Letter from Hattie to Sarah, March 22, 1868
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Sarah, March 22, 1868
Subject
Sabbath; Missionaries; Girls' schools; Scholars; Teaching; Mail steamers
Description
In a letter to her sister, Sarah, Harriet talks about Sabbath day in China, and how different it is from home. She writes of her last Sabbath at home, before putting down her pen and resuming the letter three weeks later. In this entry, Harriet details the opening of her school for girls in Henry's study. Harriet resumes writing the letter the next day, Monday, where she tells Sarah to relay some messages to the Shaws and her SS class for her.
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1868-03-22
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_006
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton March 22nd /68
My [u]own dear Sarah[/u] -
It is sabbath day but
I feel as though I must write to you a little.
Henry has gone away to attend a meeting held
by one of the native preachers so I am all alone
and of course I am thinking about [u]you all[/u].
Last night Henry & I sat up talking about
you until nearly twelve. We always think
more if [u]possible[/u] about you Saturday night
and Sunday than the rest of the week.
But the sabbath here is so different [--here--] from
what it is at home. All day long we hear the
same sounds of business and labor going
on all around us as any other day in the
week and it seems so [u]sad[/u]. My heart is
often heavy with the thought of this vast
multitude living on in utter ignorance
of the life beyond and every day bringing
them nearer to the grave. I often look at
them as they pass by and think how few of
this generation will receive any knowledge
of the life and immortality which is brought
to light in the gospel. It always makes
me feel very sad to see an old person &
realize how little probability there is that they
will know anything of Christianity before
their days on earth are numbered.
We usually go down to Mr Preston's meeting
on the sabbath in Dr Kerr's hospital chapel
in the forenoon. In the afternoon "Aho"
comes up with "Yunha" her sister to recite
her lesson. Yunha is a little girl and
I always think of [u]our dear[/u] little SS class
at [u]home[/u] when I am hearing her recite.
Of course Aho asks the questions and I
understand very little of it but it seems more
like a recitation for her to come and say
it to me. Afterwards we sing a few hymns
usually and talk a little. Aho talks
English very nicely. After this we intend
to have an afternoon service in the
chapel at the back of this house. We go
down every morning and evening
to chinese prayers there, and I play
on the melodeon. Sabbath evenings
the missionaries have a meeting &
take turns in preaching sermons so
that it seems a little like meetings at
home. How I should enjoy once more
attending a service in the dear [u]dear[/u]
little church at Guilford. We [u]cannot[/u]
know what a privilege it is until
we can no longer enjoy it. I mean
that we cannot [u]fully[/u] appreciate it.
I often recall my last sabbath at home.
I remember Father asked me if I wanted
a letter from the church but I could
not bear to think of taking [?one?] then
and as they have not required it of
some of the members here, I do not
wish it now and if they will let my name
remain upon the record at home I
shall love to feel that I am stillconnected
with the church with which I first united
and whose members are so dear to me.
My darling sister I had written
this far when I laid down my pen
and since then three weeks have
passed and it is again the sabbath
day. It is after ten o clock now so
I may think of you as at church
If I could only be with you instead
of spending the next few hours in
sleep on this side of the world. I
have no doubt I shall visit you in
my dreams tonight I almost always
do. This morning I wakened dreaming
that we had just reached home to
find that [u]Em[/u] was sick. I saw her &
Mattie so plainly in the South chamber
and talked with [u]Father[/u]. We are
so anxious to get letters and if we
only get good news from [u]all[/u] it seems
to me I could not feel thankful
enough. To-day I met a little
class of girls just about the age of
our SS class at home. I had them
come to the parlor and sang
with them and talked with them
through "Aho". We have commenced
a girls school and these were the
scholars, but as yet ^[we] have only a few
the school-room is not ready yet &
they study in Henry's study.
The teacher "Sinshang" is the same
woman that taught Mrs Happer's
school. From appearances I have
not much doubt that when we are
ready for them we shall have as
many pupils as we can take care
of I cannot tell you how [u]I long[/u]
to be able to [u]talk[/u] with them and
the chinese woman. There is
such a wide [u]wide[/u] field of labor
here , but the laborers are few.
I hope you will not forget to pray
[u]often[/u] that I may be fitted for
usefulness here, and that the
blessing of our Heavenly Father
may best inform this little school.
Monday - It is after mail time again
and still the steamer not in.
