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Show REPORT OF PANGKIACHUANG EVANGELISTIC WORK FOR WOMEN. 1913-1914. Only a small band of Chinese Christian women represent the evangelistic work of the Pangchuang station, but thru their help the village work, touring and station class instruction, is carried on thru most of the year. At the head of this band stand ihree young women, one, Miss Chang, a bright attractive young wamen of twenty-seven, leader of a series of revival meetings for women held four years ago. We had hoped to keep her for the work, but some "old woman go-between" meddled with her future and betrothed her. The second is Mrs. Kao, known by her maiden name as Miss Ch'en. The third is Mrs. Chang, who lives in the yard and may be considered a continuous reception committee for women coming and going. These young women conduct classes, lead meetings and give lectures to women on various subjects. They are looked up to by the entire church. The two former, with Miss Wyckoff supplement the work of our second grade Bible women. Of this latter class there are eight. They do village work, making monthly or semi-monthly visits, preaching and teaching in some fifty villages. After the removal from Pangchuang to Techou we plan to do very little work for women in the main compound. Therefore we shall ask for equipment for building up the city work in the present city property, in the South Suburb. We may well make a large venture here for great opportunities await us in an untouched field for enlightening hundreds of women on the "doctrine" and on current subjects of the day. For this new work, we make an appeal for an attractive lecture hall and reception room. Moreover a building for a primary school and kindergarten and training class rooms, as well as accomodation for workers will be necessary. Here we hope to set going new forces in old placss of formerly stubborn ignorance. The village work and touring of the Pangchuang field extends to about one hundred twenty villages, in six or seven counties, the most distant to the south being a little over thirty nvles. When we think of the new work awaiting us in the future, is one evangelistic woman, with even a larger force of Chinese helpers than above mentioned, sufficient for oversight of and activity in such a field? We think not. In the summer of 1913 at the close of a special class for the Bible women an invitation was given in nineteen villages to non-christian women to attend a day of lectures in the Pangchuang chapel. About two hundred women and children came from fifteen villages and Dr- Arthur H. Smith addressed them. The friendly response two or three times a year slio.v.i in such gatherings is gratifying, though other results are less so. In the summer, a three weeks normal class was held for the teachers of the primary schools. Aside from this class and that for Bible women ten stat:on classes have been conducted in as many places, with an attendancj of 180 pupils. The hymn chosen for this year "I've found a friend, oh, such a friend" formed the basis for the year's instruction. |
