Section of Martha Fay Noyes [Kerr] Biography
Dublin Core
Title
Section of Martha Fay Noyes [Kerr] Biography
Subject
Biography; Women in the Presbyterian Church; Missionaries; Sanatoriums; Death
Description
This is a section of a biography on Martha Fay Noyes. It relates significant episodes of her life beginning with her birth in Seville, Ohio. It also discusses her accomplishments, including her work as a teacher and the foundation of the "The John G. Kerr Hospital for the Insane." It also outlines her reflections and memory as she neared death.
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Unknown
Source
Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
n. d.
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
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PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_misc_854
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
[Note: Notes written in blue in another hand]
MARTHA A BIOG 1
2
such service. Martha Fay Noyes was born June 1st
1840 in Seville, Ohio. Her father was
past of the Pres. Ch. for forty years.
She was graduated from Vermillion Inst.
in 1865. For four years she taught in the
High School of Ashland, O, and for four
years more in Cleveland and Columbus.
In April 7th 1873 she was commissioned
by the Board and assigned to South China,
arriving on the field Dec. 8th 1873. Her
first term was given to teaching, being
associated with her sister Miss Harriet N Noyes.
After her first furlough she was
married John G. Kerr, M.D. and she
entered with whole-souled interest into the
medical work of her husband. She was
deeply interested in the spiritual welfare
of the hospital patients, devising better
methods for their instruction with blessed
results.
Dr. Kerr had long desired to establish
a hospital for the insane; there was no
such institution in all of China. Beginning
modestly with a single dispensary, they
were able at last to erect two buildings
for this purpose. "Feb. 20- 1898 a party
[Note: In blue] 2
3
consisting of the doctor, a man carrying
on his back an insane patient, followed
by the wife of the doctor, stood at the
door of one of the buildings, a key was
inserted and the door opened, and for the
first time in the history of China a
mind diseased was to receive special
hospital care." Thus was begun -
"The John G. Kerr Hospital for the Insane."
which has served all classes from high
officials to street beggars. About 7.000
patients have been treated, of whom 25%
have been cured.
Following Dr Kerr's sudden death
on Aug 10, 1901, Mrs. Kerr continued to
make the work of the hospital her chief
aim in life. She was concerned for
the financial welfare of the Institution.
It was Dr. Kerr's desire that the
main support should come from the
Chinese themselves and this policy has
been practically carried out.
Mrs. Kerr wrote in 1923: "we can now,
on the 25th Anniversary Year of the
"John G. Kerr Hospital for the Insane"
[Note: In blue] 3
4
hand it over in trust to the Board
practically free of debt." The soul saving
work of the hospital was, in Mrs. Kerr's mind,
its most important service. It was to her
a great joy that the Shanghai Conference
could say, "We consider that as evangel-
listic agency the John G. Kerr hospital is
unsurpassed."
On her 50th Anniversary as a
missionary, in Dec. 1923, Mrs. Kerr was
Honorably Retired from active service and
received felicitations from many friends
expressing deep appreciation of her long
years of service which with such prayer,
sacrifice and forethought were coming
to full fruition. Dr. J. Walter Lowrie
wrote "What changes and advances you have
been permitted to see in this half century."
No one can know the influence which the
loving kindness expressed daily in the
Hospital for the Insane had had throughout
Canton and far beyond. The whole
spirit of the institution is so different
from anything that China has produced,
and is a testimony to the power and
wonder of the grace of the God in the gift
[Note: In blue] 4
5
of His Son to China, and such self sacrificing
work as this, which is the natural fruit of
that gift." Dr. Sun Yat Sen expressed
his gratification" to learn that you attain
today the great age of 84 years, and sends
you his best wishes and in the name of our
people, thanks you for the good work that
you have done in our midst."
On the 85th birthday Mrs. Kerr
wrote: "Life is too uncertain to prolong
business matters. I am getting my house
in order so I hope there will be no trouble
in store for those who are left responsible
for any of my interests. It is a
blessed thing to live [u]a day at a time[/u] - not
take on the cares and anxieties of tomorrow.
The promise is "[u]As thy day[/u] so shall
thy strength be no tomorrow included.
