LETTER FROM CHINA

[Music] [Music] dear D today marked the close of a chapter in the lives of the Walter Smith I realized it early this morning at the airport it was terribly exciting standing near the runway scanning the sky listening for the friendly Grumble of airplane engines I was with the others impatiently waiting for the Alden Matthews and the Raymond giin to come out of the blue the First new additions to our staff since we arrived in China a year ago I think it was the sight of the DC3 that stirred my recollection or perhaps it was the sight of the Matthews leaving the plane that started the flow of memory looking at their excited friendly faces brought back a recollection of Lucia the children and myself first arriving in China I likeed the Matthews and the Gins from the moment we met and we do need them badly but how odd it was to sense they looked upon me Walter Smith as a veteran missionary as an old and knowing China head an old and knowing China hand what do I know what is the substance of the chapter just ended let's look back together it seems only yesterday when we were paddled up the men River our eyes drinking in the Exotic loveliness of pagoda Anchorage with its drifting clusters of San China at first glance was everything we had dreamt it would be we landed at a point near the famed Bridge of 10,000 ages I think clucher and Margaret were the first of the Smiths to set foot in the orient no sooner were we assure when there descended upon us a swarm of the oddest looking Contraptions you were fascinated as we were by these self-propelled wicker chairs called bike [Music] Shaws then began a trip to the mission compound that was for us a Prelude to the drama in which all of us would play an unknown part we were carried along at a loping pace through narrow streets that smelled of fish and Faded vegetables we saw venerable old stores with unfamiliar food for sale we tried to see a cohesive picture of China all at once but saw only fragments of sight caught only FL fles of sounds and scense a stream of faces drifted by the discordant murmur of Street Sounds hovered about our ears and intermingling odors spoke of great age Grim poverty home at first glance was I confess strange and forboding only this suggestion of roofs Rising behind a massive brick wall I could sense Lucia felt as I did wondering what our reception would be behind the wall eager to pass it and yet afraid to step inside what would our new Associates be like would they like us believe me Dad we were a quartet of very tired and timid Smiths walking up the path of the compound but from the first moment our presence was known the great heart beating behind the high wall revealed itself they came from all directions engulfing Us in the warmth of their welcome in an instant we were won with all those whose names we knew Bert Faro and th Jew Helen and Alan Thompson Agnes and Leonard Christian Veterans of 39 years of service guy and Betty thand oldtimers all glad to see us eager to C us as one of their number Ned Smith and Len Christian offered to show us our quarters there would be no running water or modern conveniences but there would be something more important than both we had met our neighbors and we already loved our home next day I was at my office early anxious to go to work uncertain where to start when there was a knock at the door guy thin had asked Kul Lao one of the Chinese Christian leaders to take me in hand and teach me the fua [Music] dialect I was tremendously impressed by Lau from the beginning he possessed all the natural dignity intelligence and capacity for understanding characteristic of his race I felt fortunate to have such a man willing to introduce me to his language his land and his people Lucia had been asked to come too and participate in our study knowing our Lucia as you do you will understand how eager she was to get to grips with the problems needing to be [Music] mastered to my delight Lao suggested that during the day we walk through the city together [Music] and later only a few steps from the compound my education began this La told me had once been a fine Chinese school now it was a shattered Wasteland a field of jagged Stones familiar to all who have seen the shambles of war the site was all the more poignant for the pieces of slate and pages of books embedded in the rubble it was all the more pathetic for the family we found scavening ing among the ruins the mother's face mirrored all the misery of a ravaged land we went down to the river and paused to enjoy what I thought was a Charming picture but how quickly charm drained out of the seed there beneath us human beings were washing bathing drawing water for drinking and cooking and dumping their refuges into the same dream Lao explained that it was thus all through China and that no invading conqueror reaps so Grim or harvest in this land is the typhoid vasilas we continued on with slower heavier steps through alleys lined with Vermin ridden Shacks we came across the local milk delivery service a wretched looking cow milked by an unsavory farmer the sight of the man's unwashed hands his dirty Tin Cup the obviously infected animal brought shudders for the children who would drink this milk but of Margaret and Teddy depressed I walked on my eyes missed nothing the hanging meat Gathering flies in the Sun the Beggars squatting in the dust how many ages of suffering LED in their eyes La took me to a clinic held by the staff of the Union Hospital Dad how shall I describe it doctors examining men so ravaged by tuberculosis they were set away to die women racked with malaria Takoma syphilis all the vicious variations of human Agony and this on my second day in [Music] China there was no sleep for me that night I lay awake and watched the parade of tragic specters drift my brain and I asked myself what can I do here in the face of such utter hopelessness I looked over at Lucia sleeping so peacefully and asked what could have possessed me to bring her and Margaret and Teddy to such a place as this I saw visions of the church back home I might have had how clean it looked how clean and fine I asked God for strength and guidance I heard the