Letter from Harriet to Father, January 24, 1884

Letter from Harriet to Father, January 24, 1884

Christianity--19th century; Clergy; Chinese language; Prosecution; Sino-French War, 1884-1885; Christian Missions

Hattie writes to her father about the mission's first three Chinese ministers, who were ordained last Tuesday. One of them was appointed as the Second Church's pastor. Harriet says that it is difficult to understand when he speaks. Last week two elders and two deaconesses were elected. Some elders died and their wives took up their work. Harriet believes that Christianity is finally getting settled in China. Some of Henry's church members were going to be prosecuted but not anymore. Harriet says that they have not heard anything about war recently. She has been reading about work in the Fiji Islands by Miss Gordon Cummings.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3

Unpublished

1884-01-24

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_340

Canton China
Jan 24th 1884
My dear Father,
Your letter of Dec 6th came
a few days since. I had
a nice lot of letters by the
last mail. The one preceding
I did not get any from home.
This has been rather a busy
week with us here. On Tuesday
we had the great happiness of
seeing three native ministers
ordained the first of our
mission. You will remember
about Quan Lay whose letter
was published in the Observer
some time since. He is one of
the three and has been chosen
as the pastor of the Second
church which has undertaken
his support, so our pastor is
a Chinaman. He seems a
very good man and has a
"good report of them that are

without. He was installed
today Henry preached the
sermon Dr Happer gave
the charge to the pastor and
Mr Henry the charge to the
people. I hope he will do
well the church seems pleased
and the members were all
unanimous in calling him.
He is from the country so that
it is rather difficult to understand
him particularly as he does
not articulate very well. But
no doubt we shall become
accustomed to his pronunciation.
It seems very nice indeed for
the church to be self supporting.
Last week two elders were
elected and two deaconesses.
Tell Mattie that the two deaconesses
are [?San Lok?] and [?Lan Hiny's?]
widow. San Lok's husband
died a few days since both
these widows husbands were
elders in the church so it
seems as though their wives

had taken up their work as
far as they can do so.
We shall miss Mr Henry's
sermons very much but it is
no doubt the very best thing to
have native pastors as soon as
practicable. Another of the three
"U-Sik-Kan" of Dr Happer's church
is going out to a city up the East
River, to live and will take
charge of the stations in that
direction which Mr Henry has
had The third Lai [?Tsmapo?] is
the preacher at Lan Ui and
now having been ordained he
can visit the stations there if
Henry wishes. It seems as
though we had taken quite a
step in advance, indeed it does
seem lately as though the walls
of [?Lyin?] are being built in
troublous times. There seems
to be a feeling gaining ground
among the Chinese that
Christianity is taking root and
that the mission work will be

greatly prospered in the near
future. Henry will no doubt
write to you of some of his church
members who seemed likely to
be called to endure persecution
but the military general to whom
complaint of them was
made said that the doctrine
was good and he had no
objection to their believing it
and there was no ground of
complaint against them.
They were so relieved and
happy about it that they had
a day of thanksgiving. We
do not hear so much about
war now and it seems
more probable that an amicable
settlement of all difficulties will
soon be made. I have
dreamed of you several
times lately. One night I dreamed
that you were getting ready
to lead a missionary meeting
and were going to talk
about the Feejee (Fiji) Islands.

[Continued vertically on the first page]
I have been
reading a
very interesting
work about
the Fiji
Islands by
Miss Gordon
Cummings
whom I saw
in Canton
some years
since
Now I must
say good night
with much love
Your aff daughter
Harriet.

中国广东
1884年1月24日
我亲爱的父亲，
几天前你12月6日写的信到了。
上一封邮件我收到了很多信，
在那之前的邮件，
我没有收到任何来自家里的信件。
/
这周我很忙。
周二
三位中国部长被任命，
/
我们很高兴。
你还记得Quan Lay吗？
他的信发表在传教士报纸上。
/
他是三位被选择的人之一，
第二个是我们支持的第二个教堂的牧师，
/
/
所以现在我们的牧师是中国人。
他看起来是个很好的人，
他有很好的资历。
/

他今天成为了首席牧师，
Henry传教，
Happer医生对牧师讲话，
Henry对听众讲话。
/
我希望新牧师会成功，
/
所有会众都很高兴。
/
他是农村人，
所以他的口音很难听懂，
/
说话也不是很清楚。
/
但我们可能会习惯他的发音。
/
很高兴教会是自给自足的。
/
上周选出了两位长老和两位女执事
告诉Mattie那两个女执事是
San Lok 和 Lan Hiny的寡妇。
San Lok的丈夫
前几天去世。
他们的丈夫都是教会的长老，
/
现在他们已经去世了，

似乎他们的妻子正在承担他们的责任。
/
我们会想念Henry先生的传教，
/
但有一个本地牧师是最好的。
/
第二个叫U-Sik-Kan，
他是Happer医生教会的成员，
/
他计划顺着东河到一个他负责传教活动的城市，
之前，
Henry先生负责那里的传教活动。
第三个被按立的人
他在Lan Ui当牧师。
现在他被按立了，
如果Henry想要，
他可以负责那里的传教站。
/
感觉广州的传教组织进步很大。
尽管情况艰难，
我们正在取得巨大进步。
/
中国人普遍认为基督教可能正在传播，
/
传教工作在不久的将来会有很大的回报。
/

/
Henry可能会给你寄一封信，
/
告诉你他的教会成员
/
有些人抱怨他们，
/
所以他们被调来接受军政长官的审判，
/
州长说他不反对他们的教义，
/
因此他们可以继续信仰基督教。
/
他们如释重负，
度过了感恩的一天。
我们现在没有听到任何关于战争的消息，
/
所以他们一定是友好地解决了问题。
/
最近梦见你好几次了。
/
有一次，
我梦见你准备领导一个传教士会议，
/
我们要谈论斐济群岛。
/

我一直在读Gordon Cummings小姐写的一本关于斐济群岛的非常有趣的书
/
/
/
/
/
几年前
我在广州
见到了
这本书
的作家。
现在
我要说
晚安
您的女儿
Harriet

Letter