July 5, 1938.

Dear 5'riends at Hollenbeck Heights:

We have certainly enjoyed the good letters which

^personally, but that is impossible if we are to do our mission work.

for Christ.

you have been writing to us. V/e wish we could v/rite to each one of you

Please, however, continue' to write to us. Be assured that we love you and appreciate what you are doing for us in helping us to work in this needy fie^d. May our precious Savior bless you each one as you work to win souls
It seems that Christ is more and more precious to us as the

days go by.

There have been a number of very hard missions problems but He

How we do thank Himl Just recently two. very
Mr. Morse left

^precious answers to prayer have helped so much.

has helped ts out of them all.

The v/ork here is progressing very well.

here June 2d to go to Dratsilo where one of our new chapels is being built.
While there he visited tv/o other congregations. After about two weeks he left there and went over the high pass and v/ent to the Salwin where there

are fifteen congregations. I might say that where he goes to help with the chapels, he always holds meetings at night, and sometimes in the early A. M. He hopes to be in the Salv/in a month and a half, the Lord willing. He has sent back good reports from there. His first message stated that there had
been 238 at the communion service the day before at one of the places. It

perhaps included several congregations. On-June 28th he wrote as follows:

"Last Wednesday v/e came from Pugeleh to Sidodo, where, in 1934, we baotized our first six converts. All, I believe have been faithful. Anyway

that night at church (no chapel has been started yet) we had 57, nearly all
Christians from three small places. When I return from this northern tour

they want me to stay v/ith them a few days, leveling a site for a chapel to be built this fill. Seventeen carriers, twice the number needed, came from Yeh-Ku and went on to Puladi the next day and stopped in a heathen head

man's house, hoping to make an opening for the gospel in that important village . . . . . Last Friday we came here, and have been here ever since. This is the congregation started by the man baptised at Tobola, who had fifty candidates for baptism and a chapel built in 1934 when first twnetythree were baptised. That same man is pastor here now and the Christians
number one hundred and ten. The pastor is one of our leading workers in

this Salwin valley. Have had church here every night, treated many sick each day Tomorrow I must cross this roaring river on a bamboo cable. . Last Friday P. M., June 24, I was greatly surprised when just about one halfi hour after my arrival from the south, two young men, Messrs. H. R. Howard

and P. S. ChRplin, Sixtieth British Rifflls, arrived from the north, having
taken our 1927 trail from Hkamti to Sukin. Both were emaciated and rain-

soaked and loHsy and suffering from poisonous ulcers on both legs caused by insects and leaches on that trail. Chaplin was so crippled that he was being carried by three men on a "hwsgan." I promptly gave each a shot of Iron, besides giving other medicines needed. Also I shared the best of my food supplies which I thought would be most helpful to them. They were plenty glad to stay over night instead of going on as planned. I am sure
it was a thrilling occasion for all of us. They are all lieutenants in the Royal Army stationed at Maymyo. They were fishing iii the headwaters of the Irriwaddy as this v/as their vacation, but lost their way. They say their meeting with and treatment by our Christians all along the way this

side of the divide beginning at Hei-wa-di is one of the best demonstrations

/
Su Cl^ristian missionary they could imagine. At every village Christians oame to shakework hands, give food and shelter, and at night our they sang with them in English such hjmns as they (the Englishmen) recognized. In all of the hymn books they found our name and address, so they planned

to come first to Yea Chi. But the Chinese magistrate treated them as sus picious characters because they had no passport and insisted on sendinp- them
direfitly to Yunnan-fu under escort."

As you see, these two Englishmen came through the Jungles of upper Burma over the trail which we followed in 1927, only thy were coming this way while we were going the other way. As we see so very few v\4iite people it is indeed quite an event in our lives when we do, especially when we can
help a white person out of a hard place.
tians were good Samaritans indeed.

We are so pleased that our Chris

As the work here is so scattered over these many high mountains qnd valleys, it would be impossible for Mr. Morse to do all the work without

the help of the many native evangelists. They are so new in the faith, yet
the Lord make us all as faithful as these. V/e hope to have a workers*

wonderful salvation, they want to tell to others. Please pray for them. May
training course this September.

they are so earnest to do the Lord's work. What little they know about this

Mr. Morse to come over and teach them more fully.

They reported one hundred and fifty new Lisu converts who are waiting for
three years ago, \'^en the Chinese officials were persecuting the Lisu

the Irriwaddy river valley v/hich is eight days' Journey by foot from here.

A short time ago two workers returned here from the far regions of

Mr. Morse and Eugene hope

to go there this September after the training course is finished. Two or

Christians in the Salwin valley, several families fled into the Irriwaddy valley. Now there are quite a large number of Christians there and they have
built two bamboo chapels.

all mission v/ork, - preaching, teaching in the homes, ministry to the sick, caring for our children, the two orphans, and the new missionaries, mission
correspondence, giving supplies to the native evangelists when thgry return

I have not mentioned my work here in Yea-Chi, but it is about like

ly and we are all happy and so very glad to do something for our precious Savior. Just a few days ago the local offical or "King" was in our home and we had a fine opportunity to speak with the Lord's help some v/ords in
behalf of Christianity. I believe they sank into his heart. Please continue to remember us in your prayers.
Sincerely yours in Him,
Mrs. J. R. Morse.

here.

It all takes time and makes my days full but the Lord blesses abundant

Yea Chi,. Yunnan. July 31, 1938.

Dear Grandma Morse:

I wonder how you are and what you are

us because we are perfectly safe here. We hardly feel the effects of any war in this region. We are not bothered now about food, shelter, or anything except the hardness of the hearts of these Yea Chi people. We welcomed by all the missionaries down country to come

doing this afternoon.

I hope you are not worrying about

are contemplating inviting an evangelist #10 is being

here and preach a week or two. That might move some to repentance. Please pray for these Yea Chi people.
The Lisu work is very encourgging. Daddy

Salwin valley preaching. Daddy and I are planning to go for the first time over into the Irrawaddy valley where
there are a large group of enquirers and Christians now.
I came back from Wei Hsi two weeks ago

iust came back after a stay of about seven weeks in the

after a stay of four weeks. V/e had expected Robert and Isabel Maxey to arrive about six weeks ago but they had changed their plans. Only Li Chao Hsuen and Pu-si who had gone down with Robert came back, but bringing eight
loads and our new radio. I came back with them. Now we hear that Isabel and Robert are coming after all and will arive next Wednesday or Thursday. We had Pu-si to

go this time to v/iden his outlook and as a treat to him. You probably remember about him as he stayed in our home several years last term. He rode on the bus and a day
who is able has gone there for safety.^ Several colleges
have moved there too.
(ffivilizarion.

on the train for the first time in his life. Yunnan-fu has become the "Baradise of China" now because everybody
Now Pu-si has his eyes open to
, , ,

We are planning to have a preachers* ana

teachers* conference and Bible study for several weeks ^ this fall at To-ba-lo. Please pray for this and the trip
into the Irrawaddy which will take two months or more or
until December.

We have a 1938 model, eight tube, Philco

We get news from Manila, Hongkong, London and other places regularly, so we can keep in touch with the daily world
nev/slll It certainly helps. It is a battery operated
Philco number 36-643.

all wave radio V\fhich Miss Maxey got for us in Hongkong.

We are doing quite a bit of canning. We can also buy of peanuts in the Salwin valley to make peanut butter. V/e ve used about a quart in a week. We still have over ten gallons

and fruit.

Our garden is producing plenty of vegetables We have almost more than we need in vegetables.

t-

Page two.

which certainly has helped the crops in Yea Chi.

of shelled peanuts. This year has been rather 3?a5ip,y

This year has been rather exciting in the

valley. At one place south of here the people assassinated the "county ruler" or Che Trang for extortion and also threatened to kill the magistrate for helping the first
man. Then word got to outside authorities that the whole

valley was rebelling,so they sent about two hundred provincial soldiers in. Nothing was stirring when they arrived, so the
soldiers accused the magistrate of a false report. About the

Tibetan tribes north of there were coming down and fighting, of lamas who were going up into iner Tibet. This Yea Chi king's younger brother, Wang Ja Be, who is a "living Buddha"
The Tibetans robbed them of about

same time, they were having trouble in Atuntze.

Some

so the provincial troops were sent north to quell this trouble. Now after the provincial troops have gone for some time, these Tibetans have robbed and killed a large caravan

at the Kang-pu lamasery was one of those killed. They were

taking revenge on this king for killing their main leader
in this last war.

!p40,000.00 in Yunnan Silver and other expensive possessions. Earlier in the year, this king had about #10,000 worth of silver, gold and opium confiscated by the provincial troops. It is unlawful to possess any of these things and so the
older brother is in hiding and afraid he would lose his

head if he came back. There is no danger to us from all this,

so don't worry. None of the missionaries in Yunnan have

left because of the war.

(?) easily in case of an emergency which is not likely yet.

We could get over into Burma very

Now they are preparing for about three months of v/ar in Atuntze. Maybe the Russo-Japanese border incidents will
hinder the Chinese war?

but slowly. He has been making several preaching trips to Kang-pu recently without an interpreter with him. Daddy is
away from home about half of the time on preaching tours. He comes back to recuperate and then is gone again. Pray

Mr, Taylor is regaining his health steadily

for him.

If I didn't have so much school and other work, I

I have plenty to do

could go with him all the time - but!

here to keep me busy in my spare time.

This letter is to Aunt Eva, Aunt Louise and

Uncle Henry, too.

We received the book "French in Twenty

Thank you. I am sorry I haven't

Lessons" from Aunt Eva.

written oftener. Good-bye, Your loving grandson,

Eugene R. Morse.

Yea Chi (Via Likiang),

Yunnan, West China. August 1, 1938,
My Precious Mother and Sisters:

I have been home about a week, but so busy that this is my first nttempt at letter writing. Although I have been asray SEVEN V/EEKS, and things seemed to get along fairly well without me, upon returning I find stacks of tasks awaiting me. Fortunately,

I find that Eugene has written quite a newsy letter which I can enclose with this page. Then, for the next mail, I hope to have the story of my recent tour in Lisuland written out, also perhaps some pictures ready to send you. Also, a little later, I believe I will send you the several letters which Robert v/rote us during his several months' absence, of which we are really proud. Judging from his letters, I begin to believe that Robert has Literary ability as well as the
musical and artistic abilities which we earlier saw in him.

We are expecting Robert and Isabel in several more days. Thisbrip will have been a decided accomplishment for our fifteen yearold son, and should do quite a bit toward maturing him into a sense of responsibility, besides all the educational value of it and the help he will have given Miss Maxey. I had advised Isabel not to come up

until Autumn, as we are still far from ready to accomodate additions, but with the increasingly threatening war develmpments and the possibil ities of Yunnanfu being bombed within the next several months, perhaps
i t ' s for the best that they left.

Each of my tours in Lisuland almost defies description. Again I tried to keep a diary but it was almost a total failure, as most of
the time I was either too busy or too tired to write in it. But some

things have so impressed themselves on me that I do not doubt that, once I really get into v^rriting about it, memories v/i11 come flooding to my aid. For one thing we can all be thankful, my health was remarkably well

sustained throughout the tour, despite two attacks of malaria (chills

and fever) which I had on alternate days before reaching the Salwin Valley. Almost every day was full of joy over sick healed, new converts to Christ, and Christian workers grov/ing in effectiveness. I had to spend so much time at each place that I didn't get to visit all the con gregations, but I plan to make another expedition leaving here about

plan to visit our newest converts in the previously unevangelized and

Eugene is to go v/ith me.

Sept. 15-20 and returning abouttwo months oimore later, during which I

practically unexplored Irrawaddi headwaters region, west of the Salwin. Later, after dinner. - The postman came, and though there

were no letters from home or China, a note on the back of one U. S. A. letter was written at Wei Hsi by Mrs. Bolton saying that she had been out to meet Isabel and Robert, but that they would be arriving there

we figure they will reach here Thursday, August 4th. What a relief, that they are safe: Pending their arrival, I will have to work hard on my correspondence, etc., because I will want to hear every word they have
to say.

SATURDAY instead.

Of course they stayed in Wei Hsi yesterday (Si^day), so

Again, we are thankful for our s^dio, brought up by Li Chao^ Hsuen and Pu-si, carried on poles by men with special care . Nov/, in these times of trouble, we need no longer be "in the dark" even if news fails to reach us by post. And I hope you will feel better about
it, too.

