The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-26
EPISCOPAL
 MISSIONS Society Turning to Mis-
 sion Fields. MISS WHEELER IS IN LOT Woman of Great Wealth Will Go
 to Far East. sziss Terrence win Make Speciality of Teaching Among Wealthy se- rsety Set of Chinese Empire.
 Exodus within week.

New York. July 25 5.-The most not able body of missionaries to leave New York in many years is that which will start in various direchons within week under the auspices of the Protes- aant Episcopal Church Included in the number is one of the best known society girls of New York. one well provided with money in her own right. and with her will go a Wellesley Col lege graduate and several other young women all of wh om feel that they have found their life opportunity in the mis- sion field.
 Those who are going to Cuba and Porto Rico will sail direct from this port but the larger number are to leave for Vancouver. wh ere passage will be taken for the Far East. The society girl of the party is Miss Ethel J. Wheeler, daughter of one of the we'll known lawyers of the metropolis. and the colleeS girl is Miss Ann R. Tor renee. who for several years has been a <encher at New Paltz, N. Y. They are considered more notable additions Co the mission stan of the Episcopal Church than any gained in years be- cauBe they may be taken as an indi- cation that the young women of today are becoming serious minded despite very general belief to the contrary.
 Miss Wheeler, for instance. has had all the advantages that wealth and fond father could give her. She has spent much time in travel and knows thoroughly the Hangkow section of China 10 which she is now bound. She has many accomplishments which will tend to make her valuable in her cho- sen work and exceptional traits of character that will attach her to the women among whom she will labor.
 Pays Her Own Expenses.
 Her determination to go to China is not a sudden one. Under the rules of che Episcopal Mission Board the wo- men are given two years in which to withdraw their application for stations, after they have undergone all the tests of inquiry and examination to which they are necessarily subjected In order that none but the most earnest ones may be taken. Miss Wheeler, how ever, goes in an independent capacity, which counts for much. She will nominally, at least, be attached to the Hangkow mission and the work that 2he selects to do will have to be ap- proved by the officias of that station, but in many ways will have her own way. She will defray all her own ex- penses and she will be at liberty to return home at any time, as she is enlisted under the voluntary" class. Her friends believe she will remain in the field for the rest of her life, for they know of what calibre the girl is.
 It is Miss Whee1er's intention to spend her time teaching among the wo- men of the upper classes, a field of great promise, for 1t is only compara- lively recently that this has been made possible. The Manchu women, the ones who belong to the blue-blooded class of the empire. have taken hold of the educational problem and it will be for this portion of womankind that Miss Wheeler will work, her thought being to secure their attention to Chris tianity by bringing their mind to realization of the better and nobler side of life.
 It will not be hard to secure an en- trance into the upper class, for already Lady Pao, a sister of Prince Su, and Miss Chi highly-educated Chinese woman, have done work on their ac- count and the Government has further recognized the American plan of teach ing In that it has sanctioned the free dom of the feet among women. 1t is a hard and fast rule in the mission schools that girls shall not be admitted who bind the feet and it is surpris- ing how many have given it up. In one case a girls school was kept closed for some time because the parents were unwilling that their offspring should not follow the immemorial GUS tom of the Empire and deform their feet; but finally the missionaries won. Tn one other case, the girls were ad- mitted to the school with their feet bound. A year later all but two had succumbed to the American way.
 Society Seeks EnIightment.
 Miss Terrence, who goes to the Shanghai Mission, has enlisted in the missionary service for the specific pur- pose of teaching among the wealthy society women of the Empire. Each year the Chinese people. of all grades of society, are putting aside their prejudice against European and Ameri- can civiliza tion, and the women. 1t is said, are especially interested in the greater advantages which their sisters in Christian lands enjoy. Miss Tor renee is regarded as especially well adapted to this work and will strive to gain the acquaintance and favor of az many high caste Chinese families as possible.
 Several young women in the party have had previous service in the mis- sionary field and are returning for their second term. Among these are Miss A Elizabeth Beverly, Miss Marion s. Mitchell and Miss Gardiner. the daughter of a missionary.
 Miss Beverly was a well-known so- ciety women in Baltimore, and went to China seven years ago with head quarters at St. Hilda School, in Wu- chang. Her work was so proficient that she received a years leave, with full salary and with instructions to go where she pleased in order to improve herself as much as possible for con 1fnuance of her work. Most of her long vacation has been spent in Barn. ard College. She has taken a course in elocution and public speaking and on her return to China will devote her time to delivering lectures in the na- tive language. To all the mission aries in China or elsewhere the Epis- copal Board of Mission gives two months each year for travel. with all expenses paid, with the understanding that they expected to devote their time in such a way as to improve them for future work.
 Giving Up Chinese Music.
 Miss Mitchell is a highly accomplish cd musician, both as a teacher and performer. and is going back to China for the expressed purpose of teaching piano and singing in Chinese fami lies. Since the Chinese began hearing Occidental music, 1t is said their taste