If we carry tomorrow's burden
it must be in our own strength, and
that is weakness" And a year
later in the midst of the distractions
and perils of the strained South China
situation she wrote "Am going on [u]a
day at a time[/u] know that the time
is short, that my feet are very near the
[Note: In blue] 5
6
threshold of Heaven. The spiritual song
"Just as I am without one plea" tells the
whole story. My hope of entering in to be
forever with the Lord is all expressed in
those verses "Only a sinner and nothing
at all, Jesus, my Saviour is all in all."
Mrs. Kerr positive and virile
character that she was, depended humbly
upon prayer: "You dear people at home
can never know what it means to us to
feel that prayer in the homeland is
constantly going up for us." And thus
in the midst of the distractions and
uncertainties of life in Canton these
past months, she could write "Perhaps
it is well our eyes are holden that we
cannot see the end thereof, But we
know who is at the helm and we
cannot be afraid."
It was in this trust and in
this spirit that Mrs. Kerr finished
the voyage of life. Her work well done,
she goes to "Higher Service" humbly
trusting in Jesus Christ her Master.
7
To the family of Mrs. Kerr,
to the South China missionaries and to
her many friends, the Board cannot
offer condolence but rather congratulations
on their association with this rare spirit
and in that another strong bond draws
them and us all nearer to that
Heavenly Home where she has
entered in to go no more out forever.
All must rejoice in her
eighty six years rounded out with
mind clear, heart warm and true,
faith strong and hope abounding.
With long life she was
satisfied and was shown God's
salvation.
[注：另一手用蓝色书写的笔记]
玛莎·比奥格 1
2
这样的服务。 Martha Fay Noyes 出生于 6 月 1 日
1840 年在俄亥俄州塞维利亚。她的父亲是
Pres的过去。通道。四十年。
她毕业于朱红学院。
1865 年。四年来，她在
阿什兰高中，O，四人
在克利夫兰和哥伦布再过几年。
1873 年 4 月 7 日，她受命
由董事会分配到华南地区，
1873 年 12 月 8 日抵达战场。她
第一个学期是教学，是
与她的妹妹 Harriet N Noyes 小姐有关。
在她第一次休假后，她
与医学博士 John G. Kerr 结婚，她
全心全意地加入
丈夫的医疗工作。她
对精神福祉深感兴趣
医院的病人，设计更好
他们的教导方法与祝福
结果。
克尔博士长期以来一直希望建立
精神病院；没有
这样的机构在全中国。开始
谦虚地用一个药房，他们
终于能够建造两座建筑物
以此目的。 “2 月 20-1898 年的一个聚会
[注：蓝色] 2
3
由医生组成，一名男子携带
在他的背上，一个精神错乱的病人，紧随其后
由医生的妻子站在
其中一栋建筑物的门，一把钥匙是
插入和门打开，并为
中国历史上第一次
精神病是要接受特殊的
医院护理。”就这样开始了——
“John G. Kerr 精神病院。”
从高处服务于所有班级
官员去街头乞讨。约 7.000
患者已接受治疗，其中 25%
已被治愈。
在克尔博士突然去世后
1901 年 8 月 10 日，科尔夫人继续
以医院的工作为首
以生活为目标。她担心
该机构的财务福利。
克尔博士希望
主要支持应该来自
中国人自己和这个政策有
已实际执行。
克尔夫人在 1923 年写道：“我们现在可以，
在国庆 25 周年之际
“约翰 G. 克尔精神病院”
[注：蓝色] 3
4
以信托方式将其移交给董事会
几乎没有债务。”拯救灵魂
在克尔太太看来，医院的工作是
它最重要的服务。是给她的
上海会议大喜过望
可以说，“我们认为这是福音——
清单机构 John G. Kerr 医院是
无与伦比。”
在她的 50 周年纪念日
传教士，1923 年 12 月，克尔夫人
光荣地从现役退役和
收到很多朋友的祝福
对她长久以来深表感谢
多年的服务，伴随着这样的祈祷，
牺牲和深谋远虑即将来临
到圆满的结果。 J. Walter Lowrie 博士
写道“你有什么变化和进步
在这半个世纪里被允许看到。”
没有人知道它的影响
每天都在表达爱意