I do not feel as if I could write I
can think of nothing but our disappointment
When you are reading this two months
hence perhaps it will seem a light thing
that we were obliged to wait a few days
longer than we expected but we surely
cannot think so now. Now while I
think of it I want to ask you if you
wont sometime go over to Mr Shaw's
and tell them for me that I have
always felt so [u]very sorry[/u] that I did not
get over to bid them good-bye I fully
intended to the last morning but
you know how it was I was so busy
and it rained so that I could not
Tell them that I think of them very
often , The last time I saw Mrs Shaw
she was in the garden and I was passing
just a few days before I came away & I
stopped and talked with her about
our [u]precious Hannah[/u]. Perhaps she
will remember it, I cannot ^[remember] when I saw
Mr Shaw last. I wish that I could
Tell my dear little SS class that I am
so glad to hear a good account of them.
I am afraid that I did not improve
the opportunity I had of teaching them
as well as I might have done, but I am
sure I feel a very deep interest in them. My
feelings for them are expressed very beautifully
in the 587th Hymn. Every Sabbath eve when
we have prayers we sing "Thine Earthly sabbaths" +c
+ hope that you will sing it at home a few hours afterwards
You will always sing it for us will you not sabbath evenings.
Your loving Hattie.
My [u]own dear Sarah[/u] -
It is sabbath day but
I feel as though I must write to you a little.
Henry has gone away to attend a meeting held
by one of the native preachers so I am all alone
and of course I am thinking about [u]you all[/u].
Last night Henry & I sat up talking about
you until nearly twelve. We always think
more if [u]possible[/u] about you Saturday night
and Sunday than the rest of the week.
But the sabbath here is so different [--here--] from
what it is at home. All day long we hear the
same sounds of business and labor going
on all around us as any other day in the
week and it seems so [u]sad[/u]. My heart is
often heavy with the thought of this vast
multitude living on in utter ignorance
of the life beyond and every day bringing
them nearer to the grave. I often look at
them as they pass by and think how few of
this generation will receive any knowledge
of the life and immortality which is brought
to light in the gospel. It always makes
me feel very sad to see an old person &
realize how little probability there is that they
will know anything of Christianity before
their days on earth are numbered.
We usually go down to Mr Preston's meeting
on the sabbath in Dr Kerr's hospital chapel
in the forenoon. In the afternoon "Aho"
comes up with "Yunha" her sister to recite
her lesson. Yunha is a little girl and
I always think of [u]our dear[/u] little SS class
at [u]home[/u] when I am hearing her recite.
Of course Aho asks the questions and I
understand very little of it but it seems more
like a recitation for her to come and say
it to me. Afterwards we sing a few hymns
usually and talk a little. Aho talks
English very nicely. After this we intend
to have an afternoon service in the
chapel at the back of this house. We go
down every morning and evening
to chinese prayers there, and I play
on the melodeon. Sabbath evenings
the missionaries have a meeting &
take turns in preaching sermons so
that it seems a little like meetings at
home. How I should enjoy once more
attending a service in the dear [u]dear[/u]
little church at Guilford. We [u]cannot[/u]
know what a privilege it is until
we can no longer enjoy it. I mean
that we cannot [u]fully[/u] appreciate it.
I often recall my last sabbath at home.
I remember Father asked me if I wanted
a letter from the church but I could
not bear to think of taking [?one?] then
and as they have not required it of
some of the members here, I do not
wish it now and if they will let my name
remain upon the record at home I
shall love to feel that I am stillconnected
with the church with which I first united
and whose members are so dear to me.
My darling sister I had written
this far when I laid down my pen
and since then three weeks have
passed and it is again the sabbath
day. It is after ten o clock now so
I may think of you as at church
If I could only be with you instead
of spending the next few hours in
sleep on this side of the world. I
have no doubt I shall visit you in
my dreams tonight I almost always
do. This morning I wakened dreaming
that we had just reached home to
find that [u]Em[/u] was sick. I saw her &
Mattie so plainly in the South chamber
and talked with [u]Father[/u]. We are
so anxious to get letters and if we
only get good news from [u]all[/u] it seems
to me I could not feel thankful
enough. To-day I met a little
class of girls just about the age of
our SS class at home. I had them
come to the parlor and sang
with them and talked with them
through "Aho". We have commenced
a girls school and these were the
scholars, but as yet ^[we] have only a few
the school-room is not ready yet &
they study in Henry's study.
The teacher "Sinshang" is the same
woman that taught Mrs Happer's
school. From appearances I have
not much doubt that when we are
ready for them we shall have as
many pupils as we can take care
of I cannot tell you how [u]I long[/u]
to be able to [u]talk[/u] with them and
the chinese woman. There is
such a wide [u]wide[/u] field of labor
here , but the laborers are few.
I hope you will not forget to pray
[u]often[/u] that I may be fitted for
usefulness here, and that the
blessing of our Heavenly Father
may best inform this little school.
Monday - It is after mail time again
and still the steamer not in.
