Page 80 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 80
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
spirited ones, hence his reputation. Further, Moslem men are
renowned horsemen, and this brought him in contact with both
officials and traders. His prowess and horsemanship were well
known locally and gave him close contact with Moslem leaders, many
of whom showed this predilection for peaceful purposes and as part
of their military efficiency which was a recurring threat to the Chinese
district. His part time job as private tutor to the son of the Dashuai or
Military Governor of Gansu was quite a private affair springing from
natural friendliness and in no way official, but this led to frequent
unofficial visits to the Yamen and frequent casual contacts with all
kinds of officials both Chinese and Moslem, and he became well
known."
"I recall the first day I arrived in Lanzhou, travelling on foot with all my
goods piled on a mule pack" Parry continues, "GFA kindly came out
some miles to meet me accompanied by the Postmaster. They were
both mounted and brought a third mount for me. In the excitement he
forgot to ask me if I was accustomed to horseriding (which at the time
I was not!) We were barely in our saddles when he suggested, 'Let's
have a race'. My steed was a known racer and we easily won, but
how I gripped with my knees and pulled on the reins!"
Lanzhou was strategically placed on the only land route between China and the Middle East where
Turkey was fighting on the side of Germany. The 3,000,000 Muslims in Gansu and their fellow
Muslims in Chinese Turkestan (Xinjiang) were strongly tempted to come to the aid of their 'brothers' in
Turkey by rebelling against the Chinese Central Government who were on the side of the Allies.
GFA was in touch with the British Legation in Beijing as he corresponded regularly with Miles
Lampson (later Lord Kilean). Soon he was reporting to him the attitudes of community leaders in
Gansu, as well as organising film shows and other propaganda to publicise Allied successes. He kept
an eye too on the movements of enemy aliens who seemed to be acting suspiciously in the area.
Miles Lampson often communicated with him in code, letting him know about travellers heading for
Lanzhou and Central Asia whose motives were uncertain. After Russia had been knocked out of the
war, his services seemed to the Legation more valuable.
"You could not possibly be more usefully employed than where you
are at present," wrote Miles Lampson, "It is a great advantage in
these times of stress to know that we have a reliable correspondent in
Lanzhou who will keep us informed and maintain a sharp look-out."
GFA did not have to do all the looking out himself either, as he employed his own Chinese agents. In
the end, thanks to his friendship with leaders on both sides, he was credited with having been the
means of preventing a Muslim uprising against the Chinese. It was for this that he was awarded the
OBE after the war.
This double life of GFA's was most unusual, for on principle, the CIM avoided any such political
involvement, insisting that missionaries were in China, not as agents for their Governments, but to
proclaim the everlasting Gospel. I know that years later, when Percy and I were missionaries in
China, and the Communists took over, they accused foreign missionaries of being Government
agents, an accusation which we vehemently denied. However, since reading much of GFA's
activities and thinking too of the way in which we entertained GI's stationed at Hanzhong (and also
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Contents
Amy Moore
spirited ones, hence his reputation. Further, Moslem men are
renowned horsemen, and this brought him in contact with both
officials and traders. His prowess and horsemanship were well
known locally and gave him close contact with Moslem leaders, many
of whom showed this predilection for peaceful purposes and as part
of their military efficiency which was a recurring threat to the Chinese
district. His part time job as private tutor to the son of the Dashuai or
Military Governor of Gansu was quite a private affair springing from
natural friendliness and in no way official, but this led to frequent
unofficial visits to the Yamen and frequent casual contacts with all
kinds of officials both Chinese and Moslem, and he became well
known."
"I recall the first day I arrived in Lanzhou, travelling on foot with all my
goods piled on a mule pack" Parry continues, "GFA kindly came out
some miles to meet me accompanied by the Postmaster. They were
both mounted and brought a third mount for me. In the excitement he
forgot to ask me if I was accustomed to horseriding (which at the time
I was not!) We were barely in our saddles when he suggested, 'Let's
have a race'. My steed was a known racer and we easily won, but
how I gripped with my knees and pulled on the reins!"
Lanzhou was strategically placed on the only land route between China and the Middle East where
Turkey was fighting on the side of Germany. The 3,000,000 Muslims in Gansu and their fellow
Muslims in Chinese Turkestan (Xinjiang) were strongly tempted to come to the aid of their 'brothers' in
Turkey by rebelling against the Chinese Central Government who were on the side of the Allies.
GFA was in touch with the British Legation in Beijing as he corresponded regularly with Miles
Lampson (later Lord Kilean). Soon he was reporting to him the attitudes of community leaders in
Gansu, as well as organising film shows and other propaganda to publicise Allied successes. He kept
an eye too on the movements of enemy aliens who seemed to be acting suspiciously in the area.
Miles Lampson often communicated with him in code, letting him know about travellers heading for
Lanzhou and Central Asia whose motives were uncertain. After Russia had been knocked out of the
war, his services seemed to the Legation more valuable.
"You could not possibly be more usefully employed than where you
are at present," wrote Miles Lampson, "It is a great advantage in
these times of stress to know that we have a reliable correspondent in
Lanzhou who will keep us informed and maintain a sharp look-out."
GFA did not have to do all the looking out himself either, as he employed his own Chinese agents. In
the end, thanks to his friendship with leaders on both sides, he was credited with having been the
means of preventing a Muslim uprising against the Chinese. It was for this that he was awarded the
OBE after the war.
This double life of GFA's was most unusual, for on principle, the CIM avoided any such political
involvement, insisting that missionaries were in China, not as agents for their Governments, but to
proclaim the everlasting Gospel. I know that years later, when Percy and I were missionaries in
China, and the Communists took over, they accused foreign missionaries of being Government
agents, an accusation which we vehemently denied. However, since reading much of GFA's
activities and thinking too of the way in which we entertained GI's stationed at Hanzhong (and also
Return to Table of 80
Contents
