With rare tact Miss Russell showed her appreciation of all things in Chinese life that were really beautiful. She read the papers, learned the newest phrases, found out what Chinese women loved, the motive of their acts, and, best of all, helped every one to be her best.
How they confided in her! The wealthy, aristocratic sisters, whose brother, drawn away by the skilful efforts of some European gambler, was gradually losing all their property; the ardent Confucian lady teacher, who was using her property for the establishment of a school for girls, and who so longed to bring to Chinese and Manchu women the teaching of Confucius to make them forceful in their lives; the high official’s wife, who would learn from her how best to work to banish polygamy; the princess who in Mongolia would establish a school for Mongol girls; or the wives and sisters of high officials who would open schools or work against the evils of the cigarette or of opium. Chinese youth and Chinese women are in that sensitive state—the state of real life and growth—when they long to originate and execute for themselves. It is the sign of independence, and while it leads to mistakes, in the end it will lead to more vigorous thinking and action. [[37]]No one unassociated with Miss Russell can understand the tactful way in which she made suggestions.
This past winter (1911) Miss Russell and Mrs. Ament opened rooms in a court directly opening from a gate on the main street, where they received their lady guests, held classes and small lectures, etc. Nowhere in Peking was there a daintier, prettier reception-room. It was a joy of every Chinese heart. There were always flowers, the flowers they loved, and tea served in the daintiest manner. The Chinese, in the desire to be “enlightened” and like Europeans, which has temporarily seized them, have too often banished their beautiful furniture from their reception-rooms, substituting an inferior European article. In this room there was a beautiful blending of European and Chinese furnishings, with Chinese largely predominating.
Some of the ladies, when they found they would be free to have meetings here, said, “So often we want to meet together, we who are interested in the progress of our women, and plan and talk over matters. It is not easy. We come from different ranks in society. We are not free to open our homes, as we do not control them, but we are so grateful that we may come here. You do not laugh at us. We are new [[38]]to all this and we know are often bungling.”
Another said, and she a lady of high rank and highest breeding, “One thing I have discovered. If ever Miss Russell encourages any movement for our betterment, I am always sure I can indorse it. Some of the suggestions of the Chinese ladies I cannot favour, but Miss Russell is so wise, so careful, so good a friend of the Chinese, I can always trust her.”
Our friend, not content in keeping this means—the lecture and class courses—of reaching women confined to our Mission, one day a year ago invited the representatives of all the Missions in Peking to her study. There she unfolded a plan by which these might be repeated in every Mission and each of its centres of work in the city. This eventuated in a plan for fifty lectures, often a missionary and a Chinese lady speaking on the same subject, and thus reinforcing each other.
Seeing, too, the great result following the union evangelistic meetings for men during fairs held in the spring and early summer at the temples, her fertile brain conceived a plan for a union effort on the part of all the various Christian workers for women. Tents were erected, seats rented, tea served, and there large and small groups of women heard the Gospel message for the first time. The result has been [[39]]that several of the Missions have opened new centres of work in the city, near city gates, or in the suburbs.
The tireless brain is still—the living heart has ceased its beating. The loss to our work in Peking only those who knew and saw what she was able to do and to inspire done can fathom. Miss Russell always carried with her the dignity of her womanhood, yet with never a sense of independence. She sought the help of men and in some way drew out all their manhood and chivalry by her belief and trust in it. Her nature never was distorted by her work, but her power to love and enter into others’ lives increased with every passing year.
Her love for little children—the new-born babe, the toddling child, the merry boy or girl, was peculiarly reverent and beautiful. Her face often expressed an abandonment of joy as she watched the children play, or laughed at their wise and witty sayings. She took time for friendships, of which she had a few very close and dear. She never failed a friend in time of need.
She loved, too, the social life, being always most punctilious about her calls at the Legations and Customs, and on her Chinese friends of official families. She went not from a sense of duty, but from real pleasure. She heartily [[40]]enjoyed intercourse with the cultured ladies and gentlemen of these circles and was often able to bring them into touch with her Manchu and Chinese friends with real advantage to both sides.