Kelsey*s Japan and Satsuma plums, then Imperial Prunes (Gertrude's fav

Still again gratefully, I mention the "firstfruits" of our pioneer ing as to fruit-trees. We enjoyed a fine crop of Beauty Plums, then

Although we have already had some Kadota and Mission figs, the main crop will be bearing from about August 15 until frost (last of October?), ^d

orite) and now Sugar Prunes will be exactly in time for Isabel and Robert.

this morning I noticed the first ripe grapes, Re4 Malaga. I expect this year's grape crop will be small, because most or^them were recently set^ in permanent location. But many of them have grown enormously, just this
a great deal of successful grafting and budding of "foreign" (American)

summer. Some of the new stalks put out are already about an inch in diameter. Also this year I am growing from cuttings about two hundred new
varieties on to native stocks at Yea Chi, Kang Pu, Tobalo and Dratsilo, -

grapevines, and about three dozen new fig trees, besides which I have done
such fruits as pears, apples, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots. Then I

will tackle the citrus fruits ixbKj2Hgiitx;rsKixH&686 such as orgnge, grape

fruit and lemon, just as soon as the small trees which I brought from U. S. A. are able to provide budding stock. In our garden we have one native pear tree (bearing hard', juicy, small russet pears), which I am working over to
American fruit as early a s a f t e r next instead of having to wait five or six more years as would be the case with a small tree. Upon this one

produce a variety of foreign pears on the one tree, expecting to get

large tree, already this year I have successfully budded and now have long growing shoots of the following pear varieties - Bartlett, Seckel, Beurre Bosc, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Anjou, Winter Nelis. As the bearing season of
these varieties differs month by month from July to December, we should. have fresh-ripened pears six months of the yearI

ence of "local king" has always been strongly in favor of the lamas and wizards (tombas), I see decided signs of ciiange for the better.^ The trouble is that we already have far more converts and congregations than we can care for properly, so that we hardly have time and strength to make or care for new openings. Some weeks ago the old king's eldest son got

gospel than anywhere else in these regions, largely because

Although theYea Chi people seem to offer more resistance to the

the influ

hiding, besides losing about $15,000 worth of opium, also silver which he
Buddhas" of the local monastery, and who furnished the strongest tie be
northwest of Atuntzei in the Mekong River valley they were set upon by

into a lot of trouble with the Chinese government and had to go into

had secretly stored and v;as expecting to profit from. Then came the sudden death of the third son, who was supposed to be one of the two "living

tween the king and the lamasery. This son and eight or ten armed compan ions v/ere undertaking a journey to Lhasa, and v/hen about two days journey the Adong Tibetans who are in rebellion against the Chinese, and this "living Buddha" was killed together with seven or eight companions, also
the loot was valued at something around $10,000 of Yunnan money. So the

king's family has lost very heavily this year and I doubt if ^ihey will

dare persecute our Christians any more. Moreover, now would be a strategic time to launch an evangelistic campaign in the villages north of Yea Chi, which as has been the king's"special territory."

But we can't undertake new responsibilities without more and bet ter prepared evangelistic helpers, Our present congregations need far more care than all of us are able to give them. Beginning the first week,

in September we plan to hold oior first Preachers' Conference and Study Course for about a v/eek or ten days, at Tobalo, because it is easier to get firewood there, I expect there will be twenty-five or thirty preach ers and teachers from the Mekong, Salwin and N'mai (Irrawaddi headwaters) Valleys, and I will need all my spare time this month making proper prep arations for it. But before that I will have to make a northern Mekong tour to visit our Pedeed and Jekulo and Asewuli congregations, then a southern Mekong tour to visit the Baloh and Logilo and Ngehdza con^BEgsj

ftone of whom I have visited since our return from furlough.

So I v;ili

have ver^ littletime to spend at Ye^Chi after Robert's return, and except for the veryfine v/ay Gertrude has attended to correspondence I v/ould be helpless in that regard. Then remember that, just a week or ten days after the Preacher's Conference at Tobalo, I am due to leave for two months or

more expedition to the Salwin and N'mai (Upper Burma*) converts and enquirers. Then upon my return, I will hnve to push completion of the outstation
buildings at Tobalo and Dratsilom which are of strategic importance to our whole field, also prepare for the United Christmas meeting of Mekong con gregations at Tobalo, Truly we need your prayers, as Gertrude must hold the
"centre,"

I doubt if Nev/lands and Bares will be seriously endangered, but we

can't predict what strange turn events may take.

Lovingly your boy,
J,

Watch and pray.

Rassell Morse.

P. 3, In this same mail I am sending an order

dear.

vegetable and flower

seeds, etc. to Ferry-Morse Seed Co. of San Francisco, authorizing them to collect payment from you, out of our funds in your care. Thank you. Mother

VISITING NINETEEN CHURCHES

OF

CHRIST

IN

LISULAND

From August To Septe^flSerTlBSS^^^^

By

J. RUSSELL MORSE
Yea Chi, Yunnan Province
West China

ka?-

MRS. RUTH MORSE

114 So. Denver

Tulsa, Oklahoma

W
(THIS BIDE FOR ADDRESS)

r. i-h, 71.
ju ^ huuo .

J. Russell Morse, Yea Chi (via Likiang),

Yunnan, West China, August 1, 1933 (Monday 10:30 A. M.)

My Precious Mother and Sisters: Again, we are thankful for our radio, brought up by Li Chao Hsuen and Pu-si, carried on poles by men with special care. Now, in these times of trouble, we need no longer be "in the dark" even if news fails to reach us by post. And I hope that you
will feel better about it, too.

Still again gratefully, I mention the "firstfruits" of our pioneering as to fruit-trees. We enjoyed a fine crop of Beauty Plums, then Kelsey's Japan and Satsuma plums, then Imperial Prunes (Gertrudes favorite), and now Sugar Prunes will be exactly
in time for Isabel and Robert. Although we have already had some Kadota and Mission

figs, the main crop will be bearing from about August 15. until frost (last of October).
And this morning I noticed the first ripe grapes. Red Malaga. I expect this year's

grape crop will be small, because most of them were recently set in permanent location. But many of them have grown enormously, just this summer. Some of the new stalks put out are already about an inch in diameter. Also this year I am growing from cuttings About Two Hundred new grapevines, and about three dozen new fig trees,
besides which I have done a great deal of successful grafting and budding of "foreign"

(American) varieties on to native stocks at Yea Chi, Kang Pu, Tobalo and Dratsilo such fruits as pears, apples, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots. Then I will tackle
the citrus fruits such as orange, graupefruit, and lemon, just as soon as the small trees which I brought from U. S. A. are able to provide budding-stock. In our garden

here we have one native pear tree (bearing hard, juicy, small russet pears), which I am working over to produce a variety of foreign pears on the one tree, expecting to get American fruit as early as year after next instead of having to wait 5 or 6 years as would be the case with a small tree. Upon this one large tree, already this year I have successfully budded and now have long growing shoots of the following pear varieties: Bartlett, Seckel, Beurre Bosc, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Anjou, Winter Nelis. As the bearing season of these varieties differs month by month from July to December, we should have fresh-ripend pears six months of the year. Although the Yea CJhi people seem to offer more resistance to the Gospel than anywhere else in these regions, largely because the influence of "local king" has always been strongly in favor of the lamas and wizards (tombas), I see decided signs of change for the better. The trouble is that we already have far more converts and congregations than we can care for properly, so that we hardly have time and strength to make or care for new openings. Some weeks ago the old king's eldest son got into a lot of trouble with the Chinese government and had to go into hiding, besides losing about $15,000.00 worth of opium, also silver which he had secretly stored and was expecting to profit from. Then came the sudden death of the third son, who was supposed to be one of the two "living Buddhas" of the local monastery, and who furnished the strongest tie between the king and the lamasery. This son and 8 or 10 armed companions were undertaking a journey to Lhasa, and when about two days journey northwest of Atuntze in the Mekong River valley they were set upon by the Adong Tibetans who are in rebellion against the Chinese, and this "living Budda" was killed together with 7 or 8 companions, aso the loot was valued at something around 119,000.00 of Yunnan money. So, the king's family has lost very heavily this year, and I doubt if they will dare persecute our Christians any more. Moreover, now would be a strategic time to launch an evangelistic campaign in the villages north of Yea Chi, which has been the king's "special territory". But we can't undertake new responsibilities without more and better prepared
evangelistic helpers. Our present congregations need far more care than all of us are able to give them. Beginning the fii-st week in September we plan to hold our first Preacher's Conference and Study Course, for about a week or 10 days, at Tobalo because it is easier to get firewood there. I expect there will be 25 or 30 preachers and teachers, from the Mekong, Salwin, and N'mai (Irrawaddi headwaters) valleys,

and I will need all my spare time this month making proper preparations for it. before that I will have to make a northern Mekong tour to visit our Pedee Jekulo Asewull congregations, then a southern Mekong tour to visit the Baloh and Logilo Ngehdza converts, none of whom I have visited since our return from furlough.

But and and So

I will have very little time to spend at Yea Chi after Robert's return, and except for the very fine way Gerti*ude has attended to correspondence I would be helpless in that regard. Then remember that, just a week or 10 days after the Preacher's Conference at Tobalo, I am due to leave for two months or more expedition to the Salwin and N'mai (Upper Burma) convei'ts and enquirers. Then, upon my return, I will have to

push completion of the outstation buildings at Tobalo and Dratsilo, which are of
strategic importance to our whole field, also prepare for the United Christmas Meeting of Mekong congregations at Tobalo. Ti-uly we need your prayers, as Gertrude must
hold the "centre".

I doubt if Newlands and Bares will be seriously endangered, but we can't predict what strange turn events may take. Watch and pray. Lovingly your boy.
J. RUSSELL MORSE

P. S.In this same mail I am sending an order for vegetable and flower seed, etc., to Ferry-Morse Seed Co., of San Francisco, authorizing them to collect payment from you out of our funds in your care. Thank you, mother deax*.
J. Russell Morse,
TIBETAN LISULAND CHURCHES OF CHRIST

Yea Chi, Yunnan, West China. "Where China, Tibet, and Burma meet" August 17, 1938.
My Precious Mother:

I have often wished that you could go with me on some of my trips among the nearly thirty congregations now widespread in the Mekong, Salwin, and N'mai valleys, in these regions where upon our arrival in May, 1930, no other foreign missionary had ever resided. There were no Christians here then, but now the number of baptized penitent beaevers is steadily approaching the 2,000 mark. But you could go with me only by reading my letters. Those have been brief, sketchy, and sometimes far between, for your son has had such a variety of things to do besides letter-writing. Preacher,

doctor, builder,_ gardner, student of 3 native languages, father of 4 lively children whose Chi'istian upbringing is a part of our missionary work! As I look back over the years

smce our aiTival in China with Dr. A. L. Shelton in 1921, I now realize what an inter

esting and helpful story might have been written, although so many things at the time either seemed common-p;ace or so hard to describe to you at a distance. I now regret that in all my life I have never been able to keep a diary for longer than several
weeks at a stretch. So before starting this last tour of the churches I determined vo

write each day. I was able to keep up such a diary until my first Sunday on the Salwinfrom then on I was so swamped with work from morning to night that I unhesitatingly decided I would rather minister to Christ's needy ones than to take "time out" to make records. However, from there on I can quote from my letters to Gertrude, who was all the time "holding the ropes" so faithfully at the base station of Yea Chi. I am painfully conscious of the shortcomings of such a narrative, but it
cases I have written only bi-ief notes for the day, leaving much unexplained and undes-

will be more than I have written in the past, anyway. I hope it will enable you to picture us more realistically, and to pray more definitely. I am sorry that in many

cnbed. Now I have time to copy for you what was written then, without being able
to develop it further, as I must leave again as soon as possible to prepare and conduct
our first annual Preacher's Conference and Training School at Tobalo. Please excuse! THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1938. Yea Chi to Tobalo, about 20 miles. Left at 9;30

A. M., preceded by 5 of our Dratsilo Christian men who had come to carry for me. Our noseless twisted-mouth gardener, Lao Yu, carrying with them. B'eppo with me as all-around helper for the whole trip. Caravan trail from Yea Chi to Kang Pu,
a "North-China Herald" from Shanghai, practically our only source of news of the Japan-China war. Stopped at Sha-pa ("Sand Flat") village to buy chunks of bacon
about 5 pounds, told carriers to go to the ferryplace while I went roundabout for some

Yea Chi, met two mail carriers, and returned hoping for a letter from "home". Only

east of the Mekong, the only part of this tour where I ride horseback. Just south o

plum last spring, now has become plum tree over three feet high. The 7 or 8 converts I wonder if this wouldn't be a good undertaking for Harold Taylor to move into after

business at Kang Pu outstation. There I paid the caretaker, left seeds for vegetable garden, had lunch. Found one seedling peach tree on which I had budded a Beauty

here baptized during nearly two years stay of the Bare family need shepherding, and

Miss Maxey moves from Yunnanfu to Yea Chi. Kang Pu folk have usually given a fair hearing to the Gospel, considering they are mostly Chinese and Nashi. Rejoined my carriers at Beya ferry just west of Kang Pu, sent Lao Yu back to Yea Chi with the hired mule, then had to wait nearly an hour for the ferrymen across the river to finish some work in the fields before they would take us across. So it was fuUy dark when we reached the "pass" over the ridge leading into Tobalo valley, and except for the help of an Eveready flashlight the narrow trail along the pine-forested mountain side would have been really dangerous. Tonight Tobalo mission-house seems truly a
haven.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3. At Tobalo. Planted our demonstration gi-aden todaycom, squash, carrots, okra, kohl rabi, bush beans, broccoli, celery, tomato plants brought from Yea Chi. Also pruned and staked all grapevines which were set out this spring. Checked up and pruned all buds and grafts on fruit trees. Had Bible Study class tonight, but attendance was not large, as the families are widely scattered along
the mountainsides of the valley, and few knew we were here.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4.

Still at Tobalo.

