Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-02-01
Letter From MIR. and Mrs.
John Lake.

Letter From MIR. and Mrs
John Lake.
On little Chinese river boat, six
feet wide on the Tsung Fa River,
Any old time!
Our Dear Home Folks:
We have been living on this little
boat for a week; and it is to be our
home for little over a week longer.
Last month, we lived this way for
three weeks at stretch; and the
month before, eve took some shorter
trips-a printed account of one of
these shorter trips we enclose here
with.
The contrast is considerable, be-
tween an electric lighted gun-boat,
fitted up with electric fans and wire
less, and this little craft; and the diff
ference between spending four days
on his boat, as the guests of the Presi-
dent, and living as we now are with
the humblest of South China's queer
boat population, is just as great
South China is noted for its extremes
of climate and other things; but moth
ing can beat the extremes, sudden,
unexpected, sometimes most anus
ing, that make up the queer life we
lead. Our home. during these weeks,
as we go. up and down the rivers in
our field, holding meetings, is one
end of the little, low, fiat boat, which
is sometimes propelled by oars, some-
times by sail, and sometimes by a
tow-rope.
Next to our section of the boat is
that occupied by Chinese preacher,
a helper we bring along to look after
the baggage, etc., and two or three
men of the boats crew. The third
division of the boat is filled up with
the captain and his family. There is
nothing between US and all these
Chinese people. but cloth missionary
map of the world and some curtains
that we always take with us on these
trips.
Also, we take with us everything
we shall need for weeks-bedding
| for our pallet ON the floor of our part
OF the Doat, the ihiss ables naosq
| net, two native rattan chairs, a lit-a
tie table of the same make, little.
lantern made in Chicago, changes of
clothing-thick, thin, and medium,
for very changeable climate-some
few cans of milk and crackers, and
the like. The boat is innocent of fur
niture of any kind-well, what could
we expect to get for fifty cents or a :.
dollar day? Travelling in style,
aren't we? And we are just as happy
as our surroundings are lowly-and I
just as happy as we are busy, hold,
ing meetings in the river towns every
day, or in the mountain towns and
villages, like the ones'we visited yes
terday, and shall visit tomorrow, and
so on.
The way we are getting few min
utes in which to begin this letter to
you is this: message has just come
to say that change in the program
of the party is necessary, so that, in
stead of starting for village in the
hills little after sunrise, as we did
yesterday, we shall not have to leave.
until after nine o'clock-ah! here it
| is, few minutes after nine, and they
will be calling US, for the meeting
is for the dedication of new chapel
and school house, and if you read the
annual report of our mission, which
will be presented to the Southern
Baptist Convention next May, you
may see mention Of the fact that.
our good friend, Prof. Kwong, of the:
Baptist Academy, and aRnoSC our
! next door neighbor in Canton City,,
has given his boyhood home in his
native village, where we are going
now, for this noble purpose.
And it is time to go now. So glad
we could have these few moments
with you, before we begin the long
walk.
Little bulletins like the one enclosa
ed serve to keep you dear ones att
home in touch with your work COM
mitted to us. 1t is Slight return
for the much enjoyed weekly visits
of the Advertiser, though.
TJ;+h lovo +o oa oh roaroher of yo11r