Bible; Chinese language--Translating; Missionaries; Homesickness; God
Description
In this letter to her father on his birthday, Hattie talks about how the weather and friends in China remind her of her sister, Em. She tells her father of the health of her friends; the Folsoms seem to be having a particularly difficult time. She concludes by discussing the translation of the New Testament. She talks about the disagreement regarding the translation of God.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1868-07-01
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Canton China
July 1st 1868
My [u]dearly loved[/u] Father
This morning I sat
down pen in hand and was just about
commencing a letter to a friend when I
remembered what I have been thinking
of for several days that it is your birthday
and the first letter to-day must certainly
be for you. It is now the evening of a
dull rainy day it has rained almost
incessantly for five days. I often think
of Em these dark days (and bright ones [u]too[/u])
I remember she had no fancy for such
weather. Miss Radcliffe whom I have spoken
of before as being so much like Em has just
the same idea of gloomy days. She reminds
Henry and I both so much of Em in what
she says and the way she says it and
what she [u]dont[/u] for she is not much of a
talker. She is much better since her trip to
Hong Kong + I hope will continue so-
I mention our friends here freely so that you
may as much as possible feel as though
you know them. I have been alone this
week as Henry went to Macao on Monday.
The Folsoms have been down there two or
three weeks for the health of their little boy -
but since they have been there. Mrs Folsom
has had a fever, and Mr Preston had
such a sad letter from them Saturday
that Henry thought he had better go down
and see if they needed help. He found
them somewhat better but Mrs Folsom is
quite poorly and they are thinking some
of starting home in the Colorado the 15th
of this month if she gets strong enough.
Mrs Kerr is going down to Macao soon with
Josie poor little fellow the hot weather is very
trying for him + I am afraid they will not
be able to keep him long. They have already
buried three children. The Prestons are
all well and Henry + I the same so
[Note: page torn so there are sections missing]
that we shall not need to go to
not mention that Henry is coming
to-morrow. I was quite disappointed this evening
in being kept at home by the rain. The Turners
from Hong kong are spending a few days with
a Mr Davis here and their baby is to be
baptised this evening + so will have a short
service and afterwards a sort of social gathering
and I doubt not will have a very pleasant time
Mrs Turner spent the day with me yesterday
They have been very much afflicted with sickness
Mr + Mrs Turner both being very sick at once + the
only thing they could do was to send for Mr
Whitehead to come and take care of them.
But I fear my letter is taking the form of a
Doctor's report so I will change the subject.
Just as present there is a great deal of interest
here in the subject of translating the
New Testament into Canton Colloquial which
is very difficult from the book language in
which form it has only been published as yet.
The most of the Missionaries think it a wise
[Note: page torn so there are sections missing]
of course it would be very
men would all think just alike
points that arise. You know Paul
the first missionary set the example of differing
from his co laborers. Perhaps you remember that
when the Bible was first translated into Chinese
in the time of Walter Lowrie there was such a
long discussion about the term for God some
prefering Shun + some Sheung Ti. The question
has never been settled and now both terms
are used Shun almost universally by the
American missionaries and Sheung Ti by
the English. It seems unfortunate that
two terms should be used A great objection
to Sheung Ti is that the Chinese have an idol
by that name + I have heard of instances
where the ignorant class of people have
understood the missionaries as urging
them to worship that idol. It is often
difficult in a heathen language to find
words to express Christian ideas + often
necessary to coin new words and then teach
them their meaning. The controversy regarding
Shun + Sheung Ti will not come up however in
this work as [--all--] the missionaries will write in
translating + then each publish in their own way.
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on the top of page one]
July 6th-
I thought
I would
write more
than this sheet
for you but
am going
to Macao this
morning so
it will be
impossible.
With ever
so much
love for
all the
dear
ones from
your [u]own
loving
daughter[/u]
Harriet