Expect to go to Dratsilo, in the next

valley over the high ridge on the south, but it being corn-planting season couldn't get enough carriers, as most live quite a distance away too. So I accepted this as
a token of the Lord's will for me to spend Lord's Day with the Tobalo congregation,

and perhaps rest a little after all the work at Yea Chi. Sent four pack-loads ahead
with the Dratsilo carriers. In the unfinished Mission House here, I found the stacks

and tree trunks.

living by herding goats upon the steep mountainsides. Sevedal days ago he ventured upon terrian too steep for him, slipped and crashed to his death below among rocks
Hekipo led the ''expedition" to extricate and bury it, Christian prayers and hymns taking the place of the wizard-rites and fearful wailing which a few months eanier would
As his fearfully broken body lodged in a very difficult place, have characterized heathen burial for him. How good that he had found the Savior.

visited me today and told something of how he has been ministering lately. Among the 22 converts baptized here last Easter was an old man who helped his family's

part of the day re-stacking them for better ventilation and drying. Hekipo, one of the original 1931 converts here, who goes about preaching as his circumstances will allow,

of floor-boards getting moldy from the ground moisture and summer heat, so spent

Had prayer-meeting tonight, attendance better than last night. SUNDAY, JUNE 5. Had a full house at two daytime church services, as all Christians except those left behind to guard the cabin-homes come to the cliiurch-

grounds for their Day of Rest.

refreshing the hearts of all with the solemn sweetness of the Gospel message, the hymns and prayers. Had a smaller service tonight as usual, for the homes of many

What a happy reunion about the Lord's Table,

are distant. Treated a number of sick people this P. M., but the number of sick are noticeably much less than it used to be before so many accepted the Lord. Truly, sickness abounds where sin abounds. Attendance at the Lord's Supper was 89 or 90, but the total of immersed penitent believers here is well over a hundred. There is
no "located minister" in the American sense, but the local Christians carry on as

best they can with occasional visits from the missionax-ies, as do all our congregations. Among the local Christian workers, besides Hekipo, the chief "pillar" seems to be Tobalo Apu, one of the first two 'brothers converted here, who were beaten and imprisoned and otherwise threatened for Christ's sake. The main building here is the chapel with about 125 seating capacity, and two log cabin guest rooms at either end, one for the missionaries and the other now a store-room for grain-bins and cupboards. On the west are more log cabin guest room with kitchen between, largely used by the local Christians and our "outside" converts traveling between Yea Chi and Kang Pu to the Salwin valley or to Dratsilo and Aiwalo on the south. So the Tobalo island chapel-grounds serves also as a Christian "hospice" at this "cross-roads" of
our work. About the fruit trees and vegetables, I am tiding to develop these at several

strategic places for the later benefit of both native Christians and foreign missionaries,
as the lack of such things is one thing which has hindered the health and strength of all. Within the next few years I hope to plant several good fruit tree varieties at the home of every native Christian leader. These can be propagated as we go from place to place preaching.

MONDAY, JUNE 6. Carriers to Dratsilo failed to materialize until Tobalo Apu and five of his corn-planting helpers "came to our rescue". Ascent of the ridge south

of Tobalo stream has always been excruciatingly steep, and I have^ long considered leading the Christians in building a new trail, for it is the main trail from Yea Chi
and Kang Pu to the Salwin valley, as well as the best route southward to our Dratsilo

and Aiwalo (Washilogai) congregations. It should be re-surveyed to find the very best route to the top of the ridge, then properly graded and dug probably after cornharvest. A large propoi'tion of our Tobalo valley membership are on this south (Yekumi) side, and for several reasons "Pastor Apu" might well re-locate here, on land offered by Cha Jeh. That poor fellow had two wives before his conversion, and all four of his children are dumb. High upon this Tobalo-Dratsilo trail the sweeping view of mountains and valleys is magnificently beautiful. It completely overlooks the Tobalo-Kang Pu ridge, showing the new coffee-colored flooding Mekong winding along its wide trench, the Kang Pu plain or rather delta beyond, and still higher and more distant the "whited sepulchre" lamasery buildings of the Tibetan Buddhists. Arrived at Dratsilo I was delighted to see so much progress on this new outstaticrn p.ace foundation stonework well done for the little Mission House to be, log-cabin "prayer house" I'elocated, and an extra log-cabin set up to give more living-room as woi'k on the place is carried on. After lunch, I checked up on two native pear trees which I had partly top-worked withbuds of American pears, found that at least half the buds were "takes". Had Bible Class tonight. TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 8. At Dratsilo. After we in 1930 had established our Mission headquarters at Yea Chi, the first outside congregation was begun at Tobalo, followed by Dratsilo, then southward over another ridge to the Aiwalo valley where the first converts baptized were 55 in one day. Despite perse cutions and individual backslidings, all these congregations continue to the present day. The Dratsilo congregation, though centraLy located and on the main road from Wei Hsi across the pass to the Salwin valley, has remained the smallest. The reason perhaps is that our Salwin valley work has developed so wonderfully and has deserved so much of our efforts, while Dratsilo lies about one-haif days journey off the more direct Yea Chi-Tobalo route to the Salwin. But within the past several years the Roman Catholic order of St. Bernard have decided to begin work on the Tibetan Border with a "base station" at Wei Hsi, and have begun building a fortress-like "hospice" just east of the top of the Mekong-Salwin divide, right in the middle of the regions where n-early all our converts have been won. Although work on this great "hospice" can be done only about four months each year (July - October), and will require at

least two more years for completion, we take it as a challenge to ail our evangelical missionary work. So, as part of our widespread program to meet soon-coming Roman
Catholic competition, we have decided to build a modest Mission House at Dratsilo and

to increase our witness in that region before the Catholics begin to win converts. Up to 1938 we have had about 25 converts here, one of the smallest of our congi-egations. Upon arrival here Monday afternoon, I called for extra laboirei-s (some had been working several weeks past under direction of Evangelist Swami-pa), and got a fine

response despite it's being corn-planting time. Most of the men carried up the building timbers from the riverside (Dratsilo Stream), while others with women and boys more money and tea (in packages of 7 cakes each, much used as small "change" and often preferred to actual cash). Had a full house at mid-week meeting tonight, with 5 or 6 new "enquirei-s". I praise God for faithful Pusimi-pa and wife who have evidently been the spiritual pillars of this congregation. Their daughter brought me a basket of wild chei*ries, surprisingly good, the first I've had on the mission field.
excavated and carried dirt from the sloping mountainside around the foundation. I paid for the carpenter and other work done before my arrival, and sent to Yea Chi for

Sent the seeds to Yea Chi to be planted in our garden, to gt root-stocks for budding

on the American sweet and sour cherries we have there.

Aiwalo with Swamipa, taking only bedding. It was a stiff climb to reach the level road through the upper village. The main road to the Salwin now descends to Tobabeh village, to a level equal to our Mission House, and we can build a new shortsection of road so as to make the main Mekong-Salwin road go right bv our nlace
if we want it.

timbers before the house framework will be ready to put up, and as the excavating work can be left in charge of Ho Chien Chang (only Chinese convert here), I went to

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 10. To Washilogai (in Aiwalo valley) and return. As the carpenters (Lisu Christians) say they have several days work to do on the

The panoramas from this trail are even more magnificent than those from the

Tobalo-Dratsilo trailaway across the Mekong to the south we can see the Baloh valley tributary to the Mekong from tiie east, and this side the ridge from there we can see the houses of Logiloh village where othrs are being won to Christ, surrounded by sloping
fields of the mountainside and backed by stately forests of pine. Dimly in the farthest

distance, still more than two days caravan trip away, we can see the plain of Wei Hsi in its valley. We would love to linger here, thinking of all these unique cultivated verdant mountainsides dotted with small villages and isolated cabins, where year after year our Savior and Lord is being more and more received. I noticed giant wild cherry trees, stopped to pick small wild strawberries, golden raspberries. Black
ones will be a month or so later. When inferior wild fruits and berries of many

k^ds are so abundant, isn't it strange that very few. families cultivate any superior
varieties, and that their bill-of-fare is so poor in that regard? The amount and distribution of population revealed from this high trail reaffirms our choice of location for the Dratsilo Mission House as best. It seems more than in the Aiwalo Valley, which I now saw for the first time after 3% years absence from it. The backbone of the Mekong-Salwin divide looms dramatically at the head of Aiwalo valley, with a steep pass over which our Aiwalo Christians can visit our Salwin (Gota..and Madi) congregations in one day. This is an entirely separate and almost "undeveloped" pass from -^at where the Catholics are building, and I understand that our Christians on both sides would eagerly improve this trail if someone like our Mission could help. Wiis congrregation (Washilogai) was formerly good-sized (over 100 members), but has been neglected and needs reviving, as many have either backslid or are lukewarm.

But a good nucleus have held on despite discouragements and no doubt Lobozo and
Nkwa-deh as well as Swamipa living here has helped much. We have the best location in the valley, a half-built chapel (becoming dilapidated) at the east end

of the "lot", and Swamipa's home at the west end, with a generous field in the middle which can be developed for experiment and demonstration of grains, vegetables and fruits. Had a roomful of earnest listeners tonight as Swampa and I took turns preach

pungent cow-pen, which together with rain on the leaky board roof made me wakeful.

ing. Then I slept atop the gi'ain-bin in the west room of Lawodi's house, next to a

Lawodi and \^e have a remarkable family of 7 living children, 4 girls (Ana, Anyi,

Acha and Adu), and 3 sons (Ah-fu-chwen, Adeh, Yo-eh the Christian name for

Joseph), all healthy and attractive. I was disappointed to leam that the third,girl has been given for the wife of a non-Christian cousin in the Salwin valley, a common

practice which we are determined to change. They gave me boiled chicken and buck

wheat cakes for breakfast, then all left for their field work, which is very urgent at this season. So Swamipa and I returned to our work at Dratsilo. Rain overtook us on the last half hour of the hike, and I slipped on the steep trail and nearly broke my Irft wrist. When I reached our log cabin I was chilling all over, and thought it was

because of my rain-soaked clothes, so changed them and went to bed, but kept

chilling until evening.

(Two days later realized I had mala,ria).

At evening I was

refreshed by the return of my first messenger to Yea CJhi.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2. I was disappointed in the carpenters not putting up the house frame-work today. Now I see that it will cost us $25.00 to $30.00 more than the

same progress on a similar house in Yea Chi, but these are Lisu Christians and I
wanted them to have the experience as weU as the wages, so that in future we shall be less dependent upon (Chinese workmen. Spent most of today supervising workers,

studying, and taking it easy. Last night four of our Salwin bretheren arrived, ex pecting to help carry for me over the pass, and they say more are coming next Monday. But we find that we can hardly put up the building framework before next Tuesday
or Wednesday even with favorable weather conditions, also I should stay a day after wards to make things shipshape before leaving. So I will have to help these men get food for all these days,as well as for the two-day climb over the pass before we reach Pugeleh-on-the-Salwin. So I sent two of them to Yea Chi with a letter, to bring back more money and tea to meet the added expenses, and the others will help with excavating and levelling the mountainside here. Tonight the audience was too large for the little log-cabin "chapel", so used the court between the two cabins,

by the light of the full moon besides our Petromax kerosene-vaporizing lantern (300
candle-power). The village headman and his family, also his eldest son and family, all non-Christians, attended and were very friendly. After services were dismissed the audience still lingered, so I played a few selected phonograph records for them, and some cried. More hearts, are moving toward the Church.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12. At Dratsilo. How refreshing to all today to stop pushing the week's work and to crown it all with rest and worship. Especially as we all now see real jrospect of a community center. Under the old heathen order there was neither rest, worship, study, preaching, or wholesome recreation, so a place for these must be developed from the ground up. More and more people are catching the vision as our demonstration materializes, and we had nearly 90 at morning worship and preaching, that being more than three times the resident membership. A half dozen of these are Salwin young men from Dawodi village who came over today to help carry for me
across the Mekong-Salwin divide.

MONDAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 14.

This (Tuesday) has been the crowning

day of our stay here, and the p.ace looks almost beautiful tonight. The house is up! That is, most of the framework. Anyway, in full moonlight it looks grand as things go

in these regions. Yet it will be only a modest chapel below and three rooms above, with a porch facing the east. It was great to see tne eninusiasm with whicn the men shifted the four unwieldly ponderous sections into place, and then bid for the privilege of swarming aloft to help put the connecting beams into place, whie women and
naked or semi-naked children looked on entranced. The very atmosphere seemed to sense a new ara for Dratsilo. I sent Ngwa-deh (one of the Lisu teachers) to Yea Chi today with a letter to Gertrude, and incidentally he will get to see i-odzimi (the Yekumi girl whom he would like to get for his wife), who has gone there to help with the housework and also for refuge from a relative who want to sell her off in marriage to the highest bidder. That is another heathen custom which we are working every where to make unpopular.

My other messenger returned from Yea Chi with letter from Gertrude, and brought joy in the form of 22 Beauty plums, the first fruits of small trees which 1 ordered in 1933 from California Nursery Co., were brought out and planted in 1934, and this tree was transplanted from Kang Pu this spx'ing requiring 7 men to carry it on poles and swathed in a great sheet of canvas. Yet it has survived, and Gertrude says she has canned 13 quarts from it besides those eaten fresh. Either Beauty or Delicious would be a px'oper name! I will give seeds to each of our Christian workers to plant, t'our of our Tobaio Christian men (Adah, Ngwakubo, Cha Jeh, and Yekumi Apu) came yesterday evening to build the stone walls of the house up to the lovel of where the windows w^ill be put in later. They helped ex*ect the framework timbers today, and will begin stonework tomorrow. Several more Salwin Christian men came over yester day, so it seems we shall have more than enough carriers. They seem so eager to make me sure of my welcome to the Salwin valley!

