THE FAMILY ENLARGES
That same year in 1922, Grace Pike, a single missionary, was sent to H.B.I. in China by Biola of Los Angeles to teach music and English. Grace was the youngest of five children who had two older sisters, Bessie and Florence, already missionaries in China. Grace's mother, Mary Elizabeth Pike, was a widow who traveled to China with Grace so as to be with all her daughters. Grace studied the Chinese language at Nanking University for a year, the same time as Pearl Buck. In the fall of 1923 Grace and her mother went to live on the campus of H.B.I. where she taught piano and English language. During the winter school holidays, Grandma Louisa brought Miriam and Faith down to Changsha to be with their father. The Roberts and Pikes all stayed in the same dormitory and ate in the same western dining room. At the en~ of the day, Grace would entertain the company playing the piano and singing which she enjoyed so very much. In Changsha in 1923 there were over 200 western people active in religious and business organizations. There were frequent social and musical celebrations as well as weekly English church services with teas in the afternoons. Grace became an important social member of this international community with many calls on her musical gifts. Foreigners in that era were compelled to organize their own form of entertainment. Many of the foreigners were talented musicians, who enjoyed arranging musical programs and varieties of card games and dinner parties. On February 14, 1924, Charles became engaged to Grace Pike, and on June 21st they were married in Changsha. Charles, being English, they were compelled to exchange vows at the British Consulate, as well as at the American Consulate that same day. Late in the afternoon in a formal ceremony at the chapel at H.B.I., there was the formal religious ceremony presided over by Dr. Keller followed by a reception. They took a ship to travel up the Siang River to Wuhan, and then by train to Beijing for their honeymoon for 4 weeks. Returning from Beijing, they made plans for their new home on campus while both kept busy teaching full-time. Meanwhile Faith and Miriam continued their studies in the mountains living with Grandma Louisa. The following year, a son, Charles, Jr., was born on Mother Pike's birthday, October 21, 1925. Charles was thrilled with his son, and he later said
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