I do not feel as if I could write I
can think of nothing but our disappointment
When you are reading this two months
hence perhaps it will seem a light thing
that we were obliged to wait a few days
longer than we expected but we surely
cannot think so now. Now while I
think of it I want to ask you if you
wont sometime go over to Mr Shaw's
and tell them for me that I have
always felt so [u]very sorry[/u] that I did not
get over to bid them good-bye I fully
intended to the last morning but
you know how it was I was so busy
and it rained so that I could not
Tell them that I think of them very
often , The last time I saw Mrs Shaw
she was in the garden and I was passing
just a few days before I came away & I
stopped and talked with her about
our [u]precious Hannah[/u]. Perhaps she
will remember it, I cannot ^[remember] when I saw
Mr Shaw last. I wish that I could
Tell my dear little SS class that I am
so glad to hear a good account of them.
I am afraid that I did not improve
the opportunity I had of teaching them
as well as I might have done, but I am
sure I feel a very deep interest in them. My
feelings for them are expressed very beautifully
in the 587th Hymn. Every Sabbath eve when
we have prayers we sing "Thine Earthly sabbaths" +c
+ hope that you will sing it at home a few hours afterwards
You will always sing it for us will you not sabbath evenings.
Your loving Hattie.
广东 1868年3月22日
我亲爱的Sarah，
今天周日
我给你写一封短信。
Henry 不再，
他去跟一个中国牧师开会
所以我独自想你。
昨天晚上我和Henry
聊到你一直聊到半夜
周六晚上和周日
我们更想你。
这里的周日跟家里的完全不一样。
周日让我很难过
因为我还能听到
商业声音，
跟工作日一样。
我特别心疼这些人，
除了工作以外
他们什么都没有。
当我看到他们经过时
我感到遗憾是，
因为很少有人
会皈依基督教
当我看到一个老人时，
我感觉到很难过，
因为他们没有
足够的时间
了解基督教。
周日早上
我们经常去
Kerr医生医院里的小教堂。
下午Aho带她小妹妹Yunha来学习。
Yunha是个小女孩
我一看她就想
我们家里的小课。
当然，Aho 问好几个我听不懂的问题，
尽管我回不了她
她还是很满意。
下课以后我们一起唱圣诗和聊天。
Aho的英文还不错。
聊完天
我们去家里的小教堂
参加礼拜。
我天天在家里的小教堂
参加礼拜，拉手风琴。
每周日晚上
有点像家里，
传教士们
轮流传教。
我特别想
参加礼拜在我们
Guilford里的小教堂。
直到我们离开，
我们才感激不尽。
我经常想到
我在家最后的周日。
我记得父亲问我
是否愿意带教堂的信，
我舍不得可是
我仍然感到
与教堂和
郊区居民的联系。
/
/
/
我亲爱的妹妹
我三周前开始写这封信。
今天又是
星期天。
现在十点以后
所以你应该正在参加礼拜。
我宁愿和你在一起
而不在世界的这一面
愿睡着.
我毫不怀疑
我会在梦中见到你
今天早上
我梦到
Em 生病了
我在南房间清楚地看到了她和Mattie,
并与父亲交谈。
我们非常想收到信件，
如果我们只从你那里得到好消息，
我将不胜感激。
今天我见面一些女孩
跟我们家里SS课同岁。
我请她们
来客厅一起唱歌，
我用Aho当翻译与他们交谈。
这些女孩是
我们开的女子学校的学生，
现在学校只有几学生
教室还没准备好
而且我们用Henry的办公室当书房。
Sinshang老师也在
Happer太太教课了。
我认为，
当我们准备好,
学校将有
我们想要的尽可能多的学生
我等不及要和
他们以及
中国的女人聊天。
工作很多，
工人很少。
我希望
你不要忘记
经常祈祷我可以在这里有用，
并且我们天父的祝福
可以最好地教会这所小学校。
周一 又见世间过后
轮船还没到。
我很失望可是
我不敢写。
当你在两个月内阅读这封信
你可能会认为
等待轮船时间比预期的要长是一件小事
但这对我们很着急。
我想问问
你是否愿意去
Shaw 先生家
并告诉他们，
我对不向他们说再见感到抱歉，
我打算去但是我很忙，
那是最后一个早上，
下着雨，
所以我不能告诉他们
我经常想到他们。
上次我见到Shaw 太太的时候，
她在花园里，
在我离前几天，
我就路过了，
我停下脚步，与她谈论Hannah。
也许他会记得。
我不记得上次见到Shaw 先生是什么时候。
告诉我亲爱的SS 学生
我挺开心听到他们怎么样。
即使
我没有很好地教他们，
我仍然对他们
有很深的兴趣.
我对他们的感受在赞美歌587中表达。
每个周日晚上我们唱
“您的属世安息日”，
我希望你们在家也可以边唱歌
边想到我。
你亲爱的Hattie
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Sarah, March 22, 1868,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 25, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/5.