p. 12 | Mission Work in China by A. C. Selmon

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 27, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 30.

Mission Work in China

By A. C. Selmon

FROM SIN TSAI HSIEN, CHINA.

BY A. C. SELMON, M.D.

All hearts here were made glad at hearing the Lord had answered our appeal for help. The thousand dollars sent us by the brethren in Wisconsin has been received, and we are searching for a place where the Lord would have us start the work. This sum will enable us to secure a small plot of ground, and a few Chinese mud houses to meet our present emergencies. We value this gift because of the sacrifice it cost to make it, and we are earnestly seeking the Lord that He may guide us in the way of it.

Fifty miles to the west of us is a large city of some sixty or seventy thousand people. Dr. Miller and I, having been in the city, have felt impressed that it would be a favorable place. Two weeks ago I went to look for an opening. The roads were very bad, and we were not able to make more than twenty miles a day. Stopping the first night at an inn in a small village, we had an opportunity to see the fearful effects of opium-smoking, for the lord and his wife, and their only son, a boy of fifteen, all smoked large quantities of the drug. They were miserable-looking creatures, poor in flesh, and so weak that they could hardly move around. The opium-smoker cares for nothing but his pipe. He does not even braid his cue, but lets his hair fall in a tangled mat. He has no idea of honesty or any other virtue, and comes as near the state of the lower beasts as it is possible for man to get. It is quite common to see young children who use opium, having been taught its use by their parents. After they begin its use their growth ceases and they soon die. At present the opium fields are in bloom, and

we can get an idea of the immense amount of opium used in China, for the white and red poppy fields are thickly dotted all over the country. Much of the ground that formerly was used for rice is now devoted to opium-growing, and this has caused a rise in the price of rice, which is the staple article of food of the masses. In the cities practically every one who can afford it uses opium, although its use is not so common among the women as among the men. In the country opium-smoking is not so common. There are coming to be many places throughout the country where opium users are treated, and all the large missionary societies have hospitals for this purpose. While some are cured, it is only temporarily, for there is but one cure for this habit that is permanent, and that is the “blood cure.” When they learn to trust the Lord they can be cured; otherwise it is almost a waste of time.

Leaving this village, we had not gone far when our cart upset. Our bedding and other things in the cart were wet, and our Chinese teacher, who was in the cart, was hurt. Reaching the city which I mentioned, we found a very desirable location; but as the owners found that foreigners wished to secure it they asked such a high price that we had to give up the attempt to secure it, for a time at least. But we have seen enough evidence that the Lord is leading us to that city that we believe we shall yet secure a location there.

The weather at present is not much warmer here than it is in Iowa during the month of May. The wheat crop will be poor, because of dry weather, and that will mean very expensive flour for us, for where there are no railroads the prices of food-stuffs in a place depend upon the crops in the immediate vicinity.

Please remember when praying for the work here to pray for two definite objects; first, that we may have some thoroughly converted, earnest Chinese men and women for evangelists and Bible workers; second, that the Lord will send us some one who knows something of the printing trade, so we can begin to get some literature out with the truths for this time made prominent.—Workers' Bulletin.