Questionable Business or Starvation—How
would Home Christians Choose?
By a lady missionary among the tiibespeople*
TA.TING is part of the late Mr. Adams' \nshunfu
district, which, after his hoinecall. was divided
into three parts, Vnshun, Kopu and Tating, as
it was found impossible for one missionary to work
so large a field. We have about ten old stations with
about one thousand church members (Miao) and
now about ten new centres to the north and northwest. The work has spread as far as the Szechwan
border and beyond. Altogether there are now over
twelve hundred church members.
Two years ago, the crops were spoiled by untimely
rain, and then came the famine. In 1918-19 the
people, who in ordinary years have not nearly
enough to eat, had mostly to exist on roots, leaves,
etc., just what they could find on the hillsides. For
months, tens and hundreds of starving people passed
daily through the city moving to lower altitudes, hut
not a few of them died by the way; many sold their
children for a measure of corn. The scenes we sawin traveling were heart-breaking. A deadly fever
also broke out, and many whole families perished.
Not only scores of non-Christians, but very many of our Christians—some of the best—have died, for the
fevers have not abated till this day.
*An extract from the West China Religious Tract
Society's report for 1919-20.
We thought that these troubles were enough andpassing, but at present there is no prospect of improvement. The next harvest was a poor one, and
prices of food continue to rise all the time. Flour is three times the ordinary price and will be five to six
times next year, as hardly any wheat is beinggrown.
But the worst trial has come with the revival of
opium planting. The most severely tried are the
Christians. Hardly any of the Miao own land, andthe landlords declared from the beginning they mustplant a certain amount of opium or leave. Manyyielded, and on being reproved, said: "We cannothelp it, we would have to starve." Others grew just
enough for the landlord, who in some cases gatheredit in. But there are also a host of others who have not
listened to such persuasion, and who suffer terribly,
hunger and persecution being their daily lot. Hereare just a few cases out of many.
\ few days ago a Christian man came in. three
days' journey, smiling brightly.
"What do you want ?"
"I come to sec if you are well."
"Yes, but what do you really want?"
"Well, Teacher, we cannot do any farming this
year, we have nothing to eat and nothing to sow."
"( an you no1 go and work ?"
lie smiled. "You know then' is no other work to
be had but gathering opium."
This man is from one of the little places where all their little harvest was carried away last year bythe sudden rising of the river. We were able to help
him just a little from our own st.. \n evangelist writes: "Could the teachers help US
with same money, like last year? Many have nothing to cat." In his place half a dozen of the Christians have had their houses burned down. All that
we could do was to give one day's food to the mostneed) and now we are at the end of our resources. We have a Bible school here. Eight men. all verypoor, are being trained as evangelists to till a longand urgent need of many places without the Evangel. One came saying. "May 1 run home for a fewdays? 1 know my wife and children have nothing to
eat."
"Oh! you cannot delay your studies, she much goand find something."
lie was silent for a few days, then he came again.
"Oh! I cannot sleep at night. 1 know my wife is Willing to eat grass and roots, but the two little ones, especially the baby, cannot get on with it." We helped him a little and he came hack relieved.
One very bright Christian has just all he can dotill next harvest, when his landlord will take all his
harvest because he has not planted opium, and hasto make it good in corn. It will probably not beenough for the landlord even then, because his landhas been so washed down with the heavy rains that
it does not yield half the former harvests. In the
autumn the landlord will also take back bis land.
"Can you not get a piece of land somewhereelse ?" we asked.
JANUARY, 1921 II
band of smiling and
nearer we got to Taku the larger
"Not from anyone if I decline to plant opium."
What will become of him and all such, only God
knows. We are quite unable to do anything for
him.
We have a boys' school here with over forty.
nearly all famine children from Christian parents.
Six or seven are supported by kind friends of Mrs.
Windsor's. For the others we look to the Lord, and
verv many more could be taken in.