The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-03-31
.H0RR0RsOF THE.
FAM|N[IN CHINA
ALelter from Missionary Bostick
10 the Biblical Recorder

Dear Readers:--I have tried fol-
several days to get q letter written
for you but just now, | am oye~-
whelmed with efforts to help the poor
who are perishing around us. Now,
as | begin to write there is simply a
multitude of faces around my front
gate pleading for something to eat,
for the word has gotten out that we
are going to help them, even though
we have taken every precaution to
keep them from thinking that 1t is
to be had here for we know that II
the work should be substantiated
with any giving there would be an
over-running of us which would
mean no rest and maybe no life for
us. How | do wish you could get
a full conception of the real situation
that is on all around us. It is esti-
mated that 100000 of people are
in great need in this famine-stricken
district, and that at least 10000
will likely perish before the wheat is
garnered If they do not receive help.
Help is now coming in, but as yet, II
is as drop in the bucket to what is
needed. and the needs will grow
worse as the time drags along till
wheat harvest.
l never bow my head to say grace
now nor raise my heart In prayer
that my minds eye does not go out
to the multitude Of needy and my
sympathy is so touched for them that
feel now that will give to the very
bottom OF my pocket-book II there is
not great deal Of giving from the
outside. often pray that the hearts
of many people win be touched and
that liberal giving will be the result.
| had known all the fall that the
needs were great and that many
were suffering. but the real state OF
affairs has during this lest half
month been revealed to me. With
some money that was to pass through
my hands. | decided to do some
work on some badly destroyed roads,
getting the needy to do ii. ! men
toned that I would give three cents
q day for laborers. but was told by
every one to whom I mentioned II
that that was not enough TO feed
them land I saw that Il was less than
I could feed them with even the
eoarsest diet). But when the work
was begun I at once had TO begin to
refuse men. able-bodied men, who
we're accustomed 10 work and who
were willing to use their strength.
Morning after morning when would
come downstairs there was multi
tude OF faces at my door waiting to
plead with me to use them in this
work, I having decided to use only
1.-TWO hundred.
This is telling you OF the gen.
eral condition, but | could use a
whole day telling you Of individual
cases OF needs, which are pitiful be-
yond description. One woman told
US that she had six sons and had
given away three and was hunting
for some one who wanted the others.
not being able 10 feed them. Another
man who has so acres of land, but
the crop all being destroyed last sum
mer, was trying TO sell his only child
baby Of eight months. To stick a
straw up on anything that Is placed
on the street is a sign that IL Is for
sale. Children are thus to be seen
advertised now. Think OF parent
carrying a child IN the arms with this
sign attached TO II and another child
following with the same sign. Is II
not enough TO touch every heart?
One baby was buried In the manure
Of loaded wagon one night and was
soon found and kept over the night,
and was sid for one pound Of bread
the next day. One old person told OF
having given away four OF his six
children and said that the other two
were 50 hungry that they could not
walk.
One man who is carrying dirt for
me for three cents day says that his
whole family OF seven are now sub
sisting on that. having nothing else
TO depend on. am told BY one
neighbor that another neghbor fam
fly Of eight are making Is ounces OF
meal per day into soup, and that Is
all they have. One neighbor family
Of three pass the day eating only one
half cents worth Of wheat bran for
the three.
A few days ago man with moth
ing whatever on him was sitting out
BY the side Of house while the wind
shistled against him and the snow
peppered down on him. One morn
ing when ! arose I found a 15-year-
old boy Just outside OF my gate. hay-
Ing crouched there all night when
the temperature was ten degrees be-
low freezing. inquired about him
and found that his father, mother
and whole family had persisted and
that he had been out six days beg
glng without anything to eat. He
was In the poorest OF rags. found
him a boy Of good manners and was
willing 10 carry dirt. But when he
got up II was shown that his feet had
frozen and his toes already In a rot
ten condition. Again. when the
temperature was below freezing I
ssv haif-grown boy on the street,
stark barefooted, crying like babe
with cold and hunger. am not
telling isolated cases. there are Just
such ss have told above TO be found
By the thousands.
There IL now a committee In
Shanghai who are doing what they