THURSDAY, JUNE 16. Last day at Dratsilo. Today was spent setting things here in order for my departure for the Salwin tomorrow morning. Tonight I paid ail the workers up-to-date, then had a refreshing Bible Class and song service. 1 doubt if we can finish this house for any kind of use before Christmas, with so much else to be done in other places. With no lumber-yards and brick-kilns out here, its so hard to get materials. But now my face is toward the Salwin valley!
J. Russell Morse, TIBETAN LISULAND CHURCHES OF CHRIST,
Yea Chi, Yunnan, West China. "Where China, Tibet, and Burma meet". August 22, 1938. My Precious Mother:

I will now try to finish my June-July travel diary for you before something happens to prevent it. But first I will take a little space to sketch events since my last
letter.

I believe I told you about the safe arrival of Miss Maxey and Robert on August 11, thirty-nine days after leaving Yunnanfu. Well, we just had time to help them get settled in our house here when news came that about 500 Tibetans were attacking Atuntze, because of a feud between them and the small Chinese gari'ison there. We heard that the invaders had entered Newlands fort-like adobe house by surprise during the darkness of 2 A. M., and had used it as one of their main bases for the battle which lasted until dusk of the next evening. Well, right then I decided to abandon the long preaching tour I had planned fox this month, so I could be here to get news of developments and to prepare to help Newlands just as soon as we
could learn of their fate.

Then on Friday afternoon a letter came from Mr. Newland saying that the at tackers had departed leaving dead about forty of their own men and half as many of the Chinese. Except for being shut up and guarded in a room of their house during the battle, their house badly damaged and some possessions robbed, the Newlands suf
fered no harm. The main object of the Tibetans was revenge upon the garrison com mander, whom they killed because he had executed a Tibetan chief earlier this year.

Feeling another attack would be made soon, Mr. Newland was sending his wife
and two children (Melvin Merle 5 years, Marcia Mae 3 years) and two servant girls on horseback to the comparative safety of Yea Chi, while he himself remained at Atuntze

to doctor the wounded. Could I please go to meet Mrs. Newland on the I'oad, he wrote, as she is expecting a child in about three weeks, and the 5-day horseback trip might be too much for her? Well, within 2 hours I had hired and sent off too men to cax-ry a "mountain chair" for Mrs. Newland, while I prepared my medicine kit and other things for a trip I thought might require several days. Well, I met them about noon the next day, and the Lord's watch-care brought them safely here Saturday night, August 20. Great thanks be to God! Now I asked to be "doctor on the case," so it looks like I must stay here awhile and the Preachers Conference will be postponed, while my next long preaching tour will probably be to the Salwin Valley and "regions

beyond" nearly a month from now. All along the Mekong until nearly two days south
of here the fighting men are being called for the deiense oi AiunL.zemost.y u'luesmen with crossbows and poisoned arrows, but there will be a few muskets voo.
August 25, 1938. (Thursday)

Well, things have been happening to prevent my writing. Another letter from
last Saturday A. M., but there were no casualties among the deiendei-s, except one
Mr. Newland says the Tibetans with a smaller force than before attacked Atuntze again

large house was burned down. Now hundreds of Liau tribesmen from this Yea Chi region are on their way to "the front", including many of our converts, and we hear
land plans to come down here after 10 days, with the most important of their goods

that Chinese troops are also expected to arrve soon to quell this rebellion. Mr. Newboxed for storage here. It will be very difficult for him to hire pack animals, as when Mrs. Newland came down they were at a premium even at $15.00 each as compared to the usual $4.50 or $5.00. We have welcomed the Newlands to stay at the Kang Pu
to the States. Mr. Taylor left for Kang Pu this A. M., to begin getting the house
I have told you about

place until December as he requested, after which they expect to leave for furlough

and grounds there cleaned up for them. It is so very crowded in Yea Chi now, we
also find it hard to get and prepare food for all.
Now to continue my "June-July Missionary Travel Diary".

my trip from Yea Chi to Aiwalo and Dratsilo, and what happened there. Now you are to go with me across the Mekong-Salwin divide and into that strange "river
trench" of the Salwin valley where we now have well over a thousand Christians, without a foreign missionary residing among them.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1938. This morning we got a much later start from Dratsilo than expected, because with the new drizzle of rain that had set in we couldn't tell whether it was dawn or daylight, so got up late. The prospect of rainy weather for the climb to the pass tried my spirits, for from past experience I dread this stiff, grinding climb in nasty muddy weather, slipping in the mire, vaulting over

puddles that block the narrow trail thru moisture-laden lush vegetation. But by faith
we started, and the dark skies seemed to clear away under the Divine hand, so it was

wet only underfoot. Tonight we are lodged in a lean-to of roofing boards, east of the pass, at an altitude of perhaps 11,000 feet. Inside the atmosphere is full of smoke, outside of clinging mist which at intervals becomes rain. It seems that this divide is crowned with either snow or water-saturated clouds nearly all the year, and just now it seems sweating from eveiy pore, for this is midsummer at the latitude of about New Orleans. Around us in this lean-to are the 9 pack-loads, leaving room for only 5 of us, with boards laid down to protect fx*om damp. It seems these boards were sav^n for the Roman Catholic Hospice slowly being built just east of the pass, but travelers marooned here for the night have taken them to build these two shelters. Work on the building has already taken nearly three years, just for the stonework of the ground floor, and I understand two more stories are to be built. As work can be done here only from about July 1st to late October, I think it will be 2 or 3 years yet before the Catholics

will be equipped to challenge our work in these regions. Probably by that time so
many of the people will have become New Testament Christians that Catholic converts

Dratsilo centers east of the pass, and at Pugeleh and elsewhere west of the pass.' * Unless we ourselves promote a well-graded road from Tobalo to meet this one atop the intervening ridge, the climb from Dratsilo as we made it today is decidedly less exhausting. However, the direct route from Yea Chi and Kang Pu is through Tobalo,
and so I look forward to improving it.

deluded and led away by prosel^ters. We must push development of our Tobalo and

will be few. But unless every convert is well grounded in the Truth, they may be

FRIDAY, JUNE 17. This morning I found my rubber overshoes invaluable as we climbed the sodden trail filled almost everywhere with tiny streams, then down the"

over deep snow-banks so steep that a mis-step would have sent us sliding hundreds of feet below. Both yesterday and today my pleasant diversion has been gathering, specimens of each different wild flower, pressing them in a "Reader's Digest" to send to Gertrude. I think the lilies and the many kinds of rhododendrons most interesting, but don't know the names of others. Naturalists say there are hundreds of different rhododendrons in N. W. Yunnan, and I well believe it. Atop the pass, we saw dif ferent colors of them blooming right beside the "glaciers". Above Sidje-do-meh we met
a strange caravan, a heathen Lisu family emigrating from the Salwin back to a

muddy western slope to the "shelter hut" named Sidje-do-meh. Atop the pass,altho we found stretches barren of snow, mostly we picked our way carefully each step

liquor. Two donkeys were laden too, and I wonder how they will get over the many giant trees that have crashed across the trail, and the fallen-out parts of the path along
precipitous slopes. In striking contrast is the case of one of our Dratsilo Christian

village near Tobalo (Geshili). "No place like home", after all, and what with the unusually heavy rains this spring holding up farm work, they pack their backs with baskets of their primitive stuff, including chickens and baby pigs, also jugs of hard

at least a dozen, and Adeh has been teaching in other villages also. He can stay in this strange region, because he has something far better than bread alone to live for. I found the ungraded ridge trail from the main track down to Pugeleh chapel so steep and so slipper in the rain that just proceded my arrival, that I now include it in my visionary list of improvements. Any "Government" out here is so lax and corrupt
Melo and Tobalo Apu who had preceded me, a well-dressed red-turbaned and basMul

elders who emigrated to a Salwin village just above and east of our Pugeleh ("Silver Mine') chapel. Formerly there were no Christians in that village, but now there are

hope of their undertaking such improvements. Upon arrival I was greeted by Akeh

(collecting texes but not using the money for public works) that there can be no

intect to shed rain, while Apu and B'eppo are installed in the clay-floored west part "v^ere cooking is done. Each of the four families near the chapel has brought presents of foodnee, eggs, potatoes, also a chicken, for all which I made presents of tea approximating its value. Two young women brought wood and water. Tired, W
with the few who live here on the ridge, thinking "God is so good".

located in that part of the long chapel over which the straw-thatched roof is still

bers of the families were away cultivating their mountainsides. This evening I am

children, and a flock of little mostly naked runabouts under her care while other mem

Miss, a sturdy grandmother naked to the waist herself the mother of nine living

happy to be overthe pass which is always an uncertain ordeal, we had worship tonight

Wiiereas I had expected the ''steam heat" of humid summer, with flies swarmins by day, mosquitoes by night, and fleas at all times, I find none of these. But this is an unusual year. After a sound and refreshing night's sleep, for breakfast I had the happy ttiought of potatoes baked in hot ashes and enlivened with Tibetan butter ^rought from Yea Chi) sprinkled with salt also Tibetan. Then I inspected the apple tree planted here before we went on furlough in 1935. While the trees at Tobalo have

SATURDAY, JUNE 18. This has been a surprisingly restful and pleasant day.

made decidedly better progress, this one has done fairly well considering the more

good growth, but the natives planted them 4 in one hole and 2 each in 3 other places.

semi-tropitol climate. The ten small grapevines sent over last fall have all made

so I just trimmed them moderately. I hear that the 4 vines planted in nearby Pye-je-ka ^lage have also grown well, also a Royal Anne cherry at La-cha-du village. Most of the toy has been spent studying Mark 5 in Lisu with my two helpers, then at evening

wth you^ vmes, and it is now too late to do it without greatly weakening the vine,

Je<use of my late arrival, none were cut back to 2 buds this spring as should be

the Chnstians began arriving in delegations from the various outlying villages from

which this congregation is made up.

sent to Gertrude by one of our Christian men every 5 or 6 days. I would hke to fill m the many "gaps" as I write, but I'm afraid, if I take time to try that, my progress may I will just copyout parts of the letters (omitting the lists of things I sent home and the lists of re-supplies I asked Gertrude to send me), and perhaps add occasional explana tory notes. Then, if I get time before leaving for the Preacher's Conference or next
and also perhaps those pictures and accompanying descriptions may fill many of the
gaps in this story.

in order to finish the story for you, the only material I have is the letters which I

Here the diary ends, as I explained in ray preface to the first instalment. Now,

be slowed up and something may happen to prevent my finishing it at all. So I bejiep preaching tour, I will print a selection of pictures to illustrate this diary-story-letter,

in this "central Salwin" congregation. All afternoon after church I was thronged by the sick who needed treatment, and will stay here at Pugeleh chapel until Wednesday,

beinga convention or "special drive" for attendance. That's the largest single congre gation I have ever seen on the Tibetan Border. Seventeen villages are represented
treating some of the most severe cases and preaching each night. The Salwin is no\y pkt. candles, (3) 1 box matches, (4) two pairs short sox, (5) at least ten copies each of
too flooded for boats, so will have to use the bamboo cable to cross at Dadru-di. Please send me the following: (1) One bottle each Epsom Salts and Alcohol, (2) One

MONDAY, JUNE 20. Lord's Day attendance at communon was 238, without it

the Gospel portions in Lisu, also 10 or 12 Gospels in Chinese, (6) at least two measures of wheatflour, as I am "straved" for it, (7) about 3 pounds more of bacon, (8) a bar of chocolate, also some lumps of rock sugar, as these have proved decidedly strengthening on stiff climbs, (9) two tins tomatoes, as I have felt the lack of vegetables awfully. NOTES: At least nine-tenths, and usually more, of the attendance at our regular services is by baptized Christians. The line of separation between the Church and
the World is more clear-cut out here than in most American churches. Our converts

say that the power of the Devil over the heathen keeps them away from the church.
Most of our converts are won by personal evangelism, and begin to attend church

services as unbaptized "enquirers". We do not encourage heathen people to attend the Lord's Supper unless they are sincere "enquirers", and even then ihey sit apart from
the immersed penitent believers.

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1938. At Yeh-ku Chapel, on the Salwin. "It is just a week this morning since I sent my last messenger, Melo, to you. As I had expected to go northward yesterday if I heard from you, and still the carrier didn't arrive, tnis morning thinking perhaps he might meet the upcoming runner on the way. But the unimagincd happened! Your messenger came up yesterday thinking I was at Dadru-di north of
here and across the river, he crosesd the Salwin on a single bamboo cable south of at Dadru-di last night.

I sent a messenger south to Pugeleh to get your letter and the things you had sent,

here, passed here on the other side of the river within hailing distance and stayed river empty-handed to find me here. I have now sent back to Dadru-di for your letter
He left your letter there with the things and crossed the

so I can answer it and send another messenger. All this carrier, Yo Aba, was able to tell me was that Robert and party had not yet arrived from Yunnanfu, and that none of you were sick.