疯人院一直在
广州和更远的地方。整体
机构精神如此不同
从中国生产的任何东西中，
是权力的见证
神在礼物中的恩典的奇妙
[注：蓝色] 4
5
他的儿子到中国，这样的自我牺牲
像这样工作，这是自然的果实
那个礼物。”孙中山博士表示
他的满足”来了解你达到
今天84岁的大龄，送
以我们的名义，向您致以最良好的祝愿
人们，谢谢你的出色工作
你在我们中间做了。”
克尔夫人 85 岁生日
写道：“生命太不确定，无法延长
业务事项。我正在收拾我的房子
为了所以我希望不会有麻烦
为那些负有责任的人准备好
为了我的任何利益。它是一个
一天过一天的幸福——不是
承担明天的忧虑和焦虑。
承诺是“你的日子将如何
你的力量不包括明天。
如果我们背负明天的重担
它必须依靠我们自己的力量，并且
那是弱点”和一年
后来在分心的时候
和紧张的华南地区的危险
她写道：“我正在
一天一天知道时间
很短，我的脚非常靠近
[注：蓝色] 5
6
天堂的门槛。精神之歌
“就像我没有任何请求一样”告诉
整个故事。我希望进入成为
永远与主同在
那些经文“只有一个罪人，一无所有
总之，耶稣，我的救主是一切。”
克尔夫人积极向上
她的性格，谦卑地依赖
祷告后：“亲爱的家里人
永远不知道这对我们意味着什么
觉得在祖国的祈祷是
不断为我们上升。”因此
在分心和
广州生活的不确定性
过去几个月，她可以写“也许
我们的眼睛很好，我们
看不到结局，但我们
知道谁在掌舵，我们
不能害怕。”
正是在这种信任和
克尔夫人完成的这种精神
人生的航程。她的工作做得很好，
她谦虚地去“高级服务”
信靠耶稣基督她的主人。
7
致克尔夫人的家人，
给华南传教士和
她的许多朋友，董事会不能
表示哀悼而不是祝贺
关于他们与这种稀有精神的联系
并在其中吸引了另一个强大的纽带
他们和我们都更接近那个
她拥有的天堂之家
进入永远不再出去。
所有人都应该为她欢欣鼓舞
八十六年结束了
头脑清晰，心温暖而真实，
信念坚定，希望充满。
她的寿命很长
满足并被显示为上帝的
救恩。
MARTHA A BIOG 1
2
such service. Martha Fay Noyes was born June 1st
1840 in Seville, Ohio. Her father was
past of the Pres. Ch. for forty years.
She was graduated from Vermillion Inst.
in 1865. For four years she taught in the
High School of Ashland, O, and for four
years more in Cleveland and Columbus.
In April 7th 1873 she was commissioned
by the Board and assigned to South China,
arriving on the field Dec. 8th 1873. Her
first term was given to teaching, being
associated with her sister Miss Harriet N Noyes.
After her first furlough she was
married John G. Kerr, M.D. and she
entered with whole-souled interest into the
medical work of her husband. She was
deeply interested in the spiritual welfare
of the hospital patients, devising better
methods for their instruction with blessed
results.
Dr. Kerr had long desired to establish
a hospital for the insane; there was no
such institution in all of China. Beginning
modestly with a single dispensary, they
were able at last to erect two buildings
for this purpose. "Feb. 20- 1898 a party
[Note: In blue] 2
3
consisting of the doctor, a man carrying
on his back an insane patient, followed
by the wife of the doctor, stood at the
door of one of the buildings, a key was
inserted and the door opened, and for the
first time in the history of China a
mind diseased was to receive special
hospital care." Thus was begun -
"The John G. Kerr Hospital for the Insane."
which has served all classes from high
officials to street beggars. About 7.000
patients have been treated, of whom 25%
have been cured.
Following Dr Kerr's sudden death
on Aug 10, 1901, Mrs. Kerr continued to
make the work of the hospital her chief
aim in life. She was concerned for
the financial welfare of the Institution.
It was Dr. Kerr's desire that the
main support should come from the
Chinese themselves and this policy has
been practically carried out.
