Shang-tsai, a city about eighteen miles distant. We reached our destination about ten o'clock after what would be called, under the circumstances, a comfortable journey. Here we found Brother J. J. Westrup and family, who with the native evangelist, constituted the corps of workers at this station. We were heartily welcomed and well cared for. The next day it rained, and we remained in the station under cover nearly all the time. In spite of the rain, we planned to go by cart the next day to Hsiang Cheng, a city about thirty-seven miles distant, east of Shang-tsai, where Dr. A. C. Selmon and his wife with the native helpers are carrying on mission work. We arose at 2 A. M., had breakfast at 3 o'clock, got our cart loaded, and left the station promptly at 4 A. M.

It was quite dark, and the air was filled with moisture, and the roads were muddy, and, in some places, miry. When we reached the gate of the city, which was still closed, it required much vocal effort to arouse the old gatekeeper and get the gate open. We had a good American lantern which served an excellent purpose in enabling us to keep the road. Part of the time the mist blew in our faces, and it seemed to threaten rain, but we kept on, and the rain held off. At 11 o'clock we reached Tsai Ku, a small inland town about half way to Hsiang Cheng, where we stopped for lunch. Foreigners in foreign dress are as much of an attraction in these inland towns as a circus in America; and before we stopped we had a good company walking on each side of the cart looking at us. As soon as we stopped we were completely surrounded.

We entered a shed to eat our lunch, and the crowd gathered around until they had filled the shed and stopped up the opening, and there was a great crowd outside. They were quiet enough, but full of curiosity to see such strangely dressed creatures as we were. We made friends with them by giving them some little things from our lunch; and at 12 o'clock we started on our journey again.

The afternoon wore away, and it became evident that at the rate we were traveling we should not reach Hsiang Cheng before Sabbath. We could not explain this matter to the driver, but the evangelist who accompanied us seemed to fully appreciate the situation; so we

began to make efforts to quicken the pace of the team. Finally, in order to accomplish this, we got the old driver on the cart and the evangelist took the big whip on one side of the team and I got on the other side, and Brother Anderson walked. Thus, all the passengers but the driver were out of the cart. Under these circumstances he did not object to hurrying on the team, and we walked and ran for two hours or more.

By this means we reached the station just as they were gathering for worship at the beginning of the Sabbath. We joined them so far as we were able in the Chinese services, after which we went to the rooms occupied by Dr. Selmon and his wife, who gave us a very hearty welcome to their home. As the next day was Sabbath, we had the privilege of the Sabbath services. First was a Bible study which was led by Brother Anderson. At 11 o'clock I spoke to a Chinese congregation with Dr. Selmon as interpreter. I dwelt upon the need of our becoming acquainted with the true God, who is the creator of all things, and that it is his power as Creator which is revealed in the gospel of salvation from sin. It was interesting to see some of the faces of the Chinese light up as these truths were presented to them. The afternoon was spent in talking together concerning experiences and the work in the field.

W. W. P.