The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-04-06
Annsehnla atpras
To the Children of Sabbath Schools.
LETTER FROM REV. NJ. H. HOUSTON.

HANCHOU, CHINA, Dec. %, 80.
Dear Children: Since last wrote to you,
l have been put in charge of the boys school
Of our mission here. AS it is by the money
you give the boys in this school are fed and
clothed and taught, it is right that you should
know what is doing in the school and how
it comes on, shat you may judge whether
you are putting your money to good use
or not. therefore feel that owe it to you
to tell you about these things. You are
working with me, and 1 am glad to be able
to tell my little fellow-workers how the work
goes on.
There are now twelve boys in the school.
If our rooms were larger, we would have
more. We hope soon to have new rooms,
when we will bring in ten or twelve more.
The boys that are here now Mrs Inslee has
already told you something about. In one
of her letters, you reeollect, she gave you
the names of most of them, and told you
something about each one. l will now only
add, that if you knew them, you would find
it an easy thing to love them. Every one
who comes to the school says, "Wel, you
you have bright-looking set of little fell
lows here" and their ways are so much like
the ways of you boys, that | sometimes al
most forget when 1 am among them that
they are Chinese. Now, what are we doing
for these boys, and what do we hope from
them! That you may know what we are
doing for them, 1 will tell you how one of
their schOoldays is spent. You must keep
in mind, as 90 along, what you have been
told before, that Chinese school is not like
schools among you. You had only twenty
six letters to learn, but a Chinese boy has
to learn FIVE or six thousand, and so has to
spend great deal of time in this. His
A B C's are not easy to get over. These
boys, then, rise in the morning about day
light They wash their faces, may say,
in warm water, for all over China people
dread cold water, and use warm water and
a cloth for washing. They do not have to
comb their heads every morning, like you,
as the queue or long plat which hangs down
the back only needs to be cOmbed out and
plated over once in three or four days.
By the time the boys are washed and dressed,
breakfast is ready. They sit down at a long
table, each one with bowl of rice before
him, and a pair of little sticks called chop
sticks, which he uses instead of knife and
fork. Two or three little dishes of fish and
some vegetables make up the rest of the
food. The teacher first asks blessing
The teacher, when he came among us, had
never heard the gospel. At first, he did
not seem to like the truth; but by hearing
it day after day, he was led to think well of
it; and l soon heard of his speaking we'll of
Christ and His teaching to other Chinese.
When he was told that it was the duty of
all men to give thanks to our heavenly Faith
er before eating, as our Saviour did, and
was asked if he was willing to do this with
the boys, he seemed pleased with the idea.
IshOwed him the way Christians give thanks,
and since then he has asked a blessing at
each meal. hope very much he will grow
to be full Christian. Pray for him. At
ter rice is eaten, the boys 90 to work on
their books, and study till 9 o'clock. AT
this time, give them Bible lesson and
have morning prayers. All that are in our
house are brought together. l first read
them part of the Gospel, then explain the
verses, showing the good lesson that is in
them; then question the boys to find out
how mEch they have taken in, then read the
verses again to fix them on their minds, and
end with prayer. The larger boys spend
half their time on the New Testament and
half on books written by the Chinese them
selves. They have nearly gone over the
Gospel of Matthew, learning the letters and
saying the chapters by heart Chinese boys
have fine memories. The smaller boys study
an easy book that gives the Bible history.
It has about two thousand letters. After
their dinner, I spend an hour with the larger
boys, teaching them how to explain Scrip
ture. They read part of the Bible and
explain. If they do not make it plain, l
show them, as well as l can, how it ought to
be done. This will fit them, 1 hope, to teach
others. After this, they write and study till
5 o'clock, when they have play-time till
supper After supper, have singing with
them, and Bible lesson and prayers -
They sing some hymns right well, such as
Crock Of Ages" There is happy land,
and others that you know. They are fond
Of singing, and spend great deal of their
play time in this. After evening prayers,
they 90 of TO bed. Our cook, whom 1 think
very much of as Christian man, tells me
they pray in their room. Such is their
everyday life. On Sunday, they 90 morn
IN and afternoon to Mr.. Inslee's place, to