Calvin Wilson Mateer, forty-five years a missionary in Shantung, China

by D. W. Fisher

IX
THE PRESS; LITERARY LABORS

“Making books is a very important branch of missionary effort, which I would by no means depreciate; but he who would undertake it should be sure of his call, and should not begin too soon. There is a temptation to forego active evangelistic work for the less laborious and perhaps more congenial work of sitting in a study, translating or studying the literature of the language. Much precious time is sometimes wasted in this way, especially in the earlier stages of a man’s life, before he is quite able to weigh himself against his work. It is a rare thing indeed that a missionary should undertake writing or translating a book inside of five years, and then he should be supported by the advice and approval of his older associates.”—MISSIONARIES AND THE LANGUAGE, 1902.

Mateer was at no time a very prolific contributor to the home newspapers and periodicals. For about ten years, with some frequency, he wrote for “The Presbyterian Banner” letters concerning the work of the mission done by himself and others in China; but after that he was too busy to continue such writing, except at long intervals. Once or twice he sent to the United States more labored replies to what he considered misleading articles that had appeared in such periodicals as “The Princeton Review,” in regard to the condition of things in China. He greatly deprecated laudation of matters Chinese and unwarranted hopefulness as to the immediate future of their country. He was strongly inclined to question the wisdom of the policy which the United States was pursuing in China forty or fifty years ago, and he did not hesitate to express in print here at home his views on that line of topics. Beyond these fugitive contributions to the newspapers and periodicals he published little else in this country, save a booklet or two, one or more of which he prepared for the use of the Board at their request. Sometimes he questioned whether his slight use of the home press might not leave the impression there that he was not doing as much as others who were more frequent in their contributions; but all the same he gave himself to the other work which his hands found to do.

Most of his contributions to current literature appeared in China and were written for “The Chinese Recorder.” His articles in this periodical extend over almost his entire missionary life, some of them being brief, but many of them being elaborate discussions of great subjects affecting directly or indirectly the work of evangelization in non-Christian lands. His book on the Chinese term for God was not published until 1902, and, of course, was in English, though with copious extracts from Chinese literature. His only other English book was a review of Dr. Nevius’ “Methods of Missions.”

His publications in Chinese, as we shall presently see, were very considerable in number, and were of large importance to the work of missions; for he at no time allowed himself to be diverted to the production of any treatise that would not be helpful in the one service to which he consecrated his life. But before he began to avail himself of the press for his own books, he was somewhat unwillingly compelled for a while to take the management of a printing establishment. Down at Shanghai there was already a mission press, the funds for the establishment of which had in large part been contributed for that distinct purpose, and which had been left hitherto to the management of the Presbyterian missionaries of that general region. The Synod of China—by order of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States—was organized in the autumn of 1870, and the first meeting was held at Shanghai. The condition of the mission press at that place was brought before the synod, and was by that body handed over to the foreign missionaries in attendance, as more properly belonging to their control. A plan covering the entire operation of the plant, as drawn up by Mateer in a committee and approved by the entire body, was sent home to the Board for sanction, which in due time it received. One of the things for which immediate provision was necessary was a man to take charge of the establishment, and the choice, after repeated efforts to secure some other suitable person, and after his own refusal to take the place, returned to him in such a way that he felt that he could not decline it, if limited to a period of a year, and with the privilege of spending some time as necessary up at Tengchow. Of course, temporary arrangements had to be made for the conduct of the school. For this purpose Julia’s sister, Maggie, was called into service; and with such assistance as she could command she gave excellent satisfaction. She was also in possession of the Mateer home. As to the work to which he was thus temporarily called at Shanghai, he said in his Journal:

While it is a very great trial to me to come to Shanghai, it is not without some inducement. It will increase very largely my acquaintance, and will enlarge my knowledge of China and its affairs. Also I hope it may be the means of getting something of great benefit done for Julia’s health. I am very sorry that the doctor who treated her before is not here now. My great sorrow is that it will interfere with my Chinese studies, and prevent me accomplishing what I had designed.

It was not until August, 1872, that he finally went back to Tengchow to resume his work there.

The details of his life while at Shanghai probably would not interest most readers. He said of it in his Journal, under date of January 29, 1872:

I neglected everything to do the work in the press, and I worked with an assiduity that I have rarely given to anything in my life. I had hoped when I went to Shanghai to have some time to study, but I found it utterly out of the question. The demands for the press were imperative, and I just gave myself to the work.

Two sides of his capabilities were there brought into special requisition. One of these was his efficiency as a business manager,—a characteristic due partly to his native qualities, and partly to his habits of accuracy, of wise forethought, of careful oversight, and of insistence on the faithful performance of duty by all employees. This side of his character is brought out by his “letter books.” Separation by the space of half a globe from the base of supplies made it necessary to anticipate wants by eight or ten months. For convenient reference he caused every business letter, and many others, to be copied. Especially as the school and college at Tengchow grew on his hands he had to conduct what was in reality a large miscellaneous business, under conditions that were very exceptionally difficult. He had not only to provide for his own wants in his family and in his work, but also to accommodate others by acting as their agent. His orders had to go sometimes to Shanghai, but more frequently to London, or to New York, or to some place in the interior of the United States. Many are curiosities, owing to the nature and the range of articles included—from a steam engine or a telescope or costly chemical supplies to a paper of pins. Some of the lists cover more than ten pages in the copy. Woe to the merchant or agent in London or New York or Shanghai who by mistake or for other reason sent without adequate explanation any article that was not quite in accordance with the order! He might expect to get a sharp letter, and a demand to rectify the mistake if that were practicable. Service as treasurer of the mission also gave him drill. Shilly-shally workmen are one of the horrors which sometimes call from him in his Journal groans of anguish. When he had completed his charge of the press establishment, including as it did a book department, a job department, a dwelling for the superintendent, quarters for the workmen, all of whom were Chinese, a chapel for these workmen, and other equipments, it was a well-organized business, running regularly and smoothly, and doing its work about as efficiently as was possible under the conditions.