The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-07-27
A Letter from Mrs, DR.. j B. Neal, now
in China.

in China.
The country work connected with
our station of Chi Nan Flu, is soon
to suffer a great loss in the return to
America of Mr.. and Mrs. Murray, who
for years have done much and faithful
service in that part Of the field that
has been portioned out to them for
evangelistic efforts. They are to leave
us very early in May, and so on April
5th Mrs. Murray and of course James
Murray aged eight, and Helen Murray
aged one year and three months,
started out for 4 last visit to the
different stations where there are
Christian women, inviting me to make
first visit with them, so as to become
acquainted with the women, who say
they shall feel like children left behind,
when the hcme mother goes off on a
journey. This little James Murray is
not one of the Boards accredited
missionaries, but he has been his
mothers constant companion in her
semi-annual trips to the country, and
an unfailing help to her, always draw
ing crowd of women and children
when he was fat baby boy, and
giving his opportunity-seizing mother
many chance to turn mere curiosity
to see, into interest in hearing, not
only of the American child, but of
the blessing that he and they had in
common of a Father above, Saviour
and home where all are alike good
and happy.
Since he has been older and able
to talk Chinese, he has helped in
teaching hymns and tunes, Bible truths
and verses to many woman in the
classes that his mother has had in
different stations, going patiently and
slowly over and over them again, til
the poor slow minds had grasped them.
He adds his little illustration of the
truth In an apt way sometimes. l
recall one day when there was crowd
Of abused looking little children cling
ing to their mothers knees, and we
were telling of the joys of heaven,
how he exclaimed in most animated
tone, "Yes and you don't get slapped
there" | used to think the days
when our Puritan ancestors had to
sit still and quiet on hard, straight
backed seats through many and long
services, were over, and the little
ones Of the present had soft cushions
and cozy little chairs but this little
boy has had training that belongs
to those of a sterner time. Bangs and
wooden benches, or stools minus any
sort of back, through services day
after day for weeks at time. The
beauty of it being he has always been
having splendid time"
A gentleman from England who
visited Chi Nan Flu once, told me
of the most pathetic things he had
ever heard was James Murray's
answer to his question, " And whom
do you play with ?" "When my dog
was alive / played with her, now she's
dead | ride up and down the court on
stick" But James will soon be in
America, where he can have many
playmates, so l suppose We should
rejoice for his sake. 1t is the work
and the country Christians who are
the great losers.
But of the country trip. We left
on the festival of the Ching Mung,
when all the Chinese worship at the
graves of their ancestors. The city
streets were thronged with men,
women and children on their way
out of the city. Each person had his
string Of paper money to burn at the
graves, and his packages Of fragrant
incense 1t is only at the times when
some such festival is in progress and
all the people are engaged in the per
formance OF some such rite of
worship that one is made to realize
fully the ho,d heathenism has upon
the masses. After over eight years of
lite in China, ! felt as stood on the
banks Of the Ganges in Benares,
India, one bright January morning
over two years ago, at the time of
the year when the Hindoos feel that