A. C. SELMON, M. D by A. C. Selmon

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Oct 6, 1904

A. C. SELMON, M. D

By A. C. Selmon

China

SIN TSAI HSIEN.—The hot season is here, and it is hotter than we had expected. We are on the great plain, where the country is very flat, with few trees.

Brother Pilquist has removed to a city about sixty miles to the southwest of us. When he left, Mrs. Selmon and I moved up into the compound with Dr. and Mrs. Miller and the two nurses. We had to clean up our Chinese quarters quite a little to make them respectable, and also had to make some changes. Our courtyard is very small. The one Mrs. Selmon and I have is about forty feet long and sixteen feet wide, and surrounded on all sides but one by houses from twenty to twenty-five feet high, and on the side where there are no houses there is a wall twelve feet high. So we are shut up in a sort of pen, where but little air can get to us. We have all the available space in the yard, that is not taken up by walks, planted out in flowers and vegetables. This helps matters a little. It is very difficult for us to do any studying or any mental or physical work. If we could have secured a place outside the city, where we could have a large, airy courtyard and some trees, it would not seem nearly so hot. At present all are in good health. We continually ask the Lord to keep us in health amid these unfavorable surroundings. In our present circumstances we are led to see more clearly than ever before our dependence on the Lord.

With our limited capacity for speaking the language, and our lack of experience, we are finding constant occasion to thank the Lord for help. At present we have just completed arrangements to rent another small compound near us, where we can have our native evangelist. We shall have a street chapel, and conduct meetings every day. Adjoining the chapel is a room for our dispensary, and back of this are rooms for the evangelist and his family. The whole compound will cost us twenty-four strings of cash—about $14.50 gold—per year. We shall have to clean it out and repair it a little.

The Lord is surely helping us greatly in the study of the language. Dr. Miller and myself are now able to hold Bible studies with our little company; and while we can not give a connected discourse, yet we can explain the truths, and give illustrations and make applications.

We are glad to hear of the progress of the work in the States. Pray that

we may have some earnest, consecrated converts from among the people here, who can do evangelistic and Bible work. Also pray that the Lord will lay the burden for this work on some of the young men in the States. We need Bible workers who can be here now learning the language.