CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 THE WASON 
 
 CHINESE 
 COLLECTION 
 
Cornell University Library 
 BV 3427.R64M61 
 
 Memorials of Cecil Robertson of Sianfu 
 
 3 1924 023 224 987 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis bool< is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023224987 
 
•ircHmmf 
 
 SKETCH-MAP OF BAPTIST MISSIONS IN NORTH CHINA, SHOWING PLACES 
 MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME. 
 
CECIL ROBERTSON 
 
■•^Gucr/''''^^^C<S'<^^^ 
 
MEMORIALS OF 
 
 CECIL ROBERTSON 
 OF SIANFU 
 
 MEDICAL MISSIONARY 
 
 BY 
 
 F. B. J^EYER 
 
 B.A.rD.D. 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 LONDON 
 THE CAREY PRESS 
 
 19 FURNIVAL STREET, E.G. 
 1916 
 
1') -...4 r.v\ 
 
 )n/,^-\SO(f 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PACK 
 
 ONE OF DR. ROBERTSON'S FAVOURITE HYMNS - vi 
 FOREWORD - - - - - vii 
 
 CHAFTBR 
 
 I. BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS - - - I 
 
 II. JOTTINGS FROM DR. ROBERTSON'S DIARY - l8 
 
 III. THE MISSIONARY DESIGNATE - - - 25 
 
 IV. AT YENANFU — GETTING INTO HARNESS - - 41 
 V. ON THE EVE OF THE GREAT REVOLUTION - 54 
 
 VI. A BRIEF VIEW OF THE REVOLUTION - -65 
 
 VII. THE OUTBREAK OF THE REVOLUTION - "77 
 
 VIII. SUMMONED TO T'UNG KUAN ... 104 
 
 ix. back again at sianfu - - - - ii9 
 
 x. the last leaves of his diary - - i37 
 
 xi. the triumphant end - - - - 144 
 
 appendix: dr. Robertson's account of his 
 
 VISIT to YENANFU - - - . I69 
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 TO FACE PACE 
 
 CECIL FREDERICK ROBERTSON - Frontispiect 
 
 DR. ROBERTSON STARTING ON THE JOURNEY TO 
 
 YENANFU - - - - - 44 
 
 DR. CECIL ROBERTSON" AND A GROUP OF PATIENTS - 88 
 
 THE EAST GATE OF SIANFU - - - I32 
 DR. CECIL ROBERTSON : GIFT OF TABLET AND 
 
 UMBRELLA - - - - - I32 
 
 THE ORDER OF THE TIGER: DECORATION AND DIPLOMA I6I 
 
 Sketch-Map of Baptist Missions in North China. 
 
ONE OF DR. ROBERTSON'S FAVOURITE 
 
 HYMNS 
 
 " Father, who art alone 
 
 Our Helper and our stay, 
 O hear us, as we plead 
 
 For loved ones far away : 
 And shield with Thine almighty hand 
 Our wanderers by sea and land. 
 
 " For Thou, our Father God, 
 
 Art present everywhere. 
 And bendest low Thine ear 
 
 To catch the faintest prayer. 
 Waiting rich blessings to bestow 
 On all Thy children here below. 
 
 " O compass with Thy love 
 
 The daily path they tread ; 
 And may Thy light and truth 
 
 Upon their hearts be shed. 
 That, one in all things with Thy will, 
 Heaven's peace and joy their souls may fill. 
 
 " Guard them from every harm 
 
 When danger shall assail, 
 And teach them that Thy power 
 
 Can never, never fail : 
 We cannot with our loved ones be, 
 But trust them. Father, unto Thee. 
 
 " We all are travellers here 
 
 Along life's various road, 
 Meeting and parting oft 
 
 Till we shall mount to God, — 
 At home at last, with those we love. 
 Within the Fatherland above." 
 
 Vi 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 When I undertook the sacred duty of preparing this 
 memorial volume of one so closely associated with 
 the Church to which I have the honour to minister, 
 I thought of writing his biography; but as I com- 
 menced to peruse the material ready to my hand, 
 particularly his letters to his family, and especially 
 those to his mother, I realized that my share in this 
 book must be of a much humbler description, and 
 that to connect together these most beautiful records 
 from his own hand, as well as the impressions pro- 
 duced on his familiar associates, was the highest 
 service that I could render. 
 
 It has been a most moving and uplifting office. 
 Often as I have looked up from my writing-table to 
 the pine-clad mountains, which bathe their massive 
 roots in the waters reaching hence to lovely Lucerne, 
 I have felt that there is nothing in the spiritual 
 landscape so lofty as the experience of a human soul, 
 which is accessible in its lower interests to all that is 
 human and natural, but which rears itself to Heaven 
 in untrodden heights, where its whiteness, undefiled 
 by human footstep, lies open to the first sudden 
 awakening kiss of dawn, and the last lingering 
 tenderness flung from the west. 
 
 The fire that glows in these embers, which I have 
 vii 
 
Foreword 
 
 taken from the altar, is God-enkindled. May it 
 spread, awakening in thousands of hearts a kindred 
 passion, until the youth of our Christian families 
 catch the fire to spread it in a far-reaching confla- 
 gration of pure love to God and man. The hope of 
 the world's redemption lies there. In another sense 
 than the literal the elements have yet to melt with 
 fervent heat, and many of the works in which we 
 pride ourselves have to be burned up. Is it not 
 written also, that creation awaits the uncurtaining 
 of the sons of God ? Here at least the curtain has 
 been lifted from one of them, of whom Dr. Young, 
 whose life he saved, said, when the news of his 
 friend's death reached him: "He was the only 
 perfect man I ever knew. There was never any- 
 thing about him that one could wish otherwise." 
 
 F. B. MEYER. 
 
 vxa 
 
CECIL ROBERTSON OF SIANFU 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS 
 
 Cecil Frederick Robertson was bom at Clapham, 
 a suburb on the south of London, on April 9, 1884. 
 He was the third child of his parents. His mother 
 speaks of him as a bright and happy boy, fond of 
 games, tractable, and affectionate. At school he 
 won golden opinions for his thoroughness and pains- 
 taking industry, but as yet nothing augured the 
 distinguished career that lay before him, save that 
 his parents, as their children were growing up, 
 hoped that one of their family at least should be 
 surrendered to the great missionary cause. 
 
 In 1895 the family removed to Tottenham Court 
 Road, where the father took up a responsible position 
 in the management of the Bank which was to become 
 so intimately associated with Cecil's memories in 
 future years. " The old home at the Bank," he says, 
 writing from China to his mother in anticipation of 
 Christmas, 1910, " will always be the home of our 
 memory, wherever each one of us is, and nothing 
 can be sweeter to any of us than the memory of all 
 those years of happy united love, of all our youthful 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu 
 
 hopes and fears, successes and failures, and espe- 
 cially of all your and dear father's unselfish love for 
 us. I can recall the happy times we used to have — 
 the daily walk to school, the evening home-work, the 
 sorrow of the toil, and the joy of success. Then 
 later came the bigger things — the coming to Christ, 
 the joining of the Church, the decision to come 
 abroad, if God should permit, and of all your and 
 dear father's loving sympathy in every step, and 
 much more than sympathy. How much we have to 
 be thankful for ! How full of joy those years have 
 been, and how little of sorrow and shadow we have 
 had ! What depths of gratitude ought they not to 
 produce to our Heavenly Father ! Oh for a heart 
 of real love and gratitude, which will not be ex- 
 hausted in mere words, but will give itself out in 
 daily Christ-like ministration to those for whom 
 He cares!" And again: "What a precious thing 
 the memory of a good and happy home is ! It is 
 not until one gets away that one realizes how much 
 it means to one, and I am sure that I can never be 
 grateful enough for all the happy memories that 
 home will always mean to me." On the eve of the 
 great rebellion he writes: " Just now there come the 
 strains of music from someone playing the har- 
 monium. It is one of those lovely hymns of peace 
 that Grace [his sister] used to play. These memories 
 are very precious, and they come to one with greater 
 force now and again." He was always counting on 
 a family reunion. " It does not seem a year since 
 I left. What a blessed, blessed joy this communion 
 of love is ! Distance makes no difference, does it ? 
 
Birth and'*" Early Years. 
 
 I think it only intensifies it. One day we shall have 
 a joyous reunion, which will be all the more joyful 
 because we have been parted." That anticipation 
 was not to be realized here, but, like the patriarchs, 
 he reached forth to and embraced, not an earthly 
 city, but the Father's Home, where " they without 
 us cannot be made perfect." 
 
 At the age of eleven and a half Cecil was sent to 
 the Mercers' School, which he entered in September, 
 1895. His career there was eminently successful. 
 He was elected a Foundation Scholar in 1897, and 
 passed the Junior Cambridge Local, first class, in 
 1898. He matriculated at the London University 
 in the first division in 1900, passed the Preliminary 
 Scientific M.B. Examination of that University in 
 1901, and left the school, with an Exhibition of ;£ioo, 
 in 1901. 
 
 In the meajiwhiie his character was maturing, and 
 on the last night of the old year, 1897, his brother 
 and he definitely decided for Christ under my own 
 ministry at Christ Church — a fact which I only 
 learnt quite recently. 
 
 The family on its removal to Tottenham Court 
 Road began to attend at Regent's Park Chapel, 
 of which his father became, and still remains, one 
 of the most honoured officers. He there enjoyed 
 the ministry of the Rev. E. G. Gange. It is to 
 this happy circumstance that the preparation of 
 these memorials by my hand is due. At the 
 Memorial Service, held at Woodgrange Baptist 
 Church, Forest Gate, Dr. Lush gave the following 
 graphic narrative of those early years : 
 
 3 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 " I come to speak of Cecil Robertson as I have 
 knovm hini since he was eleven years of age, and I 
 have known him intimately. As Secretary of 
 Regent's Park Chapel, I had to interview him for 
 admission to the Church, and as Superintendent of 
 the Sunday-school I had him as one of my teachers. 
 The outstanding feature of his early Ufe was his 
 earnestness in all that he did. Speaking of him 
 recently, a Christian worker who knew him inti- 
 mately described him as one who could always be 
 depended upon, and as doing heartily whatever he 
 put his hand to. On his conversion to God, he 
 joined the Junior, and later the Intermediate Society 
 of Christian Endeavour at Regent's Park, and into 
 this work he threw himself with great heartiness. 
 Subsequently he was transferred to the Senior 
 Society of Christian Endeavour, and was appointed 
 Convener of the Missionary Committee,- and this 
 was another important step in his missionary career. 
 
 " About this period he often spoke to his parents, 
 and they to him, about his future work, but up to 
 this time it is evident that he had no definite thought 
 of becoming a missionary-^he was to be a surveyor. 
 Soon after he became Convener of this Missionary 
 Committee he initiated a Missionary Exhibition at 
 the Chapel, and as Secretary of the Exhibition 
 he practically carried it through by himself. It 
 involved a great amount of labour, and during 
 this time of organization and a.rrangement the 
 question was put by his mother: 'What are you 
 hoping for as the result of all this labour ?' He 
 replied : ' To increase interest in the missionary 
 
 4 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 work, and to get someone to offer for it.' Though, 
 as a matter of fact, he was so fully occupied with 
 the working of the Exhibition that he had no time 
 even to listen to speakers in its various courts, it 
 directly brought about his decision to give his life 
 to the Foreign Mission Field. 
 
 " A little later Mr. Shorrock, with whom he was 
 to become so closely associated in after years, asked 
 one of the lady workers if she knew of any boys or 
 girls specially interested in missionary work, and 
 she mentioned Cecil Robertson, and introduced the 
 lad to the great missionary. This was a further 
 step in the decision of his life. Shortly after the 
 Exhibition was over he came to his parents, and 
 said that if they were willing he would like to offer 
 himself. They talked it over that night, and felt 
 that if he could be a medical missionary he would be 
 spending his life in the best possible way. Sir Alfred 
 Pearce Gould, who was greatly interested in the 
 lad, advised him to enter the Middlesex Hospital, 
 told him of the entrance-scholarships, and en- 
 couraged him to try to win one. He followed 
 this advice, and his career began. It was a most 
 successful one throughout, and he proved to be one 
 of the most brilliant among the young medical 
 students and graduates in that hospital." 
 
 Dr. Robertson thus summarized the influences 
 that moulded his career in these formative 
 days: 
 
 " I. Missionary influence at home, an influence 
 felt in my boyhood, and far greater than I can 
 rightly estimate. As I look back now and get a 
 
 5 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 better perspective of things, I know that home has 
 been the greatest influence of my life. 
 
 " 2. Missionary influence at work in a Christian 
 Endeavour Society, where I first began to get a 
 definite idea that God wanted me to go abroad. 
 
 " 3. John X. 16, a verse that has impressed me 
 deeply, and has been the chief factor in making 
 my desire definite. Will you ponder on that musi 
 in the light of 2 Cor. v. 14, 15 ? 
 
 " I must also express my indebtedness to the 
 missionary influence of Regent's Park College, and 
 to the Student Movement, factors that came into 
 my life during my student days, and helped to keep 
 my purpose true." 
 
 These, then, were the mountain springs that fed 
 the full river of his life, and these paragraphs must 
 be full of inspiration to parents, to workers in 
 Christian Endeavour Societies, and to pastors. We 
 never know what we are doing when we tend and 
 strengthen young life, or place before it, however 
 incidentally, the highest ideals of Christian character 
 and service. 
 
 The following enumeration of the successive steps 
 of his student career must be set down here in detail 
 as a refutation of the idea that earnest piety is 
 inconsistent with the highest attainments of industry 
 and genius, though Dr. Robertson sedulously dis- 
 claimed the latter, and insisted that his successes 
 were due, under God's blessing, to mental discipline 
 and hard application. But probably these are the 
 chief constituents of what we know as genius, 
 which is the breath of a high purpose in life that 
 
 6 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 concentrates all faculty and power on a supreme 
 object. 
 
 Dr. Cecil Robertson entered the Middlesex Hos- 
 pited on September 30, 1901, and the following 
 appointments and prizes fell to him in this brilliant 
 series : 
 
 In the Medical School he won the Class Prizes in 
 Practical Anatomy, in Physiology, and in Practical 
 Surgery, and was awarded Certificates of Merit in 
 Anatomy, in Pharmacology, and in Practical Mid- 
 wifery. 
 
 At the close of his student career he carried oft the 
 Governors' Prize, the Freeman Scholarship, and the 
 Senior Broderip Scholarship, which is the " Blue 
 Ribbon " of the School. 
 
 In the Hospital he held all the usual clinical 
 appointments, and in addition served for six months 
 as House Physician under Dr. (now Sir James) 
 Kingston Fowler, and then was for a like period 
 House Surgeon under Mr. (now Sir Alfred) Pearce 
 Gould. He took the Diplomas of M.R.C.S, and 
 L.R.CP. in 1907, and in May of the same year 
 he graduated M.B. and B.S. at the University of 
 London. In 1909 he was admitted a Fellow of the 
 Royal College of Surgeons of England. 
 
