Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-05-29

PoAitical anu Splrltual liberty of the
human race. The awakening of O ma
tion like China, and the changing of
customs and ideas that have been in
grained for centuries, Is a slow pro-
cess and one that has been going on
for years. It's progress must still be
slow, but results are noticeable in a
changing attitude of the people, and
all sorts of apparently insignificant
facts show in which direction the ten
denry Is. For instance, the terrible
hooos in the North last fall Thou
sands and thousands had homes,
crops, everything, swept away. They
had no money to buy food or clothes
for winter, and no chance to make
another crop before the bitter wea-
ther set in. Heretofore funds for
famine and food relief came from for
eign countries, but, in the face of
world conditions, China realized that
she must depend on herself and, con-
trary to the usual "look out for num-
Der one and let the other fellow do
the best he can" propaganda, the peo-
pie of the more fortunate and pros
porous sections have risen nobly to
the call from their suffering brothers.
In Nanking, the Military Governor
and other officials Of the city invited
the leading gentry, educational au-
thorities and some Of the missionaries
to consider ways and means of help
ing the flood sufferers. There was an
enthusiastic meeting, with the result
that $4,000 was turned over to a
committee with instructions to buy
rice and clothing to be sent to the
flood district. The missionaries feel
that this Is more than contribution
Of $4,000. They feel that it Is an
indication of growing sense Of ma
tional responsibility which will re-
suit in real democracy.
For the past three months l have
been In Language School, and so my
chief business in life has been talk
ing. That sounds very simple, but I
never tackled harder job, for it in
cludes both mental and physical gym
nastics Of the severest sort for five
and half hours a day, the physical
being confined mainly to the tongue,
jaws and throat, though the hands
are wonderful help, especially if you
happen to be outside of school and
really want something done Git is
marvellous how much you can accom-
plish through the sign language), but
the mental covers the whole brain
and then sighs because there isn't
enough gray matter to finish the Job.
We haven't much time outside of
Language School for work, but, just
to keep my hand In, l took an Eng
lish class In the Woman's Bible
Training School, and 1t Is a toss-up
as to which is harder, to learn Chi
nese myself or teach them English
In spite Of the hard work involved,
| find language study intensely inter-
esting, and l am longing for the day
to come when shall be able to take
up my regular work. But, even now,
with our limited time and language,
there are opportunities for doing the
Lords work, for although the people
Of Marking rose nobly to the appeal
from the North last fall, we find that
there are literally thousands of poor
right here in Marking, who barely ex-
ist In warm weather, and who simply
won't be able to keep body and soul
together during the winter. 1t does
not take a great deal Of time or Ian
guage to see that families, some of
them at our very doors, who have no
shelter but straw hut with dirt
floor, no fire, no bed or bedding Of
any kind, very little winter clothing
and almost nothing to eat, need ma
terial help when the thermometer
stands at 20 degrees or lower. Nor
does 1t take much money to give
them little package Of rice or a
quilt. 1t almost makes my warm
clothes suffocate me when think Of
them. Missionaries are doing a great
deal to relieve the want, but 1t hard
ly makes a start when there are so
many needy on S. Usually there Is
some sort OF organized municipal aid
for the poor, but the unsettled condi-
tion Of political affairs makes it i'm
possible to count ON that this winter,
and there is no doubht that many
will freeze to death or starve before
spring.
My first Christmas here WAS very