Mrs. Kerr wrote in 1923: "we can now,
on the 25th Anniversary Year of the
"John G. Kerr Hospital for the Insane"
[Note: In blue] 3
4
hand it over in trust to the Board
practically free of debt." The soul saving
work of the hospital was, in Mrs. Kerr's mind,
its most important service. It was to her
a great joy that the Shanghai Conference
could say, "We consider that as evangel-
listic agency the John G. Kerr hospital is
unsurpassed."
On her 50th Anniversary as a
missionary, in Dec. 1923, Mrs. Kerr was
Honorably Retired from active service and
received felicitations from many friends
expressing deep appreciation of her long
years of service which with such prayer,
sacrifice and forethought were coming
to full fruition. Dr. J. Walter Lowrie
wrote "What changes and advances you have
been permitted to see in this half century."
No one can know the influence which the
loving kindness expressed daily in the
Hospital for the Insane had had throughout
Canton and far beyond. The whole
spirit of the institution is so different
from anything that China has produced,
and is a testimony to the power and
wonder of the grace of the God in the gift
[Note: In blue] 4
5
of His Son to China, and such self sacrificing
work as this, which is the natural fruit of
that gift." Dr. Sun Yat Sen expressed
his gratification" to learn that you attain
today the great age of 84 years, and sends
you his best wishes and in the name of our
people, thanks you for the good work that
you have done in our midst."
On the 85th birthday Mrs. Kerr
wrote: "Life is too uncertain to prolong
business matters. I am getting my house
in order so I hope there will be no trouble
in store for those who are left responsible
for any of my interests. It is a
blessed thing to live [u]a day at a time[/u] - not
take on the cares and anxieties of tomorrow.
The promise is "[u]As thy day[/u] so shall
thy strength be no tomorrow included.
If we carry tomorrow's burden
it must be in our own strength, and
that is weakness" And a year
later in the midst of the distractions
and perils of the strained South China
situation she wrote "Am going on [u]a
day at a time[/u] know that the time
is short, that my feet are very near the
[Note: In blue] 5
6
threshold of Heaven. The spiritual song
"Just as I am without one plea" tells the
whole story. My hope of entering in to be
forever with the Lord is all expressed in
those verses "Only a sinner and nothing
at all, Jesus, my Saviour is all in all."
Mrs. Kerr positive and virile
character that she was, depended humbly
upon prayer: "You dear people at home
can never know what it means to us to
feel that prayer in the homeland is
constantly going up for us." And thus
in the midst of the distractions and
uncertainties of life in Canton these
past months, she could write "Perhaps
it is well our eyes are holden that we
cannot see the end thereof, But we
know who is at the helm and we
cannot be afraid."
It was in this trust and in
this spirit that Mrs. Kerr finished
the voyage of life. Her work well done,
she goes to "Higher Service" humbly
trusting in Jesus Christ her Master.
7
To the family of Mrs. Kerr,
to the South China missionaries and to
her many friends, the Board cannot
offer condolence but rather congratulations
on their association with this rare spirit
and in that another strong bond draws
them and us all nearer to that
Heavenly Home where she has
entered in to go no more out forever.
All must rejoice in her
eighty six years rounded out with
mind clear, heart warm and true,
faith strong and hope abounding.
With long life she was
satisfied and was shown God's
salvation.