 These notable attainments and successes were 
 not allowed to obscure the clear testimony which 
 he always maintained for his religious convictions. 
 There was never any doubt as to his attitude to 
 Jesus Christ. His associates might favour or oppose, 
 but his course was perfectly straight and consistent. 
 In tliis connection we may quote the testimony of 
 
 7 2 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 Dr. Gottfried O. Teichmann, one of his fellow- 
 students at the Middlesex Hospital: "The work 
 that he did in connection with the Christian Union 
 will remain. When he first went to the Hospital the 
 Christian Union was practically dead, but owing to 
 his zeal and energy it became a real union of help- 
 fulness, and I well remember the morning prayer 
 meetings that we used to hold downstairs in one of 
 the demonstrators' rooms. What a help they were 
 day by day in our hospital work !" 
 
 During these busy years he was keen on various 
 branches of Christian service. He held a Sunday- 
 school class, took an interest in a boy's club, and 
 visited lodging-houses on Sunday evenings . He was 
 always fond of work among boys, and seemed to 
 realize the urgency of filling every spare moment 
 with service of some kind. 
 
 In 1903 he wrote the following in a friend's album : 
 
 " The day is short, 
 The task is great, 
 The workmen are sluggish, 
 The reward is much, 
 And the Master's call is urgent." 
 
 His earnest devotion was combined with an 
 intensely robust manhood. There was nothing 
 effeminate or sickly about him . He was always over- 
 flowing with life, gaiety, and interest in all that is 
 natural and human. He bore himself as a strong, 
 well-built, muscular young fellow, who could bear 
 fatigue better than most, and to whom life was sweet. 
 
 In addition to the Scholarships and Degrees men- 
 tioned above, he was awarded the Lord Scholarship 
 at Regent's ParkXoUege, and was in residence there 
 
 8 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 for three years; and we are indebted to fellow- 
 students — than whom none can form more accurate 
 judgments — for the following memoranda: 
 
 " It may be some comfort to you to know that to 
 me personally his clean, manly, Christian outlook 
 was more than a help ; and I had the good luck in 
 my first year at Regent's Park College to be given 
 the room opposite to that which Cecil occupied, and 
 received more inspiration from his manner of living 
 than I can well estimate. Others no doubt have 
 written and spoken much of his ability ; I prefer to 
 dwell upon the effect of his Christ-filled life upon 
 us. Many Regent's Park men are thanking God 
 that they were privileged to know Cecil Robertson " 
 {Rev. Thomas Powell) . 
 
 " How often have I secretly longed to be the 
 man he was ! What an apt pupil he was in the 
 School of Christ ! But he would have been the last 
 to confess it. He breathed the very spirit of his 
 Master " {Rev. A. E. Hubbard, afterwards Us 
 brother-in-law). 
 
 The following is from one who was very intimate 
 with him in his college days : 
 
 " The news of Cecil Robertson's death came as a 
 great shock to those who knew him in college, for 
 there was no man in his day who was more respected, 
 and more loved. 
 
 " One thinks of him in three ways : As a very true 
 man, as a very true friend, and as a very true 
 Christian. 
 
 " The fact that he was just a real man, with all 
 the spirit, all the love of fun, all the humour of a 
 
 9 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 real human being, may be somewhat overlooked 
 in these days when we necessarily give our minds 
 rather to his character as a Christian gentleman; but 
 it may encourage those who read this memoir, and 
 who see the transparent nature of his Christian 
 discipleship, to know that he was a true man among 
 us, ready for any of the good-humoured joking with 
 which every college worthy of the name abounds. 
 Some men's joking angers — his never did. It was all 
 done with such a good spirit of comradeship that 
 when you discovered him to be a real man, and a 
 better than yourself, in all the youthful exuberance 
 of college life, you ended by loving him the more. 
 
 " But it was in his friendship that he shone. 
 When he could spare time from his busy life to 
 spend an hour, two hours, three hours, four hours 
 after supper in intimate converse, you discovered 
 his wonderful powers of affection, of sympathy, of 
 love. A quiet, shy, reserved man he was. He did 
 not find it easy to speak and tell out what was in 
 him, but when he drew aside the curtain, or when 
 friendship drew it aside, a heart was revealed true 
 and loyaJJas steel, and as tender as a very good 
 woman's. It came out, for instance, when a friend 
 was lying for weeks on end at death's door, and, 
 with all his doctor's knowledge of how disease works, 
 he gathered a little company of us (friends of his 
 and of the sick man) for prayer, and night after 
 night led us to the room adjoining the infirmary 
 to pray for him. His friendship did not grow weary 
 or slack; it could stand the test of patience. 
 
 " Any man who was privileged to call him 
 
 10 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 friend learned much of the great gift God has given 
 in the love of man for man. But we knew more of 
 him than that. We knew him as a man to whom 
 God was very real, who had a living friendship with 
 Christ, who was moulded by the Master for His 
 own use. None could doubt it. Sometimes we 
 doubted why we and others were in college; none 
 could ever doubt why he was there. Everything 
 about him spoke an intense conviction of the love 
 of God and of the saving grace of Christ. He was a 
 man with a message, a message which he had first 
 of all learnt in his own heart and life. His influence 
 was one of unmixed goodness. The religious life 
 of the college was stronger, the Christian character 
 of the men ennobled, because he was there, and 
 he was missed by one and all when his duties at 
 Middlesex Hospital took him from us. 
 
 " In our blindness we imagine that God can ill 
 spare him from China, and yet we doubt not that 
 this life, so truly human and yet so Christ-like, has 
 not been laid down in vain " {Rev. E. Murray 
 Page). 
 
 Yet one other student photograph must be 
 appended : 
 
 " Fellow-students in college judge each other's 
 worth by standards that differ from those set by 
 people who view them from outside. To these the 
 badge of a student's distinction is not seldom the 
 number and quality of his degrees. But to his 
 fellows it is the tone of his life, and his capacity for 
 friendship. Unless these are sound and large, a 
 man need not expect homage and popularity merely 
 
 II 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 by reason of his intellectual brilliance. None are 
 more generous in their appreciation of academical 
 success than students ; but we have known brilliant 
 men pass from college " unwept, unhonoured, and 
 unsung " by members of their colleges, who were 
 the best judges of their worth. Cecil Robertson 
 was a brilliant student, and Regent's Park men are 
 not likely to forget or minimize the glory he has 
 added to a roll of intellectual fame already long 
 and brilliant. But somehow when I think of him — 
 and that is often — it is not the skilled surgeon whom 
 I image, but the perfect gentleman, and the choice 
 disciple of Jesus Christ, whose friendship I reckon 
 one of the most precious acquisitions of college days. 
 It began on the evening of my arrival at Regent's 
 Park, and he started it by offering, with his quiet 
 smile, to help me unpack. And so throughout. He 
 was Edways willing to help men to do things — to win 
 the ■ footer ' match for his year, to organize coffee 
 suppers, to run the Athenian Society, to sing carols. 
 But without any deliberate effort on his part he 
 helped us to be something finer than we were. 
 Virtue went out of him, and if it is true that ' the 
 divinest prerogative of friendship is the com- 
 munication to others of all we have ourselves 
 experienced to be most divine, 'then Cecil Robertson 
 proved himself to be a friend of a rare type. It is a 
 rarer thing in a theological college than people 
 imagine^this communication to fellow-students of 
 the Divine in each. I suspect that Cecil Robertson 
 was drawing from the Source more constantly than 
 some of us. At any rate, he kept the early morning 
 
 12 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 watch with the Lord, and so was always cheerful at 
 breakfast-time — a somewhat severe test of a man's 
 tranquillity. Indeed, he impressed me always as a 
 fine representative of a fine Christian type, the 
 Medical Student Volunteer, healthy, restrained, 
 skilful in far vision, and steady in hand. The 
 theological student is somewhat different — as his 
 work is. But to have one living amongst us who 
 so blended devotion and medical skill, somehow made 
 the last commission of our Lord very attractive to 
 His disciples. 
 
 " One test of a deep friendship is the ease with 
 which a man can pray with his friend and talk oft 
 of the Lord. It was easy to give the spirit wings 
 in Cecil Robertson's company. I have memories of 
 many quiet seasons of communion with him at 
 college, at his home — whose life I was privileged to 
 share — and in Scotland, where he visited me in my 
 first charge. Sometimes little was said, but one had 
 the sense that, if Christ could be mediated through 
 men, it would be men of the type of my friend. 
 I asked him, I remember, if he would preach for me 
 one Sunday evening. He replied that he could not 
 preach a sermon to save his life, but that, if I liked, 
 he would tell my people why he was going to China. 
 And as I heard Mm speak out the thoughts within 
 him, and watched the faces of his hearers, I got on 
 the track of the true preacher's secret — conviction 
 of a personal experience of the Lord, an under- 
 standing of how to find life's great purpose, and a 
 resolute purpose to do it. 
 
 " Thinking of all the gracious influence which he 
 
 13 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 shed on us, his fellow-students, I can understand the 
 love Cecil Robertson evoked from his Chinese people. 
 For the appeal which a devoted Christian gentleman 
 makes is intelligible everywhere. He has gone to 
 his Lord before the shadows had time to lengthen, 
 but my faith is that, somewhere and somehow, he 
 is still at his task, the significance of which to us, 
 perhaps, he did not realize down here — the task of 
 commending the Master by simply living his own 
 fine life. But I will tell him some day that for me 
 at least he was and must ever be a perfect knight 
 of Jesus Christ" {Rev. James Amos, M.A.). 
 
 And the impression made on his fellow-students 
 was that also of his pastors and the Church at 
 Regent's Park. Rev. E. G. Gauge gives this un- 
 hesitating testimony: "Without exception, I have 
 never met a more Christ-like young man; even before 
 he went to China he was, or seemed to be, eminently 
 fitted for the Home-Call." 
 
 " It was my great privilege," writes Mr. Godwin, 
 one of the Elders, " to know Dr. Cecil Robertson 
 for about eight years before he left for China. His 
 personality and deep spiritual earnestness have left 
 a deep impression on me, which will never wear off ; 
 and when I heard of the wonderful work he was 
 doing during the Revolution, knowing him as I did, 
 I was not in the least surprised. He only needed 
 the opportunity to use his brilliant gifts, and to 
 show his strong and gentle character. ... I took 
 his. class in the Sunday-school when duty called him 
 elsewhere. You could tell at once that the lads 
 had a teacher who had gained their attention and 
 
 14 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 deep affection. I saw a good deal of him during 
 the last year he was in England; he attended one 
 very precious to us. During the time she was under 
 medical treatment, his devotion and generous care 
 for the six weeks she was unable to walk, we can 
 never forget. Often would he come and read to 
 and converse with her; his conversation was always 
 helpful and instructive. Often would he carry her 
 down and up four flights of stairs, and take her out 
 in a bath-chair on the Heath; his great gentleness 
 and kindness she will ever remember. 
 
 " Though somewhat retiring, he had a good deal of 
 humour, which often flashed out, cheering those 
 with whom he came in contact. 
 
 " It was my joy to preside over the last meeting 
 he addressed of the Regent's Park Chapel Young 
 People's Society before leaving for China. I men- 
 tioned in the few remarks I made that he had been 
 called to the noblest work in which anyone could be 
 engaged. Before commencing his address he said 
 he did not quite agree with what I had said; he 
 thought the noblest was in doing the Will of God in 
 whatever sphere we were placed. Just what I 
 expected from him. 
 
 " When his beloved father wrote and told me 
 that he had passed into the presence of the Saviour 
 he so loved to serve, my thoughts went at once to 
 Murray McCheyne, who passed away at the same age, 
 the fragrance of whose life is still with us. And so 
 will Cecil be remembered for years to come at home, 
 and especially in that wonderful country for which 
 he so devotedly gave his life. Well done, good and 
 
 15 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord ! 
 We loved thee well, but Jesus loved thee best. Good- 
 night, until the day break and the shadows flee away, 
 and we see our Saviour face to face, and thee too, 
 whom we loved so much." 
 
 Few who were present at Bloomsbury Chapel on 
 Thursday afternoon, April 3, 1913, will ever forget 
 the tender and eloquent words with which the 
 great surgeon, to whom Dr. Robertson owed so 
 much, and whom he loved so sincerely — Sir Alfred 
 Pearce Gould — referred to this portion of his career. 
 He recalled the zeal with which he threw himself 
 into the Missionary Exhibition, to which we have 
 referred, and his introduction to the great appeal of 
 medical missions. And then, with the intimate 
 knowledge which he had gained of the young 
 student's character and gifts during his course at 
 the Middlesex Hospital, Sir Alfred described his bril- 
 liant successes in passing examinations and winning 
 scholarships and prizes, until he took the Fellowship 
 of the Royal College of Surgeons, the highest medical 
 degree in the world. In a most graphic manner the 
 speaker pictured Dr. Robertson's courage and 
 devotion, his strength of purpose and consecration 
 to the high and holy purposes to which he had 
 dedicated himself, and closed by saying: " I am 
 not going to utter one sad word. . . . Can we be 
 sad over a life like that ? Thank God for Cecil 
 Robertson !" And the affection shown by his chief 
 was warmly reciprocated. Again and again there 
 are allusions in Dr. Robertson's diary to his noble 
 friend. Writing to his mother on September 9, 
 
 16 
 
Birth and Early Years. 
 
 1911, he says : " I had a nice letter from Sir Alfred 
 this week. I can never be too grateful for having 
 had a year of such intimate contact with him at the 
 hospital. What a happy memory it will always 
 be !" And among his most ardent desires, when- 
 ever he thought of returning home for his furlough, 
 was the anticipation of grasping again the hand 
 which had so often encouraged him in his student 
 career. 
 
 17 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 JOTTINGS FROM DR. ROBERTSON'S DIARY 
 
 The Christ-likeness to which so many of his early 
 associates have borne witness was not attained 
 without a struggle, and of this the following jottings 
 from his diary give evidence. This sacred record 
 begins with the whole of a favourite hymn, copied 
 out in his own hand : 
 
 " That mystic word of Thine, O Sovereign Lord, 
 Is all too pure, too high, too deep for me : 
 Weary of striving, and with longing faint, 
 I breathe it back again in prayer to Thee. 
 
 " Abide in me, I pray, and I in Thee; 
 
 From this good hour, O leave me never more : 
 Then shall the discord cease, the wound be healed. 
 The lifelong bleeding of the soul be o'er. 
 
 " Abide in me; o'ershadow by Thy love 
 
 Each half -formed purpose, and dark thought c»f sin ; 
 Quench, ere it rise, each selfish, low desire. 
 And keep my soul as Thine, calm and divine. 
 
 " Abide in me; there have been moments blest 
 
 When I have heard Thy voice and felt Thy power; 
 Then evil lost its grasp, and passion, hushed, 
 Owned the divine enchantment of the hour. 
 
 " These were but seasons, beautiful and rare; 
 Abide in me, and they shall ever be ; 
 Fulfil at once Thy precept and my prayer — 
 Come and abide m me, and I in Thee." 
 i8 
 
Jottings from Dr. Robertson's Diary. 
 
 January 6, 1907. — Had such a hard struggle with 
 my besetting sin, and had to admit defeat. O God, 
 help me to overcome ! I seem to lose faith. Oh, 
 for more of the victorious power of Christ in the 
 daily life, then this and other temptations would lose 
 their power. 
 
 January 27. — Much to thank God for during the 
 past week. He has been near me. May I never 
 stray from Him ! 
 
 February 3. — Failure again to-day ! I failed to 
 look to Him, Who alone gives strength; and yet 
 how many times this week has victory come by 
 obedience to that law ! May I be more humble ! 
 
