Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-02-05
FROM FAR OFF CHINA.

Last Sunday was a festival with the
Presbyterians of Yorkville. 1t was a
communion occasion, and as part of the
service, instead of sermon, Rev. Mr..
Neville, the pastor, read letter from
Miss Ella C. Davidson, the church's mis-
sionary in China. This letter proved of
great interest to all who heard it, and will
no doubt be of the same interest to Pres
byterians and other church people all
over this section. 1t is as follows:
HANecHow, CHINA, Nov. %, 1885,
To the Members of the Presbyterian
church: MY DEAR FRIENDS: Mr..
Neville has suggested that write again
to you, and it gives me the greatest pleas
ure to do so.
AS think of the time that must elapse
before this letter reaches you, I realize
that you cannot receive it before the clos
ing days of 1895, and so I shall make it
the bearer Of my New Year 8 greeting to
you. We cannot know what the year
1896 may hold in store for any, of US;
the King of all the earth," the one su-
preme Ruler and Director of all events.
Let Us "be still' under his guidance, His
all-wise providence, and whether the cup
meted out to US be filled with joy or
sorrow, may we take it cheerfully, loving
ly, knowing that he who gives it makes
no mistakes. May every joy of the glad
New Year draw you nearer to Christ, and
may every sorrow yield to you "The
peaceable fruit of Righteousness"
God has been very gracious to our
China mission during the year. None of
US have suffered from violence Of any
kind, and we have been given much
favor in the eyes of the people. At the
are short of workers but not all shorten
ed in our work. Almost every door is
open to us, and as we realize our utter
inability to take advantage Of the many
opportunities for spreading abroad the
knowledge of Christ's kingdom, we feel
like pleading ever anew to those in the
homeland to "Come over and help u.s."
At our mission meeting in September, it
was my privilege to report that during the
year from September to September) IL
girls had. been received into Inc church,
and at the present time there are in the
school seven candidates for baptism.
Within a year, seven girls have compile
ted the course of training in the school and
have gone out into this great heather
world of China. Two of them have be-
come the wives Of Christian young men.
Two have gone to Soo-Chow to take q
short course in medical training with the
desire of becoming assistants IN the new
hospital DR.. Wilkerson is hoping soon to
open two have returned to Christian
homes where they will have many oppor-
tunities for making known the gospel OF
Christ; the seventh and last, girl who
gave us much anxiety while she was with
us, has returned to heather home where
she has already had to undergo some un-
pleasantness for the cause of Christ. She
is not so jealous as we would like to see
her; but we believe that she has thus far
held to the principles of her religion.
feel that l must also mention the case OF
one other girl. This girl completed the
course of study nearly two years ago but
she remained with US, assisting in various
ways, until last September, when she
went to Marking to teach in a school for
women. God thus gives us the privilege
year by year, of sending out bright young
Christians, every one Of whom, we trust,
may become a faithful, efficient worker
in the Masters vineyard.
The girls who are now in The school
continue their interest in the daily pray
ers for the conversion Of the women OF
the neighborhood. They sing well, and
their songs give much brightness to our