Page 60 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 60
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
been much encouraged by a Chinese gentleman who had sought him out as being a fellow Christian
and asked many questions about the Gospel. At another place they were sought out by two men
who had received Gospels from Mr. Hunter years before, had read them and wanted more.
The last day into Anxi was a difficult one. It started with high winds and clouds of dust making travel
difficult. Then within ten li of the city, they came to a river which looked both deep and swift. The
first cart got across alright, but when the carter of the second one refused to let his animals stop to
drink, they turned down stream, began to sink in the soft sand and, in their struggles, pulled the cart in
after them. The wheels sank in up to the axles, and the shaft animal was half buried in sand and
covered with water. He could only get his head above water occasionally because of the weight of
the cart, and one of the leaders was also struggling for his life.
Arthur continues the story:
"Our carter who had gone on ahead of us stopped when he heard the
shouting, and the two of us went back to the crossing. We found the
two carters swearing at each other while the horses were still
struggling for their lives. We very soon had the young carter back in
the water, the harness cut and the poor half drowned beasts free on
the bank enjoying a dust bath instead of a water one. Then we had
to get the cart out, no easy matter. We got the boxes off first, and
then lifted the body of the cart to the bank, but what a job we had to
get the wheels out of the mud! We finally did it by taking one off its
axle and using the axle to pry the other wheel out of the mud in which
it was firmly stuck. It took us over one and a half hours and all in the
midst of a strong gale and sand storm."
At long last they found themselves entering the city of Anxi, one of the great cross roads of Central
Asia where travellers from China, Mongolia, Tibet and the far north west all meet. It was too good an
opportunity to miss, and they decided to spend a few days there to preach and sell literature.
An unusual and interesting experience they had here, was to meet the famous explorer Sir Aurel
Stein. Born in 1862 in Budapest, he was at this time about fifty two years of age. He had been
carrying out explorations in Central Asia for the Government of British India for some fifteen years. At
Anxi he was staying in a temple outside the West Gate. Hearing that two westerners were in the city,
he sent his servant to invite them to have dinner with him.
Years later Arthur Moore told us about that meal. He and Percy had only their Chinese gowns to
wear, so after trying to get rid of some of the dust that seemed to have penetrated all their things, they
walked across to the western suburb. There they found Sir Aurel in a dinner suit, with the table
beautifully laid out with white starched cloth and serviettes all ready for the meal. When they
apologised that they had nothing more appropriate to wear, their host told them that he found it easy
to get careless when alone for so long in the desert, so, even when alone, he always dressed for
dinner as he would have done at home.
Percy described the menu: "carrot soup, fried potatoes, meat balls, custard pudding, stewed apricots
and currant buns. We drank soda water made from sparklets." Arthur found the conversation the
most interesting.
"He entertained us admirably with an account of his travels and his
excavations along the Great Wall of China. He also gave us a most
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Contents
Amy Moore
been much encouraged by a Chinese gentleman who had sought him out as being a fellow Christian
and asked many questions about the Gospel. At another place they were sought out by two men
who had received Gospels from Mr. Hunter years before, had read them and wanted more.
The last day into Anxi was a difficult one. It started with high winds and clouds of dust making travel
difficult. Then within ten li of the city, they came to a river which looked both deep and swift. The
first cart got across alright, but when the carter of the second one refused to let his animals stop to
drink, they turned down stream, began to sink in the soft sand and, in their struggles, pulled the cart in
after them. The wheels sank in up to the axles, and the shaft animal was half buried in sand and
covered with water. He could only get his head above water occasionally because of the weight of
the cart, and one of the leaders was also struggling for his life.
Arthur continues the story:
"Our carter who had gone on ahead of us stopped when he heard the
shouting, and the two of us went back to the crossing. We found the
two carters swearing at each other while the horses were still
struggling for their lives. We very soon had the young carter back in
the water, the harness cut and the poor half drowned beasts free on
the bank enjoying a dust bath instead of a water one. Then we had
to get the cart out, no easy matter. We got the boxes off first, and
then lifted the body of the cart to the bank, but what a job we had to
get the wheels out of the mud! We finally did it by taking one off its
axle and using the axle to pry the other wheel out of the mud in which
it was firmly stuck. It took us over one and a half hours and all in the
midst of a strong gale and sand storm."
At long last they found themselves entering the city of Anxi, one of the great cross roads of Central
Asia where travellers from China, Mongolia, Tibet and the far north west all meet. It was too good an
opportunity to miss, and they decided to spend a few days there to preach and sell literature.
An unusual and interesting experience they had here, was to meet the famous explorer Sir Aurel
Stein. Born in 1862 in Budapest, he was at this time about fifty two years of age. He had been
carrying out explorations in Central Asia for the Government of British India for some fifteen years. At
Anxi he was staying in a temple outside the West Gate. Hearing that two westerners were in the city,
he sent his servant to invite them to have dinner with him.
Years later Arthur Moore told us about that meal. He and Percy had only their Chinese gowns to
wear, so after trying to get rid of some of the dust that seemed to have penetrated all their things, they
walked across to the western suburb. There they found Sir Aurel in a dinner suit, with the table
beautifully laid out with white starched cloth and serviettes all ready for the meal. When they
apologised that they had nothing more appropriate to wear, their host told them that he found it easy
to get careless when alone for so long in the desert, so, even when alone, he always dressed for
dinner as he would have done at home.
Percy described the menu: "carrot soup, fried potatoes, meat balls, custard pudding, stewed apricots
and currant buns. We drank soda water made from sparklets." Arthur found the conversation the
most interesting.
"He entertained us admirably with an account of his travels and his
excavations along the Great Wall of China. He also gave us a most
Return to Table of 60
Contents