 March 15. — Fallen again ! How strange it seems 
 when I had a special time of communion and prayer 
 this morning, and oh how miserably feeble and sad 
 are the excuses of it beforehand ! Why is it ? 
 Because again I did not seek the presence of Jesus 
 Christ. The spiritual sense becomes so blunted) 
 unless, immediately the temptation comes, I go to 
 Him. It is difficult to go afterwards ! O Lord, 
 however little I may desire to seek Thee in my time 
 of need, help me to struggle to Thy feet,' and remain 
 there until I know that the strength has returned 
 to me. 
 
 April 19.— May I not forget that all this success is 
 given to me for a purpose. I would use it only for 
 Thy glory, O Lord. He;lp me to put aside all selfish 
 
 desires ! 
 
 Tlf^y 7._I am glad to be able to know " my times 
 are in Thy hands !" Oh that my life were in more 
 accord with that fact ! 
 
 19 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 May 19. — Oh, that I might cast myself more 
 wholly on God, and take for myself all His greatness ! 
 As I look back on my life since Whit Sunday, 1900, 
 my power over sin has largely been in proportion to 
 the care with which I have kept the " morning 
 watch." O God, I beseech Thee come Thou again 
 and take control of all. I cannot control myself 
 even in little things. Come, oh come, and help me 
 daily to open all my life to Thee. I lose and fail 
 without Thee. There has been outward success, 
 but how little spiritual. Come Thou, and I will 
 yield all to Thee, so that Thou wilt live in me a pure, 
 unselfish, true, manly life. Teach me to know how 
 little and how weak I am ! Let me not think 
 there is any virtue in spending much time in prayer, 
 but only that Thou may est come and feed my soul. 
 
 Saturday, June i. — M.B. result. Truly God has 
 been good to me, and how little have I given in 
 return ! Help me, O God, to give more for Thee. 
 
 Jime 5. — As Dr. S. put it when I left school, I 
 have now come to the end of Volume II., and it 
 makes me look back to see what progress I have 
 made. Much medically, but how much, I wonder, 
 have I grown into the fulness of the stature of 
 Christ ? How much have I appropriated of my 
 inheritance in Him ? How much easier is it for me 
 to speak to others about Christ than three or four 
 years ago ? How much more do I think of my 
 professed Lord and Master, and how much less of 
 the good opinion of my fellow-men ? I cannot but 
 feel I have come very far short ! How often I have 
 faced, in some measure at any rate, these very same 
 
 20 
 
Jottings from Dr. Robertson's Diary, 
 
 facts within the last five years ! Why is it, then, 
 that there is not more enthusiasm, not more fruit ? 
 I can only answer, because I have not given Christ 
 my full allegiance and faith; I have not liked to 
 give up certain things. And now what am I faced 
 with ? A life naturally nervous and weak to be 
 spent for others in my own strength without real 
 spiritual power, or a life made divinely strong by 
 the indwelling Spirit used for Christ's glory in His 
 service, and daring to face all that men may say 
 and think. There is no doubt which I want, but 
 have I faith enough ? Oh, may I realize that it is 
 not so much my faith, as my faith in Him. I 
 must settle this, but, O God, show me Thyself, that 
 I may be quite sure of what I am doing ! I cannot 
 take any definite step without being sure that I am 
 really looking to Thee. 
 
 June i8. — I thought I settled this a week ago, 
 but again the old temptation has come up, and I 
 have been weak. How blessed is that eighth chapter 
 of Romans ! But how it shames one ! O God, lead 
 me into a fuller faith in those blessed facts, that it is 
 the Spirit of Him that raised up Christ from the 
 dead that is to quicken" us ; and that we have not 
 received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the 
 Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, " Abba, 
 Father !" I cannot declare that I will keep close 
 to Him for all the future, though I want to; but 
 I know how weak I am, and just for to-day I can, 
 and do most joyfully, trust myself to Him, and pray 
 that on the morrow again I may know I am under 
 the shadow of His wings. 
 
 21 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 June 25. — Went to see Mrs. Wilson, who told us 
 how wonderfully God had provided for her needs 
 since Mr. Wilson died. Just step by step, as she has 
 committed her way to Him, so He has provided — 
 her banking account is just like the barrel of meal 
 which nearly runs out, but is always replenished, 
 and has never failed. Oh, for a faith which can 
 take everything to God in reality, not merely in word, 
 and which can truly trust in Him ! 
 
 July 21. — I have been much enjoying the reading 
 of " Robert Falconer, " and feel it has been a real help 
 to me, but find some things which I must think out. 
 One thing is impressed upon me, that God loves 
 all men far, far more than we do, and is far more 
 anxious and active in their recovery to their true 
 life than we, and that therefore, though people will 
 not suffer by our faithlessness so much as we, for 
 they are in His care, yet we shall be deprived of the 
 privilege of working for Him and with Him. Also 
 we must learn to look upon men as Christ did, and 
 be willing to be spent for them as He was. It is 
 more by a demonstration of love guided by God's 
 Holy Spirit than by much speaking that we shall 
 win men. 
 
 Have taken up the study of Gospel of St. Mark. 
 I want to learn more of His character from this vivid 
 record, and to learn to look upon my fellows more 
 from His point of view, that is, in the light of their 
 possibilities. 
 
 July 27. — On reading the above this evening it 
 seems to me my attitude is entirely wrong; it is 
 not my declaration of love that is of any avail, but 
 
 22 
 
Jottings from Dr. Robertson's Diary. 
 
 His great grace and love; for surely He wants me 
 far, far more than I want Him, wonderful though 
 such a fact is. Still there must be a constant yielding 
 of my will to His, but also a joyful yielding. 
 
 August 4. — I took Sunday-school this afternoon. 
 Felt I did not make things clear enough. How it 
 makes me feel the need of being taught of God one's 
 self ! How one longs to have that immediate know- 
 ledge of God ! Then would self fade away, and God 
 would be all in all. 
 
 September i. — Had a nice talk with Lewis this 
 afternoon. We both feel much the need of a 
 definite authoritative attitude to certain great con- 
 troversies — e.g., the virgin birth, future destiny of 
 man, etc. At the same time I feel the need of a 
 truer knowledge of Christ and a closer fellowship 
 with Him. He seems to be the only certainty; but 
 how to grow like Him — that is the difficulty . Surely 
 this growth in grace is a slow process. As I look 
 forward to work in China, and think of having 
 students under me, I feel how tremendous is my 
 need — both of a closer fellowship with Christ, and a 
 definite knowledge of God's plan for men. I must 
 try to study the Bible more earnestly and to live 
 by it, but so often there is so little inclination so 
 to do. 
 
 September 8. — I have been reading " Memorials of 
 F. R. Havergal " the last few days, and really they 
 are a wonderful revelation of the possibilities of a 
 life truly "hid with Christ in God." One thing 
 struck me very much. She speaks of the difference 
 of watching against temptation when one realizes 
 
 33 3 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 the constant cleansing and the keeping power of 
 Christ. " It is the watchfulness of a sentinel when 
 his captain is standing by him on the ramparts, 
 when his eyes are more than ever on the alert for 
 any sign of the approaching enemy, because he knows 
 they can only approach to be defeated." How one 
 longs to experience something of that triumphant 
 faith and walk with God ! I must give myself more 
 to prayer and the study of God's Word that I may 
 learn of Christ, and that He may indeed Himself 
 teach me wondrous things concerning Himself, for 
 only then shall I truly know Him, and not merely 
 know about Him. Oh to be rid of this miserable 
 self, pride, selfishness, etc., and to have a heart open 
 to receive Him ! 
 
 September 26. — God's message to me, as I am 
 almost overcome by the thought of all that lies 
 before me, is: " My work is for a King " (Ps. xlv., 
 R.V.). 
 
 24 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 THE MISSIONARY DESIGNATE 
 
 During the busy days of a student's life Dr. Robert- 
 son made time to attend the Chinese classes, under 
 Professor Owen, at King's College, and before he left 
 England he was able to write in Chinese characters. 
 He was one of the few missionaries in China who 
 was able to write his own letters and prescriptions 
 in Chinese, and he laid thus the foundation of that 
 ready knowledge of the language which made him 
 a good preacher in that most difficult of tongues. 
 
 This preparation for his life-work was now ap- 
 proaching completion, and in order, as he said, to 
 'get his hand in,' Dr. Robertson took locums in 
 various places. One of the medical men whom he 
 assisted in this way said, on becoming acquainted 
 with his life purpose: " I cannot understand how 
 Dr. Robertson, with all his brilliant talents, is going 
 to throw himself away on the Chinese." How much 
 depends on our view-point. Such is the fascination 
 of Jesus Christ, that those who have known Him 
 and heard His call, count not their lives dear unto 
 them, so that they may finish their course, which He 
 has marked out, with joy, and fulfil the ministry to 
 mankind, with which He has entrusted them. It was 
 thus with Cecil Robertson. Dr. Stanley Jenkins, who 
 
 25 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 has so quickly followed his friend into the presence 
 of the Lord, and whose love, during those last hours 
 of mortal sickness, was infinitely tender, read his 
 secret truly when he wrote, after the last sad offices 
 had been fulfilled: " Jesus Christ was the beginning 
 and end of everything for Robertson . ' ' And the Rev . 
 J. C. Keyte's estimate was as true of him, when he 
 was a missionary designate, as afterwards in the 
 splendid success of his career : ' ' His were the strength 
 and sanity of a healthy public school man, combined 
 with the devotion of a mystic." 
 
 It is the custom of the Baptist Missionary Society 
 to allocate their missionaries to circles of friends or 
 clusters of Churches, who agree to be responsible for 
 their support. The missionary thus supported is 
 regarded as their special representative, and as they 
 work for him at home he sends special communica- 
 tions from the field. Thus their enthusiasm is 
 kindled, and their interest maintained. In pur- 
 suance of this plan Dr. Robertson was adopted by the 
 Baptist Churches of East London, under the leader- 
 ship of the Rev. J. H. French, and he was always 
 deeply grateful for the warm sympathy and prayer- 
 ful fellowship of the ministers and their people, who 
 combined to hold the rope whilst he descended into 
 the dark abysses of non-Christian lands. The 
 Valedictory Meeting was held on Monday, Septem- 
 ber 27, 1909, in the High Road Chapel, Ilf ord, under 
 the presidency of Sir Alfred Pearce Gould. 
 
 The final Public Designation Service of the group 
 of missionaries, of whom he was one, was held during 
 the Session of the Baptist Union and the Missionary 
 
 26 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 Society held at Reading in the autumn of 1909. 
 The charge was delivered in King's Road Chapel by 
 the late Rev. Samuel Vincent, the valedictory prayer 
 being offered by Professor W. Hackney, M.A. 
 
 On the first Sunday in October, 1909, also the 
 first Sunday of my second pastorate at Regent's 
 Park Chapel, it fell to me to say good-bye to him 
 at the close of the Communion Service. He came 
 up to the table from the pew where he was sitting 
 with those he loved for the last time, till they sit 
 down together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 
 We did not know it then. How mercifully God 
 veils the future ! The sweet savour of that service 
 seems to have remained with him. On September 6, 
 1910, he writes to his sister: " How well I remember 
 dear Mr. Meyer's words at that last Communion 
 Service: ' Behold, I will make thee a new, sharp, 
 threshing instrument having teeth ; thou shalt thresh 
 the mountains and make them small, and shalt 
 make the hills as chaff.' It is a blessed thing to 
 have the memory of a service such as that." 
 
 On Tuesday, October 12, 1909, he sailed in the 
 Prince Ludwig from Southampton. The students 
 of Regent's Park College and many friends saw 
 him off at Waterloo Station. His father and brother 
 went down with him to Southampton; but he said 
 good-bye to his mother in the home — they two alone. 
 On the morning of that day he said that he had 
 been looking for some little verse that he could give 
 them all, and had chosen the words " He is able." 
 In his first letter home to his mother he said: " You 
 will have heard of the send-off at Waterloo That 
 
 27 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 cheer will live in my ears for many a day. We got 
 off from Southampton with nothing more than the 
 inevitable lump in the throat. . . . Before I finish 
 this letter I want to thank you very much for all 
 your help, perhaps to you unconscious, during the 
 last few days, and to thank you, too, for the two 
 evenings of prayer we all had together." It is thus 
 that parents remain at home to intercede, whilst 
 their boys go forth to the ends of the earth; but 
 who can estimate how much the sacrifice and heart- 
 pangs of women like Cecil Robertson's mother count 
 in the final reckoning ? 
 
 For the story of his inner life and experiences we 
 are permitted to cull the following extracts from 
 his letters, which, till almost the end, were weekly 
 transmitted to the beloved home-circle, and especially 
 to his mother and father. 
 
 October 15, on Board Steamer. — I am very much 
 enjoying reading " George Grenfell." What a mag- 
 nificent man he must have been ! — always seemed 
 to come up smiling despite the greatest difficulties 
 and the most pathetic losses. ... I know you are 
 remembering us in prayer. Pray especially for our 
 spiritual lives on board ship. I can see that it 
 is easy to get slipshod over private devotions, and 
 that is fatal to real life. There are thirty mission- 
 aries on board, and we are going to have Family 
 Prayer daily, at 10 a.m., in the saloon, and service 
 on Sunday. 
 
 October 22, Naples. — I was delighted to receive 
 the budget of letters with the first news of home. 
 
 28 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 We have been to Pompeii, and seen the wonders of 
 that old city, and a great many things of interest 
 . . . There are temptations here to slackness in 
 spiritual things. One has to be very careful, and 
 make time and opportunity for quiet, especially 
 when there is such a crowd on board. 
 
 November g, Colombo. — . . . We can count the 
 time to Shanghai in days now, and then only two 
 or three weeks ! But how much I have to learn ! 
 It is no light task, looked at from whatever point 
 of view. We know the spiritual force is behind us, 
 but the fiesh is a very material thing. 
 
 November 15, Hong Kong. — We are expecting to 
 reach Hong Kong about four o'clock this afternoon, 
 and are thankful to our Father for keeping us safe, 
 for on Thursday we were in danger that we knew 
 not of at the time. We afterwards learned that we 
 had got out of the regular course, and at one time 
 when soundings were taken we were in only 
 ten fathoms of water. Though I knew we were in 
 danger, you will be happy to know that beyond a 
 little physical depression I did not have any fears, 
 for I felt that God had some work for some of the 
 dozen or so new missionaries on board, and we 
 always know that His purposes are always best, 
 don't we ? 
 
 November 25, Shanghai. — Rev. Evan and Mrs. 
 Morgan met us, and took us to their home, after 
 which we went to the Christian Literature Society's 
 new office, where we met Dr. Timothy Richard, 
 and received our letters, for which very many 
 thanks. We were shown over the spacious and 
 
 29 
 
Cecil Robertsort of" Sianfu. 
 
 well-equipped premises, and in one of tlie tooiAS 
 Dr. Richard turned to us and said: "We want 
 to give China the message, the right message, and 
 in the right way. We want to get it into the 
 homes of the officials." He is a grand man; I have 
 been much impressed by him. We went on to his 
 house to tea, and had a pleasant time, and are to 
 spend the evening with him after the Evening 
 Service at the Union Church on Sunday. 
 
