Letter from Hattie to Mother, July 23, 1880

Letter from Hattie to Mother, July 23, 1880

Christian converts from Hinduism; Presbyterian Church; Missionaries; School buildings; Debt

Harriet explains to her mother that she did not have time to write letters yesterday because Mr. and Mrs. McCanley visited during the day and in the evening she attended a speech by Mr. Sheshadri from India. He is a converted Brahmin. Harriet calls him "a genuine Christian no imposter". He has been a missionary in India with the Scottish Presbyterian Church for forty years. Now, he is on his way to the United States to attend the Pan Presbyterian Council in Philadelphia. Mr. McCanley visited the school and he is surprised that such a building was constructed for less than $10,000 in Bangkok. She says that Henry could have got it for $5,000 in Canton. The Mission asked for an extra $500 from the Board. Hattie thinks that the Board will agree because they are out of debt.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #2

Unpublished

1880-07-23

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_222

Canton China
July 23d 1880
My dear Mother -
I hoped to have
had time to write letters
home yesterday but we
had Mr + Mrs McCanley
here through the day and
in the evening a Mr
Sheshadri from India
spoke in Dr Kerr's parlor.
You have perhaps heard
of him he is a converted
Brahmin {a genuine Christian
no imposter} and has
been engaged in Mission
work in India in
connection with the
Scotch Presbyterian church
for nearly forty years.
He was in America

a few weeks in 1874 I
think and spoke in
a great many places I
heard of him frequently
while I was in the
east He seems a very
intelligent man and
speaks English perfectly.
He is on his way now to
America to attend the
Pan Presbyterian Council
that is to meet in Philadelphia.
Mr and Mrs McCanley
leave this morning will
go as far as Japan on
the Oceanic which takes
these letters. Mr Sheshadin
is going to speak this
afternoon to the native
Christians they are to meet
in the Hospital chapel.
He is coming down to go

through the Hospital and
will go over our new school
house. Mr McCanley went
over it yesterday and she
has been over it twice. He
says that he dont believe
they could have got up
such a building in Bangkok
for less that $10 000 They
both thought that is is so
very nice. It is nicer
in every way than I
ever expected we
should have-- I do
not believe any one but
Henry would have got it
here in Canton for less
then $5,000. When I
first showed the plan
to Dr Kerr he said
the building would want
$8,000 They did not
however make such a

large estimate as that.
We have not yet heard
from the Board whether
they will allow the $500.00
extra that the Mission
has asked for. But I should
think as they are out of
debt that they will be
willing to do it. We have
had in one way and
another the past two years
about one thousand dollars
sent to us and have been
saving it up in hopes of getting
our building soon so we will
have that and if we do not get
any more from home we will
have to wait longer to open the
school and use the school
allowance to make out with .
Every one is astonished at the
[u]size[/u] of our building. I am almost
surprised myself and we are
[u]delighted[/u] that it is so nice in
every way ---

[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
There I
have written
this letter
in just
fifteen
minutes
so I shall
have time
for some
more as I
was up earlier
than usual
this morning
Ever yr loving
daughter
[u]Hattie[/u]

Letter