Page 177 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 177
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
looked after me as though I really were their daughter. When they thought I was getting over tired,
they put me to bed in their own flat to recover.
For my wedding dress I had bought some real silkworm silk from Chongqing, and I had to spend a lot
of time at the dressmakers to have it made up. It was off white and I wanted it ankle length in a simple
style that I could use later for special occasions. It had a slightly flared skirt, high bodice pouched a
little in front, a V neckline and long sleeves. It looked soft and pretty and I liked it. Neither of us had
much money and we were trying to save wherever we could so, rather than buy a new suit, Percy had
his old one cleaned and turned so that it looked almost new. As he said, “We’re only getting married
once, so let’s look as nice as we can even if we are poor.”
We had to have a civil wedding as well as a Church one, and so arranged to go to the British Consul
in the morning with Marion Carleson and Mr. Welch, one of Percy’s old masters from Chefoo, as
witnesses. Doug was too young to be a witness at the Consulate.
The Church ceremony would be in the afternoon in the Mission Prayer Hall next to the administration
building and Mr. Hardman who was in charge of the Business Department, would perform the
ceremony. Mr. Hardman was the same one who had led Percy’s dad to the Lord some thirty years
before. The reception in ‘Auntie Jeanie’s’ capable hands, would be in the big living room of the
Mission Home, and she suggested that, as well as our own invited guests whom we would pay for, we
give an open invitation to everybody staying in the Home so that nobody would feel left out. She would
suggest to them that they pay a nominal amount towards the cost of their tea. We thought it such a
good idea because we couldnt possibly afford to invite everybody, and we knew and liked them all.
Since our train would not leave till midnight, the Hardmans offered us their flat for the rest of the
evening after the reception, so that we could have a few hours with just the immediate family before
we separated again. From Shanghai we were returning to Shaanxi, but breaking our journey for a few
days in Kaifeng to stay with Tom and Cathie Murray who worked in the Mission Hospital there and
were friends of Percy’s from Scotland and Language School. The Moores would stay on in Shanghai
until Doug had to return to Chefoo and they would be there too to help Charlie Frencham and Ruth
when they got married a few days later. The other thing which pleased us was that Tom Moseley,
who had a lovely voice, had agreed to sing at our wedding. He chose ‘Only in Thee’ out of
Alexander’s Hymnal as his solo.
A week before our wedding, Percy suddenly developed a rash and, because the doctors could not
decide what it was and whether or not it was infectious, they put him into hospital on the top floor, and
kept him in quarantine. I began to wonder if I would be getting married after all! However he was
released a few days before the 9th and, though a bit weak, he really felt better for the rest. The
Hutchinsons, who felt I too needed a rest before the big day, kept me over in their flat during that final
week and made sure I got as much rest as possible.
THE WEDDING DAY
9 January dawned at last and in spite of missing my family in Australia and longing for them to share
my wedding day with me, when it was all over I felt I had really enjoyed my wedding day. It started
with breakfast in bed brought up by Auntie Jeanie herself. Then I got dressed and the four of us went
down to the British Consulate and got that business over. The ceremony there was a very formal
affair when we each repeated a few words after the Consul, signifying our willingness to marry each
other. Then we all signed the register, Percy paid the fee and we went back to the Mission, no
177
Amy Moore
looked after me as though I really were their daughter. When they thought I was getting over tired,
they put me to bed in their own flat to recover.
For my wedding dress I had bought some real silkworm silk from Chongqing, and I had to spend a lot
of time at the dressmakers to have it made up. It was off white and I wanted it ankle length in a simple
style that I could use later for special occasions. It had a slightly flared skirt, high bodice pouched a
little in front, a V neckline and long sleeves. It looked soft and pretty and I liked it. Neither of us had
much money and we were trying to save wherever we could so, rather than buy a new suit, Percy had
his old one cleaned and turned so that it looked almost new. As he said, “We’re only getting married
once, so let’s look as nice as we can even if we are poor.”
We had to have a civil wedding as well as a Church one, and so arranged to go to the British Consul
in the morning with Marion Carleson and Mr. Welch, one of Percy’s old masters from Chefoo, as
witnesses. Doug was too young to be a witness at the Consulate.
The Church ceremony would be in the afternoon in the Mission Prayer Hall next to the administration
building and Mr. Hardman who was in charge of the Business Department, would perform the
ceremony. Mr. Hardman was the same one who had led Percy’s dad to the Lord some thirty years
before. The reception in ‘Auntie Jeanie’s’ capable hands, would be in the big living room of the
Mission Home, and she suggested that, as well as our own invited guests whom we would pay for, we
give an open invitation to everybody staying in the Home so that nobody would feel left out. She would
suggest to them that they pay a nominal amount towards the cost of their tea. We thought it such a
good idea because we couldnt possibly afford to invite everybody, and we knew and liked them all.
Since our train would not leave till midnight, the Hardmans offered us their flat for the rest of the
evening after the reception, so that we could have a few hours with just the immediate family before
we separated again. From Shanghai we were returning to Shaanxi, but breaking our journey for a few
days in Kaifeng to stay with Tom and Cathie Murray who worked in the Mission Hospital there and
were friends of Percy’s from Scotland and Language School. The Moores would stay on in Shanghai
until Doug had to return to Chefoo and they would be there too to help Charlie Frencham and Ruth
when they got married a few days later. The other thing which pleased us was that Tom Moseley,
who had a lovely voice, had agreed to sing at our wedding. He chose ‘Only in Thee’ out of
Alexander’s Hymnal as his solo.
A week before our wedding, Percy suddenly developed a rash and, because the doctors could not
decide what it was and whether or not it was infectious, they put him into hospital on the top floor, and
kept him in quarantine. I began to wonder if I would be getting married after all! However he was
released a few days before the 9th and, though a bit weak, he really felt better for the rest. The
Hutchinsons, who felt I too needed a rest before the big day, kept me over in their flat during that final
week and made sure I got as much rest as possible.
THE WEDDING DAY
9 January dawned at last and in spite of missing my family in Australia and longing for them to share
my wedding day with me, when it was all over I felt I had really enjoyed my wedding day. It started
with breakfast in bed brought up by Auntie Jeanie herself. Then I got dressed and the four of us went
down to the British Consulate and got that business over. The ceremony there was a very formal
affair when we each repeated a few words after the Consul, signifying our willingness to marry each
other. Then we all signed the register, Percy paid the fee and we went back to the Mission, no
177
