2
1st. Friday. Cloudy but no rain to speak of.
3
Had a good Endeavor meeting. Our new president Mr. 鄥 made a very nice talk on the evil of gambling. When he threw the meeting open, lo and behold! Tai Li Tsung got up and delivered a lecture on the sin of pride. An elegant fellow to exhort others not to be proud. I know what he meant. In the discharge of my duties as an overseer of the dormitory, I have had several rubs with this apostle of humility. His relation with me came to a sore point when I reported his gambling to Prof. Bonnell who called him to an account. This was too much for this humble gentleman. So he "packed" the room with his followers and gave his edifying lecture for my special benefit. Another orator of the day rose after him and enlarged on the virtue of humility(about which a Chinese has very little to brag) . When the meeting was dismissed, the admiring crowd of the leader of gamblers and the apostle of humility clapped their hands and they escorted him in triumph to his dark room.
4
Darling Baby suffered all day from a severe attack of headache. Poor thing! I feel almost as if I have wronged her in taking her out of her happy school life.
6
2nd. Saturday. A warm and bright morning. Cloudy p.m. Starry night.
7
The voice of mirth and the voice of gladness that rang through the interested circles of Corea at the death of Mr. K. had scarcely died away in the mountains and valleys when an insurrection broke out shaking the very foundations of the guilty government. So, after all, K. and few other refugees wandering about homeless and hopeless were not the only enemy(?) to the rulers or rather the misrulers of the peninsula. But the rebellion, so called, will not succeed. China, the real foe to the welfare of Corea, will help the government to put the insurrection down; not that the preservation of the power that be is benefitial to Corea, but that the pigtail interest can be best advanced thereby. The rising will soon come to an end only to add another chapter of death, torture, imprisonment, confiscation and banishment to the bloody and ignominious annals of the kingdom of Chosun. Poor Corea! Dark thy destiny and forlorn thy hope!
8
Received a sweet letter from sister (H.M.)
10
7th. (五月初四) Thursday. A hot day.
11
No school from this day until next Monday on account of the so called Dragon-boat festival.
14
This is one of the biggest holidays in the Chinese Calendar This day nearly 3 thousand years ago 屈原 drowned himself in a river. People commemorate the sad event by a public holiday. In it they eat ... rice done up in a three cornered bundle wrapped in a leaf. In some places they have dragon boats gayly decorated going about on the rivers for the purpose of rescuing the spirit of 屈原. Quite independently of this historical commemoration the 5th day of the 5th moon is regarded as a "poisonous day" in which evil spirits go about. To keep them out on the door lintels of each house or shop is seen hung some garlic, the leaves of calamus(菖蒲) , and artemesia(艾蓬) all tied up in a red strip of paper.
15
At 3 p.m. with my teacher (and one of his girls whom he had to carry in his arms all the time) went into the city. The narrow streets were alive with human beings. Hawkers, jugglers, and quacks of all sorts seemed all busy. The tea-shop offered a grateful refuge from the heat, dust and smell. 湖心亭, the most noted tea-shop in the native city was crowded to its utmost capacity. The tea-shop is certainly an institution of great blessing to the Chinese. To it may be largely due the temperate habit of the people so far as intoxicants are concerned.
17
9th. Saturday. A sultry day.
18
Had a delightful rest most of the day with some good articles in the back numbers of the Chinese Recorder. Read, with delight, Mr. Candlin's Chicago article on "The Bearing of Religious Unity on the Work of Missions." I agree with him that all religion is in its essential good and not evil; that all systems of religion whatever may be their errors are efforts more or less efficient, against sin and superstition. After speaking of various forms of religion, the writer concludes the paragraph in the following eloquent terms: "Dim, dim and cold as yellow changeful moons, as twinkling, distant, cloud-obscured stars, as momentary, falling meteors in the dark dread night of humanity, yet are they farther removed from the utter darkness, the gloom and terror and despair which are the death of the soul, than from the crimson and gold of the dawning sky, the splendor of the noonday sun which we behold in Jesus Christ".
19
One may doubt the correctness of this statement in the face of so much cheating and lying done in the name of religion in heathen countries. But he must remember that the sins are not religion nor its friend but its enemy. The worth of a religious system is not to be estimated by how much error it has but by what success it has in fighting against them. The temples, idols, chants, charms, incense, nonsense and all which we see on every hand in a pagan country do not indicate the deadness of the religious instinct of a heathen but its aliveness.
