CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ARCHIVE

Section I: East Asia Missions

Part 15: Western China Mission, 1897-1934

Part 16: Western China Mission, 1898-1934 and Fukien Mission, 1900-1934

Part 17: Fukien Mission, 1911-1934

Part 18: Fukien Mission, 1900-1934, Kwangsi-Hunan Mission, 1911-1934, China General, 1935-1951
              and South China, 1935-1951

Part 19: South China Mission, 1935-1951, Fukien Mission, 1935-1951 and Kwangsi-Hunan Mission,
              1935-1951

Introduction to Part 16

Part 16 continues coverage of missions to China with the papers of the Western China Mission, 1898-1934 and the Fukien Mission papers for 1900-1934. For the Western China Mission it concludes the Original Papers with the years 1929-1934 and covers the Précis Books for 1898-1934. The papers of the Fukien Mission, 1900-1934 cover the Letter Books for 1900-1934 and the Original Papers 1900-1910.

Western China Mission, 1898-1934

The Original Papers, 1929-1934, continuing the Original Papers from Part 15, are the incoming papers sent by the missions to London. They contain letters regarding all manner of subjects, the current political situation in China being covered in depth. There are letters from missionaries describing their first impressions, requesting furloughs, increases in salary, permission to marry, illness and retirement and there are vivid descriptions of their travels in the countryside around the missions. These are contained in the missionaries’ letters, journals and annual reports.

Reports, Minutes and Pamphlets of all kinds are to be found including: Report for the year of the West China Union University; Executive Committee Resolutions; Minutes of the West China Mission Conference; Report of the Women’s College; Pamphlet on the Council of Education; Report of the Hospital Board.

Miscellaneous items include: certificates for language exams; notes from the Medical Board regarding the health of missionaries; plans for mission houses and schools; an analysis of the missionaries in the area by doctor, clergy, layman and newspaper cuttings.

The extract below, taken from the papers of the Fukien Mission describes the journey of a missionary to the out-posts of the district of Foo-Chow.

Bah-Dieng Dec 6 1903
My Biblewoman and I accordingly set out from the city early on Friday morning. On arriving at the island, the next part of the journey had to be done by boat. It was a native sam-pan, clean as far as Chinese boats go, but very small. The party on board consisted of the boatman, his mother, wife, four children, Mrs Ling, my Biblewoman, coolie, myself and to my great astonishment, I found a few hours after our start, that there was a terrible opium smoker lying just under the boards where we were together with a goodly number of geese! We started from Foo-chow at 1pm with the outgoing tide and reached the Anchorage where the outside steamers anchor, at 5pm…. Whilst anchoring here the native crew cooked their evening meal and by the aid of a lighted taper in a bottle, squatted on the stern of the boat and enjoyed their meal in silence. The amount of space afforded to Mrs Ling and myself was about seven feet by five and in this space was also one of our travelling baskets. The only covering of this part of the boat was a kind of basket work. About 7pm we again started off and arrived at Kang-Cheng at 10pm. On account of the late hour it was impossible to land, everybody had retired, so we stayed on the boat and determined to get off at dawn next morning. The night was bitterly cold and what with the terrible opium fumes, which were continually wafted up from below, our rest was not very enjoyable. Imagine our disappointment next morning when we found we were firmly stuck in the mud and no means of landing! A heavy frost had fallen in the night and everything was suggestive of Winter, except the orange trees which were growing along the bank. They were laden with oranges almost ripe….

Items related to finance cover: discussions about missionary salaries, diocesan statistics; educational statistics; minutes of the Standing and Finance Committee; statistics of staff and churches.

Miscellaneous items include: notices of examinations in Chinese, maps of the Western China Mission area; certificates of good health of missionaries; photographs; plans for missionary buildings.

The Précis Books covering 1898-1934 contain a précis of all the incoming papers prepared for the Group Committee. The précis comprises the number, date, writer, date received, summary of contents, proposals for committee action to be taken and/or the Secretary’s remarks.

Fukien Mission 1900-1934

The Letter Books for 1900-1934 contain private and confidential letters from the Secretary in London to individual missionaries. A wide range of subjects is to be found covering all manner of missionary activity.

The Original Papers, 1900-1910, are the incoming papers sent by the missions to London. They contain letters regarding all kinds of subjects, the current political situation in China being covered in depth. There are letters from missionaries describing their first impressions, requesting furloughs, increases in salary, permission to marry, illness and retirement and there are vivid descriptions of their travels in the countryside and their work carried out in the missions. These are contained in the missionaries’ letters, journals and annual reports.

Reports, Minutes and Pamphlets of all kinds are to be found: Report on the Church Day Schools of Fukien; Report of the Theological College; Report of the Boys School; Minutes of the Standing Committee; Minutes of Conferences; Report of the Finance Committee; Report of the Anglo-Chinese College; Report on the Chinese-Opium League.

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