 December i, Shanghai. — This is to be my letter 
 of Christmas greeting to you. We shall all be 
 happy, because we shall be in the best communica- 
 tion possible — the communication of love. 
 
 December 4, on Board Steamer " Kiang Hsien." — 
 Our first week in China will always be a very happy 
 memory, for all the kind friends there have lavished 
 kindness upon us. On the last day we took tea with 
 Dr. Richard, and had another long and interesting 
 talk. We dined with Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, after 
 which we embarked on this steamer, and left 
 Shanghai about 4.30 a.m. 
 
 December 5, Wu-chang. — ^We are leaving this, our 
 last stopping-place. David Hill worked here for 
 some years. We had a little service this morning in 
 the saloon — just eight of us. The Rev. Arnold 
 Foster led it. He is a fine man, and has been out 
 about thirty-four years. He knew David Hill well 
 for twenty years, and can scarcely talk about him 
 without the tears beginning to well up. He told me 
 that three people, when asked to write about him, 
 quite independently all made use of the same 
 expression — that on one occasion, when he was 
 
 30 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 preaching at Hankow, his face appeared as it were 
 the face of an angel. 
 
 December 19, en route to Shensi. — This morning 
 we had prayers in Chinese — just we four and the 
 four Chinese. Ellison, who has been out a year 
 and can speak a little Chinese, read from the Gospel, 
 and said a few words, and Mr. Ching led in prayer. 
 That has thrilled me more than anything. What 
 a blessed time it will be when I have led a man to 
 Jesus Christ. I have been looking forward to 
 Sianfu. How glad I shall be when I can get fully 
 into swing there ! I shall certainly work hard at the 
 language, and get the first exam, over as soon as 
 possible. I shall have to rub up my medicine and 
 surgery, but the thing that weighs most on my 
 mind is the desire for a closer bond with the Unseen, 
 and a more Christ-like spirit. Pray for me for this. 
 It will be no easier than at home, but I am quite 
 happy in my prospects and happy in the choice of 
 my life-work. 
 
 December 24, Sianfu. — We are here at last, and 
 very glad of it. A warm welcome from Jenkins, 
 Young, Watson, Shields, and Mr. and Mrs. Shorrock. 
 Ellison and I are to stay with the Shorrocks. They 
 are very kind indeed to me, and are making me very 
 comfortable and happy. It was so nice to be called 
 by my Christian name for the first time since I left 
 Southampton. Little Mary Shorrock is a bright, 
 happy, affectionate lassie. 
 
 January, 1910, Sianfu. — We received a warm 
 welcome on arrival, and have now settled down to put 
 our backs into the language. . . . The city itself is 
 
 31 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 an imposing one, with its massive gates, and the walls, 
 which are not less than fourteen yards wide. From 
 East Gate to West Gate it is about three to four 
 miles. Not only is the city a large one, but it has 
 good-sized suburbs outside the gates. One is im- 
 pressed with the wideness of the streets compared 
 with those of many Chinese cities — wide enough for 
 four carriages to drive side by side. Two important 
 colleges have been put up within the last ten years 
 to carry out the new educational programme. Each 
 contains about 400 students, and is well equipped 
 with special rooms for professors, chemical labora- 
 tory, physics laboratory, museum, drill-ground, gym- 
 nasium, and tennis-court. The syllabus is also 
 very comprehensive, but the teaching is at present 
 very inefficient, the teachers knowing very little 
 more than the students, and having far too many 
 to teach at once. However, from our point of view, 
 these 800 students are perhaps the most important 
 people in the city. More than any other class they 
 are taking up the cry of " China for the Chinese," 
 and are becoming filled with revolutionary ideas. 
 Our hospital is situated in the middle of the city, 
 and every day there are patients of every class — 
 from the dignified scholar to the crouching beggar. 
 It is fitted for thirty-seven patients, but at the 
 present time we have between sixty and seventy. 
 They clamour for admission, and it is hard to refuse. 
 An Evangelist holds services each morning and 
 evening. A new hospital is to be built in the East 
 Suburb. Our preaching-shop is in a comer of the 
 South Gate Square, where all classes of men from 
 
 32 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 all parts of the kingdom congregate, for Sianfu is 
 the capital of the West, and on the great trade-route 
 of the north to Gan-suh and Thibet. We have a 
 further settlement in the East Suburb, where those 
 of us live whose work does not demand our presence 
 in the city, as it is more healthy. Here there is a hall 
 for Sunday services, a girls' school, under the charge 
 of Miss Beckingsale and Miss Franklin, and a boys' 
 school, under the charge of Mr. Shorrock. 
 
 January 8, 1910, Sianfu. — Now for the daily 
 round. Rise about 6.15. Every other day go to 
 prayers at 7, conducted by Mr. Shorrock for the 
 boys at the school, where I glean a little knowledge 
 of Chinese from the address — just a phrase or two. 
 Breakfast at 8, followed by family prayer, study, 
 reading, till my teacher comes about 10.30. Study 
 with him till i. Lunch. Walk till 3. Teacher 
 comes at 3.30. Read with him till 5.30 or 6. Do 
 some Bible-study till supper at 6.45, after which 
 read or study till bed-time. This is .an average day. 
 On Sunday I go only to morning service. Every 
 Wednesday at 3.30 we have a service for mission- 
 aries, conducted by different men, and followed by 
 prayer. My teacher is a nice quiet man, who has 
 been connected with the Mission for two or three 
 years. He has taught two of the ladies, but he is 
 not a Christian. The barrier appears to be opium, 
 of which he smokes a little every day. Pray that 
 he may become a real keen Christian. 
 
 January 12, Sianfu. — I am just now living under 
 rather enervating conditions spiritually, not having 
 any external assistance of any sort. Just studying 
 
 33 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 the language and living in the pleasant atmosphere 
 of Mr. Shorrock's home, and the companionship of 
 the other missionaries. One is rather liable to 
 stagnate, but I want to use this time for studying 
 the Bible and certain of the fundamental truths 
 of our Faith, as well as the language. 
 
 January 22, Sianfu. — My visit to these colleges 
 yesterday has impressed me more than anything 
 up to the present. It brings home to one the 
 urgency of the work in this place. We need a man 
 badly who will give all his time to work among these 
 students, cultivating any door that gives access to 
 them, whether Sport, teaching, etc. The thought 
 of these hundreds of men, not only in this city, but in 
 many others, all going out to spheres of influence 
 makes one dumb, and is almost staggering. One 
 wants to hurry on so as to be able to get hold of some 
 of them. But in the midst of the urgency comes 
 the steadying word of St. Paul's Epistle to the 
 Corinthians: " As a wise master-builder I have laid 
 the foundation ... let every man take heed how he 
 buildeth thereupon." After all, we have to be content 
 to see that our particular bit of the building is likely to 
 be permanent, so that when others come to the finer 
 superstructure, they wiU have something real and 
 true to work on. But one cannot help looking 
 forward to the day when in those halls and lecture- 
 theatres there will be given lectures on Christian 
 topics — given, perhaps, in association with a College 
 Christian Union. 
 
 March 7, Sianfu. — I was reading this morning 
 about the Call of Moses. How remarkable that, 
 
 34 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 in spite of all those personal promises, he still 
 wavered. They are great promises for a nervous 
 man when he has a difficult task before him; and 
 when I contemplate my future work I feel something 
 like Moses, for the time will come, when Jenkins goes 
 for his furlough in two and a half or three years, 
 that I shall have full charge of the new hospital, 
 and that will be no light task. I hope, however, 
 that by that time I may have learned the secret that 
 Moses did not learn till later — to look up instead of 
 down. 
 
 April 10, Sianfu. — Thank you for all your loving 
 wishes for my birthday. Naturally one looks for- 
 ward and backward. It is difficult to see real pro- 
 gress in one's spiritual Ufe. Perhaps it is well that we 
 cannot, but we may hope that we are making some 
 unconsciously. I am more than ever convinced 
 that it is character that tells, especially in the little 
 things of daUy life. It is good to know of those who 
 are prajdng for me and my teacher too. He brought 
 me his opiiam-pipe this week. I had asked him for 
 it, and he gave it me with a sort of nervous reluc- 
 tance. Poor man, I am afraid that he has felt it very 
 much. 
 
 June 12, Sianfu. — I have had the unblushing 
 audacity to start Evening Prayers with the two 
 boys. I read a portion of John, which is in 
 the first year's work, and read a prayer which I 
 had previously prepared and submitted to my 
 teacher. It is not much, but it is a beginning, and 
 makes one feel that one is making a little progress. 
 We had such a nice hymn this evening at the 
 
 35 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 Shorrocks'— No. 637 in B.C. Hymnal. Sing it 
 sometimes on Smiday evenings together. 
 
 July 17, Sianfu. — Mr. Shorrock has been giving 
 me a few tests in conversation to see where I am, 
 and if ready for my exam, in September. I am glad 
 to say that he seemed pleased, and a little surprised, 
 I fancy, that I could say as much as I did, whereat I 
 thank God and take courage. I am finding the 
 Evening Prayers easier, and usually make one or 
 two short comments on the portion read. 
 
 September 2, Sianfu. — It is the evening before 
 my exam. If all goes well, I start my second year's 
 work after this, which includes the seeing of patients 
 and taking a few services, though I fear that I shall 
 cut a sorry figure at the latter. But it is a blessed 
 thing that it is not the only way of doing work; nor 
 the most effectual, although it has its place. I 
 always think that if only, by God's help, one can 
 cultivate the power of friendship and of tackling 
 men personally, it is really more effective. But how 
 much grace and childlikeness one needs for such 
 work ! .*> I was reading yesterday and studying 
 Psalm i. How fine it is that the man who makes 
 the Word of God his daily meditation will be like a 
 firmly-planted tree, always green, always showing 
 signs of life, andi^always bearing seasonable fruit. 
 It is a great thing always to bear the right fruit at 
 the right season. These strong Bible teachings so 
 help to brace one up. There is another thing that 
 I have been thinking about lately — the holiness of 
 God. We think so much of His love that we tend 
 to conceive of Him as lenient. How one longs to 
 
 36 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 become the man of God, completely furnished with 
 every good work, rightly dividing the word of truth. 
 
 September 8, Sianfu. — We must learn to find 
 our chief delight in doing our work with all our 
 heart, and in preserving with increasing care our 
 time of communion. How is one, even in a small 
 measure, to attain to the Spirit of Christ without that ! 
 
 Joy ! I have had my first out-patient day, and 
 saw about thirty patients. It is true it took me 
 about four hours, but still it is grand to think that 
 at last, after about nine years, I am beginning to get 
 at the actual work. 
 
 September i8, Sianfu. — I did a couple of opera- 
 tions the other day at the hospital, and saw the out- 
 patients again this week. 
 
 October 9, Sianfu. — It does not seem a year on 
 Thursday that I left England, but so it is. How 
 the time speeds on! Truly it behoves us to buy 
 up the opportunity. It is so easy to get selfish and 
 self-centred out here. One has to watch against 
 losing sight of the main end in view. It is easy to 
 serve one's own ends in language-study, in work, and 
 in companionship, instead of the Master. I forget 
 whether I told you that in the exam. I got ninety- 
 five marks on the four papers we had; for oral work, 
 eighty-four. The total average being eighty-nine, 
 which puts me in what they call the honours divi- 
 sion. 
 
 November 20, Sianfu. — The Chinese workmen 
 and servants are a great trial to one's patience, and 
 interfere with one's peace of mind. How much 
 one needs to dwell in the secret place of the Most 
 
 37 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 High to counteract these and other tendencies ! It 
 is so easy to be other than sweet-tempered out here, 
 as most of our deaUngs with the Chinese of a business 
 or professional kind are warranted to try the patience 
 of the average man ; but this getting out of patience 
 does not further the end in view, and it certainly 
 hinders the progress of the Gospel. 
 
 December lo, Sianfu. — To-day my name comes 
 on the B.M.S. Calendar, and I know you will have 
 been thinking of me very specially. May the 
 prayers which will have gone up from many hearts 
 be abundantly answered ! If one is not abiding 
 under the shadow of the Almighty, one tends to 
 become awfully impatient, especially in seeing the 
 out-patients — the}^ are so trying; but if we do not 
 show forth patience and love, if our faith and love 
 are not equal to the conditions we have to meet, one 
 cannot help asking what is the good of coming out. 
 This is what we have come for — to try, by the grace 
 of God, to demonstrate that Christianity is a power 
 as well as a doctrine. 
 
 December ii, Sianfu. — I am now able to take 
 some active part in the work. My time is still 
 mainly occupied with language-study, but I see out- 
 patients once a week at the hospital, and, in addi- 
 tion, it falls to my share to look after the beys' 
 school in the East Suburb where most of us are living. 
 We also constantly have in our charge a few opium 
 patients, who live with us for three or four weeks 
 while breaking off the opium habit. 
 
 December i8, Sianfu. — Since last writing, cir- 
 cumstances have arisen that will necessitate my 
 
 38 
 
The Missionary Designate. 
 
 going to Yenanfu in the middle of February. I 
 shall hope to be back by the beginning of May. My 
 teacher will go with me, so that I shall not lose any- 
 thing in the language-study, and I shall hope to gain 
 experience in the work of the province. My only 
 regret is that the little help I am able to give Dr. 
 Jenkins will be taken away, and more will devolve 
 upon him at a time of the year when we are busiest 
 at the hospital. 
 
 February 12, 1911, Sianfu. — ^We are feeling very 
 much the need of a deeper spiritual life here — I 
 think perhaps as much in ourselves as in our Chinese 
 Christians. You have no idea how easy it is to get 
 half-hearted. People at home are liable to think 
 that all missionaries are such keen people, but it is 
 terribly easy to get slack in real service and devo- 
 tion. One of our teachers was preaching the other 
 day and saying that he was at a little village where 
 there were many Christians, but only four came. 
 He was stajang for the night with a man who was a 
 poor farmer, and they slept on the same k'ang (or 
 brick stove). When he awoke he found that this 
 man had been up some time, spending that early 
 hour in prayer. We all need to spend time in this 
 way, not only because it is a duty, but because 
 prayer is the only source of power. 
 
 {We mil append here two other extracts on the same 
 subject) 
 
 July 10, Sianfu. — ^There is one thing I am finding 
 more dif&cidt than I have ever done. I find it so 
 hard to reserve the time needed for personal devo- 
 
 39 4 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 tion and meditation. But I intend to make a des- 
 perate effort for it. To do without it is absolutely 
 fatal. Temptations here are so subtle. It is so 
 easy to lose that calm and equanimity of which 
 there is only one source; and, more than all, one 
 remains at such a standstill. Day after day there 
 seems to be no real progress. 
 
 February 28, 1913. — Why should I not always 
 live in the atmosphere of the presence of God and 
 receive still more of His help and inspiration ? 
 There are heights and depths in God's fellowship to 
 which we may reach; and God will show and revea 
 Himself to us that we may have that immediate 
 knowledge. Jesus is the solution of all our diffi- 
 culties and failures, but the nearer one gets to Him, 
 the more ghastly do our failures and sins appear. 
 
 {Ah, happy soul, thou hast thy wish. Thine for 
 ever is the unclouded fellowship. — F. B. M.) 
 