[注：另一手用蓝色书写的笔记]
玛莎·比奥格 1
2
这样的服务。 Martha Fay Noyes 出生于 6 月 1 日
1840 年在俄亥俄州塞维利亚。她的父亲是
Pres的过去。通道。四十年。
她毕业于朱红学院。
1865 年。四年来，她在
阿什兰高中，O，四人
在克利夫兰和哥伦布再过几年。
1873 年 4 月 7 日，她受命
由董事会分配到华南地区，
1873 年 12 月 8 日抵达战场。她
第一个学期是教学，是
与她的妹妹 Harriet N Noyes 小姐有关。
在她第一次休假后，她
与医学博士 John G. Kerr 结婚，她
全心全意地加入
丈夫的医疗工作。她
对精神福祉深感兴趣
医院的病人，设计更好
他们的教导方法与祝福
结果。
克尔博士长期以来一直希望建立
精神病院；没有
这样的机构在全中国。开始
谦虚地用一个药房，他们
终于能够建造两座建筑物
以此目的。 “2 月 20-1898 年的一个聚会
[注：蓝色] 2
3
由医生组成，一名男子携带
在他的背上，一个精神错乱的病人，紧随其后
由医生的妻子站在
其中一栋建筑物的门，一把钥匙是
插入和门打开，并为
中国历史上第一次
精神病是要接受特殊的
医院护理。”就这样开始了——
“John G. Kerr 精神病院。”
从高处服务于所有班级
官员去街头乞讨。约 7.000
患者已接受治疗，其中 25%
已被治愈。
在克尔博士突然去世后
1901 年 8 月 10 日，科尔夫人继续
以医院的工作为首
以生活为目标。她担心
该机构的财务福利。
克尔博士希望
主要支持应该来自
中国人自己和这个政策有
已实际执行。
克尔夫人在 1923 年写道：“我们现在可以，
在国庆 25 周年之际
“约翰 G. 克尔精神病院”
[注：蓝色] 3
4
以信托方式将其移交给董事会
几乎没有债务。”拯救灵魂
在克尔太太看来，医院的工作是
它最重要的服务。是给她的
上海会议大喜过望
可以说，“我们认为这是福音——
清单机构 John G. Kerr 医院是
无与伦比。”
在她的 50 周年纪念日
传教士，1923 年 12 月，克尔夫人
光荣地从现役退役和
收到很多朋友的祝福
对她长久以来深表感谢
多年的服务，伴随着这样的祈祷，
牺牲和深谋远虑即将来临
到圆满的结果。 J. Walter Lowrie 博士
写道“你有什么变化和进步
在这半个世纪里被允许看到。”
没有人知道它的影响
每天都在表达爱意
疯人院一直在
广州和更远的地方。整体
机构精神如此不同
从中国生产的任何东西中，
是权力的见证
神在礼物中的恩典的奇妙
[注：蓝色] 4
5
他的儿子到中国，这样的自我牺牲
像这样工作，这是自然的果实
那个礼物。”孙中山博士表示
他的满足”来了解你达到
今天84岁的大龄，送
以我们的名义，向您致以最良好的祝愿
人们，谢谢你的出色工作
你在我们中间做了。”
克尔夫人 85 岁生日
写道：“生命太不确定，无法延长
业务事项。我正在收拾我的房子
为了所以我希望不会有麻烦
为那些负有责任的人准备好
为了我的任何利益。它是一个
一天过一天的幸福——不是
承担明天的忧虑和焦虑。
承诺是“你的日子将如何
你的力量不包括明天。
如果我们背负明天的重担
它必须依靠我们自己的力量，并且
那是弱点”和一年
后来在分心的时候
和紧张的华南地区的危险
她写道：“我正在
一天一天知道时间
很短，我的脚非常靠近
[注：蓝色] 5
6
天堂的门槛。精神之歌
“就像我没有任何请求一样”告诉
整个故事。我希望进入成为
永远与主同在
那些经文“只有一个罪人，一无所有
总之，耶稣，我的救主是一切。”
克尔夫人积极向上
她的性格，谦卑地依赖
祷告后：“亲爱的家里人
永远不知道这对我们意味着什么
觉得在祖国的祈祷是
不断为我们上升。”因此
在分心和
广州生活的不确定性
过去几个月，她可以写“也许
我们的眼睛很好，我们
看不到结局，但我们
知道谁在掌舵，我们
不能害怕。”
正是在这种信任和
克尔夫人完成的这种精神
人生的航程。她的工作做得很好，
她谦虚地去“高级服务”
信靠耶稣基督她的主人。
7
致克尔夫人的家人，
给华南传教士和
她的许多朋友，董事会不能
表示哀悼而不是祝贺
关于他们与这种稀有精神的联系
并在其中吸引了另一个强大的纽带
他们和我们都更接近那个
她拥有的天堂之家
进入永远不再出去。
所有人都应该为她欢欣鼓舞
八十六年结束了
头脑清晰，心温暖而真实，
信念坚定，希望充满。
她的寿命很长
满足并被显示为上帝的
救恩。
Original Format
Paper
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Section of Martha Fay Noyes [Kerr] Biography,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 23, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/930.