North China Mission of the American Board, Annual report, 1914

Page 19

- 12 - Aside from the first great need for your interest and your IV.TH AND prayers we urge as our most pressing need one spelled with LASTLY. four letters, C A S H . Our force of workers are still with us though working at a considerably lower salary than prevails in any of the other stations of the Shantung and Chihli districts. When told that we have not money with which to advance their salaries they can un­derstand that, but it is hard for them to understand why other stations should be so much more fortunate, for not only do others pay larger salaries, but often have hundreds of dollars in " specials " with which to inaugurate new work. We need more money each year that salaries may be slightly increased without making it necessary to dismiss workers. The Eoys' School with its increased attendance must needs have more furnishings, as well as an extra S.S. teacher. To provide these extra furnishings money was in sight so we borrowed from the regular funds of the school hoping that before the year is over some k'nd friends may be found who will care to help in this concrete way. The whole cost has been about fifty dollars gold. That the extra teacher might be provided the makeshift was resorted to of asking one teacher to divide his time between the school and other work, neither of which consequently can be given the best attention. $100 a year •would provide for the full time of this needed fourth teacher. The four struggling day schools need larger grants in aid or better yet teachers whom we select and employ. Many other places would rejoice to add day schools if only given permission. Seventy-five or one hundred dollars a year woulc! hire a high grade teacher for one of these little schools, which would be shining lights in the little communities where so few can read or write. There are little groups of Christians in half a hundred villages and towns who ought to have more frequent opportunities of hearing the gospel, engaging in Bible study under trained leadership, and being established in the faith. With a few tens or hundreds of dollars to pay traveling expenses a man or two could be set apart for this work. Next autumn we hope to erect the Hospital Administration Building and Operating Pavilion. The Woman's Board of the Pacific is providing the money, the building will probably be made a double one to accomodate both men and women, but no money is in sight for wards for the men. Fifty dollars -would build a room. To superintend this hospital work for both men and women we have a foreign lady physician and a Chinese man physician. Permission is given by the A.B.C.F.M. for us to add a foreign male physician to the staff, provided his salary and the support of the men's medical work can be supplied outside the regular appropriations of the Board. This would take several thousands of dollars a year. Who will give it? What young medically trained man is there ready for this large opportunity? With no other hospital nearer than fifty miles, and ministering to a population of nearly three millions?