"I will answer your letter when I receive it. Meanwhile, herewith is my first roll of pictures taken since leaving Dratsilo, which Harold Taylor may develop if not too busy. You may all be surprised at the last two pictures, of which I want 3 copies
each sent at once to Messrs. H. R. Howard and P. S. Chaplin, 60th British Rifles, %

British Consulate, Yunnanfu, with explanation that I am still on the Salwin. I got the surprise of the year last Friday P. M., June 24th, when about half an hour after my arrival from the south, the 2 above young men arrived from the north, having taken
our "1927 Trail" from Hkamti Long in Upper Burma to Sukin just 2 days north of here. Both were emaciated, rain-soaked, lousy, suffering from poisonous ulcers on

both legs caused by insects and leeches on that trail, and Chaplin was so crippled by it
that he was being carried by 3 men on a "hwa-gan" (mountain chair). I promptly

gave each a shot of IronArsenite and Stiychnine, besides giving other medicines needed,
also shared the best of my food supplies which I thought would be most helpful to

them. They were plenty glad to stay here over night instead of going on as planned,
and I am sure it was a thrilling occasion for all of us.
10

Lieutenants in the Royal

Army stationed at Maymyo, Burma, their vacations each year have been fishing trips,

and this year they made the long trip north to Hkamti- (22 stages beyond railway), which seems noted for "mahseer" (a kind of tarpon), very large game fish found in all headwaters of the Irrawaddy. From Hkamti they tried to go east then south around "The Triangle" (a specially savage and practically unadministered part of Upper Burma), but claim to have lost their way. They say their meetings with and treatment by our Christians all along the way this side the Salwin-N'mai divide begin ning at Hei-wa-dee is one of the best demonstrations of Christian missionary work they could imagine. At every village our Christians came to shake hands, give food and shelter, and at night these two "refugees" sang with them in English such hymns

as they recognized. In all the books they found our name and address, so had planned to come frst to Yea Chi. But the Chinese magistrate treated them as suspicious char acters because they had no passports, and insisted on sending them Directly to Yunnanfu under escort of thi-ee soldiers as far as Wei Hsi (four stages south of Yea Chi). Just befoi'e leaving, Chaplin insisted on giving me "and our boys" one complete outfit for which perhaps we can use next fall when Eugene goes with me over there. "Now, before going on to sketch other news, let me list the things to send me,

mahseer fishing, which of course would be useless lumber to him from now on, and

I have discovered that "tsamba" ground from popped corn goes A-1 with it, (3) another Pkt. or two of raisins, as mine went to the "refugees", and I expect to be ov-er here several weeks yet unless your letters show I am needed there. (4) another 4 ounces or more of Iodine, (5) a small roll of absorbent cotton, (6) refill this small bottle with

lb-tin of "Klim" (dried milk), which has given me a wonderful life repeatedly, and

(1) One tin of Golden Chum Butter, to be used with potatoes baked in ashes, which I expect wi,l make my stay on the Salwin very much more endurable, (2) refill this

Milk of Magnesia tablets, (7) if convenient, several dozen small fish hooks, which we can trade for almost anything to be had. Have had fried fish 3 times here at Yeh-ku, netted by one of the Christians, and reports are that they are more plentiful at Dadru-di. These are "trout-bodied suckers", and, like the Mekong River fish, are not game at a;l.
(8) ten or 15 packets of Tea.

just continue doing His Work while it is day.

But whatever comes, by God's grace we must keep spiritually sweet and steady, and

"Now the messenger has returned from Dadru-di with the letter and things from you, also a reply from TobaloApu's brother Adeh on the question of Apu's wife's health.

(no chapel even started yet) we had 57, nearly all Christians from three villages, besides 5 visitors. As 17 carriers (twice the number needed) had come from Yeh-ku, I went on to Puladi the next day and stopped in a heathen headman's house, hoping to make an opening for the Gospel in that important village. Last Friday we camc here, and have been busy ever since. This is the congregation started by Adeh Hehakwa, the man baptized at Tobalo on Blaster, 1933, who returned to his native village

"Last Wednesday we came from Pugeleh to Sidodi, where in 1934 we baptized our first six converts. All, I believe, have been faithful, anyway that night at church

when the fii-st 23 were baptized. Adeh Heh-akwa is still the pastor, in fact is one of our leading workers in the Salwin valley. I have had church here every night, treated
many sick each day. Tomorrow I must cross this roaring river on the bamboo cable."

here and started right in winning his neighbors to Christ and had 50 candidates for baptism and a bamboo-and-thatch chapel built before we could get around to visit them. Converts now number about 110 (one hundred and ten), beginning in 1934

wheat or any of its products, vegetables are very few and often not to be had at all. there is very little fruit and even that is hardly fit to eat. Except the native roughskinned bitter tangerines seem to thrive wherever planted in the warmer locations along the river, and scrawny wild peaches seem to thrive everywhere. The Lord helping Christ, we shall seek to improve their condition in these material things also That IS why for several years past I have made the introduction of vegetables and fruits a side-line. Have you ever heard of that unique character "Johnny Apple-seed"?)

(NOTEIn the Salwin valley it is impossible to get milk or any of its products,

me, year af^r year as we labor to build up the churches in the spiritual things of

Tf,?/Wednesday P. M. of after interesting experiences. Just before leaving Yeh-ku, in came the2 father our some teacher-evangelist at Sidodi,
the point of death and he had called all Christians within two hours to come for a
11

JULY 2, 1938. At Dadru-di Christian chapel, on the Salwin

hours.

"We

He said his son was almost at

biff prayer meeting and he had killed a pig to feed them afterward. I was on the verge of going with him, but he surprised me, saying all he wanted was for us to pray and give him medicines. So all of us knelt down at once on the plaited-bamboo
floor of that chapel and poured out our hearts to The Father on behalf of Adeh Deatse.. Afterward, I diagnosed his case as acute subtertian (malignant) malaria, the first case I've seen this year, and sent medicines. On the trail we met the new French Catholic priest of Bahang-lo going south to attend the Roman Catholic "priestly conference" at Hsiao Wei-hsi. I tried conversation with him. English and French proved useless, Chinese nearly so, and to my surprise when I tried repeatedly to talk Tibetan, nearly every forthcoming word was Lisu instead. That shows how completely absorbed in these people I become after several weeks away from Yea Chi, for you know how I talk Tibetan every day there. Also the Tibetan language of this Catholic priest, in addition to being very poor, was quite different from my Batang dialect. I understand that nearly all of their converts around Bahang-lo are Lutze, which is quite different yet from either Tibetan, Lisu, or Chinese.

Traveling with us from Yeh-ku were four friendly Lisu from an unevangelized village, who before we parted company said they want teachers to visit them so

they can become Christians. At another heathen village some sick people were waiting for my coming so they could ask treatment, which is always an encouraging sign as
the heathen usually call for their wizards in case of sickness. Sure enough, upon enquiry they said they want to study to become Christians, and so we preached the Christian way to them. Then we came to the "rope bridge" (single cable of twisted bamboo strips), and to my surprise I wasn't a bit afraid after 4 years since last crossing one. After us came a middle-aged Lisu woman with a six-year-old boy who whimpered.
But she tied him into a basket, and all came sliding over the flood together.

Our 3 nights and 2 days here have been full of interesting work and people and scenes. In contrast with most of our chapels, this is in a good sized village, with 3 or 4 Chinese families, a Chinese Primary School, and numerous Lisu families still heathen. Nightly attendance has been 92 to well over a hundred, nearly all Christians

and "enquirers", and Sunday attendance would likely rise to 150 or more, as Christians from outlying villages would come in. This congragation has grown from 27 original converts in 1933-34, and in this village one of those converts was hung by his ax-ms and beaten until the blood ran and the Christ-hating anti-foreign Chinese neai-ly killed him. At that time nearly 50 of the newer and weaker converts lost faith through terror of the adversaries, and temporaiily went back to heathenism, but the man who was beaten could not be moved from allegiance to Christ. Now many of the backsliders are reported to have returned, and this faithful man goes about teaching the Christian "Way to others. We have treated many sick here, but to my surprise only one case of dysentery and even that was a chronic case left over from last year's epidemic when nearly 40 died in this village alone. I was equally surprised to find only 2 cases of malaria, but both of those were the malignant subtertian. Our boys would like it here by a
beautiful clear stream seemingly full of fish where it flows into the chocolate-colored

Salwin flood, and most any time of day we may see fishing with either lines or nets,
and I hav had fried fish 3 or 4 times. But once when I tried to catch some with

hook and line, instead of getting even one "bite", I succeeded only in snagging my
hook on sunken logs. So I believe I will stick to my calling as "fisher of men" instead. For various reasons, I have practically decided to visit the N'mai valley (Irrawaddy headwaters) workers and enquirers during this trip instead of waiting for Autumn, and I want Eugene to come over and go with me if at all possible. Our big boy thoroughly deserves such a trip, and although it will be far from a picnic it will be a

high point in his education. He can be a great help to me, especially in emergency, and his visit to some of the Salwin congregations may increase their interest and bind them by new ties of loyalty especially needed. Also, I want him to study the kind of building we will have to do over here with bamboo and thatch-gx*ass, so he

can help design the most satisfactory chapels and residences.

The N'mai trip will

mark an epoch in modem missions, for not only are we the first missionaries to woi-k in those regions, but also it is Unadministered British territory, so the Cross of Christ

advance for the Kingdom of Christ as the opening of Inner first sent teachers into the N'mai valley in 1934, it will be scores already baptized and over a hundred enquirers as (NoteUpon consideration of later news from Yea Chi, and
12

will precede government as well as civilization. It will be, in a degree, as great an

Tibet would be. Having the greatest joy to find candidates for baptism. considering the situation

and needs as a whole, I later decided to postpone the N'mai Expedition until Autumn,
1938).

(NOTERe Roman Catholic "missionary work" in the Bahang-lo region, I can take time for only a few sentences. That is about 3 days north of Dadru-di, and east ward up a valley tributary to the Salwin, previous to the opening of the north-south

Salwin trail and the route over the Pugeleh-Dratsilo pass to the Mekong valley, the Catholic missionaries entered the Salwin valley through a pass due East of Bahang-Io. The region to the south where all our hundreds of converts have been won, they avoided because of its great humidity and semi-tropic climate and malaria. No Catholic mis sionary had resided or preached in these X'egions before we began evangelizing there,
which we haven't yet been able to fathom, they buy lands (we have never been able to do more than lease), and their tenants settled upon those lands become their converts.

and so far as I know that is still true. In fact, winning converts by the pi-eaching of Christ seems contrary to Catholic practice in all Yunnan. By political and other means

Although for the most part these Catholic priests have shown a bravery and patience and kindness which is admirable, and although many of their converts seem better than the utter heathen, wine-drinking and intoxication is the rule among their converts inasmuch as all the priests are lovers of wine. Also, no one except priests are allowed
altars are erected and mass can be performed.)

to preach or hold religious services, and that only in their church buildings where

gone back home, so I didn't get to ask him the numerous questions that came to mind. Also a sane weighing of all values seems to indicate that our greatest work in the long run will be in the Salwin and Mekong valleys and that our first attention should

river. Your gi*and letter, or rather ensemble of letters, was awaiting me with the things you sent. But the carrier, a Pugeleh lad who had arrived the night before, had

about noon I returned from 2 days and 2 nights with the Ma-dze Christians across the

FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1938. At Da-da chapel, near Sukin, on the Salwin. "Yesterday

be given to development of pastors and chapels here, from which basis the congrega

for rest and none to write up my diary, feeling exhausted now, but oh, so hapDv in
His service."

those who best fulfill His loving command to "Feed my sheep" and who as "good and ^ithful sei*vants" "endure to the end", so we shall simply consecrate ourselves to that. Have had \vonderiul meetings here and at Ma-dze, treated many sick, hardly any time MONDAY, JULY 11, 1938. At Yeh-ku Chapel, Upper Salwin valley. "To My Beloved Gertrude, Children andHarold: I can hardly realize that this is my

tions will naturally develop. The Lord's ultimate blessing will crown the work of

my health maintained to date, I have needed every bit of it for the calls made upon me by the needy in each place, and consequently the only diary written in 24 days is in the letters sent to you. Nearly every morning I wake to find patients-in-waiting, so that I almost always have embarrassment in dressing, and bed-making and morning I can imagine what the desciples meant when they said that the multitudes "thronged" Our Lord, and He often had no leisure to eat, rest, or even pray. I don't wonder so much that He never had time to write, and that even His disciples were so busy minis tering that it was many years before they got around to writing the Gospel. Perhaps
they well knew that it was all being "written in Heaven" and that in due time the
Holy Spirit would bring the needed facts to remembrance.

true, and the latter not true at all. Although my strength has been better consei'ved and

I must return to Yea Chi 'before August, so you can imagine how much I must pack into the remaining days. I shall have been away two months, my longest single stay in Lisuland. I had thought that by staying a day or two with each congregation I would be able to do more good, wiould better conserve my strength, and would have time to keep my diaiy written up. The first has proved entirely true, the second about half

24th day on the Salwin and that my tour is only about half completed. Yet I feel that

wash or shave must often wait until after the most urgent cases have been cared for.

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1938. At Pugeleh Chapel, "central Salwin" congregation. A burden is upon my heart to return to Yea Chi from here right after Sunday, but for the Lord to give me more light on the matter before really deciding. ^ start back next week, via Dratsilo and Tobalo and spending day at each places asearly I feel I should, I shall have been away from home aeight weeks,
inats an Awfully long time for one who loves Home and Helpmate as much as I do.
n

I confess that when the last messengers came and you were able to write only a brief

post-script to Harold's fine letter, because you were ill, I wanted to go to you at once.
Now I am waiting the last two messengers (sent from Sukin Da-da), expecting them

this P. M., and the word they bring will help me decide what to do.

