The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-04
A Letter From a Missionary,

We are permitted to publish the follow
ing letter received by Capt. Geo. NJ. Nc.
David from his neice, Miss Sullivan, a
Baptist missionary in China Though a
private letter, We know 1t will be read with
interest by the many friends of the young
lady:
TAI AN FU CHINA. June 49, 1895.
MY DER UNCLE GEORGE: Your letter
came on April 1st. AS wrote mama, it
contained more news than any had re-
ceived, and was 30 glad to hear from you.
You have doubtless seen my letters home
some of them-as have requested that
they be sent to you. You understand that
I would gladly write to you personally
oftener il I could with the press Of work
and the many letters to get off
Miss Humphries and I have been at this
place something over a month We left
Yang Chow the last of April, and are NOW
about GOO miles from Shapg pghsi-about
80 from the Grand Canal, by which we
came over half of the way to Tai an.
Since arriving here we have PASSED.
through the Valley Of the Shadow" The
dear friend who went to Shanghai for us,
Mrs. King. has died Of smallpox. All of
us were exposed to the disease, but through
the mercy Of our Lord none of US have had
it. We miss our friend 30. had been
rather put under her care when I came
and she was so kind and loving. But I
am now with Mrs Crawford, veteran in
the work. She has been here A years
came out at % years of age, and she is as
really mother to me as any one except
"mama," could be. love her more every
day, Many women in China have learned
of Jesus through her. She left her work
In the east to come to this new field. As
vet no zeal work can be done-only skir-
mishing as it were. While il Is real work
and the very hardest that comes, because
there is 30 much waiting in it, We ere look.
ing forward to seeing many jewels brought
ont from this valley. We are living In o
valley Just In the midst Of mountains, and
lust south of the famous Sacred Mountain,
Sal Shan, which rises about GOO feet, and
gives US such grand and inspiring views
from the courts here. do love the old
mountain. It draws one nearer to God.
There are hundreds of villsges in the val.
ley-all without Life. We are paying the
Lord to make bare His arm here. I am
pow on my 3rd month OF study, and since
the changes from the Southern dialect,
which we had at Yang Chow, are becom-
ing more easy, 1 am enjoying the study
very much. 1t is hard, but Interesting.
It helps one so to know that every word
counts, and can and will be used of the
Holy Spirit to the glory of God. It is
much easier to see that in studying Chinese
than Latin or Creek. One OF us goes out
with Mrs. Crawford daily. 1t Is not best
for more than two to 60. One day I ven
tured out Just with the old China woman
Mrs. Crawford has, hut she Is deaf, and
cannot go very far. o! I do long to get on
my feet.
It is harvest season, and lately there
have been such heavy rains that we feared
the destruction of grain crops. We could
hear walls of houses tumbling down during
the rain. The grain here is grown In q
very primitive fashion. II is pnlled up by
the roots-this for economy. Scarcity OF
fuel compels the use of the straw. roots
and all. The top and roots are cut off, aI
the straw used for burning or making
roofs. The tops are thrown on grain
floor or clean epot of ground. and the grain
is crushed out with rolling stone, pulled
| by donkey or sometimes by hand. They
winnow the wheat by taking advantage o1
the wind-the Only method here. Then il
| is ground between stones turned In the
same way. I have seen poor donkeys
driven around and around, and sad lei
still, little girls with their bound feet, fol
lowing that stone by the hour. I erc'ose
wild rose plucked from Lai Shan. There
were 40 many flowers when We were there
especially roses and forget me nots
Msy the Lord ever be a real presence tr
You, and to all. It is such comfort and
| help to think of His coming; aud 1t will be
blessed to tell these poor women of it wher
| I can, and There will be no sorrow there. u
Join US in prayer for this people, especially
this valley.
With much love, your affectionate niece
MARY D. SULLIVAN.
Address, Gospel Mission Box,
Shanghai, China.