Putnam patriot., 1913-04-25
Letter from China
BY mAuDE EDITH CRUFF FORMERLY OF THoMsPON
 Part l
 kak Chieh, Swatow, March ,, 1913.


 March D, 1913.
 Dear Home Friends,
 The recent great awakening in the East has changed conditions, problems and opportunities so suddenly that mission conferences of all denomina- tions are obliged to face tremendous questions. The Baptists have their share of questions to face and especial ly is our South China work feeling the growing pains aeutely, How oppor- tune that our foreign secretary, pr, Franklin, has been here at this critical time and seen with his own eyes what we are called upon to meet. How often individuals here have been heard to re- mark, 60, if the Board, oh if the churches at home could only see the work which they support as il really is p' Dr. Franklin has seen it now in behalf of the Board visitors are con. tinunlly coming to the East now that the circle of the globe has become smaller; and If by word or pen we mis- sionnries can lend our glasses to the home constituency to help in their seeing the work as it Is we are each glad to do our small part. As 1 am your representative 1 take pleasure in passing on to you the story of our con ference with Dr. Franklin that was held in Swatow from Feb. 26th 10 March 4th, 1913.
 One of the great movements in the churches of America at this time is that toward federation, co. operation, union. Denominational lines are weakening; brotherly love and fellow ship arc increasing That spirit Is growing here in China almost too fast for our missionaries to keep up with it. | If we came te the Orient to plant our own Western denominational difler- ences, we must in this day give up our pet hobbies and throw ourselves, heart and soul, into the Church of Christ in | China. If we came to put our school ideas or medical projects or church policies into effect we must now right about facen and pull together as one compound, the various compounds as one conference and the four separate Baptist conferences in China as one great mission. In union there is strength. Why have we been so slow in seeing this? Union Among Our selves, Union With other Denomina. tions-this has been the great message of our recent conference. Has it cost us personal pain to see our errors tn the past, to admit of our present weak condition, and yield what we almost consider principles 10 step out for the future on broad platform of co-opera. ton and union workr Not many of us, If any, have escaped the paini but they are growing pains. Hiram Goff's H. lustration likening the denominations to the spokes of a wheel Is most apt, flor the closer we come together the closer we must be to the center, our Lord and Master. Christ's prayer "that they all may be onen is being answer cd here.
 When l came out year ago found our Baptist Compound on one side of & treacherous bay with winds and cur rents and tides that were dangerous. On the opposite side of the bay was the English Presbyterian Compound. Well has 1t been said that the bay was put there by the devil himself to keep us apart; but whether he did that or not he did put most unbrotherly spirit between ths two missions. One good Presbyterian sister said, II am much