 40 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 AT YENANFU— GETTING INTO HARNESS* 
 
 On February i8, 1911, Dr. Robertson left Sianfu 
 to visit Yenanfu, in North Shensi. This visit, 
 which extended over six weeks, was an important 
 episode in his career, and was of real significance in 
 the scheme of his life. It was the transition between 
 preparation and full service. He left Sianfu a 
 learner; he returned a full-fledged worker. In the 
 Yenanfu period we have his whole missionary 
 career in miniature. He did practically nolliing on 
 a large scale during those great days of the following 
 year which he had not first done on a small scale 
 in Yenanfu. It was his first essay forth to Chinese 
 Missionary Service. 
 
 The city of Yenanfu, which governs the pre- 
 fecture (ten counties) of that name, is situated ten 
 full days' stages north of Sianfu, and eight stages 
 south of the great wall of China, and is in the centre 
 of North Shensi. The journey from Sianfu to 
 Yenanfu cannot always be done in ten days. If 
 the weather be wet, or the roads bad, a much 
 longer time is required; whereas in the rainy season, 
 when the rivers are swollen, the journey is impos- 
 sible. For practical purposes, that is, judging by the 
 
 * I am indebted to the Rsv. E. F- Borst-Smith for this 
 chapter. — R B. M. 
 
 41 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 time required, Yenanfu is as far from Sianfu as 
 Pekin is from London. 
 
 In April, 1910, Yenanfu had been opened as a 
 B.M.S. station under the Arthington fund, and in 
 the following autumn Suite-chow, five full days' 
 journey farther north, was opened and occupied by 
 the Rev. and Mrs. J. Watson. 
 
 For the whole of the North Shensi Mission there 
 was no doctor. This was felt with special keenness, 
 since North Shensi was one of the areas where the 
 opium habit was abnormally prevalent. By far 
 the greater proportion of adults (women as well as 
 men) were, to a smaller or greater degree, victims 
 to opium. This is not the place to attempt any 
 description of the effects of opium-smoking, except 
 just this: it leads to an agonizing craving that can 
 only be treated medically. So many and so serious 
 are the compHcations which invariably occur during 
 the cure that the doctors have repeatedly assured 
 non-medical missionaries that they should not 
 attempt to supervise it. In Yenanfu large numbers 
 were very desirous of being cured. The production 
 of opium was being prohibited; purchase would 
 soon be prevented; and the anticipation caused 
 great anxiety to many. Thus before Dr. Robert- 
 son arrived his visit Was looked forward to with the 
 greatest of eagerness. 
 
 Of course, language-study was supposed to occupy 
 the great proportion of his time, for he was only at the 
 beginning of his second year, and the local mission- 
 aries were anxious not to be responsible for any 
 serious hindrance to this. Yet no one could live in 
 
 42 
 
At Yenanfu — Getting into Harness. 
 
 the presence of such appalling and appealing need and 
 not be keen to grasp to the full the opportunity 
 afforded by the visit of a doctor. Arrangements were 
 therefore made for the immediate opening of an opium 
 refuge, so that not one day should be lost. No one 
 was persuaded to enter; only those were admitted 
 whose desire for cure was strong, such strong desire 
 being amongst the first essentials of the cure. The 
 rooms chosen were at the back of the street preach- 
 ing-hall. This arrangement made it possible for the 
 Evangelist in charge to exercise constant supervision, 
 without detriment to his regular duties. The avail- 
 able accommodation was fully taxed, about twenty 
 being under regular treatment. None of the patients 
 were permitted to leave the premises. The weakened 
 will would not be able to resist the temptations of 
 liberty. But this imprisonment had its distinct 
 positive advantages; it meant the constant com- 
 panionship of the Chinese Evangelist — a Christian 
 of fine character — frequent intercourse with the 
 missionary, as well as the attention of Dr. Robertson. 
 
 Since idleness exposes to temptation, occupation 
 was afforded. Some were able to have their own 
 work sent in to them each day. But everyone had 
 his daily Scripture lesson to prepare, and all attended 
 morning and evening worship. The Master's three- 
 fold method of preaching, teaching, and heahng was 
 employed. The patients came under the influence 
 of the whole Gospel, of work as well as word, and 
 under the spell of the noble Christian character of 
 Dr. Robertson. 
 
 The only exception to this Christian prison 
 43 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 system was a woman who some months earlier had 
 come to a knowledge of the truth through the in- 
 fluence of the local missionary's wife, and who had 
 since come into her employ. This woman's cure 
 was carried on simultaneously with household 
 duties. Her case is of interest because her faith 
 not only made her whole, but brought her into con- 
 flict with her relatives, who persecuted her in many 
 ways, attributing their many family sorrows to her 
 confession of faith. But so completely had she been 
 won that she stood stedfast; and afterwards so 
 great was her confidence in Dr. Robertson that when 
 any of her friends became ill, she would ask the 
 missionary's wife to write to him, describing symp- 
 toms and requesting remedies. 
 
 Then, in addition to work amongst opium patients, 
 there was the more general medical missionary work. 
 From the time Yenanfu had been occupied as a 
 mission station, the missionary and his wife had 
 done all in their power to alleviate suffering. Certain 
 days had been appointed, and a small dispensary 
 fitted out. The same time and place were adopted 
 by Dr. Robertson, and large numbers of people with 
 all kinds of diseases came. The news very quickly 
 spread, not only over the whole city, but throughout 
 the prefecture, that there was a doctor in Yenanfu, 
 and the numbers that came were not only large, but 
 representative of the whole area. And then, not only 
 sick people, but the friends of the sick people, came 
 on behalf of those whose illnesses were too serious 
 to permit of their being brought, requesting the 
 doctor to visit their homes. I have no record of the 
 
 44 
 
'.. ..j.ffiff^ fjr/v^tm ^'f^' 
 
 DR. ROBERTSON STARTING ON THE JOURNEY TO 
 YENANFU. 
 
At Yenanfu — Getting into Harness. 
 
 number of these visits, but they were very numerous. 
 I have often been a witness of the patience and kind- 
 ness, as well as skill, displayed on these occasions. 
 If the patients were in the city, the Doctor would 
 usually walk;; if some miles away, he would ride his 
 horse. By these visits he became one of the most 
 familiar and the best-loved figures in the neighbour- 
 hood. It is quite safe to say, with deep reverence, as 
 well as exact truth, that the general verdict regarding 
 these journeyings was : " He went about doing good." 
 
 The whole argument and value of medical mis- 
 sions was illustrated. The work thus done was a 
 preaching of the Gospel; one could hardly imagine 
 any better exemplification of it. Such work was 
 an outward and visible sign of the beneficent heart 
 of the Gospel. It was not an advertisement abotti 
 the Gospel, but an actual expression of the Gospel 
 itself. To alleviate suffering and cure disease is 
 surely a sufficient end in itself; but the simple fact is, 
 it did not end there. By means of the bodily avenue 
 the soul was actually reached. In all directions 
 hearts hitherto closed were opened. 
 
 But Dr. Robertson was friend as well as physician. 
 The social instinct was strong in him; there was no 
 suggestion of the recluse in his conduct. The gift 
 of sociability is invaluable in China, where every- 
 thing is inaugurated with a feast. And it was not 
 long before Dr. Roberston went to his first Chinese 
 feast. In Yenanfu there is always a long series of 
 banquets during the first six weeks of the Chinese 
 New Year. During my own residence there I was 
 rarely at home for a midday meal during that period. 
 
 45 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 Dr. Robertson reached us toward the end of this 
 series of festivities, and was therefore included in 
 the invitations. 
 
 At a Chinese feast the new missionary is on his 
 trial, and the test is by no means an easy one. The 
 dishes are strange; some, at first, unpalatable; most 
 are indigestible. Adaptabihty in food, as in all 
 else, is one of the first qualifications of the missionary. 
 Taste must be sacrificed to tact, digestion to duty. 
 Here the faddist fails; but Dr. Robertson was no 
 faddist. Chopsticks presented no difficulty to one 
 so skilful. He did not succumb to the easy tempta- 
 tion of making a few judicious selections. He took 
 what was set before him (fat pork as well), asking 
 no questions, either for conscience' sake or any other. 
 And he was persona grata with all. 
 
 It was at Yenanfu also that Dr. Robertson had his 
 first intercourse with officials. We little imagined 
 when he accompanied me to meet our Yenanfu 
 officials that before that year passed away the 
 highest officials of the whole Province of Shensi 
 would gratefully recognize Dr. Robertson as bene- 
 factor. Yenanfu was a suitable place to begin such 
 intercourse. It is essentially an official city. 
 Although commercially unimportant, the Head 
 Mandarin of the whole prefecture (comprising ten 
 counties) resided there. No better training-place 
 could be imagined. During and since the Revolu- 
 tion a different type of person has come into power, 
 but in the spring of 1911 the Manchu dynasty still 
 stood, and the etiquette was elaborate and com- 
 plicated. It yvas with considerable hgsjtancy th^{ 
 
At Yenanfu — Getting into Harness. 
 
 Dr. Robertson prepared for the first visit, but his 
 unfailing courtesy and essential gentlemanliness soon 
 made those of the classes, as those of the masses, his 
 friends. 
 
 His first visit was to the Prefect — the civil and 
 practically autocratic ruler of the whole Yenanfu pre- 
 fecture, obviously a man of commanding influence. 
 The Prefect spoke in terms of high praise of the pur- 
 pose of Dr. Robertson's visit — " to do good to our 
 citizens, and lead them away from their great vice," — 
 and promised any help in his power. Next our 
 Doctor went to see the County Magistrate — civil 
 ruler of the central of the ten counties. This official 
 had, during the whole of his term in Yenanfu, been 
 the familiar friend of the resident missionary. With 
 him Dr. Robertson formed a genuine friendship, 
 and there arose between them sincere mutual ad- 
 miration and respect. But the Yenanfu official 
 whom he came to know most intimately of all was 
 the head military Mandarin for the whole prefecture. 
 This official was unusually progressive. Perhaps 
 no better evidence of this could be given than the 
 fact that he sometimes borrowed my bicycle ! In 
 things Chinese, he had been my own " guide, philo- 
 sopher, and friend," and he occasionally attended 
 public worship. He studied the New Testament, 
 but was especially attracted by our hymn-book, 
 which was always on his guest-room table. With 
 him Dr. Robertson's friendship was immediate and 
 constant, and both in the private rooms of the 
 barracks and in the missionary compound they often 
 sji^red me^ls, Their friendship continued gftej 
 
 ^7 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 Dr. Robertson had left Yenanfu. This was not owing 
 to the fact that the official was suffering from tuber- 
 culosis, and that the treatment was carried on by 
 correspondence through the missionary for subse- 
 quent months, although this, of course, formed an 
 extra link. 
 
 Just a few days before Dr. Robertson left Yenanfu 
 the local missionary invited the Military Official 
 and the County Magistrate to a farewell banquet. 
 The date was arranged so as to synchronize with 
 the passing through Yenanfu of other missionaries. 
 The hours that followed were full of enjoyable inter- 
 course. Dr. Robertson, I remember, remarked that 
 this was the easy equivalent of much of our general 
 social intercourse with friends at home. Dr. Robert- 
 son afterwards sent, through myself, to the Military 
 Official a copy of the photograph taken that day, and 
 it afterwards adorned the walls of his guest-room. 
 
 In this branch of life Dr. Robertson showed him- 
 self a full man — robust, generous, cultured, human, 
 happy. Looking back, one cannot fail to see in all 
 this friendly intercourse with the ofl&cials of Yenanfu 
 the providential training of the man, who, later in 
 that same year, would be the associate of the highest 
 officials of the province — first Imperial, and then 
 Republican. 
 
 One inference from the foregoing is that Dr. 
 Robertson's knowledge of the Chinese language was, 
 for one who had only been fifteen months in the 
 country, unusually good. He certainly knew very 
 much more than his textbook had taught him. 
 Perhaps a doctor has, at the beginning of his Chinese 
 
 48 
 
At Yenanfu — Getting into Harness. 
 
 career, more enforced conversation than his non- 
 medical colleagues. And although the long and 
 rambling remarks of patients have often little 
 enough to do with their disease or its treatment, 
 they are yet rich in material for the student of the 
 colloquial language. In any case. Dr. Robertson's 
 notebook was never far away, and in addresses 
 and conversations he was always on the lookout for 
 new words and phrases. But here is another evi- 
 dence of the rapid progress he had made in language- 
 study : on his way from Sianfu to Yenanfu he gave 
 his first address in Chinese, and he redelivered this 
 address early in his stay at Yenanfu. Doctors 
 always seem to be the keenest evangelists. I have 
 never known a medical missionary so engrossed in 
 his work of healing that he was indifferent to that 
 of preaching. Such men only exist in the fears of 
 those of Uttle faith. 
 
 I remember that service very clearly. The 
 language was a surprise. The pronunciation was 
 distinct and accurate; the idiom unusually true; 
 and the vocabulary really wealthy. The sermon 
 was the man. The subject was " Faith in the 
 Heavenly Father." It came with all the authority 
 of deep personal experience. It expressed those 
 very qualities that made Dr. Robertson loved by 
 all who knew him. Sane and saintly, strong and 
 sincere, simple and spiritual, the sermon spoke 
 deeply to all who heard it. His preaching and his 
 practising were all of a piece. Whether in the pulpit, 
 the dispensary, the street, or the home, he was the 
 same lovable, attractive, noble man. 
 
 49 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 And what impression was made by his six weeks' 
 residence in Yenanfu ? Some time before he went 
 the opium patients approached me expressing their 
 desire to make some kind of presentation. They 
 soon decided that it should take the form of a carved 
 inscription — the Chinese equivalent of a printed 
 address — to hang over the door of the dispensary 
 where the medical work was done. Suggestions for 
 the wording were invited. A phrase containing 
 four characters in Wenli (the literary language) was 
 required. The literal translation of the one ulti- 
 mately accepted is: "Save world; spent heart." 
 It would not be taking undue licence with the four 
 characters to translate them, "He saved others; 
 himself he could not save." And looking back now 
 upon the choice of inscription, it seems prophetic, 
 " signifying by what death he should glorify God." 
 In smaller characters the names of the contributors 
 were engraved. Had their wishes been carried out 
 there would have been great excitement and display 
 on the occasion of the presentation. The Chinese 
 love a festival of any kind, and it so happened that 
 one of the patients was actually the principal bugler 
 in the Yenanfu military band. They were all very 
 disappointed when they discovered that Dr. Robert- 
 son did not approve of a procession through the 
 streets of the city, headed by a military band. The 
 flourish of trumpets and beating of drums brought 
 no pleasure to him. So in deference to his wishes 
 this point was conceded, and a simpler ceremony 
 arranged. In his response Dr. Robertson took the 
 opportunity of delivering an earnest Christiaji ad- 
 
 59 
 
At Yenanfu — Getting into Harness. 
 
 dress, inviting the patients to faith in the Saviour 
 who would keep them from opium and every other 
 evil. And over the little dispensary in Yenanfu 
 the inscription still hangs, the first he ever received, 
 and for the first piece of real medical missionary 
 work ever done in North Shensi. 
 
 At the time no one imagined that before another 
 year passed the highest authorities in the provincial 
 capital would count no honour too great as recog- 
 nition of his services. 
 
