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“...XV1.
Childhood. 1856 - 1872
Girlhood. 1872 - 1877
Obeying the Call. 1877 - 1878
Life in Hongkong. 1878 - 1880
Engagement and Marriage. 1880 - 1882
life in Hankow. 1882 ~ 1887.
First Furlough. 1887 - 1888
Opening of the Hess for Eurasian Girls .1888-1892
New Reeruits and Bereavements. 1892 - 1899.
Wuchang and the Boxer Movement.1899 - 1900
Work in Wuchang. 1900 - 1911
The Revolution. 1911.
Last Years in Wuchang. 1911 - 1918.
Life in Kuling. 1918 - 1922.
Lonely Furlough and Return to China.1922-1923
Women's Bible School and Retirement .1923-1936.
rate ih ae...”
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Page 8
“...father, when look-
ing for a euitable house, said the most important things were
Church emi School. it must be fairly near a helpful ministry .
and good achools, Mr. David Thomas was then the miniater at
Bighbury Chapel, the miselonary collection was so large that
Mir. Jackson decided it was a missionary spirited Church, He
much appreciated the thoughtful sermons and the reverent
atmosphere of the Church of which he and hie wife at once became |
members. iater he was elected deacon. ‘Thare was @ Mission ,
CHapel in comection with Highbury and there Mr. Jackson preached
regularly for sams years each Sunday evening. ‘The five elder
The girle now attended Clifton Ledies' College, a school
on modern linea, auch like the High Sehools new to be found
everywhere. | |
Amy was short for hey age and the macters thought her ;
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clever in consequence. When a tall girl, not much older,
could not solve & problem in algebra which Amy did at once,
he observed, “How is it you cannot de it when that...”
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Page 15
“...prayers? The ladies asked if she would be willing to go te
indie. Amy sald for herself she was willing te go anywhere,
but as her mother hed lest two brothers in Indie she thought
&t would be better for her te go China, or eleewhere, if the
need was as great. They then asked whether she had not
miter atuty wedicine, bub Awy felt no gift in that direction
eat all, and ag they expleined they only suggested this Because
ehe was ao young, ¢he said she would yather prepare in some
other way, and 1t was decided that she should attend the Gone
: , She could live with the Chairs
iy i jardiaw, and go into town every day by the Under- :
vein tales Bus the next tera did not begin til) January, —
and this seamed to Auy a long time to walt.
However, it belng decide thet she wes to go to China
Ee ee Belle wae half...”
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Page 20
“...1875 ~ 1880.
In each of them was o missionary came to weleame Any. She
was delighted, for she bad never met any of them and in
fact did not know anyone in @11 the land, so it wae very nice
to get & warn weleows and not to have to enquire her way in
unknown place to the Mission House. There waa a high wind
and the seo was etii2 rough. Or. Ritel asked Auy whether
she would be nervous if they had the sail up? She laughed
at the bare idea, but he said his wife would be afraid, Amy
enjoyed the sail, which was a very abort one. She found she
was to stay with Mr. ami Mrs. Mdge at firet, ae there was no
house for the umerried ladies then. itisa Rowe, whose
Lieague she was to be, Lived with a widew lady belonging
to ancther Mission.
Hongkong is a beautiful Islend and Amy felt that the
iines had fallen to her in pleasant places.
Ber firet care was to get a teacher, A Christian man
taught her for the first month. It was rather weird to be
eet down with a man who could/unlerstand a word one said and...”
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Page 21
“...going to a school
neer, After a year or so Awy bad @ man teacher again, this
time a deacon in the Lil.Seichool, He took a great intersat
in helping her to prepare Aible Lessons and was very much more
JLiigont than tire, Chan who, however, was employed to |
teach & number of women to read, Some of those became Bible-
wonent they Lived downstairs in the iiienton House, and ad |
came in to Prayers every morning. After 4 time the teacher A
ani her granddaughter taught one of the largest of the Mission —
(1g) a |
En aD ane EET...”