May God's will

be done." (Friday 9 P. M., after church). Yesterday night as there was no advance notice of our coming, attendance was only about 20, just the few who live here on The Ridge near the Chapel. But tonight there were 35 or 40, and I estimate there will be 60 or more tomorrow night, as word gets out. This illustrates one of the reasons why I am trying to give several nights to each place instead of soon moving on to the next as formerly. Up to 4 or 5 nights, the longer we stay the moi*e people we can minister to both night and day. Dadru-di village, which is more concentrated, is one of our few exceptions to that rule, and thei*e we had a hundred or more each night from the first. Growing from our seeds, I have found tomato plants thriving in

3 places over here (none ripe yet as you report at Yea Chi), also eggplant here at Pugeleh. As it rains so much more over here than along the Mekong, and especially
during this unusual summer, weather at this season is much cooler than I ever ex

perienced it before.

Mosquitoes are just now beginning to be ti'oublesome, and I am

treating more malaria cases than at first. What gives me concern is that the rains seem to be getting heavier and more frequent, so that I fear getting "rain-bound" if I stay too long west of the divide. Besides discomforts of rain and mud for traveling afoot, there is actual danger on these steep trails when slippery, also yesterday coming here we had to navigate unusually tedious paths because the thundering, sizzling river had risen to cover the usual trail in many places. In every congregation visited so far, I have, with (Jod's blessing pulled at least one person back from seeming brink of death. I feel that alone makes this tour worth while. For instance, right here at Pugeleh, on our fii'st visit the wife of one of the elders whole body was much swollen about 5 weeks after the birth of a child) and she couldn't even move about the house, but today she was able to come to church and testify!"

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1938. 10:30 A. M. At Pugeleh. "As the sick have been treated and all the little morning chores done, and yet no letter from you, I will have time to write another page before taking up the day's Bible Study (Mark) with the several Lisu evangelists here with me. Our Christians believe the messenger has
"rope bridge" dips into it. Mekong until September."

been delayed in ci-ossing the Mekong River, which they hear has risen so that the It makes me wonder if I will be flood-bound west of the

At Dadru-di is a Lisu Christian boy named Apu who I guess is 14 or 15 years old, who has a unique interest and inspiration for me. Before conversion, some disease had crippled his legs and hands into a peculiar bent-back deformity so that he can only get about by swinging his body along on the retracted stumps of wrists dragging his twisted legs after him, or to go a considerable distance must be carried on someone's back. But the Lord has done such great things in his heart that everyone respects him. His mind and personality seem to radiate Christian victory instead of the pessimism we might expect, and his mental and spiritual powers sux'prise me. He was away when I first visited Dadru-di, having gone on a "preaching mission" of

his own, away up into the mountains. And how! A family of new converts up there had somehow become impressed by him and by their own lack of Christian teaching,
so men had come to cari-y Apu on their backs a day's joui-ney to be their teacher. B'ut when Apu's father heard I was about to return from visiting the Da-da and Madze congregations, he himself went for Apu and carried him home so he could be

there for the "white pastor's visit". Very gladly indeed I presented him with a copy
book, pencil, and ten M-I-MI books.
us to look after that boy.

Here is a mission from God!

I feel He wants

"I hope that our children, and perhaps you as well, would like the Mission station

location I have chosen on the Da-da "plateau-ridge" just north of Sukin, west of the

Salwin, south of where the "little river from Hei-wa-di and the Salwin-Irrawaddy divide meets the Salwin. Eugene, Robert, and Laverne, that stream would win your
prettiest stream I've seen in the Salwin or Mekong valleys, just grand for fishing and
300-400 yards before it meets the Salwin it is almost like a
H

heart for vacation sportsand I think Christian Workers Conference like those we attended at Minn-Ia-Dak and Lake James might well be held around there. It's the boating and swimming.

lake, quiet and deep and not too swift for fishing with a "bobber" on the line, or for

seining, and the water is beautifully clear.

When converts heard I had fish-hoolss,

evangelist Heh-pa-sha started a "raid" on them, and they were soon gone. The largest fish brought me was about a foot long, but folks declare there are whoppers there, and I know they surely did taste good fi-ied. But folks here say that the M'mai valley streams, both large and small, are chuck full of game fish, and that when we visit that region we must by all means take plenty of tackle, so we shall not be so likely to go
hungry. Enough of that! God-blessed, and we ex The pastor there, Adeh Swamipa or Adzupa, as charactei*." "Visits with Madze and Da-da congregations were surely amined and baptized 12 new converts at the former place. Wa-deh-lo, I consider can before long take the place of either being a true man of God with lovable strength and dignity of

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1938. Again at Tobalo, in Melong River valley. "We arrived here before dark last night, happy to be so near home again. But our hopes soon received a setback, for we are informed that the Mekong is at its highest, ferry boat is impossible even at Aloh, that so far as is known here the river has reached the rope bridges, and that the main trail in many places is flooded. So I must resign myself to staying a week or so west of the Mekong, if necessai-y. But not without a real trial first. So I am sending Ba-teh today witn the ietter which I wrote you on the Saiwin. plus this note. B'eppo has a bad case of mumps acquired nearly a week ago, and after the wet and strenuous climb over the pass (2 days) several days rest here wouldn't hurt him. Some of our Salwin carriers want to turn back now, but several want to visit us at Yea Chi, and to get some of those young figs (Kadota and Mission) Vhich 1 started from cuttings last spring. We have decided to hold the Px'eacher's Conference and Study Course at Tobalo six weeks hence, about the first week in September. I am fully satisfied it was in God's will for me to return at this time and I hope to see you very soon and tell you the reasons for my returning now."
(NOTEThe above is the close of what I wrote during that journey. On Wednes day Ba-teh went to Yea Chi, and Tobalo Apu accompanied him as far as Be-ya village wjiere we usually ferry across to Kang Pu. There Apu saw that the river had gone down somewhat, and upon enquiry the villagers promised to try ferrying us across the next day unless the waters rose again. With this good word, I sorted equipment so as to leave at Tobalo as much as possible, and the next morning found the village ferry men with their dugout canoe waiting at a backwater of the i-acing river. According to the proven procedure for crossing, we rowed up the backwater to the "point", then shot out into the current and rowed like mad, aiming to catch a backwater on the opposite side before the turbulent current could carry us past it. The boat pitched up and down upon the tumbling waves, and it was such an exciting and detei*mined effort that we hardly thought of danger, until suddenly we cut into the backwater and now began to row up the other end of the "S" (or perhaps rather "Z"), grasping flooded trees and bushes to hold the boat alongshore until we could reach an open landng place. We reached Yea Chi on Friday, August 22, and it soon became evident how the Lord had led me to return at that time, for I was much neded at the "base station". Most of the summer, Gertrude had "held the fort" alone. Must close now. Pray for all of us who labor for Christ in these regions. And God bless you.) J. Russell Morse,

TIBETAN LISULAND CHURCHES OF CHRIST, Yea Chi, Yunnan, West China. "Wiere China, Tibet, and Burma Meet" September 1, 1938.
My Precious Mother:

At last my "diary" is copied for you. But oh, how inadequate I feel it is, leaving so many stories untold about the individual converts and workers, also there should have been more description in it. But as we are still waiting for the birth of the Newland child I may have to stay here as long as a week yet, and so will print some pictures for you, and will write some descriptions to accompany them. Although I am now rather ashamed of this diary, I have been sending the installments of it to our Hollenbeck and Westside Friends at the same time as I have sent to you. Will try to send them sets of the same pictures I will send to you. I am sorry to hear that

my living-link church is going through very discouraging times, with some of the most spiritual and liberal membex's moving away. All the letters we receive testify to the really wonderful sermons preached by the minister, Bro. Howard Malone, yet
15

his audiences are depressingly small, as the church is located in a district of mixed foreig:n population. We are surprised that they have continued to support me so long, and their faithfulness has been such an inspiration that I shall continue to Write them as my living-link even if they are forced to reduce or even stop their present finan cial support. They have been so good to us.
It was surely best for me to return from the Salwin when I did, as Gei*trud..was

nearly worn out trying to carry most of the Yea Chi work, both home, church, aftd "holding the ropes" for me. Robert was gone to Yunnanfu four months for dental work and to help Miss Maxey on the caravan trip; Li Chao Hsuen three months to help them, Eugene one month to Wei Hsi awaiting the party from Yunnanfu. But now everybody is here, and that means more responsibility until all the new ones get adjusted and can hlp. Then came the Tibetan outbreak at Atuntze, beginning with the robbery and
murder of eight men in a party of richly-laden Yea Chi lama-priests on their way to Lhasa. Then the attack on Atuntze itself, and Mrs. Newland and two childi*en finding

refuge here until her third child is born and until Mr. Newland can pack their posses
sions and hire animals for their transport here. Latest word from Mr. Newland is that it will be at least ten more days before he can arrive here. Meanwhile Mona

has to pass through the death-defying life-bringing experience during which I believe most women would like to have her husband near her. She is a good Christian soldier, but I assure you that in times like this the presence of a fully qualified Christian doctor would be a vast relief to all of us. Dr. Bare at Yengin (and the Tibetan rebels between us) might as well be in Timbuctoo, and on the south side I know of no M. D.
nearer than Yunnanfu. By the very quickest travel, it is at least two weeks to the nearest M. D. in both directions! We pray, and hope you are praying too. I wish I

had more time for medical studies, but above all, we cail upon The Great Physician in
every case.

The Tibetan "war" tension is much less now, because reinforcements have reached
the front and full precautions are being taken, such as building of forts and walls at

congregations being established are much more likely to be permanent.

In loving devotion, your son,

Atuntze. However, these events have demonstrated again the preeminent value of Yea Chi as The "basic station" for all the southeastern Tibetan Border regions. Not only have we won far more convei-ts to Christ in these regions (thei*e is no "church" in Atuntze now that the Newlands and their helpers have left),but I am sure that the

Of course

Atuntze and Yengin must have Christian missionaries too, and we are sure the work there is well worth while.
J. RUSSELL MORSE.

September 16, 1938

Dear Mother and all the Home Folk:

The mail man is almost due to arrive but I want to get a note at least, to you.
Russell has been gone six days to Tobalo where he is conducting the conference for the Lisu teachers and preachers. We will go ahead and do what we can without worrying. It is all in the Lord's hands. Lee-Chiao-shuen, one of our first S. S. boys (who is married and has two child ren now) is still faithful. Also Lee-Chiao-fun, his cousin has become a Christian and is growing very well it seems. Both of these came to our first S. S. service in Yea Chi and we thought then if only we could win those two, how fine it would be. The Lord has given us those twoone is the Yea Chi pastor and one is our teacher and preaches sometimes.

Well Mrs. Newland and children have been here four weeks tomorrow. There was

Atuntze to attend the wounded soldiers. He arrived here four days after the baby was
bom.

an attack from the robbers in Atuntze. She rode a horse. Her new baby was born 16 days after she got here, Russell, Isabel and I helping. Mr. Newland stayed in

I have been terribly busy with the added family to feed, the nursing, and fruit
canning. Besides I have had malaria until I could hardly keep going.
no letters since Russell returned, the last of July.

I have written

Russell and Eugene intend to go to the Irriwaddy and Salwin next week. They expect to be gone six or seven weeks. Russell will be back a few days before starting
and will wi-ite you.
16

The Newlands expect to stay in Kang Pu for three months studying Tibetan, and
then go home on furlough.

Must close or the runner will be goneExcuse this hasty writing and note but I
wanted you to know how we are.
Will play the accordion.

Robert went to the one week conference at Tobalo.

Lots of love and God bless you all,

GERTRUDE and ALL.

Baby boyNeal George Newland weight

Dear Grandmother:

lbs.Sept. 6, 8 P. M.

Yea Chi, Yunnan, China, Aug. 22, 1938.

You will have to excuse me for not being able to write to you sooner, and to write with a typewriter, but I am trying to get a lot into one envelope, and saving space. But I have just been back from Kunming for a little while, and today I have taken the entiz*e day from school lessons to get most of my diary that I wrote on the way down to the capital written again in readable form, to send to you in mail tomorrow.

I have not been able to finish copying it, so I will just send it in installments. I hope you like it, but you virill find many mistakes, as I don't know much how to use a type writer. In this letter, I will tell things that I didn't put in the diary. We, Li Chao

and then come up with Miss Maxey. We made the trip down in 13 days, and later, none of us made it faster than 39

Hsuan and Pu Hsi had gone on to Yea Chi, I had planned to stay in Yunnan Fu until fail,

Hsuan, Pu Hsi, and I, were in Yunnan Fu from April till June ISth, and after Li Chao

days. We arrived in Zunming on the night of the 24th, and stayed at an inn. The next morning, Sunday, we dressed up and went over to see Miss Maxey, and got settled. I saw the dentist as soon as was possible, and found out that the tooth was dead.