20
"Thou shalt not sin" is the commandment that is written in every man's conscience. This commandment, this law is holy and good, and ordained to life. But in a man who hasn't the certain light of the Gospel, sin taking occasion by the commandment deceives him by telling him that certain multiplication of some good deeds will secure him pardon and ease. Hence the temples, idols, rites, asceticism, etc. etc.
21
Wrote to dear sister (H.M.) , Tom Shepard, and Mrs. Wilson.
24
Had Christ told the Chinese pharisees to cast the first stone at the guilty woman I am absolutely sure every last one of them would have had the cheek enough to do so. The conceit and cheek of a Confucian pharisee is something beyond comprehension.
25
This morning a boy told me that he was too sick (of headache) to attend the S.S. Just then Mr. Loehr came by and ordered the boy to come. The latter, to my surprise, did come inspite of his headache(?) . After all Mr. L. is right in controlling the boys by mere force. Indeed the Chinese boys have no sentiment to appeal to except that of fear or of gain.
26
They show a singular lack of gratitude, love, and sense of honor. Of course there are exceptions; but in my experience among them as a schoolmate and now as a teacher I am persuaded to say that a Chinese boy with a heart of gratitude is a rare thing.
27
The difference between the style of Dr. Allen's preaching and that of Mr. L. is the difference between a well-flavored dish and a piece of bread twelve months old. The weakness of Mr. L. as a preacher (to the Chinese) does not lie in his want of zeal or of common sense; but in his inability to fit the discourse to the mental frame of the unsympathetic hearer. Some of his weak points:―
28
1. His utter ignorance of the history and literature of China. If a missionary, from national pride or religious bigotry, ignores these, the idols of the Chinese mind, he will surely get left. To know a heathen classic is not to substitute it for the Bible any more than to know the ins-and-outs of the enemy's country is to love it to the injury of one's own.
29
2. Mr. L. is entirely too "foreign" in his language and illustrations (which come few and far apart) . The "tuba" version of the Bible is offensively awkward. Great many words in it are entirely new and hence devoid of any association to the Chinese ear. Such words as "law", "prophets", "angels", "devils", "Jehovah" etc. etc. convey no meaning at all to the Chinese who for the first time hear these terms. A missionary ought to take pain to make his sermon attractive by either avoiding unintelligible words or illuminating them with illustrations.
30
3. Figures such as the "lamb", "crown", "cross" etc. rich though they are in meaning in the Christian literature sound very flat to a heathen. To use these figures to a Chinese audience without any explanation and adornment is unwise to say the least. Mr. L. seems to think that to be Chinese is unworthy of a Christian preacher. But his efforts might be more effective if he tried cook his sermons more attractive to the Chinese palate.
31
4. His subjects are, as a rule, miracles, hell with brimstone and sulphur, eternal punishment under which damned souls weep and gnash their teeth. To Confucianists these simply mean nothing. In fact to lay undue emphasis on these is no better than preaching the popular Buddhism of China full of miracles, hells and punishments. The doctrine that those who do not believe in Christ will all go to hell of sulphur and worms is too gross for me: for think that the 300,000 souls which are said to die daily in China alone all go to hell to be tormented! No wonder that older boys who are more or less filled with the materialistic doctrines of Confucius smile as Mr. L. preaches away the gloomy aspects of his religion. He preaches too long, anyway.
32
Whatever may be his faults as a preacher, he is a faithful man who will not budge an inch from what he thinks right. He is capable the fastest friendship.
34
16th. Saturday. Rained all day-cooling the air and gladdening the farmers.
35
Wandering thoughts etc. etc.
36
1. From last Monday "Baby" has begun her studies. She goes to the McTyeire School at 8 every morning and comes back in the evening. The house does not look like a home without her. But when she stays home she makes everything blue by being launguid, sickly and unhappy. Well!
37
2. The Old Teacher says that at 60 one gets older every year; that after 70 he gets older every months; and that above 80 he gets older every day. He is a wonderful old man more active with 85 summers on him than myself.
38
3. The historic novel, "Three Kingdom", gives me as fresh a pleasure now as when I first read it over ten years ago. The absence of scenic descriptions and of chronology is a striking fault of the book. Even the season in which certain events occur is seldom given. The moral character of the personae is drawn true to the Chinese standard. Curelty in punishing treasonable crimes, treachery and cowardice in killing embassadors and helpless creatures, underhand dealings against enemies, unrestrained vengeance for every injury―all these dark sides of the Chinese and Corean morality or rather immorality are illustrated by the heroes of the three kingdoms.
39
Attended the McTyeire Home Saturday night prayer meeting. Miss Reynold led the meeting.