sounds of my family breathing and I [Music] prayed I was awakened next day with the sound of children playing beneath my window Margaret had made friends with The Cook's daughter and they were having a grand time The Cook's youngest child reminded me the Sun was shining language culture race these were no barriers to Children their laughter was irresistible Teddy was also up and about playing with the professor's handsome son somehow this scene made me ashamed of the want of courage and faith I had displayed yesterday perhaps the sight of the children was the answer to my prayer of the previous night I had a growing suspicion that I had dealt unfairly with fua having looked at the one side of the picture and indeed this was true on my second walk through the city I saw its lyrical loveliness the pagodas rising gracefully into the high air gracefully rising out of the sunless alleys in the Dank gray streets I saw revealed in their architecture the beauty of a people's Spirit captured in stone transfixed for all men to see but a thousand times more inspiring was the molding of sound minds and bodies exhibited at the union kindergarten training school here was Christianity making the difference here was hope I have never seen children so adorable and happy as those freshly scrubbed little fellows playing on the lawn [Music] next I visited fua college and My Hope continued to as said how could I have forgotten that Christianity's Roots have been firmly planted in this soil and that famine plague and War notwithstanding those roots would continue to grow and bear fruit College out here often means High School thus I found the boys younger than I had expected I watched them in the crafts class much impressed they seem so intent and alert these were mostly the children of wealthier parents and here they were learning Progressive ideas working with their hands cooperating with each other developing Christian character [Music] at when Shan girl school I was equally impressed the girls were neat and crisp in their bright blue outfits and they entered into their English class with such genuine enthusiasm I simply had to stand and watch Chinese girls at won go in for athletics as our American girls do they play hard and well under Helen Smith Direction I can assure you the days of hobbling about on bound feet are [Music] over my last impression at when sha that day was the finest of all I watched the school choir filing out after practice they presented a magnificent appearance but what a the less fortunate children those underprivileged youngsters who could not afford to attend school I found the mission at work here too Union High student volunteers were teaching them Mandarin the national language and after classes the children were fed the best we could offer was rice gril but the way those shaven heads bobbed up and down convinced me they found it good here was a practical demonstration of Christianity at [Music] work at dinner that evening I bowed to thank God for our food but more for Faith renewed yes Dad our meal that night was an occasion in the nature of a Thanksgiving but none of your New England turkey feasts with knife and fork the quar tonight was rice the weapons Chopsticks and it was every man for [Music] himself watching L for me I had so capable a co-pilot beside me as Laura Ward to help with the long huls Laura demonstrated the successful Oriental boarding house reach guy Thelen invited me to visit the Union High School next day since my administrative job demanded a thorough knowledge of the mission work I was delighted to accept Union High School specializes in agriculture and vocational training during its 20 years of operation as a joint denominational Enterprise it is steadily expanded in size and reputation the Six Mile ride from town carries one past undulating Hills and terc Green Fields as soon as I had arrived at the main gate and paid the bike Shan I went looking for guy felen [Music] I found him instructing a class in animal husbandry using rabbits to demonstrate the proper care and handling of animals guy is extremely popular with his students and a very competent teacher he took me to his farming class when he was teaching that proper seed selection could produce bigger and better crops guy explained that where as Fields were yielding one measure of food per day seed selection and proper cultivation could increase that yield threefold it was the difference between near starvation and an ample diet guy is also teaching crop diversification his boys are producing tomatoes and cabbages in addition to the staple rice the students are allotted small plots of ground where they learn farming by working the soil at the same time they are growing food to help pay their way in school guy took me to another quarter of the school where a group was engaged in building cabinets an office furniture to replace the equipment destroyed during the last war by setting an example himself guy is severing that traditional bond which prevents well-born Chinese from working with their hands in the belief that to do so is degrading the school also does extension work sending Advanced students out to neighboring Villages and Farms to spread information and techniques among the people I went along with one group who specialized in insect control they sprayed an Orange Grove demonstrating the proper method for protecting citrus [Music] trees the villagers were Learners here each year insects take a frightful toll of their trees yet they are often afraid to spray believing the poison will kill the friendly spirits of the trees as well as the insect 4,000 years of ignorance and Superstition cannot be blown away by the single blast of a spray gun each day new converts are one each each day China takes a short imperfect step forward but forward nonetheless during the months that followed I settled down to the routine of my work I recall one day going down to fukan Christian University to pinch hit for an absent Professor the university is about 6 miles from P Chow it Nestles on a mountain side looking out across the broad men River surely the architect of this school must have been a scholar and a philosopher