 On Thursday evening (April 12) he bade farewell 
 to his IcLst batch of opium patients, handing them 
 over to my care. I well remember the earnest 
 words he spoke to them then. On Friday morning 
 at four he left Yenanfu to return to Sianfu. The 
 furlough of the late Dr. H. Stanley Jenkins was due, 
 and the condition of his health demanded a speedy 
 return to England, so Dr. Robertson hastened 
 to relieve him. It was characteristic that on the 
 first day he covered two stages. He sent his own 
 horse forward on the preceding day to wait at the 
 end of the first stage ; then he borrowed one from 
 the Military Mandarin, who also arranged for refresh- 
 ment to be prepared for him at the stage, and so by 
 a relay of horses he saved one day. Towards the 
 end of the journey he repeated the same feat. He 
 arrived in Sianfu in time to receive from Dr. Jenkins 
 the responsibility for the medical work there, and 
 he was still there when Dr. Jenkins returned in the 
 end of 1912 to do a few weeks' work together, before 
 both were transferred to the higher service. 
 
 But his departure from Yenanfu on that Friday 
 
 51 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 morning did not mean the end of his influence there. 
 Before another seven months had passed, Yenanfu 
 became the scene of wild and indescribable confusion 
 and panic. Some of the oldest inhabitants, who 
 remember the great Mohammedan rebellion of sixty 
 years ago, which so completely devastated the two 
 whole provinces of Shensi and Kansuh that after- 
 wards there were not enough men to till the fields, 
 said that even the panic of those days was not com- 
 parable to that of the autumn of 191 1. Of foreigners 
 there was but the one missionary, with his wife, and 
 the little one bom during Dr. Robertson's visit. 
 The head military official was concerned for their 
 safety, and sent two of his most reliable soldiers to 
 keep the gate of the mission premises. One was a 
 Christian " learner," the other, one of Dr. Robert- 
 son's opium patients.* These were selected on 
 account of the personal claim it was felt the mis- 
 sionaries had on them. The ex-opium patient was 
 a most useful man. He was, on the one hand, 
 sjonpathetic towards us, and, on the other, a member 
 of the Society of Elder Brethren — the secret society 
 which caused (and yet sometimes prevented) so 
 much havoc in Shensi. Often at nights did he 
 convey messages from myself to the man who 
 usurped the Prefect's office, and he was certainly one 
 of those who contributed to our safety. 
 
 To be associated with us during that two months' 
 
 " reign of terror " meant to be exposed to danger, 
 
 yet the woman patient already referred to remained 
 
 quite faithful through all. Several others of Dr. 
 
 * See " Caught in the Chinese Revolution," p. 47. 
 
 52 
 
At Yenanfu — Getting into Harness. 
 
 Robertson's patients came into prominence during 
 the early weeks of panic, and there is no doubt that 
 the memory of his great kindness to them exercised 
 a restraining influence. 
 
 As the record of his life and work would never 
 be complete without the story of what he did in 
 Yenanfu, so the history of the Yenanfu mission will 
 not be fully told without some account of that visit. 
 The relation between Dr. Robertson and Yenanfu 
 was intimate and mutual. He bestowed great 
 benefits on that city, and it in its turn had its share 
 in training him. North Shensi never left his 
 thoughts. Later, when peace was restored, and the 
 reopening of work in North Shensi was again being 
 seriously considered, it was thought well to con- 
 centrate the staff of Suite-chow and Yenanfu in one 
 place, and a doctor was promised for the proposed 
 reinforced station. Dr. Robertson immediately 
 volunteered. He was fast becoming the idol of 
 Sianfu, the provincial capital. Many honours were 
 heaped upon him, and he had acquired great in- 
 fluence. But he readily offered to leave the place 
 of his fame for quiet work in a non-conspicuous 
 sphere. 
 
 Nothing has been said of the benefit derived by 
 the Yenanfu missionaries from his visit, and no 
 words can express it. But that period stands out 
 clearly in the memory as one of fellowship with one 
 whose purity of character was not repellent, whose 
 love was robust, whose life inspired the prayer: 
 
 " O God, to us may grace be given 
 To follow in his train." 
 
 53 
 
CHAPTER V 
 ON THE EVE OF THE GREAT REVOLUTION 
 
 April 30, Sianfu. — I can assure you that the know- 
 ledge that one ispjeing constantly remembered in 
 prayer is a source of real comfort and strength. I 
 have not a moment's hesitation in saying that I axa 
 not one whit less keen about service. It may be 
 that my outlook has altered somewhat, and my ideas 
 on certain things also ; but for the actual work, both 
 the medical and that which is purely and directly 
 for the kingdom of Christ Jesus, I am keener to be- 
 come of the greatest use possible ! The scope, on 
 account of its extent, is bewildering, and it is difficult 
 to know how to cope with it. 
 
 May 16, Sianfu. — You must try to picture me 
 in different quarters, as I have moved this week into 
 the hospital. The Jenkinses have left, and they both 
 need a good rest.* We are very busy, but the more 
 one has to do, the more one can do. I have the 
 daily seeing of in-patients in the morning. Out- 
 patients on Fridays. Operations on Saturdays. 
 Conducting prayers on Tuesdays and Saturdays for 
 in-patients ; and I want also to give a short address to 
 out-patients on the day that I see them. In addition, 
 
 * The work at the hospital, therefore, largely devolved 
 on Dr. Robertson. 
 
 54 
 
On the Eve of the Great Revolution. 
 
 I have all the administration and accounts of the 
 hospital to see to. 
 
 May 17, Sianfu. — I feel more than ever the 
 necessity of keeping the great aim in view. It is 
 not difficult to let it slide, but one must keep it ever 
 before oneself and the helpers. One needs also 
 habitual self-control. Of all places in the world 
 this is one of the best as a school of patience, but if 
 one gives way to irritability, it is bad for one's 
 spiritual life and influence, not to mention one's 
 physical condition. 
 
 May 28, Sianfu. — To think of the day when we 
 shall all be home together seems almost too much 
 at this distance, but I was thinking of the Jenkinses 
 to-day, who must now be nearing England, and 
 wondering what their thoughts and feelings would 
 be. and those of the loved ones who are awaiting 
 them. Blessed is the man who has been in the 
 habit of cultivating the companionship of Jesus 
 Christ, and who does not feel the loss of companion- 
 ship that otherwise is bound to come to him ! 
 
 July 23, Sianfu. — Despite the heat, there are 
 some things at this time of the year which are really 
 beautiful. The blue sky is lovely just now; it is 
 such a beautiful deep blue, and the green of the 
 trees against it is so pretty. The language-study 
 goes slowly. It will take years before anything 
 like proficiency is obtained. The weeks come and 
 go. The Sundays seem continually chasing one 
 another, but one cannot help wondering how far 
 " Progress " can be written across one's life. The 
 nearer we get to the top, the steeper the way seems. 
 
 55 5 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 July 30, Sianfu. — ^We have had some encourage- 
 ment with the opium patients lately. Three who 
 broke off the opium with our help are now attendants 
 at the services, and I have recently heard from Mr. 
 Borst-Smith that two of the opium patients at 
 Yenanfu have since joined the Church. The opium 
 prevented them doing so previously . One does desire 
 to see not only the good general impression of the 
 Gospel as the result of staying here, but to see the 
 patients gaining a personal faith. 
 
 August 3, Sianfu. — It is easy to be satisfied with 
 less than the best. Why should we let the work 
 make demands on our energy and time that other 
 men would not put into it ? But, as Thomas k 
 Kempis has it, " There are many professed lovers 
 of Jesus, but few bearers of His Cross." 
 
 September 9, Sianfu. — I have been having my 
 exam., and got on better than I expected. Eighty- 
 four for my sermon, and eighty and ninety-two for 
 my two papers. I am staying with the Shorrocks 
 this week-end, and going into the hospital again on 
 Monday. There is a sense of freedom in being away 
 from it. I am really very fit, and continue to have 
 a good appetite and to sleep well. The fact that I 
 have worked fairly continuously for two years and 
 kept so fit is a good sign for the future and something 
 to be thankful for. I have been treating the son 
 of one of our language teachers for heart disease. 
 He is very much better, and his father is going to 
 be baptized and become a member of the Church. 
 There is a woman in a room near this. I have 
 just heard her praying, probably for her husband, 
 
 56 
 
On the Eve of the Great Revolution. 
 
 who broke off his opium but has taken to it 
 again. 
 
 September 22, Sianfu. — The new church has been 
 opened. Yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow meet- 
 ings are on. The place has been full every time. 
 To many of the visitors it was the first service, but 
 all were quiet and orderly. This afternoon it was 
 the business meeting, when matters relating to 
 Church membership were discussed — ^such as family 
 prayer, lawsuits, Sunday observance, schools, patriot- 
 ism, the importance of giving. Many of the prob- 
 lems that faced Paul are repeated on the mission 
 field. . . . It appears that there is trouble in Szechuan. 
 The report we have is that the people have risen, 
 three Yamens have been burned to the ground, and 
 all the foreigners ordered away. In the meantime 
 we are perfectly quiet here, a fact which is empha- 
 sized by 1,500 soldiers being sent from here to quell 
 the disturbance. 
 
 October i, Sianfu. — ^We have telegrams to-day 
 from Ching-King that the telegraph wires from the 
 capital are cut, and that the soldiers in the city have 
 gone over to the revolutionaries. 
 
 October 15, Sianfu. — Just as I am writing this 
 letter I have had the news from Hankow that there 
 is considerable feeling against the Manchu dynasty. 
 Everything is quite quiet here, and we have heard 
 of nothing at all disturbing as taking place in this 
 province. I am sure that you will be at rest with 
 regard to us. There has been no feeling against the 
 foreigner as such. But apart from that we are not 
 our own ; all our affairs are His and entrusted to Him. 
 
 57 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 October 22, Sianfu. — I have been thinking much 
 about you this week, and hope that you have not 
 been anxious about us up here. We heard from 
 Hankow yesterday that a battle was impending, but 
 that all foreigners were being protected. We have 
 also had a copy of the Manifesto issued by the leader 
 of the Revolutionaries to his followers. The main 
 points are — (i) To overthrow the present dynasty. 
 (2) To behead all who oppose the Revolution, or 
 conceal officials in their houses; all who loot and 
 commit outrages of any sort; and all who do any 
 harm to foreigners. (3) To reward all who help the 
 rebels in any way, either by giving food, ammunition, 
 or information about the enemy ; and all who protect 
 foreigners and foreign concessions. So you see from 
 that that they are keen to protect foreigners. The 
 officials certainly will do no harm to foreigners. 
 The only people who may are the riff-raff, but these 
 will be intimidated by the Manifesto. There is no 
 indication of any trouble here. Practically all the 
 soldiers and students belong to this revolutionary 
 society, so, with practically the whole army on their 
 side, one would think that there is little fear of a 
 great deal of fighting. 
 
 * * * * * 
 
 These words were evidently written in the early 
 morning of that memorable Sunday, and at noon 
 the Revolution broke out at Sianfu. This was a 
 very notable and formative experience in Dr. 
 Robertson's life, and we may suspend our quotations 
 from his letters, confessing that their compilation 
 and transcription have been a source of profound 
 
 58 
 
On the Eve of the Great Revolution. 
 
 blessing, and gather up some of the impressions 
 that he had produced. " His life," said Miss Beck- 
 ingsale, who has now joined him in the presence 
 of Christ, " was a benediction, his friendship a 
 precious memory. I never knew him to say a word 
 or do a deed which one could have wished otherwise." 
 " Everybody loved him," says another, " and every- 
 body spoke highly of his character and influence." 
 " He was one of those charming men," writes the Rev. 
 Evan Morgan, " that you occasionally meet with in 
 life; his personality and gifts had a great and at- 
 tractive beauty. He had unique opportunities, and 
 availed himself of them to the full." "He was 
 amongst the best of physicians, the most lovable of 
 men, a man without a critic, admired and loved by 
 all ; the most transparent of Christians, the hero of 
 the Revolution, the servant of Jesus Christ. His 
 memory will always remain as a fragrance, his in- 
 fluence an abiding element in our mission. What a 
 strong, manly physique was his, while his spiritual 
 life flowed in a deep strong current." 
 
 One of the outstanding features in the records 
 which we have been privileged to handle was his 
 yearning after the souls of men. Too many of us 
 are content to do our Christian work without the 
 definite aim and purpose which animated him. 
 Whether it was his personal attendant, " the boy," 
 who was " such a real Christian " ; or a poor beggar 
 who seemed to be awakening to a better life; or a 
 student that had undergone an operation; or some 
 soldiers; or the high official, whatever he did for 
 their physical v^ell-being was subordinate to a 
 
 i9 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 consuming desire to win each and all for Christ. 
 " Our concern," he writes, " about their sad physical 
 condition ought to make one feel that these folk are 
 living in just the same sad condition of spiritual 
 darkness when they might be enjoying so much light. 
 We get so concerned about what we see, but are so 
 callous about what we only conceive with the spiritual 
 vision. If we could only have a clearer spiritual 
 vision, we should see things which would make us 
 wake up a little more !" 
 
 Dr. Robertson's one aim was to find his all in 
 Christ. " One needs just to be wholly satisfied with 
 Him, then it does not matter where one is. One 
 sees some married folks so wholly satisfied with each 
 other. Someone recently said to me in a letter: 
 ' It is nice to find one's first thought is of another, and 
 not of one's miserable self.' I could not help feeling 
 that this ought to be one's relationship to our 
 Blessed Lord. To find our greatest joy in Him; to 
 think of Him first. This is the secret of real joy 
 and peace, and an even mind and temper in all 
 circumstances." 
 
 He was ever yearning after more spirituality and 
 a deeper experience of God. " I do want to get 
 things in their right perspective, to think more of 
 the real things, of the things that are well-pleasing 
 to Him. Even here it is easier to think more of what 
 one's fellows think, and to give oneself little pats on 
 the back. Oh the littleness of one's own heart ! May 
 Christ fill us with His gentleness, which can make 
 us great." He was also specially proficient in 
 the art of prayer and fellowship with God that 
 
 60 
 
On the Eve of the Great Revolution. 
 
 must have strangely moved and inspired his fellow- 
 missionaries. 
 
 The peace of God was with him: " What a won- 
 derful thing is the peace of God ! No wonder Paul 
 said of it, ' That passeth all understanding.' I had to 
 take the united prayer meeting yesterday, and took 
 that as my subject. I used to feel that if only we 
 could maintain our self-control so as to be always 
 even-tempered and calm, it would be good, but I 
 feel now that all that is given us by this wonderful 
 peace of God." This peace arose in part from his 
 habit of seeing the will of God in all the circum- 
 stances of his life. It was his habitual attitude. 
 " Sometime I must write out all the special provi- 
 dences and guidances that we have experienced. 
 People talk about coincidences, but when there is a 
 plan, there must be Someone to formulate the plan 
 and keep things up to time, and that is what I have 
 experienced right along the way — everything timed ! ' ' 
 
 We will conclude this chapter with a character 
 sketch from one who knew him intimately during 
 the earlier stages of his career in China : 
 
 " I think his chief characteristics were thorough- 
 ness, humility and teachableness, and a very real 
 inner life of communion with God, which, however, 
 he only spoke of at rare moments. 
 
