LETTER FROM REV. W. C. POND, D.D.
I have been telling our pupils and the Christian people in the several localities that their schools must close unless they are sustained by contributions on the field, during June, July and August. And the responses have been encouraging. I do not think that a single one of the missions which I have visited will fail to take care of itself during those months, unless it be San Bernardino. The times are wretchedly hard, but the missions seem to have gotten a good hold on the consciences and hearts of our best people.
The great fire at Santa Cruz swept away the entire Chinese quarter, including our mission house. I enclose two letters from Mrs. Hall, the teacher there, which will interest you I am sure, and will, perhaps, afford a paragraph or an item for the magazine:
Dear Dr. Pond:—I have been very busy this week hunting a mission house. Mr. Cruzan has been very kind, and has not only advised me, but has taken me in his carriage all over town, looking for a mission-room. We have finally settled on a cottage about a block from where the mission formerly stood. Mr. Birkensees has a number of cottages there, which he has concluded to rent to the Chinamen. We have secured a cottage with six small rooms, and he is building on a schoolroom in front (18 by 26 feet), with every convenience we want. He is putting an attic above the schoolroom, which can be used as sleeping-rooms. Mr. Hall is overseeing the work, and Mr. Birkensees is having it built to suit me. We hope to go on with the mission work by Monday night. The rent, I am sorry to say, is more than we had expected to pay, but we could do no better. It will be $12.50 per month, but the brethren will pay $5 each month, instead of $2.75 which they formerly paid, besides the monthly collection.
The brethren saved from the flames the organ, pictures, books, carpet, in fact almost everything in the schoolroom. The tables and some of the chairs were burned, and will have to be replaced; but when I heard that they had saved these things I was very much surprised, as they were surrounded by fire in no time, as the fire broke out opposite the mission house and there was no water to stay it. I have heard people say that our brethren worked like heroes. They carried everything, organ and all, by hand, for blocks, and finally stored them in Mrs. Tagan's shed. They had many heavy trunks to move, besides the school furniture. They worked systematically, displaying no selfishness, but went right on with the moving without losing their wits. Many of their belongings were lost, their dishes, stoves, chairs, tables, etc., which they cannot do without.
The Christian people here have been very kind, and have shown a great deal of sympathy for our Chinese brethren since the fire, and I think many will give little things, such as dishes, etc., which will be a great help to them.
Of course I feel very sorry for our mission brethren, but I am glad Chinatown is in ashes. We were all getting sick from the impure air. Some of the boys had been sick for months on account, I think, of the filth surrounding our mission rooms, and I believe it was the Lord's will that it should burn, and besides I am certain that we can do a better work where we are. The Chinamen are driven from their nests, and I believe many will come to school now. They are disgusted with their idols, because they did not save them from the fire. About six Chinese women were driven out, so I will commence work with them soon, if possible. Then I find a good many little children, too, and I will try to get some Christian lady to teach them. I hope I may save the women. I could never locate them in Chinatown, and the Chinamen told me there were only two in town, but I find they told me an untruth, and I will now endeavor to reach them.
BUREAU OF WOMAN'S WORK.
MISS D. E. EMERSON, SECRETARY.