The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-21
DIED SAVING OTHERS
REV. w. j. HALL SACRIFICES HIM.
SELF In THE ORIENTAL WAR.
Career of n Missionary Who Minis
tered TO the Wounded ut Ping Yang
and Fell Victim to a Deadly Fever.

NEW YORK, Jan. pa man was Sacr1-
feed in the China-Japan war few weeks
ago whose death will be sincerely mourned
here. where he was widely known and loved.
A very small part of the city knew the Rev.
w. J. Hall. A missionary at home does not
receive fame, and when he goes to convert
the heather in the Orient he generally dies
without distinction coming to him. When
a letter was received at the Office of the
Christian Herald few days ago announc-
ing his death it did not surprise those who
knew him best. To them it seemed natural
that he should have sacrificed his life car
ing for the wounded of the battle of Ping
yang. Mr.. Creelman, one of the correspond
ents at the seat of war; described meeting
Mr.. Hall in his kilograms, saying he was
the first white man on the battle field of
Plngyang. In his letter DR.. Hall also speaks
of meeting Mr.. Creelman and Mr.. ViIliers,
the London correspondent, and tells how
they roughed it together.
Maybe the time will come when DR.. Hall S
hero.Sm among the dead and dying Will be
told, but it is not likely. His were the quiet
deeds, not the brilliant ones that make
blood flow quickly He did all he could more
than he could stand, and died at his post
of duty. He was only thirty years old and
ne devoted the greater part of his life to
the best kind of missionary work He was
born in Canada. where he received a uni
versity education. When he was a young
man he came under the influence of evan
gelist Moody and decided to devote his life
to . other people, He came to New York an. and
his power for good would be increased If he
were a doctor, and he set about studying
medicine. He spent several years with DR..
Dowkon, and took his degree from the Uni
Verslty of New York. AT the same time he
continued his mission work He connected
Madison street, and his work there will not
be forgotten. He established a dispensary
for the poor and suffering wherever he
could find them. Few doctors in the city
had as many patients as he. for whenever
he heard of sick person too poor to pay
doctor he attended them. His health
broke down more than once, and he never
would give himself adequate rest. His am
bition to become a missionary in the
East He decided to go to Corea long before
the war w. was d. He started for the
to Seoul, the capital of Corea. There he
met the woman who six months later be-
in charge of the womar's hospital there.
He moved farther north, settling in Ping
to New York of the work he was doing.
He found that surgery and midwifery were
unknown and his skill won for him I'M
bounded love and affection on the part OF
the natives. There was some persecution at
first, but it speedily died away. He made
many converts.
When the war broke out he did not de-
sert his post, not even when the japanese
were advancing on Pingyang. The last let
ter written from him was just after the bat
tie. but he told little of what he had done.
DIR. Busted, one of his colleagues, gave an
idea or that After the battle was over Dr.
Hall went upon the field and remained
many hours, ministering to all alike. He re-
manned until he sank from exhaustion and
malaria. He was placed on a Japanese ves-
sci going to Chemulpo. There were 600
wounded Japanese soldiers aboard the ves-
sci. Sick as he was, DR.. Hall left his bed to
help care for them. When he arrived he
was helplessly sick. He was taken to Seoul
where the disease showed itself to be malig
nant typhus fever. His wife and DR.. Bus
teed remained with him. doing all in their
power, but they could not check the disease
and he died on Nov. %. When they buried
him on the following Sunday they sung the
hymn which the blind Fannie Crosby of
this city had written in his honor at the
time of his departure. Mrs. Hall and the
baby boy born to them are still in Seoul and
she still has charge of the hospital