318
July 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
ence by rowing occasional passengers for a few pennies. We notice in nearly every boat a small family altar with their little heathen gods. We are reminded on every hand of China’s great need of the one true God. Though AURORA FLUKER ( ’24), at Hebron Mis sion in Koon Shan, is but thirty-five miles from Canton, we shall need about a half day to make the trip on various boats and a small train. Interesting glimpses of Chinese village and rural life will help to make up for the heat and discomforts of travel. Crowds of curious children and adults are attracted by our “foreign” clothes, so we shall be glad to adopt Chinese dress as soon as we reach the mission compound. Miss Fluker, assisted by her two zealous coworkers, has been left in charge of the mis sion’s activities—schools, industrial work, orphanage, a number of churches and out-stations—while Miss Hitch cock, the director, is at home on furlough. A beautiful spirit of sacrifice and devotion characterizes the work of this faith mission in Koon Shan. We rejoice in the many souls brought to Christ through their efforts. In Shanghai, the great throbbing center of Oriental business and life, we shall see many of the Lord’s ambas sadors at work, among them Miss Anna Taylor and Miss Dieterle, well known in the Bible Institute. At a summer conference attended by more than four hundred Chinese young people held at Bethel Mission (Dr. Mary Stone’s and Miss Hughes’ work) we meet GRACE HWANG ( ’22), a Chinese graduate of Biola, who is a faithful Bible woman in this mission. JOHN YONG, also a former student, has, since his return to his native land, opened a rescue mission in a crowded section of Shanghai. We are introduced to his earnest and capable little Chinese wife and accept their cordial invitation to visit the mission and their home. Trusting the Lord for support they are living in the small rooms above the mission and giving their full time to the work. Mrs. Yong serves us a tasty Chinese dinner and we do our best with chop-sticks, then go downstairs for the mission meeting. Crowds of curious Chinese stand in the doorway and are encouraged to come in and take seats. The Gospel message is given by a young Chinese evangelist and we are conscious of the power of God in the service. In Shanghai we shall also find MARY CHEN ( ’25) and shall have the pleasure of her company on a three-day trip to Yangchow. Miss Chen since her return to China has been a teacher in Nanking Bible Training School. The school buildings have been sadly wrecked by the soldiers and bandits, and the school is closed. Accounts of her experiences of God’s protection and care over the seventy young women students and teachers during the recent Nanking uprising thrill our hearts. Miss Chen will also travel with us on the steamer up to Tsingtao on the northeast coast of China. Here for a week we shall enjoy the hospitality of LOIS PROSSOR ( ’23), MAX INE McNEAL ( ’23), and GOLDIE WILSON ( ’25). These three former students have been obliged to evacuate their stations in the interior of Shantung Province, owing to war conditions, so have been continuing their language study while at the seaside. OSCAR WALTON ( ’24) is also at Tsingtao for the summer, assisting in work among the sailors at the American Community House. We are deeply interested in this missionary enterprise for Amer ican sailors in this foreign port, and Mr. Walton’s defi nite personal work among them. One afternoon we are pleasantly surprised by a visit from MARTHA POHNERT (T3 ), who happens to be in Tsingtao for a few days. She has only recently escaped
from her mission station in the interior after harrowing experiences with bandits and soldiers who forced an en trance and set up barracks in her compound. Through it all God’s power was wonderfully manifest and she proved a true witness for Christ. Later we shall meet Miss Pohnert again in Korea, where for several months God led her to do a splendid work among Chinese living there. We shall never forget our happy B. I. reunion times at Tsingtao and our fellowship with the many mission aries there. K orea From China we sail across the Yellow Sea to the inter esting little land of Korea (more recently called “Chosen” ). The Koreans are a quaint people, very dif ferent from their Chinese or their Japanese neighbors. More modern modes of dress and customs have been in troduced since the Japanese Government came into con trol, but outside the large cities one still sees Korean life in its original charm. The country gentleman in his im maculate white grass-linen clothes with full pantaloons and long white coat is a fascinating study. His funny little high hat of transparent horsehair, ties under his chin. The women also dress in white, with full garments, and carry their babies on their backs. Probably no country has responded to the preaching of the Gospel so wonderfully as has this little land of Korea. The work has been carried on largely by the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal boards. Evangel ism and Bible study have been strongly emphasized in the Korean missionary program from the very beginning. Marvelous results during the past forty years have clearly indicated the wisdom of this emphasis. We rejoice that seven who have had training at Biola have had part in the evangelization of Korea. The hot summer season is not the most opportune time for seeing missionary activities in any- country; nevertheless, the glimpses we get of the work and the workers in Korea will fill our hearts with grateful praise. At Chairyung, an interesting rural mission station, we shall have as our gracious hostess Miss ANNA McKEE. Daily Vacation Bible Schools are in session in several of the large Korean churches near by; hundreds of children sit on the floor, cross-legged, as is their custom in school or at home, listening to Bible stories and enjoying the varied programs arranged by their Korean Christian teachers. Miss McKee’s large Bible classes of country women and girls will be in session during the fall and winter. In Seoul, the old capital and largest city of Korea, there are so many demands upon our time we shall be able to have only hurried visits with EDNA LAWRENCE, JEAN DELMARTER, MARIAN KINSLER and MISS BLACK. In the large well-equipped Severance Memorial Hospital, we find Miss Lawrence Superinten dent of the Nurses’ Training School, with fifty bright Korean young women in training. The Girls’ School, where Miss Delmarter is instructor in English and music, is closed for vacation, but we have a glimpse of the build ings. In a crowded section of Seoul is the Social Evangel istic Center where Miss Kinsler is one of the workers. She will show us over the low Korean buildings where the various welfare departments are housed—the baby clinic, industrial school, free baths, etc. A noon prayer group is gathered in one of the buildings. Miss Black is our hostess for luncheon one day at the Oriental Mission headquarters in Seoul. Their compound, with its numerous buildings, is situated on a high elevation overlooking the city. We
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