 " His thoroughness was seen in everything he did. 
 He was as careful in treating the minor ailments of 
 the schoolboys as he was in a severe operation. 
 The same trait came out in his study of the language; 
 he was not content, as most are, to merely recognize 
 the complicated Chinese ' characters ' (ideographs), 
 
 6i 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 but set himself from the beginning to write them 
 from memory. He was thus able to write the whole 
 of his first language exam., and nearly all the second, 
 in ' character,' instead of using the ' romanized ' 
 spelling, as most of us do. 
 
 " He had the humility that so often accompanies 
 the highest attainments. In any hints or help given 
 in his study of Chinese, he never needed telling / 
 twice, but at once adopted the suggestion, and made / 
 it his own by use. The same trait came out in other 
 ways — for instance, in a letter he wrote to Mr. / 
 Shorrock, who was rather fagged at the time, and 
 in which he begged him to get rest and change, he 
 added: ' I would urge this, not so much from a 
 professional standpoint, but, if you will let me do so, 
 as a son, since you have allowed me to take thai 
 position in your home.' 
 
 " His inner Ufe was always deep, though there was 
 an utter absence of anything like ' cant ' ; and it 
 was, perhaps, the fear of this which kept him from 
 speaking of it much; when he did, it was always with 
 great diffidence, yet with intense reality. One or 
 two talks in the early days are very vivid to me, 
 especially one on the need, in a missionary's life, of 
 guarding against loss of power through lack of time 
 for prayer and communion. ' But,' he added, ' I 
 always feel there is need to guard against looking 
 upon a few moments of prayer as a sort of fetish ! 
 One is almost tempted to feel that the mere fact of 
 having prayed — perhaps very hurriedly — will keep 
 everything smooth and happy during the day, and 
 this seems almost to amount to something super 
 
 62 
 
On the Eve of the Great Revolution, 
 
 stitious !' During his first year he drew up a list 
 of subjects for daily prayer to be used by all our 
 Shensi staff, including all the stations in the province, 
 and the various departments of work, as well as the 
 workers in the other two provinces. At our weekly 
 prayer meeting he always tried to have some definite 
 requests for prayer ready, saying he felt we might 
 easily become vague and formal otherwise, and so 
 lose the stimulus, as well as the direct results, we 
 needed. Later, during the winter of the Revolu- 
 tion, he induced the hospital assistants to meet for 
 prayer constantly, with the result that many of them 
 were definitely led to decide for Christ, and others who 
 were already Christians were brought to live more 
 Christ-like lives, greatly to the efficiency and smooth 
 working of all the departments. The main object — 
 leading patients to Christ — was always before him, 
 and no professional keenness could damp his eager- 
 ness for this. His professional thoroughness some- 
 times made the difficulties of proper equipment on 
 the mission field very trying to bear. When he was 
 with the troops at the fighting front in December, 
 191 1, he wrote: ' It is hard to keep sweet with all 
 the conditions here, and the lack of any decently 
 prepared place to work in, as well as the lack of time 
 for quiet, or a quiet place to oneself !' During his 
 first months he had a teacher who took opium, and 
 was not at first willing to get rid of it. But Cecil 
 persuaded him to try, and spent much time and pains 
 in helping him, using his small stock of Chinese 
 meantime in helping the man to understand that 
 only Christ could bring him through such a trial. 
 
 63 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 He was always on the lookout for references in the 
 daily study — of New Testament or other books — 
 that might be utilized for this end. 
 
 " His unswerving devotion to duty was brought out 
 very clearly during the Revolution. He never had 
 a moment's hesitation about his duty to stay behind 
 when others left, and was ready at once when asked 
 to go out to places of difificulty and danger with the 
 troops. One of the trials he had to bear at the front 
 was being forced to retire with the army from a town 
 that the leaders abandoned before attack, though he 
 stayed to the last, and was quite prepared to remain 
 behind alone with the wounded. He was absolutely 
 unmovable when he had made up his mind that a 
 certain course was right, and we found this out very 
 clearly last June, when we were all preparing to go 
 down to the coast for a much-needed holiday. At 
 the last moment, only two or three days before we 
 were all to start, the plans that had been made for the 
 carrying on of the work in the hospital fell through; 
 others thought that the convalescents could do very 
 well for a few days in the care of the assistants, until 
 a substitute could arrive ; but he was not to be turned 
 aside, and stayed behind, at a considerable sacrifice 
 to himself, and much to our distress, as we feared 
 it would mean giving up his holiday altogether. 
 Afterwards we all came to see that he was right, and 
 the impression made by his staying on for those ten 
 days alone will not be lost." 
 
 64 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 A BRIEF VIEW OF THE REVOLUTION* 
 
 The main outlines of the Chinese Revolution of 
 1911-12 are known to all interested in that great 
 continent country. But whUe the eyes of the world 
 were fixed upon Peking and Wuchang, those of us 
 who were in far-inland provinces were experiencing 
 many of the horrors of war and anarchy little known 
 even by the outside world of China. It was with -a 
 good deal of surprise, therefore, that we read in a 
 leading Shanghai paper in the spring of 1912 of the 
 wonderfully " bloodless " Revolution that had taken 
 place, it being stated that only about 5,000 in all 
 had lost their lives ! The writer was in complete 
 ignorance of conditions inland, for in the province 
 of Shensi alone probably as many as 15,000 Manchus 
 perished during the last week in October, and it is 
 estimated that an equal number of Chinese were 
 killed during the fighting that followed the first out- 
 break, making a death-roll for that one province 
 alone of 30,000 ! 
 
 Shensi, the province that lies " West of the Pass," 
 as its name denotes, is reached by a long journey of 
 some 1,500 mUes from the coast, and is on the high- 
 way between Peking and Thibet. To the west, only 
 
 * Contributed by Mrs. Shorrock.— F. B. M. 
 65 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 Kansu separates it from the Great Closed Land. On 
 its eastern borders, beyond which lies the province 
 of Honan, stands the fortress of T'ung Kuan, rightly 
 called the " Key to Shensi "—Sianfu, the wealthy 
 capital, being the lock which the key opens. Chinese 
 travellers from the coast speak of entering " the land 
 of barbarians " when they pass through its forbidding 
 gates, and leave behind many of the amenities of 
 semi-foreignized China, such as electric light and 
 macadamized roads, railways, and rickshas. Yet 
 to those of us who have made our home there for 
 many years, and to the natives of the province, it is 
 a pleasant land. The climate is much like that of 
 Canada, the dryness making the extremes of heat 
 and cold comparatively easy to bear. The soil is 
 fertile, and except when drought prevails, two har- 
 vests in the year may be regularly reaped from the 
 same land. The staple crops are wheat, cotton, 
 millet, and, until the prohibitive campaign of recent 
 years, opium, which is the most lucrative of all, 
 and was widely grown for export to Shantung and 
 other coast provinces. 
 
 Shensi is rightly looked upon as the cradle of the 
 Chinese race ; and the tomb of the my4;hical Fu Hsi 
 is said to be amongst the Northern Hills. From 
 time immemorial the province has been the scene 
 of rebellion and bloodshed, of devastating flood and 
 famine. The capital, Sianfu, " the City of Western 
 Peace," is the metropolis of North- West China, and 
 teems with busy throngs of merchants and travellers. 
 At the beginning of the Christian era it was the 
 capital of the Empire, and it was to this historic city 
 
 66 
 
A Brief View of the Revolution. 
 
 that the Manchu Court fled in 1900, when the 
 avenging armies of the West entered Peking after 
 the Boxer outrages. Sianfu has the honour to 
 contain the oldest monument to Christianity to be 
 found in China— the celebrated Nestorian Tablet, 
 which was erected in the seventh century, and 
 unearthed a thousand years later, outside the West 
 Gate. It has now a place of honour in the Hall of 
 Tablets in Sianfu, amongst other relics equally 
 venerable, though none of greater interest to the 
 student of Christian missions. At the present time 
 Sianfu is one of the most important and most cos- 
 mopoUtan cities in all China. In its crowded 
 thoroughfares one may meet men from every one 
 of the eighteen provinces, and for the last 200 years 
 it has been specially remarkable for its large Manchu 
 population, which probably reached the number of 
 20,000. Amongst these were many retired ofi&cials, 
 who, after amassing considerable wealth — generally 
 at the expense of those over whom they ruled — 
 made their homes amongst their own people, within 
 the Manchu precincts, the walls of which enclosed 
 nearly one-third of the whole city of Sianfu. 
 
 It is striking to note that the ultimate cause which 
 brought the Manchus to China in the seventeenth 
 century was the success of a Shensi rebel leader, who, 
 after repeated victories over the Imperial troops, 
 actually found himself in possession of Peking, the 
 ruling Emperor — the last of the Ming dynasty — 
 having committed suicide at his approach. It was 
 to oust this man and to reinstate the Mings that the 
 Manchus were invited to come to the help of the loyal 
 
 67 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 remnant; and having helped successfully, they re- 
 solved to remain as rulers ! Remembering this, 
 there is some irony in the story of the Revolution 
 of 1911 in Shensi, and the dire punishment meted 
 out there to the descendants of these same Manchus 
 who triumphed 260 years earlier over the usurper 
 from the far west. 
 
 The news of the Revolution which began in 
 Wuchang on October 10, 1911, reached us in Sianfu 
 on the 15th, and a week later the storm broke there 
 also. At noon on Sunday, October 22, the Chinese 
 troops, led by Revolutionaries, poured into the city 
 from the barracks outside the West Suburb, and 
 secured and closed the four great city gates. The 
 next step was to seize the arsenal, where a large 
 consignment of modem quick-firing rifles was waiting 
 for distribution to the Manchu garrison, who were to 
 have received them only four days later ! These were 
 now dealt out, not only to the rebel soldiers, of whom 
 there were only about 1,500, but to all and sundry 
 — common citizens, released prisoners, the usually 
 feared and distrusted Mohammedans, even the 
 beggars on the streets — to anyone, in fact, who would 
 go and fight the hated Manchus. Having obtained 
 their weapons, many made full use of the opportunity 
 thus given them of paying off old scores, and of 
 enriching themselves at the expense of their fellow- 
 citizens ; and in a short time the whole city was given 
 up to looting and violence. 
 
 Banks and business houses suffered alike, and it 
 is estimated that in one street alone 4,000,000 taels 
 (about ;f5oo,ooo) were stolen on the first night. Had 
 
 68 
 
A Brief View of the Revolution. 
 
 some plan of guarding the banks been devised at 
 the beginning, the provincial exchequer would have 
 been well supplied, and the authorities saved from 
 the great straits they were afterwards put to for 
 want of money ; but the inexperience of the leaders — 
 most of them very young, and many of them still in 
 their student days — and the suddenness of the out- 
 break at the last, were responsible for this mistake, 
 as well as for others that had more serious conse- 
 quences, and might have been avoided by a little 
 more forethought during the early hours of the 
 Revolution. 
 
 Meanwhile, in the Manchu quarter, which occupied 
 the north-east portion of the city, the garrison, though 
 it numbered 5,000 trained men, was speedily over- 
 come, for they were armed only with obsolete 
 weapons, and were powerless to defend themselves 
 against the new magazine rifles in the hands of the 
 Revolutionaries. The whole Manchu city was soon 
 in flames, and then for days followed a wholesale 
 massacre of men, women, and children, the story of 
 which is too horrible to detail. Nor should it be laid 
 to the door of the Revolutionary party proper. 
 Shensi is one of the strongholds of the Ko Lao Hui, 
 or " Ancient Society of Brethren," a secret society 
 having as its avowed object the overthrow of the 
 Manchu dynasty, and incidentally the expulsion of 
 all foreigners from the Celestial Empire, the term 
 " foreigner " being applied indiscriminately to all 
 non-Chinese residents, of whatever nationality. 
 Though primarily a patriotic association, it had fallen 
 greatly from the original high ideals of its founders 
 
 69 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 and earlier inembers,'and in Shensi at least the name 
 of " Ko Lao Hui " has long been a synonjmi for 
 robbery and violence of every description, and has 
 struck terror to the minds of the peasantry. The 
 overwhelming numbers of these " Brethren " greatly 
 embarrassed the genuine Revolutionaries, known as 
 the " Ke Ming Tang," though the latter, being 
 comparatively few in number, could not hope to be 
 successful without the help of the Ko Lao Hui. But 
 they had not realized the bitterness of hatred to the 
 foreigner and to the Manchu rulers which was inbred 
 in the " Brethren," and which had been encouraged 
 by them in the common people throughout the 
 province. To this factor must be attributed the 
 brutal massacre of the helpless Manchus, as well as 
 the attack on one of the mission houses outside 
 Sianfu, where six Swedish children and two adults 
 were done to death. Other foreigners were in great 
 danger for a time, and the marvel is that no further 
 casualties occurred during the time of anarchy that 
 followed throughout the whole province. Later on, 
 after the first heat of mad revenge had passed, and 
 more merciful counsels prevailed, a compromise was 
 arrived at between the two parties, and the " Breth- 
 ren " agreed to subscribe to the general programme 
 of the Revolution, as drawn up for the whole of China, 
 and to declare themselves thereby the friends of 
 foreigners. Henceforth we were protected by Ke 
 Ming Tang and Ko Lao Hui alike, the two parties 
 vying with one another in their desire to be- 
 friend and help us, and even to shower honours 
 upon us ! 
 
 70 
 
A Brief View of the Revolution. 
 
 When a few weeks later rumours of the state of 
 affairs in Shensi, and the danger of the foreigners 
 there, reached the coast, a band of nine young men, 
 consisting of seven Britons, one American, and 
 one Swede, and since known as the " Shensi Relief 
 Expedition," left Peking at the end of November, 
 and just after Christmas arrived in Sianfu, bringing 
 with them several families who had been isolated 
 for nearly two months in the north of the province. 
 They expected to take all of us to the coast, and 
 many were the protests when it was found that 
 some had no wish to be so rescued, but were deter- 
 mined to remain behind. In the end a party of 
 forty-one foreigners started for Peking on January 4, 
 leaving in Sianfu a little band of five workers (three 
 men and two women), and two children. 
 
 The story of the six months that followed their 
 departure cannot be told in full here. But those of 
 us who remained behind will never forget the ex- 
 periences of those days, nor cease to be thankful 
 that we were allowed to stay on, and do what little 
 we could to help those who suffered. We were able 
 to give immediate relief to the survivors of the 
 Manchus, now homeless and destitute. The ma- 
 jority of these were old women, who had formerly 
 been in afHuent circumstances, and had never known 
 a want in all their lives. The heart-breaking scenes 
 we saw, and the piteous tales we heard, will never 
 fade from our minds, nor the remembrance that 
 through our presence a large proportion of the two 
 or three thousand survivors were relieved, and the 
 authorities finally persuaded to make some tardy 
 
 71 6 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 provision for their needs, though this did not come 
 to pass till the following May, after a long winter 
 of suffering and privation, when only the foreigners 
 dared give them help or shelter. The most pathetic 
 moment came just before we left last June, when 
 nearly 200 of these poor Manchus presented us with 
 a banner, bought out of the pittance they had 
 begged on the streets for their daily food, and in- 
 scribed with words of gratitude for the help given 
 in their hour of need. 
 
