The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-09
Our Missionaries to China.

We have Just received letters from Mr.. and
Mrs. Converse, dated Hang Chou, December 18TH
They had gone to housekeeping, Mr. Houston
living with them, and it will crafty their friends
who assisted in their outfit to know that it has
added most materially to their comfort to find in
their boxes their cooking stove-tool chest, and al
most every article needed for housekeeping that
could have been carried with them. A cooking
stove could not have been procured there from a
less distance than hundred and seventy miles, and
at very large price.
In regard to their work, they say:
''The position of affairs here is encouraging in
many aspects. The securing of the hillside lot is
a matter of far more Importance to the mission
than most of those who live in America would i'm
aeine. There the rented house is nearly as COM
Portable for the time being as one built specially for
a family. Here it is different. The native houses
are not arranged with a view to convenience
The smoke and dust from our stovepipe blows
back through the loose thing of the unceed roof,
rendering cleanliness impossible. And in summer
these roofs conduct the heat of the sun with suchin
tensity as to make the upper apartments unbeara-
bic to US, while the lower apartments are either
destitute of floors or have floors resting directly
upon the ground We could not occupy this house
during many such summers, as the last is described
to have been, except at the imminent risk of life,
You are aware that Mr.. Inslee family were forced
to retire to a temple outside of the city. Judge
then of the Joy with which we look forward to the
erection of house on an airy hillside, which will
catch the breezes in summer, and which can be
made close in winter. We may not have means
to finish the whole OF each house, for we need
separate houses for the boys school and the girls
sobool hut vva will endeavor IN finish srch rooms
as we need, and move in before the hot weather.
Then our windows will not face the blank white
outer wall of Chinese dwelling, but look out ocer
the wall of our lot upon the sky and lake. and river
and country. The contrast is as great as if you
should take family from a room In the darkest,
narrOwest alley of New York, and place it in a
plain cottage in the outskirts with small but airy
garden around it.
In other aspects we have encouragement also.
Messrs. Helm and Stuart find the people of Gu-tsiu
much more well,disposed, and much more ready
to meet foreigners with kindness than in other
places They have fair prospect of renting
house which can be made comfortable, and which
furnishes a good room for a chapel. And they
have been able to sell numerous copies of the gos-
pei. True these are sold at a merely nominal
price, but the fact that they are willing to buy at
any price is encouraging.
And have been taking encouragement from the
37th chapter Of Ezekiel. The prophet speaking OF
the work of regeneration compares it to the resur
reotion of dry bones. His prophesy over the dry
bones assumed two phases. The effect of bis first
prophesying (see verse y was that the bones came
together, bone to his bone, the snews and the flesh
came upon them, and the skin covered them
above, but there was no breath IN them. The eff
feet Of his second prOphesying (see verse l0) was
that they lived and stood upon their feet. Two