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Page 22
“...months when she was
ealied upon to take ® class in the Sunday Sehool. The good
Little girls gat etill and looked eolemn when the new |
misdionary made all sorte of queer mistakes. WNone thought
of laughing. Heppily eke hed pictures te show them go
they got some ides of what she was talking about. She began 4
to go to the day echools too, and hear the booke. In those
days Ghine#e schoole taught all the lessons by rote, and
the Superintendent's business was to hear their recitations,
In the Mission schools teachers were supposed to explain
the books learnt, or at any rate the religious books. Amy
goon learnt to ask questions or to follow the girle when
they interpreted the book style they had learnt by heart
into the colloquial of everyday life.
Amy tried to study seven hours a day, and would have
(20)...”
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Page 24
“...far from strong and often had fever. She wae
much older than Amy and was an interesting companion, but
her ideas of what should and what should not be done were
very atrong and had to be taken count of by all concerned.
Dr. Eitel had left the Mission to becone Government Inspector
of Schoole; he had six children and a miseionary's salary
wae hardly enough to live on. He kept on very friendly
terma with all, end ocessionally persuaded some to accompany
him on hie trip round the I¢land to inspect the village
echools, In the schools opened by the Britioh Goverment
they ueed & terles of reading books which the children had
not only to resd but to explain and write from dictation.
Thie was the beginning of the revolution of teaching through~
out China. The teaching of arithmetic and geography was alee
introduced into some of these sohoole. Before thie small
pupile in Shine only learnt by rote and traced copies. The
(22)...”
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Page 25
“...ell when there were forty or more children to look after, all
none room. ‘The teachers got a good share of the grant,
and the knowledge that not only the Mieston Superintendent
might come in at any time, but that the Government Inspector
might do go also, made them very punctual, and kept them up
to the mark.in many ways.
Hongkong if a great place for visitors, and in thoge
daye, when there were no other Miesions but the London
Missionery Society, the Church Missionary Society and ‘a
Basel Mission there, miseionaries of all societies passing
through Hongkong came to one or other of these Missions. In
the Spring of 1880 a large party of L.u.S. workers came _
through; @ome were going home, but one arrived the same day
on hie way out. Arnold Foster was not then connected with
the L.M.3,. ae he wes coming out s¢ Chaplain to the Hankow
community, but he had worked for the L.4.5. for several
years already and intended still to do 80, though not formally |
connected with the old Seciety. Amy...”
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Page 26
“...Thomas,
and had been to the Bristol Missionary Meetings shortly
before coming out. She hoped to see more of him the next
day, but after he head left the Shalmere' house, where she
had met him, Mre. Ghaimers asked her if ehe would help
entertain a number of children on their way home from Hankow,
90 Amy reluctantly offered to take them to the Gardens the
next day, fearing she would thereby lose her chance of another
talk with Mr. Foster. However, se it beppened when he came
ashore he called at the Mission House and hearing of the
expedition to the gardens asked whether he might come too?
It was a sunny day, and the gardens were lovely, the palme
stood out against the bluest of blue skies, and they walked
and talked in a land of enchantment long to be remembered.
Sut though Mr. Foster seriously considered the desirability
of missing hie steamer he decided against it and was soon on
his way North, leaving Amy to piod on as before.
Then came news of her father's death. She had been
more or lese...”
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Page 27
“...agked the nurse about the probability of goon going home, ;
and when ehe told him it was not likely he had many hours
to wait he stretched up hie hands saying, "Glory be to God."
A few hours later he gave a long, long look at hie wife, ,
then gazing up saw something the watcher by his bed could not
See, and enue hie eyes with o emile, one short breath, and
he wag safe in Heaven. Amy could give thanks through her
tenre; she hac really hardly expected ever to see him again
when she joined the Mission, that in those dsya only gave
furloughs omce in ten years ~- Heaven seemed nearer than
tnglend.
Belle wrote, "Heaven is richer for ue to-day than it
ever was before. The dear, dear father has made it home for
ud. Ien't it beautiful to have him again to go before and
be ready to take his babies into the Home where hie experience
and guidance will help us again? He wae longing to go, his
mind was clear and calm, thinking of everything to eave the
(25) y...”
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Page 29
“...obvious why he
wished to come. Amy wrote doubtfully, but he came, and
during hie visit they became engaged.
Amy carefully wrote out the pros and cons, and came
to the conclusion that she would be able to do just ae much,
and better work, if she married one whom she could not help
loving, than by ataying on when she was no Longer heart-whole.
