Page 316 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 316
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
from bus to train in Xi’an. Percy was somewhere at one of the northern centres, but I was not sure
which, and could not send word to let him know when they would be at Baoji.
As I wrote to my mother,
“Railway and bus stations are like a bear garden. The one who can fight the hardest
can get the best!!”
So I was really worried that the girls would have no help. I need not have worried. The Lord knew all
about it and was prepared to fight for them. They got to Baoji late on Thursday so booked a room in
an inn and tumbled into bed, too tired to worry about next morning. As it happened, Percy was at the
Bible School which by now had moved from Fengxiang to Baoji, and he went on his bike to book a
room at the inn for himself for Friday night. He got there just as the girls were having breakfast, so he
was able to buy their train tickets and arrange for their luggage and, as their train would not leave till
Friday night, he took them back to the Bible School with him. They had not seen the new premises,
so this was a good opportunity for them and especially for Bertha going home on furlough. She could
talk knowledgeably about the Bible School and the Back To Jerusalem Band and ask for prayer for
them. Percy was there of course to help them on the train later in the day.
With Bertha gone, Sadie was left to do all the itinerant Bible study and reading classes. Mrs. Duan
would be able to work with her, but they would need to make their centre in Hanzhong not Yang Xian
where Sadie had been living with Helen. So Helen would be alone and we did not feel it was wise to
leave her alone, and yet it was not everbody who could work with her. Ruth too was rather a problem
as she would soon be due for furlough too, but in her seven years in China she was still struggling to
speak the language fluently. We all loved her and would feel sad if Headquarters felt she should not
come back after furlough. She was very good at housekeeping, so Bishop Houghton and Percy had
talked it over and decided to let her try out housekeeping in the school where the language she did
have would be adequate. I knew our children would be pleased to see ‘Auntie Ruth’.
When the girls reached Shanghai and walked in through the big gates on Xinzha Road, they heard a
voice from up in the 3rd storey of the school building calling out, “Hello Auntie Bertha and Auntie
Ruth.” It was Master Frank, the first to welcome them. In a later letter he told us, “Auntie Ruth has
come to do our washing!” She was in charge of the laundry as well as other things.
While Percy was away, I had some unexpected visitors. With the end of the war and refugees no
longer coming through in such large numbers, I was surprised when a Mr. Bolton from the British
Embassy turned up one afternoon with two Chinese friends and asked if I could put them up for the
night. Of course I did but the next day it poured with rain so they had to stay a second night and I was
more than thankful when they left on the following morning. I felt really ashamed of my British blood
when I saw how he treated his Chinese co-workers and other Chinese too - like dust beneath his feet.
Yet he had been in British Embassy work in Russia, Persia, Africa and a number of other places too,
and I thought should at least have learned to be more diplomatic in dealing with the nationals of the
country where he was living. He was one of the most hard drinking, smoking, swearing, unpleasant
Englishmen I have ever met and I fervently hoped he would not call in on his return trip and want to be
accommodated for the night.
Mei Shui was causing me problems. We had not heard from Mr. Carwardine’s son in England whether
or not he was willing to take responsibility for her. Mr. Carwardine had made no provision for her and
of course she had not had a penny of her own, and had never been trained to do anything by which
she could support herself. So she continued to live with me, but she was too interested in boys,
natural at her age I suppose, but she would slip out on to the street without my knowing and I would
316
Amy Moore
from bus to train in Xi’an. Percy was somewhere at one of the northern centres, but I was not sure
which, and could not send word to let him know when they would be at Baoji.
As I wrote to my mother,
“Railway and bus stations are like a bear garden. The one who can fight the hardest
can get the best!!”
So I was really worried that the girls would have no help. I need not have worried. The Lord knew all
about it and was prepared to fight for them. They got to Baoji late on Thursday so booked a room in
an inn and tumbled into bed, too tired to worry about next morning. As it happened, Percy was at the
Bible School which by now had moved from Fengxiang to Baoji, and he went on his bike to book a
room at the inn for himself for Friday night. He got there just as the girls were having breakfast, so he
was able to buy their train tickets and arrange for their luggage and, as their train would not leave till
Friday night, he took them back to the Bible School with him. They had not seen the new premises,
so this was a good opportunity for them and especially for Bertha going home on furlough. She could
talk knowledgeably about the Bible School and the Back To Jerusalem Band and ask for prayer for
them. Percy was there of course to help them on the train later in the day.
With Bertha gone, Sadie was left to do all the itinerant Bible study and reading classes. Mrs. Duan
would be able to work with her, but they would need to make their centre in Hanzhong not Yang Xian
where Sadie had been living with Helen. So Helen would be alone and we did not feel it was wise to
leave her alone, and yet it was not everbody who could work with her. Ruth too was rather a problem
as she would soon be due for furlough too, but in her seven years in China she was still struggling to
speak the language fluently. We all loved her and would feel sad if Headquarters felt she should not
come back after furlough. She was very good at housekeeping, so Bishop Houghton and Percy had
talked it over and decided to let her try out housekeeping in the school where the language she did
have would be adequate. I knew our children would be pleased to see ‘Auntie Ruth’.
When the girls reached Shanghai and walked in through the big gates on Xinzha Road, they heard a
voice from up in the 3rd storey of the school building calling out, “Hello Auntie Bertha and Auntie
Ruth.” It was Master Frank, the first to welcome them. In a later letter he told us, “Auntie Ruth has
come to do our washing!” She was in charge of the laundry as well as other things.
While Percy was away, I had some unexpected visitors. With the end of the war and refugees no
longer coming through in such large numbers, I was surprised when a Mr. Bolton from the British
Embassy turned up one afternoon with two Chinese friends and asked if I could put them up for the
night. Of course I did but the next day it poured with rain so they had to stay a second night and I was
more than thankful when they left on the following morning. I felt really ashamed of my British blood
when I saw how he treated his Chinese co-workers and other Chinese too - like dust beneath his feet.
Yet he had been in British Embassy work in Russia, Persia, Africa and a number of other places too,
and I thought should at least have learned to be more diplomatic in dealing with the nationals of the
country where he was living. He was one of the most hard drinking, smoking, swearing, unpleasant
Englishmen I have ever met and I fervently hoped he would not call in on his return trip and want to be
accommodated for the night.
Mei Shui was causing me problems. We had not heard from Mr. Carwardine’s son in England whether
or not he was willing to take responsibility for her. Mr. Carwardine had made no provision for her and
of course she had not had a penny of her own, and had never been trained to do anything by which
she could support herself. So she continued to live with me, but she was too interested in boys,
natural at her age I suppose, but she would slip out on to the street without my knowing and I would
316