It might have to be pulled, but there was a chance to save it too. It took just about

six weeks to clean out the dead root, and to heal the abcess that was at the back end.

end, and was I glad. During the meantime, though, Miss Maxey packed up her belongmgs, and I helped her, and we also bought supplies for the other missionaries up country. We also took the two boys around, showed them the sights, and modernized them in general. I also took time out to see things myself. I went out to the airport
quite often on a rented bicycle, and watched the army planes practicing, and the air foreign stores, plenty of book stores, and a couple of department stores. Richshaws

I also had some other teeth fixed, that were in bad shape. The tooth was saved in the

few years. There are quite a few automobiles, an expensive taxi service, about five

transport come in. You'd be surprised how modern Yunnan Fu has become in the last

are quite plentiful, being the main vehicle of conveyance, and there are many, many bicyclesBicycles are almost too expensive for most people, so they have shops where
inefficient bus service, with quite modem buses. The Lord stopped us from going at the same time that Li Chao Hsuan and Pu Hsi

you can rent them, quite cheaply. Airplanes are to be seen daily, flying all over the city, and the streets, although of cobblestone, are being widened, to accomodate an

went in a peculiar way. My teeth were finished on a Saturday, and we were all ready to leave the next Monday by chax'tered bus,when the Lordsent the rain. Monday mornmg we still wanted to go, and as it was still raining, we prayed for the Loi^ to either let us go or keep us, by the rains. Instantly it started pouring down worse than ever before, and a comer of the I'oof even fell off. So we two decided to stay, and for the other two to go. That night, Miss Maxey got the news that her father had died, and that was one reason for staying. Then from time to time, other reasons showed up for our staying, until we were convinccd. Some time later, the "Billy Sunday of China"

He held three services a day, from 10 to 12 A. M., 2to 4P. M. and 7to 10 P. M.They were
wonderful meetings, and during nearly all of the meetings he had four musical instru

came to Kunming for a x'evival, held for one week, in Chinese. All Christians in the city went when they could, and attendance in the evenings was around one thousand!

saved during the fii*st three days, and at the last of the meeting he had a consecration service, and nearly 208 or more young people were dedicated to service for Him. He

ments ^r accompaniment, besides the organ, a ciarinet, a trombone, and two cornets. I, together with three Chinese, played up on the platform. There were over 200 people

at least once a week, and witness for Christ. Soon after he left, and other times,
17

arranged them in gi-oups of 4 - 6, of which there were 52, and they were to go out

established over eight thousand of these voluntary groups over China!

I saw quite a few people out on the streets, preaching to big crowds'. He says he has

We had planned to stay over until fall, after the rains, so we were getting settled
in numerous ways when Mr. Bolton came down from Wei Ssi, just four days south of Yea Chi, and was going back, so Miss Maxey decided we would travel back with him. I had planned to study typewriting, French, music, and Chinese while in Yunnan Pu during the summer, and I had just gotten started when we left. I think I will not tell anything of the trip up in this letter, I will just leave it until the next lette,r
when I send in the rest of my diary. 0. K. ?

We got up here on the 11th of August, just 4 months exactly since I left.
turned into a real border war. Let me give some details.

We

hadn't been here for very long when we heard that trouble had broken out again in Atentze. There had been trouble 4 months ago, but it has been revived now, and has
Just north of Atentze is a cocky little village by the name of Adong, where a

big band of robbers live. They are peaceable a lot of the time, but every once in awhile they get a grudge against the Atentze folks and come down to fight. Quite some time ago, in one of these fracases, their leader, a Ho Ch'ien Tzong, got kiiled, with
several of his men, and then they got really mad. Later, this Yea Chi tussi's third son,

supposed to be a reincarnated Bhudda, was traveling to Lhassa, and they killed him
and some of his men.
started serious fighting.

They decided to follow the thing up, and then came down to

Atentze, and engaged the militia there in battle. There are not but a few decent troops in Atentze, so they couldn't defend, and then the Atentze official got killed. That

Now, there are 800 Tibetans, who have good guns, and can really fight. Last week,
while Mrs. Newland was still up there, four hundred came down on Atentze, and

plundered and killed. The Newland's home is just opposite the Atentze official's home,
so when the robbers came at 2;30 A. M., about 30 of them came to the Newland's house,
and from thei*e shot at the officials's house. Other small bands entered other homes

of rich people, and thei'e was some bad fighting. They threatened the Newlands, and tied Mr. Newland's hands. They knocked their radio on the gx'ound, hacked the batteries to pieces, and got quite a lot of money. All in all, there was quite a row. About 45 or 50 people were killed in all. As soon as was possible, Mrs. Newland and two children and two girls came down by hoseback, and they are here now, safe . Several hundred people have come down from Atentze since, and plan to stay in
Yea Chimostly rich merchants who have all their money with them. The robbers most likely know this, and 9 chances out of 10, they will try to come on down here

to Yea Chi and get all the money here. There are only about 100 decent troops in Atentze, against 800, so you see why everybody is afraid of their coming down here. Mr. Newland is still there, ministering to the needy, and wounded, and Mrs. Nawland is quite worried for him. The Tibetans have retreated for the present, but they will
come back again.

Last night Wang Cha Sui, the present Yea Chi official, whose younger brother, the ama was killed, came over to "confer" with us. He has orders to raise 200 troops,
and take them up to Atentze with 400 others, and fight the Tibetans. That will mean

600 civilian troops against 800 trained Tibetan robbers. Well, he wanted to know if we had a telescope that he could use, and any ammunition, as this side is short on bullets, and he wanted to borrow a gun or two. We took this chance to tell him a few things, as, befoi-e, they hadn't liked us, but we had always tried to be friendly with them; and then we also told, or asked him what about his soul's welfare, now that he might be

killed when he goes up there. We are going to let him have two of our pistols, but before he takes them, he is coming over this morning to try them out. You know, if this bunch is defeated now, that means Atentze will be razed to the ground, and the Tibetans will come on down and ruin the whole counti-yside, including Yea Chi. There fore, we can't go ahead with the programs we had planned, but will have to get i*eady to flee if necessary to some place in Lisu country. They can't get across the river, because the people could kill them off as they came across. You know that Eugene and Daddy had planned to go over into the Salwin and Ii-waddy valleys this fall but now things have changed. Well, I don't have much to say right nowI've exhausted my talk. The mail is due any minute now from up country, so I will close. I will write again as soon as I can, maybe next mail, if nothing happens. I will then send the rest of the diary, and give a brief account of the return journey with Miss Maxey.
18

Oh, by the way, Daddy said could you please make a copy of the diary and send it to Hpllenbeck heights. I would rather not, but Daddy says to, so. But please correct it before you do that, as there must be some dreadful mistakes. Well, Goodbye until next time, and lots of LOVE,
Your grandson,
ROBERT HOWE MORSE

P. S. Please excuse the typing mistakes, but I was trying to save space, so I didn't write by pen. Also, this letter is for all of my Aunts and Uncles that can be foutid
around there, too. R. H. M.

P. S. Please don't worry about last part of this letter^Yea Chi has never been attacked before, and I don't expect it this year. Nevertheless, we ai'e keeping eyes and ears

the importance of Yea Chi as the base station for the Tibetan Border regions is plainly
shown by these events. ^Russell.
PROM YEA CHI TO YUNNAN FU.

open and preparing to take refuge if the worst should happen. Compared to Atentze,

Diary of Robert Morse.

ing, and doing things in general. Thus I could kill two birds with one stone by going.
Following is the diary of my hurried trip down there, done in exactly one third of the
time it took me later to come up.
Monday, April 11

I had to make a hurried trip to the nearest dentist, which was in Yunnan-Fu, because two of my front teeth were in danger of being lost. Also, there was a new missionary that was to come up, and somebody ought to help her on the road interpr^

Li Chao Hsuan, and Pu Hsi, were the two natives, Christians, that were to go with me, and we had hired two mules, to ride between us, as far as Tali, where there was a bus road the rest of the way. Everything we needed, clothes, bedding, medicines and

places where the torrents had been so big that a person could see that tons of soil had been washed away. The fields in the lower parts of the valley were flooded in most

food, were taken on the two mules, in Chinese fashion. W 1^ at 10 A. M. and were "song-ed" (escorted) out-of the valley by quite a few of our friends, and families^ There had been some heavy rains a while before, and so the roads were in quite bad condition. There were washouts everywhere, and ever once in a while we would pass

places, and crops were ruined by the soil deposited there. The flowers along the road are beautiful, and the mountain sides are splotched with big white spots, where the flowers of different trees are. Rhododendrons are

plentiful, and in many places all the air is fragrant. There are also many beautiful birds, with beautiful songs, and many "water-crows" in the river.

We ate lunch at Sha Ba, about ten "li" north of Kang Pu, about two o'clock. I had a Chinese passport which had to be signed by Wang Cha Sui, the Yea Chi ''tu si", or king, and so we stopped a whil^e at Ta Ch'ou, where he is opening the big bridge built there to traffic. The bridgeover a Mekong tributary^is the biggest and most magnificent sight to be seen in this part of the country, so there were very many people to see it opened. We went on to Ai wa, but it got dark one hour before we got there. The moon came out so we didn't mind traveling. As we couldn't find a place to stop at Ai wa, we went on to Wu nu, and got there at about nine in the eveninga total
of 85 li, or 2S% miles today.
Tuesday, April 12.

Arose at 6 A. M., and after a little breakfast of Chinese cookies, Likiang ba ba, and tea, and got off by 7:30 A. M. The scenery was nice, but every place tons of soil had been washed down by the rains, the roads ruined, and in many places little penin sulas had been formed way out into the river. Houses are going up all over the country it seems; I saw two more frames in Hsoe Wei Hfei. There are lots of purple flags (iris) along the roads, besides other flowers. The road leads through forests of tall pine, scrub pine and brush, and rhododendron. About 11 A. M. we passed the place where the people revolted against their cruel ruler, and had killed him.
There were some 34,000 people in the revolt.

We stopped for dinner about one o'clock at Ho Eiang Ch'ao for an hour, and then
19

turned up into the Wei Hsi valley, east of the Mekong,

The mountains down in this

They are also well covered with fields, with more Chinese villages. The Wei Hsi stream is quite a big one, with many fish and fishermen all along the stream. We bought a big sucker fish for one dollar, it was over a foot long, and about four inches thick. We soon came to some pretty cliffs and gorges, where the road is none too good. There are many orchids in this region, and ever so many strange birds. At one place where
the road had been washed out, a whole slice of mountain was gone, too, about 600 feet

section are lower at the river and spread away out into a wide valley.

high and 1,000 feet wide.

During th'e morning we had passed a village near a stream

Water had risen at least 20 feet above the stream bed,

where there had been a flood.

and had spread all over the surrounding lands, washing right through that village, and bringing down huge boulders, one of which was about a rod in diameter. Farther up the stream, on looking back to the Sahvin Mekong river divide, could be seen a jagged snow-covered range about 75 miles away, that rose about 8,000 feet higher than us, in all about 15,000 feet in elevation. We were to go to Anang To for the night, but as it was on the other side of the river, up on a hill, and the road up there was a big detour, we stayed at the vilage just beneath over night. We tried to make a short cut over the stream and up the river, however, but the stream was too deep and swift. We had to take some pictures to some folks up on the hill, so when we got to the bridge across the stream, Li Chao Hsuan and I went on up. The scenery was vei'y

beautiful up at the village, with the mountains spreading out in both directions, noilh and south, with their jagged, high peaks. At several places people were converting big areas of timber land into farm and, by just burnng all of the trees. The people to whom we took the pictures invited us to stay for supper, and th* food was very good, although I doubt if anybody in America would thing so. After quite a while we started back down the mountain for our inn, and got there after dark, at 8 P. M., in the moonlight. Went to bed about 9:30, and at 11:30 I woke up again, and seeing everybody else up, and eating what seemed to be their breakfast, I got up and put on my clothes too. They invited me to eat with them, and later I found they were just eating their midnight meal; I had thought that it was about 5:30 A. M.
It was quite cold, and 1 soon went back to bed. Wednesday, April 13.

Our land lord last night had a sick goat, and they had the witch doctor (for goats), to come and chase the devils out of the goat. In the morning, after the doctor had gone, the son came up to get the goat some food. Chang Ch'in Hsian, who was traveling with us, asked him, "Has the goat gotten well since the 'domba' (witch doctor) came?" "No, it is still sick", said the boy, "and since it can't walk, I've come up to get it some com". "You ought to ask the domba again," teased Chang, "and then it should get well". No answer. "How would you like for me to come and help you out? I'm a big domba, you know." "Oh, you'd have to be a goat's domba to be of any help," answered the boy. "But I'm a big, big domba for goate, people, cattle and everything," joked Chang. "Well, maybe so," said the boy, all believing, but the price is too high for dombas". The boy believed that the witch doctors could do anything, and couldn't
understand why he had failed in this instance.