She aleo thought 1t might be her sad lot to disappoint other
men if they would fail in love with her on such short notice,
and the need for workers in Central China was even grenter
then in Homgkong,,.ac she promised to marry Arnold Foster,
only stipulating that she must not go for some time, a8 Mise |
Rowe wae just going on furlough. She kindly said that she
would only stay away a year 60 that the engagement might not
be unduly prolonged, Mr. Foster wae 35 already and did not /
want to wait longer than was necessary.
In anawer to the letter which Kr. Foster wrote at
(27)...”
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Page 30
“...this time to Mre. Jackson, she said, “You do not ask my
permission. I suppose it was unnecessary as my child was
already given up to the Mission, nevertheless I eordially
give it, thankfully too. My Amy was always my most precious
ehild, never giving me uneasiness of any kind, loving her
Bible and her Lord from her earliest years. “hile I write
I think of the sweet baby attitude in which she would lie
on the rug spelling out her large printed Testament .*
One day ® young woman came to see Amy in great
distress. She had run away from home and begged to be allowed
to stay 2t the Mission House and study with the women who
lived there. Hers wae a very ead story. Her parents were
Christians, but both poor and ignorant. When only fifteen
she was married to a boy of the same age, whose mother was
an ardent idolator. very morning she told A Ying to light
the incense sticks and red candles before the picture of
the goddess of mercy. Though 4 Ying hed never been to echool
and could not read...”
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Page 31
“...The poor girl was only seventeen. Any said ehe could not
keep her long, but she might stay = few days and she wouid
See what could be done. %0 she joined the women living in
the houee in their studies with the 3iGlewoman. After a few
dmye her mother-in-law called at the Mission House and
promised thet if the girl would go back with her she should
not be compelled to worship idole in the future. Amy felt
ehe had no right to keep the girl and hoped that the knowledge
that the girl had friends to whom she could come would make
the woman afraid further to perseoute her. It was hard to let
her go, and as Amy left Hongkong not long after she never
heard what became of poor A Ying. _ |
| When Amy realised that her life-work would not be in
Hongkong she decided to get through her lenguage examinations
as quickly as possible #@o that she might begin to etudy
Mandarin, the language spoken in Hankow, where she would be
after her marriage. Mr. Foster sent a teacher and Amy gave |
six month to study...”
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Page 36
“...CHAPTER Vi.
The very dey after their arrival wre. Griffith John
Left for home. She had been 111 for: some time and had to
go home for an operation. There was only one other L.M.5.
lady in Hankow, Mre. Wawbey; she could not speak SChinage
having been most of the missionary life in India, and she
died that Autuan. In “uchang there was lira. Bryson, but she
wont home at the New Year, ao Amy wae left with all the work
of the Society mong wonen and girle in Central China on her
hande. She wae very thankful @he bad not delayed her coming,
and felt @he had indeed been guided arignt.
It was a good thing that she had studied the new
dinlect for some months, but she atiil had to epend most of
her time in studying, as Cantonese wae like a different
language, and it was not understood at all by the people in
Hankow. -
Yer marriage was ideally happy, but Mr.Poater was
very busy and she was left a good deal slone. He had given
up the chaplaincy on his marriage, for he could not keep a
wife on fifty...”
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Page 38
“...wea no
A religion at all.
There wat ® G6mall day~school for girls in connection
with the Mission; Amy Degan at once going to this; the teacher
wae the firet woman to be baptized in Central China, a very
good Christianrbut not particularly well educated. There
was a Biblewoman too with whom Amy visited sometimes, she
very soon began going to the hospital to talk to the women
out-patients, at first she had to listen to the Biblewomen but
che soon began to talk herself end found this = much better
way of reaching the women than vieiting in their homes.
Men, women and children all attended the Sunday School.
An old deacon, ® wesherman, taught the clase of women. Amy
joined this clase at first ae a listener, but es soon ae her
knowledge of the language ennbled her to teach she took over
the clase and taught it all the yenrs she was in Hankow. |
In Decamber there were two new reoruite to the Mission +
kr.Gonsey and Dr. Giilison. The latter stayed with Mr. and |
Mre. Foster for some weeks...”