40
After returning home, when I told Baby my embarassment in regard to the payment of100 which I owe to the A.C.C. she said that she could let me have50 next Monday. Promising her that I should return the amount before the year is out, I asked her where her money was. She showed me her gold hair-pin and earrings which she had intended to sell to help me pay the debt. On my telling her that I would not let her do anything of the sort, she with her usual sweetness, said: "I don't need them now. What right have I to use such expensive ornaments with a debt on us". Precious Baby! How sensible and wifely she talks. Of course I would not let her make the sacrifice.
41
Our servant seems hardly responsible for lying. It has become a part of her nature. She lies as naturally as she eats.
43
18th. Monday. Rained most of the day.
44
This is the regular rainy season of Shanghai.
45
This morning read an item in the paper to the effect that the Corean government helped by the Chinese soldiers has effectually defeated the Tonghack rebels. Nothing more than anticipated. Yet the revolting certainty that China will more openly tyranize over poor Corea from this on. to the utter damnation of the people morally and politically, simply made me sick. Oh, what a slaughter there will be in Corea as soon as the poor rebels be finally routed!
46
A serious riot is feared in Canton. A riot at the heel of a dreadful plague that has raged over a month―why, the Cantonese must be tired of living.
47
Last night Charlie Soon, in reference to my translation of the English Primer, said, "Why, it is too simple to be translated. Besides to let the boys use the translation does them harm. We call it Jack in America and 'pony' in Latin(!) . I read Caesar and Virgil etc. but 'ponies' did me lots of harm". Poor fellow I should respect him more if he would let Latin and Greek alone.
50
Felt out of sort all the day. This damp moulding season is very unpleasant.
51
When Baby stays home she is sick. When a little better, she has to go to school and stays away all day. In the meanwhile the house is kept or rather not kept, by the servant who knows no more the difference between dirtiness and cleanliness than she does that between Greek and Latin. Is this the home I sighed for? Expect an elegant time of it during the summer.
52
A rumor goes that a fight took place between the Chinese and the Japanese soldiers in Corea. A blazing war between them would be a lovely thing. I do wish that the Coreans had known nothing but war, loved nothing but war, practiced nothing but war, ever since the formulation of the government. Then the condition of Corea would have been far more respectable than it is.
53
Peace is good thing if it be founded on true and righteous principles. But the peace that is maintained by the tyranny of the rulers and the slavery of the ruled―the kind of peace that has lulled Corea and China to sleep for so many ignoble centuries is the mother of cowardice, treachery, lying, effeminacy, corruption,―in fact, ever vice that has made Corea a veritable Hades. I believe that for a semicivilized nation like Corea or China nothing can better keep up manly and patriotic spirit than war or love of it. Look at Japan.
55
23rd. Saturday. A remarkably cool day. A fire felt good. A little rain in the morning.
56
At 3:30 p.m. went to the Union Church to attend the evening session of the 1st Annual Convention of the Christian Endeavors in China. There were representatives from Foochow, Nankin, Ninpo etc. etc. The proceedings and papers read were all in English. During the business part of the session a Chinese brother got up and most justly criticized the exclusive use of English in a convention composed largely of the Chinese. Everybody seemed to appreciate the objection. Mr. Reid answered the criticism by saying that the meeting had to be conducted in English and by foreigners as the thing is too new to the Chinese bretheren to be managed by them. To which the Chinese delegate replied that it was no matter of controversy so far as the fact, that foreigners have to teach and the Chinese to learn, was concerned. "But" said he, "if we can't understand what you all say and read, how can we learn?" The matter was adjusted by appointing Mr. Fitch the official translator for the convention. This matter ought to have been so arranged before the Convention met.
57
Almost everybody is at a loss to make out the intention of the Japanese government in quartering 4,000 soldiers in Corea. So far as I am concerned I would sooner see Japan take Corea than China. Besides as long as the Japanese force remains in Seoul, China will not do anything grossly unjust. If there were wisdom and patriotism in the government of the peninsula this would be a fine time to reform Corea and play the part of Switzerland in the Far East.
59
24th. Sunday. A hot day.
60
The College S.S. and Chapel services as usual.
61
It would be hard to find utterances in the Gospels. more offensive to the Chinese conception of duty and morality than those contained in the verses 21, 34, 35, 36, 37 of Matt. X. These verses contain truths that are of great value if rightly understood. But read these seemingly ungracious and hard sayings in ungracious and hard tone and manner from the ungracious and hard version of the Shanghai "tuba", without any explanation at all, to a ungracious and hard Chinese audience―do this and you will make a ungracious and hard impression on the hearers. This Mr. L. did this morning.
