Smyrna times., 1874-01-14
For the SmJ Jrna "Timss.7
Letter from a Smyrna Missionary.

The following is an extract from a private
letter, written by Mrs s. L. Baldwin, October
goth, Just after the Annual Meeting at Foo
Chow, and may prove interesting to the many
in Smyrna, who have given both money and
prayers to the China Mission:
Our Annual Meeting has just concluded.
It was held in large Tent pitched in Rev.
Mr.. Plumb's yard, our Church being too small
to contain the people Bishop Harris, who
ID, accompanied by DR.. Waugh, of the India
Mission, and Revs. Houghton, of New York
and Spencer, of Illinois, all of whom were
here during the Meeting, which continued
week, and surpassed in interest any ever held
10 Foo Chow.
The presence of our native Bible women
and Helpers wives, from distant stations, to
the number of thirty, added much to the
interest of the occasion.
The Bishop and his companions were greatly
delighted with our Annual Meeting services
they excseded all their expectations, and they
exclaimed over and over again-"If we could
only show the home Church this assembly T.
Many of the meetings were powerful and some
times the officiating preacher would be so over.
come with emotion, that he would be unable
to speak.
Last Sunday was the great day of the feast,
and the Tent was crowded with fine congre-
o'clock, after which Sia Sing Sang preached
@ sermon of raro power. He is one of our best
ordained men and Presiding Elder, who is
supported entirely by natives, refusing all
Missionary money. Po Mi, also a Presiding
| Elder, preached in the afternoOn-these two
sermons would have held any audience in
America. After the morning service Bishop
Harris ordained five Deacons.
| wish you could have looked in upon the
/
accurate idea of the curious and interesting
spectacle. The great Tent was crowded
sixty Chinese lanterns; each marked with the
name of the circuit or preacher TO whom il
belonged, lighted the Tent brilliantly-all the
| Chinese women wore the customary head
ornaments of flowers, and gold or silver pins.
Then came the sober setting Of grave, earnest
faces Of the preachers, sixty in number, and a
goodly array of church members. The first
service of the evening was the baptism Of ths
infaut son of lug Quang one of the Deacons-
Its mother is the daughter OF our first convert,
and was the first child ever bsptised in ths
Mission. After this ceremony long Mi preached
one of his best sermons, and Bishop Harris
ordained In Mi and Ing Quang Elders In all
} the services Bishop Harris performed, Mr.
. Baldwin was his interpreter 70 the Chinese.
One hundred and twenty.ons native Chris.
tians. twenty.nine of them women, took part 10
the COMMUNION seTVlce WHICH IOllOWeu tne
ordination; no one who shared in that service
can ever forget it, am sure.
J wonder If you take in all il was TO us, who
have lived and labored for this people, 40 see
} one hundred and tweHty-one natives surround
the table of the Lord and openly sonfes'
, Him at one service? Nearly all Of these, with
. hundreds of others, scattered here and thers
in the country, have beea gathered into ths
. Church Of Christ within the last ben years, anC
! we have been permitted, not only 70 plant
but also to gather in goodly harvest.
Wednesday morning the Annual MeetinG
; clossd--Mr. Baldwin read abe appointments
Q for che Bishop, and sixty native preacher
accepted their places and cheerfully took VI
Q their work for another year.
8 You may be interested 10 know ahe view
0 taken by Bishop Harris of our trials, work anC
successes, after having been among us. Ill
u has said once and again-"I sat in the Mission
4 Rooms at New York for twelve years, in con
q slant correspondence with our Missionaries
: and thought knew something Of the Difficult
u ties they have TO meet; bat never conceived
4 of the half that they have 70 meet--the diff
Q cult questions they have to decide, the trial
g Of faith aud patience, and the pressure upor
mind and nerve that they constantly carry.
Respecting the results Of the work. he says
II thought knew the Foo Chow work well
n bat since have seen it, can only say will
% Brother Houghton-the half had never beer
y told me-" The Bishop said he would plac,
our native preachers beside almost any q
] home. He leaves us ON the 25th, for Honl
! Kong aud Canton, but he will be held In CRATE
q ful remembrance by tho native Christians o
i Foo Chow, as well ss by the American
s Missionaries. -'1s e. H. BALDWIN.
Foo Chow, CHINA. .a -.ta4aa