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Page 41
“...verandsh, It was a delightful place in swaer but in winter
it wee barnlike and bitterly cold. They had not been in the
house very long before they were glad they hed a spare room.
A party of missionarics for the C Isle had Just arrived on
their way Westy; there war trouble then in Sxehuan and the
Consul refused to give thes pessporte; with them was a lady «
Mise Green ~ who hed come out to start wrk for the Friends!
Foreign Missionary Society in China, irs. Poster invited her
to stay with them and she began her study of the language.
Ae months passed on ami there seemed no immediate prespest
of her getting to Sechuan she began work in Henkew, opening a
little dispensery in a village at the other emi of the conces~ _
sion fron Dr, Gillison's hospital and sending al serious eases
on to hime She had had some medieal training and was glad to
open up 2 new district to Mieaion work. Shale in Hankow hex
views as to the sseranents changed, she was baptised, believ-
ing it her duty to obey her...”
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Page 42
“...children's paper, and thet meant
writing a1] the articles herself every month in Chinese.
When Mrs.» dohn came back from home she took over the day~
school ond the hospital tala, Mere. Foster at firet felt
> keenly, but she set to work In other ways.
She wished to open another school, but there wre no trained
teachers, so she started a daliy clase at her own house for
ining women to be teschers or Ciblewauen. Sot sany of
they barnt to read their Sibles and were probably the first
women in Central China to be able to knét. Sone of them
became very earnest Christians. One + Mrs. Lee + was
decidedly original character, her son was @ colperteur in a
distent province anid she much wanted him te come home, One
Gay she #044 "I think he will come now for I have written to
tell him I am dead, and that he mst como to the funeral?
(ho)...”
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Page 46
“...@ good bey, I want to be a Christian too." ‘The hospitel cook
wan fond of the lsd and invited him to Lve with him so thet
he might attend the Mission dey~¢chool. Ue did ao for some
years, and thet is how he came to be in Mre.Pomterta Sible
Class. After @ time the dector took him into the Hospital to
train as an assistant, and afterwerds into the Medics School.
After qualifying av @ doctor he id good work in L.!.S.hospitals,
and when the Chinese Government ordered that the Principals of
schools in China must be Chimese, it wae the daughter of thie.
Or» Chou that was felt to be best fitted to take charge of the
girla' boerding-sehool that had been started by Mrs .Vostor.
im 1885 ure, Jonn died and ira. Foster's hande were very |
ald of wort. |...”
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Page 49
“...come to tale ber home. lr» Foster wae going on to London, 48
nis home was at Bleackheat:, else he wished to deliver up the
children to tire. Waterbury, who had already arrived there. She
was better ent able to take the children agein herself. |
ardly walt for the next dey to see her mother
Brhatol at two ofelock in the morning
it seemed & emall fawily after whet it had been before
she went to China, os two of the sisters were umrried, but a
heer was living there, end Grace's
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drive Polly's remarking that if Pally would not go the wey ahe |
wanted her to she should let her go ker own ways it was e1) - |
delightful wherever they went. The old seenes wore so dear,
the downs very beautiful, and Folly alwaya got howe at last
all right. |
After a few days Mr. Foster osme anf was weloomed quite
into the featiy at once. chen they went off together to stay
with his relations + it was quite Giffioult te see them 22 |...”
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Page 52
“...GHRAPTER Vili.
Ae oes TA EH AER OND AN REY AO enh ae irs Vom tN “Uh AIRY RE CR can SS
Opening of the Home for Buraesian Girlie. 1888-1892.
Mise Green got slowly somewhat better and was able
to take & great interest in a plan which Mr. @ Mre. Foster had
for opening & home for Burssian girls, At that time there
wae only one Protestant sohool in China that would take them
and it was very Small and not particularly well managed.
The original idea wae to have a geparate house, and matron,
expecting to take a good number, but there were not many applica~ |
tions, and Mr. and Mre. Foster decided to begin et any rate,
in their own home and teach them with the English children who
game every morning. They began with three fatherless girle
in January 1889; = fow daye later another girl came, and by
April they had eix children living in the house. By slightly
altering partitions and giving up their own bright bedroom to
the girls and enclosing verandahs, they were all accommodated
comfortably...”
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