Page 24 - Three Score Years & Ten
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“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
Jessie and George had met in Manchester where they both lived, though Jessie's family originally
came from Newton Stewart in southern Scotland. Her mother's maiden name was `Rae' and later
George and Jessie's son, Arthur, who lived for some time with his mother's sister in Manchester, used
to go to a hotel in Scotland which was the home of one of his Rae family uncles. Most of the family
had moved down to Manchester, and they were a very big Scottish group according to Arthur.
George and Jessie were married in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Shanghai on 6 October, 1883,
and soon after were on their way to Hankou escorting a party of ladies with them.
A CONSULAR VIEW OF THE CIM
In 1886 Hudson Taylor was planning to try and put two missionaries at least in each of the eleven
provinces of China which, up to that time, were unoccupied by the messengers of the Gospel. By
1880 an experienced Consular official in Hankou was writing that it was now possible to travel through
China as safely and as easily as through Europe. He attributed the changed situation partly to
increased care on the part of the Mandarins, and that people were getting more used to foreigners, but
also to the work of the China Inland Mission.
"The missionaries of this Society" he said, "have travelled through the country, taking
hardships and privations as the natural incident of their profession. Never attempting
to force themselves anywhere, they managed to make friends everywhere, and have
in a great measure dispelled the fear of the `barbarians' which was the main difficulty
they had to face. Not only do the bachelor members of the Mission visit places
inaccessible to foreigners, but those who are married take their wives with them and
settle down with the goodwill of the people in districts far removed from official
influence or the protection of British gunboats. While aiding foreign trade by
obtaining information about the unknown interior of this vast country, and
strengthening our relations with the people, this Mission has at the same time shown
the true way of spreading Christianity in China."
This was high praise from a man who was in a position to know what he was talking about. George
Andrew was now about to take his young bride to that far interior to which he had first gone as a
bachelor.
ADDITIONS TO THE TEAM AND THE FAMILY
By 16 January 1884, George and Jessie, with their four charges, had arrived safely at Chongqing, the
capital of Sichuan Province. Arthur Eason and his bride were already in Guiyang. A month later the
Andrews were also there, but the Easons had gone on to Yunnanfu and it was decided that Messrs.
Steven and Stevenson should go to Yunnanfu also. The Andrews would stay on in Guiyangfu, while
the Broumptons went to England for `a short change'.
Two single men, Messrs. Hughesdon and Windsor, were to be in Guiyang with the Andrews. It was
said that "the province has been in a very disturbed state during the whole of the year, and passports
have been unobtainable for some time past. Itineration which was dangerous, has been impossible
and great difficulties have been put in our way, even for local work." The Broumptons appear to have
been alone for the year. "What a treat to see English faces again," said Mr.Broumpton, "and to hear
our own language spoken."
24
Amy Moore
Jessie and George had met in Manchester where they both lived, though Jessie's family originally
came from Newton Stewart in southern Scotland. Her mother's maiden name was `Rae' and later
George and Jessie's son, Arthur, who lived for some time with his mother's sister in Manchester, used
to go to a hotel in Scotland which was the home of one of his Rae family uncles. Most of the family
had moved down to Manchester, and they were a very big Scottish group according to Arthur.
George and Jessie were married in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Shanghai on 6 October, 1883,
and soon after were on their way to Hankou escorting a party of ladies with them.
A CONSULAR VIEW OF THE CIM
In 1886 Hudson Taylor was planning to try and put two missionaries at least in each of the eleven
provinces of China which, up to that time, were unoccupied by the messengers of the Gospel. By
1880 an experienced Consular official in Hankou was writing that it was now possible to travel through
China as safely and as easily as through Europe. He attributed the changed situation partly to
increased care on the part of the Mandarins, and that people were getting more used to foreigners, but
also to the work of the China Inland Mission.
"The missionaries of this Society" he said, "have travelled through the country, taking
hardships and privations as the natural incident of their profession. Never attempting
to force themselves anywhere, they managed to make friends everywhere, and have
in a great measure dispelled the fear of the `barbarians' which was the main difficulty
they had to face. Not only do the bachelor members of the Mission visit places
inaccessible to foreigners, but those who are married take their wives with them and
settle down with the goodwill of the people in districts far removed from official
influence or the protection of British gunboats. While aiding foreign trade by
obtaining information about the unknown interior of this vast country, and
strengthening our relations with the people, this Mission has at the same time shown
the true way of spreading Christianity in China."
This was high praise from a man who was in a position to know what he was talking about. George
Andrew was now about to take his young bride to that far interior to which he had first gone as a
bachelor.
ADDITIONS TO THE TEAM AND THE FAMILY
By 16 January 1884, George and Jessie, with their four charges, had arrived safely at Chongqing, the
capital of Sichuan Province. Arthur Eason and his bride were already in Guiyang. A month later the
Andrews were also there, but the Easons had gone on to Yunnanfu and it was decided that Messrs.
Steven and Stevenson should go to Yunnanfu also. The Andrews would stay on in Guiyangfu, while
the Broumptons went to England for `a short change'.
Two single men, Messrs. Hughesdon and Windsor, were to be in Guiyang with the Andrews. It was
said that "the province has been in a very disturbed state during the whole of the year, and passports
have been unobtainable for some time past. Itineration which was dangerous, has been impossible
and great difficulties have been put in our way, even for local work." The Broumptons appear to have
been alone for the year. "What a treat to see English faces again," said Mr.Broumpton, "and to hear
our own language spoken."
24
