Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-09-09

saOuaIy sent out Oy TINS CnuTCn 10
China.
Inasmuch as many members of the
church were prevented from attend
ing this service, and taking into con-
sideration the fact that the letter will
prove OF deep interest not only to
them, but to the public generally. The
Sun IL permitted to publish the same.
through the courtesy Of MIR. Hay.
The Letter.
Suchlen, China, July I, 1893.
My Dear DIT. Hay: In my last let.
ter to you I think mentioned the fact
that Rev. ID. c. Patterson Sas suffer.
ing a very severe attack OF pneumon-
IN. ! am glad to say that In due time
he recovered his health. About the
same time, Rev. w. r. Junkin met
with a very painful accident, in which
one Of his lower limbs was broken.
not far from the hip joint. He was
In bed six or eight weeks. but now he
has gone out on an itinerating trip.
Notwithstanding these misfortunes.
the condition OF affairs here is very
encouraging. In general. the OpEosi-
tiOn TO Christianity seems 20 be grad
ually decreasing. and the native
Christians do not suffer so much per-
secution and ridicule as they formerly
did. The women here have manifest
ed a strange desire to learn. and the
missionary ladies are kept busy teach
ing them from the catechism and
Gospels. Several women are learning
60 read. a task which. for them. is
difficult beyond our power TO imagine.
The Chinese women themselves say
that they are stupid to kill" and no
one can dispute that statement.
During the past few months eighteen
persons have been received into this
church. including one teacher and ten
students from the boys school. and
two students from the girls school
We now have four native teachers
and fifty-eight boys In our school.
Three Of the teachers and twenty four
OF the boys are church members. and
several other boys have asked TO be
baptized. but have been advised to
wait a while. So you see that the
weight Of influence I'm this school Is
very strongly In favor of Christianity.
We hope that at least a few of these
boys will become ministers Of the Cos
pei. and IL you could see their bright.
intelligent faces. and think OF the
good work they may be able TO do
In the coming years. I believe you
would agree with me that. after all.
the school work Is the most promising
OF all our missionary activities. ! do
not mean TO underestimate the i'm
portance Of all kinds OF work. but OF
course the final issue. from a human
standpoint. rests with the educated
native Christians themselves. A few
weeks $50 heard a splendid sermon
by one OF our native helpers. His
subject was. Evidences of Christian
ity." and he showed a breadth OF
scope which was really wonderful. I
have heard this man preach SO often
that I am familiar with his peculiar.
titles Of expression. and can under.
stand him fairly well on some sub,
Jects.
A good deal OF work has been done
on the new school building, and We
hope 10 build more next fall. We are
building only one story high. a plan
which does not impress Americans
very favOrably; but the Chinese con
slider these buildings quite symme-
trical and handsome; and ! am learn.
ms 20 like them better
For several months this region sun'
cred from a drought which finally be-.
came 40 serious that the heather re-
sorted 10 daib PROFESSIONS o. pray Ca
the rain dragun Zach procession ear
rivd several bauurrr aud small
Image uf The dragon several ut The
men vyre supplied eIrh native horns
and gnngs. Viin uh.,h tH,f mad, q
draisuing uui.. It - .tIi that about
one Thousand ..I.... I..a "trf Iu uu,
ui th,sy Yr... .... N boo. IH. Hw
ramr Boa um. ... ..I .f th.
srupa aui ......u rII
that co. I... .... ..|
tIs yI tT
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