Page 64 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 64
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
The heat had made all their bread turn mouldy, so that even the dogs would not eat it, and they had to
throw it away. As the innkeepers provide nothing and they had to have their own supplies for the
eleven days from Hami to Anxi, the two men found themselves faced with at least seven days without
bread. By persuading the innkeepers each day to sell them a little, they managed to keep going, but
it was thirst rather than hunger which now became their problem.
The rain and the gales that had made things cooler for a time, had passed over and the heat of the
desert was so intense that Arthur said they felt as though they were in an oven. They longed for a
change, but when it did come, it was a hot wind that only increased their thirst. When they eventually
reached Anxi they "sat down and finished eight fair sized pots of Chinese tea before our thirst was
satisfied."
From Anxi to Suzhou and again from Suzhou to Ganzhou they had further difficulties because of the
swollen rivers and the many bog holes along the roads. The last day into Ganzhou was specially
dangerous and two of the lead animals were swept off their feet by the strength of the current before
the men were able to get them through safely.
The last stage from Liangzhou to Lanzhou, when they were back on familiar territory, was fairly
uneventful except for one incident when crossing a river. The animals were clear but the cart got
stuck in a deep hole. They had great difficulty in getting it out and when they did they had to unload all
the boxes and dry out their clothes which were thoroughly soaked. Fortunately the sun was hot and
things dried quickly, but it was a good two hours before they were on their way again.
They arrived in Lanzhou on 20 August, having taken only two months instead of three on the return
journey. This was because night travel meant they did not spend so much time preaching and selling
literature as they had been able to do on the way up. In any case they had sold almost everything
they had taken with them. Arthur had been longing to do this trip ever since his designation to work
with Mr. Hunter seven years earlier. He felt deeply grateful for the privilege of having been able to
take the Gospel to those far distant places where few messengers of the Gospel had ever been.
While they were still on their way back to Lanzhou, World War I was declared, and this was going to
affect all their lives in the days ahead.
Mr. Meng, the Chinese evangelist who worked for the Christian & Missionary Alliance, and had
volunteered to go with Arthur to Dihua, had proved to be a brother indeed. He was concerned about
his family and made his way from Lanzhou as quickly as possible back to his home. White Wolf had
been operating all through that area, and when he reached his home he found his wife and children
had taken refuge out in the country.
When he found them he was terribly distressed to find his children so thin and changed, bursting into
tears at the sight of their father. His wife told him the story of what they had been through. "One
day, when we were in the country, the "White Wolves" came. People fled into the hills, but with four
little children I could not do that, so we took refuge in a cave. Suddenly a brigand came into the cave
and seeing us, pointed his gun at us to shoot us. I had a child in my arms and called out to him, `Old
grandfather, please spare my life and pity my children.' He made no reply and seemed about to shoot.
I called out again `Please, old grandfather shoot me but spare my children.' While I was still speaking,
another brigand came in and dragged the first one away. After they had gone, the children and I
found our way to a pottery kiln where we hid till evening, and then we fled to a big forest in the
mountains. Alas! Snow fell and the children nearly froze to death."
64
Amy Moore
The heat had made all their bread turn mouldy, so that even the dogs would not eat it, and they had to
throw it away. As the innkeepers provide nothing and they had to have their own supplies for the
eleven days from Hami to Anxi, the two men found themselves faced with at least seven days without
bread. By persuading the innkeepers each day to sell them a little, they managed to keep going, but
it was thirst rather than hunger which now became their problem.
The rain and the gales that had made things cooler for a time, had passed over and the heat of the
desert was so intense that Arthur said they felt as though they were in an oven. They longed for a
change, but when it did come, it was a hot wind that only increased their thirst. When they eventually
reached Anxi they "sat down and finished eight fair sized pots of Chinese tea before our thirst was
satisfied."
From Anxi to Suzhou and again from Suzhou to Ganzhou they had further difficulties because of the
swollen rivers and the many bog holes along the roads. The last day into Ganzhou was specially
dangerous and two of the lead animals were swept off their feet by the strength of the current before
the men were able to get them through safely.
The last stage from Liangzhou to Lanzhou, when they were back on familiar territory, was fairly
uneventful except for one incident when crossing a river. The animals were clear but the cart got
stuck in a deep hole. They had great difficulty in getting it out and when they did they had to unload all
the boxes and dry out their clothes which were thoroughly soaked. Fortunately the sun was hot and
things dried quickly, but it was a good two hours before they were on their way again.
They arrived in Lanzhou on 20 August, having taken only two months instead of three on the return
journey. This was because night travel meant they did not spend so much time preaching and selling
literature as they had been able to do on the way up. In any case they had sold almost everything
they had taken with them. Arthur had been longing to do this trip ever since his designation to work
with Mr. Hunter seven years earlier. He felt deeply grateful for the privilege of having been able to
take the Gospel to those far distant places where few messengers of the Gospel had ever been.
While they were still on their way back to Lanzhou, World War I was declared, and this was going to
affect all their lives in the days ahead.
Mr. Meng, the Chinese evangelist who worked for the Christian & Missionary Alliance, and had
volunteered to go with Arthur to Dihua, had proved to be a brother indeed. He was concerned about
his family and made his way from Lanzhou as quickly as possible back to his home. White Wolf had
been operating all through that area, and when he reached his home he found his wife and children
had taken refuge out in the country.
When he found them he was terribly distressed to find his children so thin and changed, bursting into
tears at the sight of their father. His wife told him the story of what they had been through. "One
day, when we were in the country, the "White Wolves" came. People fled into the hills, but with four
little children I could not do that, so we took refuge in a cave. Suddenly a brigand came into the cave
and seeing us, pointed his gun at us to shoot us. I had a child in my arms and called out to him, `Old
grandfather, please spare my life and pity my children.' He made no reply and seemed about to shoot.
I called out again `Please, old grandfather shoot me but spare my children.' While I was still speaking,
another brigand came in and dragged the first one away. After they had gone, the children and I
found our way to a pottery kiln where we hid till evening, and then we fled to a big forest in the
mountains. Alas! Snow fell and the children nearly froze to death."
64