62
At 4 p.m. the C.S. convention held its consecration meeting in the new Methodist Church. The handsome auditorium with its seating capacity for over 500 people was packed. Methodists and Presbyterians, Baptists and Episcopalians were there; but denominational landmarks were broadened into the Christian fraternity. Many races were represented; but everyone felt that there is neither Greek nor Barbarian in the household of faith. Behind the pulpit stood a large banner with the words "the United Societies of Christian Endeavor in China," blazing in gold. Each Society had its own banner with some appropriate mottoes. Mr. Fitch presided.
63
The hymns were sung with spirit and understanding: "All hail the power of Jesus' name"! "Jesus shall rain wherever the sun. Its successive journies run"! These words translated into the Chinese language so far removed from Christian ideas, lose much of the history and associations which render them richer and sweeter in English. A compensation is, however, found in the fact that these hymns sung on occasions like the present not merely express the wishes of a devout soul; but proclaims the realization of the prophetic utterances.
64
The testimonies, relieved now and then by songs were good. Little fellows scarcely visible behind the benches, old men with gray hairs, women of varying ages, spoke, read or prayed to the point and with the brevity that some riper Christian whom I had heard in America under similar circumstances might do well to imitate. An interesting episode occurred when a Foochow delegate spoke. His dialect being entirely different from that of Shanghai a lady missionary had to translate the speech into English which was again interpreted by anther American to the Chinese audience. The incident, amusing as it was, presented a fine illustration of the diversity of tongues in China.
65
Altogether the meeting was a success. It was good to be there.
67
25th. Monday. A hot day.
68
Late in the p.m. had a good little chat with Dr. Allen. Some things he said:―
69
1. The Japanese are foolish to think they can run a party government. Why, my dear Sir, it took England a thousand years nearly to perfect a constitutional government. A few Japanese educated abroad may understand what a constitution means; but how about the mass of the people. Such a government comes of experience―it is a thing of growth. A constitution on paper without a people to run it is useless.(This remark on account of the constant strifes between the parliament and the cabinet of Tokio) .
70
2. The Japanese want to get rid of the disgraceful exterritoriality maintained by the Western powers in their country. But as long as the code of laws, manner of administration and morality of the people are inferior to us we will not commit our persons or property to the care of a nation whom we can not trust. Where can you get honest witnesses in Japan or China. You can bribe or suborn as many as you want to and the foreigner who can't do the same must suffer. Exterritoriality is a goad that urges Japan and China to better their government and morality. To remove this goad at this junction will be the worst thing that can happen to these countries.
71
3. The Japanese think they know everything. I sometimes think it will do them good for someone to give them a brush. I wouldn't like to see China do it, though.
72
4. Morrison and Lambuth were elected our missionary secretaries. Morrison is a nice man and may be good for other things; but as a secretary he is a failure. He doesn't understand what mission cause means; nor does he care to know about it. When I was at home, he did not ask me anything about China. He carries on no correspondence of any account with me. He may talk; but he can't write. I wish Dr. Candler were elected.
73
5. They at home seem to think that the A.C.C. is my personal concern. The China Conference thinks so, too. The native preachers don't care a...for it. It makes me sick sometimes.
74
This morning Baby advanced me50 (her mother's) . Added to this my last month's salary made95. Paid the same with5 (drawn from July's salary) to Prof. Bonnell to cancel my marriage debt.
76
27th. Wednesday. A burning day.
77
A week or two ago, Prof. Bonnell by a letter ordered 戴禮增 to retire from the School on account of his bad example in breaking the college rules etc. Today, 戴 wrote to Prof. Bonnell saying that he was grateful for the letter ordering him out; that "numerous thanks" were due to the Professor for having taught him so diligently and carefully; and that his only regret for leaving the A.C.C. was that he could not get elsewhere the religious advantages offered there. Mr. Loehr received another letter from the young gentleman to the effect that he did not understand why Prof. Bonnell should expel him; that force might compel the obedience of the body but not of the mind; that he did not mind leaving the College because Prof. Bonnell had never taught him more than a hour a day anyhow. He closed the letter most piously mourning over the fact that he could not attend the S.S. services, the Sunday preachings, the mid-week prayers and the C.B. services. He requested Mr. L. to pray for him. These pious words sound rather awkward in the mouth of a man who distinguished himself during the whole term in lying, gambling and leading others into evil habits. O. the cheek of a Chinaman!
78
Mr. Carnot, the President of the French Republic, was shot dead by an Italian madman, a day or two ago. A disasterous earthquake in Tokio and Yokohama. This year so far seems to be a rough one.
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