himself he designed a place perfectly suited to stimulate meditation one senses the quiet Dignity of the institution from the moment one passes through its Monumental gate Dr rodick Scott was there to show me the school and to reassure me about my emergency lecture meeting a group of students was my most memorable experience at the University that day their enthusiasm their interest not only in China but in the worldwide Christian Movement make it inevitable that one day these Keen young men will be among their nation's leaders as the months moved forward also settled into her routine she began school for the missionary children and she loved it you know Dad Lucia has always had a way with youngsters and if you'll pardon my natural Prejudice I think she's done a remarkable job her five pupils are receiving skilled attention comparable if not Superior to any they would receive in the states of course part of Lucia's job is running the house in China that's an incredibly complex assignment there is a regular board meeting involving Lucia and the cook wherein they tabulate accounts and astronomical figures the cook is a wizard with an abacus adding subtracting m multiplying with blinding speed and accuracy as for Lucia well I often remind her of our courting days when I promised that one day she should have millions to spend out here one exchanges a basket full of $1,000 bills for half a basket full of food during our first week here Albert Faro inv invited us to bring Teddy and Margaret to him for piano lesson Barrow teaches a number of excellent students directs our choir and Orchestra and gives numerous concerts at the Mission [Music] Station recently Lucia took Teddy to his studio for the adventure of her first lesson under such skilled hands Teddy has developed an interest and is learning very [Music] quickly even when it seemed we had found our places in the structure of the mission that structure suffered such a blow it was shaken to its foundations one day recently I received a disturbing call from Dr D at Union Hospital she met me on the walk saying tk2 was critically ill and took me to see it DK2 is the head yes and so much the heart of our mission for years he has suffered from tuberculosis and should have conserved his strength but such is the nature of the man that he would not spare himself such is the nature of the man that I found him smiling even cheerful concerned only for his work and he virtually without lung Dr Dyer took me to the X-ray room where we asked Mr Newman for the picture made that morning of Chu's chest while we waited I looked about me and thanked God that we could provide him with the most modern medical equipment this was one of the few x-ray departments in South China and imagine dad this in a land where Millions have tuberculosis Dr new analyzed the film of ch's chest for me it was a grim picture worse than we had feared the only hope the new drug strep to my SE I cable the home office [Music] immediately several days later the lifegiving package arrived it was put to use at once undoubtedly saving ch's life can you imag imagine our feelings when that box arrived it seemed to me a symbol of how much we depend on the folks back home we are only as strong as you make us temporarily I stepped in to take ch's place I began with an effort to revitalize the church itself hard hit by War and the events following h y Wong Pastor the parish at Upper Bridge paid me a visit Wong is a tired old man who has given his life to Christian servants his body shook with the Psy as we took tea together men like Wong deserve to retire but there are so few Replacements but help is coming I go offer now to Union Theological Seminary each time I grow more aware that Christianity f in China rests so much on a religiously trained National [Music] leadership these are the youth destined to replace men like w these are China's Christian future in embryo I know the students well we often visit together in my study are in their dormitor we have established a bond between us that is tremendously gratifying to me though they are too few in number each is a potential bwork for our mission each with God's help will be carrying our work forward when we are done establishing the Living Word in this land which is in such dire need of it yes Dad today opened a new chapter in the lives of the Walter Smiths they gathered about me as I WR Lucia Margaret Hedy always a source of strength to me and yet always bringing China into sharper Grimmer Focus what are the families beyond the Warm Glow of our living room where is that boy the one about Teddy's age who held out his hand to me today the task we face is enormous Beyond Comprehension it submerges the handful of us with the sheer flood of its immensity and yet we go on caring for those otherwise forgotten feeding the starving of China working in the faith that God's help and the folks back home can make us equal to the tast these last years have made a terrible rent in the fabric of our work where there were schools now there is only a carpet of rubble yes and a blueprint and a prayer where there were schools there will be schools again if only we had the tools with which to work if only we had bulldozers to give life to the blueprint think of us 10,000 ages behind the time and yet without a moment to lose believe me every day the sights we see well nigh defeat us and at night we see those sights again specters which rivet the urgency of our work deeper ever deeper into our hearts but God is in this land his presence is felt his church grows his people believe these are his people and he has endowed them well they have courage they are eager to learn they are decent men who seek the truth and the way they are people with a future a Christian future they are a people who need our help yours and mine and they shall always have it they ask not that we work for them but with them they want neither servants nor Masters but brothers in Christ I'm a close now dad Lucia Margaret Teddy all of us veteran China hands are proud to report our work is progressing it's growing late and time all of us were asleep there is so much to do tomorrow with love [Music] Walter [Music]