We got off at about 7:30 A. M. after a simple breakfast, and all walked quite a way. We rode our mules about three fifths of the time, walking early in the morning,
and when the roads were bad. The valley got narrower, and from time to time we

crossed tributaries to the main stream. The mountains are lower than the Mekong valley ones, and the sun rises early and sets late. Walnut trees (English), are to be
found all along the roadsides, huge trees with trunks from two to four and five feet

in diameter. The nuts are used mostly for oilthat is, they crack the nuts up into small

pieces, and then boil the oil out. This oil is used instead of lard in most places, and is very cheapalso good if fuesh. As it got hotter towards noon, we felt the urge to go bathing in the cool stream, but refrained. We ate dinner at La Pu Wan, and after-

days. The city walls of Wei Hsi have been whitewashed, and seen from a distance,

wards I walked on ahead for about 15 li, or 5 miles. About two in the afternoon we could see the hills around Wei Hpi, and we got there by 3:30 P. M. From Yea Chi to Wei Hsi is really a four day trip, but as I was making a rush trip, I did it in three

it is a rather impi-essive sight. All along the wall, every couple of hundred yards, were

watch towers, fixed up quite fancily for this region. Li Chao Hsuan went to a relative's for the night, and Pu Hsi and I went to the
20-

Wei Hsr Mission, pentecostal, and managed by the Boltons, who have even installed

electric lights in their station. We bought up our supplies, and later were invited to eat at the place where Li Chao Hsuan was staying. I had some pictures for them, that they had taken while in Yea Chi, and thus repaid for the meal. My passport had

to be done over at Wei Hsi, which is the county seat, and after supper went over to get the new passport made out. The magistrate was a new fellow, and quite nice. He said for us to come and get the passport in the morning, which meant that we wouldn't be able to leave very early the next morning. Late that night, after I was asleep, the officials came and asked a lot of silly questions, like, how much bedding did I have, how old was I, how much clothing did I have, and how many horses and men were
accompanying and all that. They asked these question from us and from the other two, and as I was asleep Mr. Boiton answered the questions for me. Thursday, April 14.

had gotten my road money the night before, so I was all ready and waiting to go, and was just waiting for the horseman to come and get my things. Finally, I went down myself, and found that we couldn't get the passport until 10 A. M., and so there was
no hurry. And here we were to make a 90 li trip yet32 miles.

Mrs. Boiton woke me up at 6 A. M., and I got up and had breakfast by seven.

The usual road, which went over Li Di Ping pass, was reported impassable by the
rains, so we were to go by way of Ta Mi T'ru, a good day's journey. We went to the magistrate's ahead of time, and after much delay, got the passport and left a little after nine. We traveled a new road, and followed up the course of the Wei Hsi river for another 15 miles. We were supposed to cross it, but there was not any bridge, so there

was considerable delay getting across. The hills got lower and lower all the time, or was it we that went higher all the timeany>vay, at one o'clock we came to T'o Chi, where we had lunch. After considering how much farther it was till the next village would be reached, we decided to stop there for the night, as there was a high mountain
pass right ahead of us.

They look like the Mosu or Nashi, wear woolen clothes in a Tibetan style, and talk

The people at this village talk a language or dialect that I've never heard before.

what sounds at one time to be Tibetan, another time to be Nashi, and then it sounds like Lisu. I think it has a mixture of all three, because they have words from all
the night it hurt so bad that I hardly slept.

three put together. We ate an early supper and went to bed, so we could get up real early next morning. My front tooth had started aching during the day, and during
Friday, April 15th.

We climbed steadily, but slowly, as it was still dark, for quite a while, all walking, up
of the pass, and climbing steadily through beautiful forests of bamboo, rhododendrons,
a stream, and over some lengthy grasslands. By eight o'clock we were at the foot

Li Chao Hsuan woke me up at 3:30, and wanted to leave, but it was so cold, and my tooth hurt so bad that we didn't g>et to leave until 5:30 A. M., with no breakfast. We were to have gone 70 more li yesterday, but we did it today, and by noon, at that.

spi-uce, cedar, pine and many other kinds of plants. Today I saw five different colors of

rhododendronswhite, pink, red, purple and salmon. They sure looked prettty from a distance. When nearly to the top of the pass, I saw a tree bearing huge flowers, of over to get some, through thick bunches of Bamboo snow, over huge logs, etc. I scared up a pheasant on a nest, and got scared myself. I found, thought, that I couldn't get the flowers, because they were high at the top of a tree I couldn't climb. We crossed over the pass, and went down through a beautful valley, with one side
intense beauty. The petals were white on top, but reddish pink underneath. I went

and full of beautiful birds with pretty songs. The bottom of the valley was filled with snow, from which a stream was issueing. We had some sugar and we ate snow with

sloping grasslands, and the other side covered thick with vegetation, spruce, pine, cedar
it when we got thirsty. We followed that stream down clear to the Yangtze, which ^ reached the next day. But way up at the head it was a beautiful blue stream winding
in and out of the meadows of pretty flowers like a "snake in the grass". The road was frequently blocked by huge trees, that had fallen the previous winter, some of

them three feet in diameter. In such places we had to make detours. About ten o'clock

we came out onto a plain covered with fields and houses, and at 12 P. M. we stopped
21

for lunch.

We had already traveled 70 li, or about 24 miles, which was considered

a stage, but we didn't stop thei^e that night. On the other side of the stream people
were sending down from the top of the hills, huge logs, and it was fun to watch the

huge logs come speeding down the mountain, breaking down any thing in their paths,
and finally falling over a cliff into the stream. We left at 1:30 P. M. and followed the now big-sized stream. We soon came into a series of big, beautiful gorges, the most
beautiful that I have seen in this part of China. The stream, or river, was smooth

in most places, but quite swift. It's descent became rapid and steep, after a while with many huge boulders and logs blocking its way. The huge high cliffs were in many different colors, caused (I suppose) by rains, sunshine, and waterfalls. There
were many kinds of trees on the cliffs planted there by wind and birds, and growing out of every crack possible. There are many orchid plants too. We saw about five or six huge hives of cliffbees, several hundred feet up, and we could see where attempts had been made to get them. We met many men with picks and shovels, working on the road in the bad places, and taking fallen logs from across the road. During the afternoon I also saw a kind of pigeon of I'are beauty, and quite peculiar. We met a Lisu who asked if we were Christians, and when answered that we were, he asked us if we couldn't go back with him to his home town, to preach; that they would like to hear the Gospel very much! Such is the reception of the Gospel among the Lisu. We told him that we were sorry, but we couldn't come then, or any time soon. We continued through the gorges all afternoon, crossing the river from time to time as was found necessary. At one place, the river dropped over 200 feet in about 100 yards, and the road dropped with it. There were two or three rushing waterfalls, and the noise was quite terrible. The sun had gone down by now, and it looked like we wouldn't get to our destination, but as there was no place in between, we didn't know what to do, but just kept travelling.
Just a while before dark, we came upon a caravan of Tibetans, camped in a nice little spot shaded by tall trees, right next to a bridge over the roaring river. They invited us to camp out with them, and as we had no other choice, we accepted with

pleasure.

We had to borrow their cooking utensils, and all of us had our beds right

We did not have any beds, of course, all the way down and on the trip back, I just put my bedding on the ground, but I was used to that kind of bed, and liked it. All I had for bedding was a sheet, a blanket and a Tibetan rug, so I really found use for the fii-e. For a long time after I went to bed, I watched the stars and they finally lulled me to a sweet sleep. Saturday, April 16.

next to the big, roaring fire that they kept up all night.

Woke up when people started moving around, but stayed in "bed" until breakfast.
It was a very enjoyable time we spent there, and we wouldn't mind doing it again. We ate breakfast and left early, all walking, as usual, as the horses were just tired

and ^ter a *hile cair.b out into a Wider, populated valley where we had planned
staying last night. The fields were very level, and farming was different here from up our way. We passed another tributary into the river, making it quite big now, and could see way up at the head of it, a high snow mountain. As we came nearer to the big river, the Yangtze River, called by some the "Long River", or Chang Jiang, by others the Yangtze Jiang, and in this i-egion the "River of the Golden Sands, or Jing Sha Jiang," we found places that would do vex*y nicely as swimming pools, but we were in too great a hurry to stop. We saw the Yangtze a little before 11 A. M., and crossing the stream we had been following, we followed south along the broad, slow, silent Yangtze. At a little village there we bought our lunch of Chinese noodles, machine made, and continued our way. The climate had changed as soon as we reached the Yangtze from a cool weather perfect for traveling to one

out by the hard traveling yesterday. We followed on the river, crossing it a few times

that was hot humid, and suffocating. The horses suffered too, so we had to walk ail the rest of the day, making things still worse. We reached our destination by 4 P. M. Ghe tze, but went to quite a few places before we could find an inn to stay in. This is the fartherest north place in the jouniey at which there are inns. Up to now we had
been stopping in private homes.

The people of this town are a proud and haughty people, with bad customs and manners. They have "sweet mouths", in that they make a person buy what he does

not want. I went to sleep after a simple supper, but did not have a good sleep because
of the trouble my tooth gave me.
22

Sunday, April 17.

We did not get up so early this morning, but were able to get off just before sunrise, around 7 A. M. The horses were still tired, and it was about all they could do to carry our bedding and stuffs, so we walked neary all the way to Shih Gu, where we were to stop, riding only an hour or so altogether. The river was enjoyable to look at this morning, often dividing into three or four small streams, with islands covered with brush and trees between. We saw and heard very many turtle-doves, and even some
pheasants.

28

THE MORSE FAMILY

WE NEED TWO FAMILIES OF CONSECRATED

CHRISTIANS WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP

EVERYTHING FOR CHRIST IMMEDIATELY, SO

THAT THEY WILL HAVE TIME TO LEARN

THE LANGUAGE, AND BE ABLE TO TAKE

CHARGE OF THE STATIONS WHEN THE

MORSES COME HOME ON FURLOUGH NEXT

TIME.

Yea Chi, N. W. Yunnan December 6, 1938

My Precious Mother:

As I am s till convalescing from what seems to have been

me.

typhoid fever, my hand is not very steady, but I want very much, to write you anyv/ay. I v/ant to free your mind of anxiety about

All throug^i this strange illness my heart has constantly been

reassured of God*s loving will and care. Still, it has been hard sometimss to realize myself reduced to such helplessness for now

about seven weeks, iszhen there were already such stacks of work to do and I was so happy in-seeing v;hat we consider progress. But
God*s will is best, even after reaching Yea Chi I had fever for

about 20 days, and at the end of that time my wei^t had dropped from 150 lbs to 120 lbs, while my muscles which had formerly been springy and "hard as nails" had become so thin and flabby that I could hardly realize it was my own body. Now, day by day, I am having to develop my body all over again, and to learn to walk too,
',1 thank God that I had no stomach and intestinal ulcers (as some

'"report in typhoid) to recover from, and that now my appetite and digestion are good. Gertrude had been constantly thougjitful to
plan and prepare appetizing and nourishing food for me, which is a much greater problem J\ere than in U.S.A. She has helped me in

a host of other ways too, besides oversseing (and herself doing much of) the local work. At the close of many a day she is almost

desparately tired. But PTarold Taylor and Eugene and Robert, and B!iss Maxey, have also been a great help to pull me througji to recovery. .The Lord surely led you in repeatedly insisting that
Eugene accompany me on this last expedition. Hot only was he a

fine witness for Christ in all our work, but also I cannot imagine how I could have gotten back here alive without the unfailing help he gave me both day and ni^t. Oul big boy (he wei^.s 158 lbs.

now, and is 5 ft and lOj- inches tall) has really become a man and

is fulfilling the dedication and prayers that we made before his birth, that he v/ould be such as God could fill with His' Spirit and guide and use for His Kingdom. We no longer need look forward to the time when he will become a missionaryhe is one now. I feel
more and more justified in our attitude that the Christian nurture

and training of our children out here is a very definite and import
ant part of our missionary work, and not a merely personal matter.

December 8,..Thursday. A.M. My hand and mind get tired of writing, as I don^t have much "push" yetand so much has happened

and is happening^ every day.

Harold Taylor has gone to Tobalo for

several weeks, as the Christians will be much encouraged by the presence of a missionary among them. Also the Mekong Valley Christ mas "convention" is to be held there, and numerous preparations are to be made, including work on the buildings T.'shich has lagged entire ly while the Newlands were here and then while I was away on preach

ing tour.

We very much need to develop a new mission station*there,

for many reasons, and I plan to push and complete it before the snow-

bound pass to the Salwin Valley becomes open again next May. (The Lord willing, I shall return to the Salwin then.) Besides the need being urgent for the natives, two reasoni? at least make it urgent for the missionaries;(1) The possibility (seems unlikely soon)
of a flood of hostile Tibetans overwhelming the Mekong Valley south of Atuntze, so that we should have one or more places of refuge of "retreat" ready in these turbulent times, (2) when a non-itinerant
worker like G-ertrude is exhausted almost to prostation and needs a

"rest and change" there is no decent place to go except to visit

the Pentecostal Missionaries at Wei Hsi, four days south by horse back. You in America can hardly realize the inconveniences and

discomforts of ordinary "native" living in these mountains.

Yet,

to do our best work in any community, we should stay for at least four or five days at a time, preferably longer. Change of scene, and work is usually helpful, tho. The Newlands started America-Ward a few weeks ago, and our

prayers shall follow them each day. It v/ill be a hard and perhaps dangerous journey. But fortunately all have excellent health. Now
I must close. Two of the Yea-Chi boys who were baptized the other

day are the fruit of Roberts personal work for he has a way of making friends snd leading them to Christ also he taught them person ally. Ke had made A-1 excellent progress on his typewriting course.
Laverne has grown so in every way that you would hardly know him. He is physically sturdy, mentally studious, and a sincere Christian. Next to Czertrude and my own mother Ruth Margaret is still
my best and only Sweetheart.
As the war-clouds darken. Our motto is "Watch a;nd pray and

v7ork while it is day."

Fortify yourself in our Almi^ty ^-od.

And our reward from him is sure.

We shall meet again.

Lovingly forever your soldier for Christ,

Russell Morse