A Country Visit by Ida E. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 15, 1906

A Country Visit

By Ida E. Thompson

IDA E. THOMPSON

ONE of the first decisions, after determining to go to Amoy for a vacation, was that a visit to the country would be one of its chief delights. The day came, and about one o’clock one afternoon Brother and Sister Hankins, Brother and Sister Wilbur, Brother Keh and his daughter, one of our native pastors, and myself boarded the steam launch which would take us to a country village, about three hours’ distant. The launch was well filled with natives going to the country, as well as with cargo. Brother Keh told us to provide ourselves with stools, as no conveniences would be found on board, but being unaccustomed to such a fashion, we failed to do this. We found across the end of the launch several planks, about five inches wide, on which had collected a crowd of men, with their tobacco and opium pipes, ready for the journey. Finally we found sitting space.

Upon arriving at the country village, we found a contrary tide; and as we were to take sampans propelled by one man by oars, for the remainder of the trip, we waited for the tide to turn. While waiting, several of us went into the village for a stroll. This being my first visit in the country in China, I was anxious to see as much as possible, yet felt it was not wise to go far, as a large crowd followed to see the curious foreigners. There are no foreigners living at that place. The streets were very narrow, and it seemed that at each turn was a pigsty and a chicken roost; and a goodly number of pigs and chickens were allowed their liberty.

We wished to purchase a few articles, such as rice and vegetables, for the evening meal; but in this place what we know of the Chinese language served us to no purpose. We bought what we could by pointing to the article, and holding out a piece of money which we considered a fair price. Brother Keh, who went out with the other party, was readily understood, so they called on a native doctor who had heard some of this truth and reported himself to be keeping the Sabbath.

A short time before sunset, three sampans were engaged to take us the rest of the way to our country station, To Gong. These sampans differ from our Canton sampans, in that they have no seats. The top is covered with bamboo matting supported by bamboo poles, very similar to the covered emigrant wagons in the Western States. On the floor was a bamboo matting, on which passengers

were to sit or to recline as they chose.

We should have reached our destination in about two hours; but one boat being old, and its owner unaccustomed to such long trips, we were much delayed, reaching the chapel at 8:20 P. M. Even though we were not expected, and no appointment had been made, Brother Keh opened the door, and soon we had a congregation of forty or fifty natives. There is no other chapel within several miles.

We foreigners made the sampans our headquarters day and night while in the country. After service, our boatman rowed us out into the stream, where we slept until morning. At daybreak our friends from the chapel were on shore, motioning for us to come over, as they had brought us warm water with which to wash, and some drinking water. They said breakfast would be served us later in the chapel, where the native pastor’s and school-teacher’s families lived. About nine o’clock the signal was given for breakfast. We went over, and found two large stone crocks of rice water, and one large crock of rice, a bowl of duck eggs scrambled with chopped onions, a bowl of fried fish, some malt honey of native manufacture, and some bread which Brother Keh had brought from Amoy for us. The meal was ready to be spread on the little wooden table, covered with a white spread borrowed from Sister Hankins, so as to suit the foreign visitors. It is needless to say we all enjoyed the meal, as we are quite native when it comes to rice eating. After breakfast a visit was made to the surrounding villages, as we also have interested ones there. In the afternoon several neighbor women came in to see the foreign women, whereupon we sang a few gospel songs with them, and our two Bible women gave them a gospel talk.

Before leaving the place I walked the entire length and breadth of the village, which consumed less than forty-five minutes. I met two of the women who had been at the afternoon service. Each brought a bamboo stool out into the street, and motioned me to be seated. I complied with their request, but could not speak a word to them, as our dialect is not understood in that province. I motioned a few things, and then took my departure, feeling they were friendly indeed, and pitying them because they know not the truth of God and his Son Jesus. This village has probably less than four hundred inhabitants, but is surrounded by a number of villages within twenty minutes’ reach of it. We were told there were ten or more reliable Sabbath-keepers here. The boys’ school had about twenty in attendance, but was at that time taking its vacation.

The two Bible women go from place to place, teaching the women, and not without results. Some believe. The second and last evenings we were there a company of from forty to sixty came together to hear the Word. The chapel would not accommodate this number, but they accommodated themselves to the out-of-door space about the door and windows.

Brother Keh believes this is a good work, and that others will be gathered. After meeting, the brethren and sisters came down to the boat to see us off. About ten o’clock our boatmen rowed us out into the middle of the stream, lashed two sampans together, and hoisted the sail of one, ready to float down stream, a few hours later, to meet the launch bound for Amoy the following morning. Before six o’clock we were up making preparations for the rest of the return trip.

The night had been clear, beautiful moonlight, so we could see the banks and surrounding mountains. The river is so crooked that one feels as if he were sailing on a small lake all the time, with the four banks in view. As we near the mountain, we wonder where the turn in the river is, for there seems to be no opening; but when once to the mountain edge, the boat turns, and is apparently in another lake, as before. Along the banks are rice-fields and green grass, so much to be appreciated by us who live in Canton, shut in by narrow streets.

We arrived at Amoy at about eleven o’clock. The entire distance along the river is lined with villages, which as yet have not heard the truth. Brother Keh says he feels he has a duty to teach the near villages, as this was his birth-place.

You can not understand what a village means, as it does not correspond to one of our villages at home. A place here—tiny, only a few houses—may have several hundred people, and many of the villages we saw had more than a hundred houses. The country is unlike our home country, with farmhouses scattered along the road. Here people settle in a group, forming a village. One reason for this is the security it affords against robbers. The Chinese son rarely lives apart from the father’s home. In the country he usually has a small house built beside the father’s, thus the villages are formed. Sometimes families of the same name compose a village.

We counted eight such villages from the launch at a bend in the river. To Gong is a market town having no shops to speak of, but on market days articles of all kinds are brought and displayed in stalls in the streets, and then sold at auction or by street vendors. How shall these thousands of China’s villages be taught the truth which we hold dear? How shall they hear of the God who created the heavens and the earth? Just now I recall the words of Jacob to Joseph: “Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.” Jacob was concerned about his dear ones, and Joseph, obedient to a loving father, was willing to serve.

Perchance some who may read these lines have heard our Father’s tender voice calling them to inquire of the spiritual welfare of their far-away brethren. Can you answer as did Joseph?

Canton, China.