 The first result of the overthrow of all authority 
 in Sianfu was a reign of terror throughout the 
 countryside. In the general anarchy that followed, 
 might was right, and deeds of violence were com- 
 mitted on all sides. Then a new danger appeared 
 in the approach of two Imperial armies, which 
 poured into the province to avenge the slaughter 
 of the Manchus and reduce Shensi to subjection. 
 From the east, Yiian Shih K'ai (then acting for the 
 Manchu Government) sent a force of 10,000 foreign- 
 drilled troops, splendidly equipped with the latest 
 thing in modern rifles and artillery. From the west 
 came a composite army of Mohammedans, Manchus, 
 and Chinese, later reinforced by hordes of semi- 
 civilized tribes from beyond the Great Wall — in all 
 numbering 20,000 by the end of February — and led 
 by a Manchu, late Viceroy of Shensi and Kansu, 
 whose mansion in Sianfu had been reduced to ruins, 
 and whose heart was filled with revenge. To meet 
 these enemies on east and west, the Shensi leaders 
 set about enlisting all and sundry, and before long 
 an army — of sorts ! — was despatched to the east, 
 
 72 
 
A Brief View of the Revolution. 
 
 and another westwards, to stem the incoming tide 
 of invasion. But what a rabble they were ! — a 
 sprinkling of older troops, with whole regiments of 
 lads who had never held a gun, and had first to be 
 shown what to do with their weapons; and others 
 composed of the scvmi of the population, the ne'er- 
 do-weels, many of them outlaws from other pro- 
 vinces, all of them " Brethren," who had been a 
 terror to all law-abiding citizens, and were now 
 given a chance to prove themselves honest fighters. 
 And to their credit be it said, these men were more 
 than once the saving of the situation, for they 
 proved veritable " die-hards." Armed often with 
 nothing better than chaff-cutters, sickles, or any old 
 knives or spears they could get hold of, they braved 
 the fire of the enemy, and, getting to close quarters 
 where rifles were useless, did deadly havoc with 
 their primitive weapons, and won hard-fought 
 victories many times. How the Imperials were 
 held at bay so long by such a crowd wUl always be 
 a mystery. But it was not to be expected that such 
 a state of affairs could last long; step by step the 
 enemy closed in on both sides, tUl in their extremity 
 the Shensi leaders had almost decided to set fire to 
 Sianfu and escape to the hills, leaving the helpless 
 inhabitants to fend for themselves. Then suddenly 
 came the news of the abdication of the Manchu 
 Emperor, and the proclamation of the Republic 
 on February i8, 1912. Yiian's eastern army, now 
 that peace was made, was at once withdrawn; but 
 the western invaders were not to be so easily moved^ 
 Their Manchu commander, Sheng Yiin, was bent on 
 
 73 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 revenge, and would believe in no news that came 
 through Shensi, which he looked upon as a den of 
 thieves and robbers ! 
 
 At this juncture, one of the missionaries* remaining 
 in Sianfu (who had been able to help the new Govern- 
 ment already in many ways, and had their full 
 confidence and respect), with their consent, wrote 
 letters to the Manchu Commander-in-Chief, and to 
 five of his leading Generals, telling them that peace 
 was proclaimed, and begging them in the name of 
 humanity to desist from the now hopeless struggle. 
 At the same time he wired through the British 
 Minister in Peking to Yiian Shih K'ai (now the 
 Provisional President of the new Republic) , inform- 
 ing him of the acute danger threatening Sianfu 
 from the west, and offering to forward any messages 
 he might send for the Manchu General. The reply 
 came in the form of a lengthy telegram of nearly 
 1,000 words, to be sent on to Sheng Yiin, imploring 
 him to cease fighting; and this appeal was further 
 backed up by the return of the army which had until 
 lately been attacking Shensi from the east — the 
 Commander, General Chao, being ordered to bring 
 Sheng Yiin to terms, if not by peaceable means, then 
 by force ! As a result of these drastic measures, 
 hostilities finally ceased about the middle of March, 
 although Sheng Yiin to the end remained implacable, 
 
 * Mr. Shorrock. One of the compensations for the non- 
 participation in the benefit of the Relief Expedition was 
 the fact that this veteran missionary was able to com- 
 municate directly with Sir John Jordan, H.M. Minister at 
 Pekin, and that in answer to his urgent appeal the 
 President, Yiian Shih K'ai, was able to send back the army 
 to save the city of Sianfu from being sacked. 
 
 74 
 
A Brief View of the Revolution. 
 
 and finally retired to Kansu, where he is probably 
 still nursing his revenge. 
 
 During all these months of fighting the English 
 doctors rendered splendid service to the wounded 
 soldiers, who were brought in from the east and 
 west in large numbers. Both doctors, at first, went 
 to the front; but finding the dilSiculties — lack of 
 proper premises and equipment, etc. — too great to 
 cope with, they returned to the city, leaving their 
 assistants at the front to attend to and send on the 
 more urgent cases, which could only be satisfactorily 
 treated in the Sianfu Hospital. Here the numbers 
 grew so rapidly that by March over 600 patients 
 were crowded into the hospital and six other build- 
 ings, commandeered by the authorities and placed 
 at the disposal of the doctors. Between 2,000 and 
 3,000 wounded passed through the hospital as in- 
 patients during the war, besides the large numbers 
 treated outside; and all this work was done by two 
 medical men, who had not a single qualified assistant 
 on their staff ! Those were the days of makeshifts, 
 when stable-boys, cooks, and coolies were all pressed 
 into the service, and developed varying gifts, one 
 becoming a clever anaesthetist, another proving 
 specially skilful in treating burns, and so on ! Dur- 
 ing this time of stress and hard work, the doctors 
 were ably backed up by the Chinese Red Cross 
 Society, as well as by the War Ofiice authorities, 
 whose co-operation made possible the great work 
 of mercy that was carried on throughout the early 
 part of 1912, and still continues in a permanent 
 refuge (known amongst the foreign community now 
 
 75 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 as the " Chelsea Hospital "), where 200 men, hope- 
 lessly disabled, have found a home, and are being 
 helped to learn some means of gaining a livelihood. 
 The Chinese do not forget those who have stood 
 by them in their time of need. When, at the end 
 of June last year, the five of us who had remained 
 in Shensi throughout the Revolution were starting 
 for a much-needed holiday at the coast, we were 
 hardly prepared for the public demonstration that 
 took place. The Government insisted on supplying 
 our mule-Utters and pajdng all our expenses to 
 Hankow — a journey of twelve or fourteen days. 
 The military band played us out of the city; repre- 
 sentatives of every department — military and civil 
 — were assembled outside the gates to bid us fare- 
 well; troops were lined up on either side of the road 
 at the salute, a detachment escorting us on our 
 way; and so we left, as the honoured guests and 
 friends of the Shensi Government. As we travelled 
 along the hot roads day after day, the best accommo- 
 dation that each place could provide was ready for 
 us, for none of which we were allowed to pay, and — 
 perhaps the most striking of all — not a soldier or 
 servant could be persuaded to accept a single cash 
 for his services ! Such an experience is unique, 
 and made us realize that the months of toil and 
 danger had not been in vain, but will surely bear 
 fruit in days to come. 
 
 76 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE OUTBREAK OF THE REVOLUTION 
 
 It was Sunday morning, October 22, 1911, after 
 penning the paragraph on p. 58, that Dr. Robertson 
 rode out to visit a patient in the East Suburb. He 
 intended to be back in a couple of hours. (We 
 borrow here from Mr. Keyte's vivid pages in his 
 fascinating book, " The Passing of the Dragon."*) 
 It was a perfect day — the still, crisp, cloudless day 
 of North-West China. The old city was at its best. 
 The food-sellers were doing a brisk trade as they sat 
 on their tiny stools at the wayside, moving the 
 sizzling rice in its pan, and ladling out the soup. 
 It was all so prosperous, so comfortable, so mildly 
 busy. Presently he reached the East Gate, where a 
 few soldiers loitered. To the north-west of the gate 
 stretched the Manchu city, with its wide, healthy 
 spaces, its lovely gardens, its grand old trees. From 
 the east came the freshness of the open country. 
 Altogether it was good to be alive. The Sabbath 
 beauty seemed to fall upon the scene. It was so 
 far removed from strife. That there was fighting 
 going on down in Hupeh they knew, but Hankow 
 was far away, in the region of warships, railways, 
 and field batteries. Up here in this old-world city 
 * Hodder and Stoughton, Londqu. 
 77 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 they were surely beyond such strife. When Peking 
 and Hankow and Canton had fought it out, then 
 Sianfu, hearing of some changed Government, might 
 pay her taxes to a new receiver; the long-promised 
 railway might come the sooner, and real reforms 
 might be undertaken. In the meanwhile Sianfu 
 was steeped in the drowsy sunshine. So the doctor 
 jogged through the gate to visit his patient in the 
 East Suburb. But half an hour later Chang Pei 
 Ying had made his raid on the magazine, the first 
 shot had been fired in Shensi's revolt, the only way 
 by which Dr. Cecil could regain his hospita| in the 
 city would be by being hauled over the will, and 
 there was an end of peace for many a long day. 
 
 What followed is best described in Dr. Robertson's 
 letter of October 25 to his mother: 
 
 On Saturday and Sunday morning all was quiet. 
 The Charters' little baby had been very ill, and we 
 were very anxious about her. I did not go to the 
 morning service, as I wanted to see the little one 
 again, and go out to the East Suburb to see Miss 
 Beckingsale and the opium patients, returning to 
 the city as soon as possible. As I rode out all was 
 quiet and peaceful, and there was no sign of trouble, 
 though it was very curious that a passing thought 
 crossed my mind as I passed along, how dreadful it 
 would be if this lovely Sunday morning were dis- 
 turbed by fighting. It was only a passing fancy, 
 and I thought no more of it. I had not been in the 
 East Suburb more than half an hour when we heard 
 that the soldiers had captured the arsenal, and that 
 
 78 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 the gates were shut; also that all the tradespeople 
 had closed their gates. We immediately conferred 
 together as to what to do, our first step being to 
 try to send home the girls of the Girls' School. No 
 one, however, would hire out carts, and there was 
 nothing to do but to wait ; also there was no method 
 for the foreigners to get away, even if we wanted 
 to do so. We had, however, no intention of so 
 doing while the Girls' School was on our hands. 
 We therefore remained quietly where we were, 
 AU that afternoon and night there was firing in the 
 city, and we could see the flames and smoke of 
 buildings that were being burned. We sent a man 
 out to find out what the West Suburb was like, 
 because the soldiers' barracks are there. He did not 
 return that evening. I should have added that the 
 fires inside the city came only from the Manchu part 
 of the city, the north-east quadrant. 
 
 The next morning the man returned, saying that 
 the West Gate was open, and that all was quiet in 
 the West Suburb and west part of the city. We 
 had rumours also that Mr. Henne, the postmaster, 
 had been killed. This proved to be false, but he 
 had received an injury, the extent of which I do not 
 know at the time of writing, but will add later. 
 We also had news that a foreign building had been 
 burned in the South Suburb. There are only two 
 foreign buildings in the South Suburb, one of which 
 is that in which some of the Swedish Mission five. 
 We sent at once to find out the truth of this. In 
 the meantime we consulted together with one or 
 two of the Chinese teachers and evangelists, especially 
 
 79 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 with Chow, whose photo I sent you, and who has 
 been a great stand-by the whole time. They strongly 
 advised us to go away to some neighbouring village 
 until the evening, when, if all was quiet, they would 
 give us word and we could return. I should say 
 also that their advice was first to send away the 
 girls in batches, some to their homes and some to 
 neighbouring villages. You must understand that 
 all this was not easy, for it meant suitable escort — 
 one or more reliable married or elderly men with 
 each batch. We foreigners were against this, but 
 native opinion was so strong that we gave in. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Donald Smith went with one batch, and 
 various Chinese men went with others, in batches of 
 five or six. 
 
 After all had gone away, the rest of us departed: 
 Mr. Ellison and Mr. Stanley with their teacher first, 
 and Stanley's horse carr57ing a few things; after- 
 wards Miss Turner, Miss Thomas, Miss Beckingsale, 
 and myself. Miss Beckingsale was on my horse. 
 She was still convalescent from her recent illness. 
 We took with us all the silver we had, amounting 
 to between £40 and £50. Just as we were starting 
 the messengers sent to the South Suburb returned, 
 sa5dng that five of the foreigners had been killed. 
 This seemed to confirm our plans as being the right 
 ones to adopt. I cannot tell you the exact feeling 
 I had as we started out. I felt calm and collected 
 in a measure, but I find it difficult to describe the 
 feelings that filled my heart. However, before long 
 there was only the sense of peace in the knowledge 
 that I was a child of God and a servant of Jesus 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 Christ. We had gone about three or four U, and 
 were approaching the village, when we saw a large 
 number of the villagers coming out to meet us, and 
 not looking very friendly. We skirted the north 
 of the village, and before long caught sight of Mr. 
 Ellison and Mr. Stanley about 150 yards away. 
 Then we saw some of the villagers seize Mr. Stanley's 
 horse and fight for the contents of the bag on his 
 horse. Then the man who had seized his horse 
 galloped across to us, in a rough way ordering Miss 
 Beckingsale to get off my horse, which she did as 
 quickly as she could. They then took my horse 
 and clamoured and fought together for the things 
 we were carrying. Finally, they ordered me to 
 return to the East Suburb, and there was no help 
 for it. We tried to talk peaceably with them, but 
 they would not let us go on. We therefore went 
 along slowly back, being followed by the crowd 
 of at least 60 to 100. We had previously heard a 
 rumour that the East Gates were to be opened 
 at midday, and that the Revolutionaries were 
 coming out to sack our place and presumably kill 
 the foreigners. It seemed, therefore, in view of 
 what had happened to the people in the South 
 Suburb, that we were returning to certain death. 
 I had never faced death before, and even then I 
 could not realize it, and thought about you and 
 darling Grace as I walked back, and cotild hardly 
 realize that very likely I should never see you all 
 again. However, we all walked quietly back, the 
 crowd hanging back after a little while. I should 
 have said that they first of all searched our persons, 
 
 8i 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 and took all the silver and most of the belongings 
 we were carr37ing. The only thing of any moment 
 that any of us suffered was that after the crowd 
 had dropped behind some way, one of the men came 
 galloping up behind us, right into our midst, and 
 knocked Miss Beckingsale over. Fortunately, how- 
 ever, she was not seriously hurt, and was able to 
 come on with us. The two men, who seemed to be 
 the leaders, rode right on into the suburb, and we 
 followed, going straight back to our house. 
 
 We waited there for about one and three-quarter 
 hours, expecting all the while that the soldiers 
 wovild be coming. About an hour after, we heard 
 that the soldiers had entered the suburb. We 
 therefore had prayer and reading together, and were 
 all wonderfully calm. I was especially struck with 
 the attitude of the ladies. While we were reading 
 news came that the report was false. We soon 
 learned, however, that the two men who had ridden 
 our horses into the suburb had gone on to the foot of 
 the wall, telling those on the top of the wall what 
 they had done. The officer on the wall, however, 
 told them that they mtist on no account do any 
 damage to the foreigners, and must return our 
 things. We have since learned that these men 
 belonged to a society, the purpose of which is to 
 enrich themselves, and it was only by large offers 
 from the officers on the wall that they withheld their 
 hand from the East Submrb. 
 
 * 4: * * H: 
 
 Another account of that experience is as follows: 
 " Of the rest of that walk home I can say but 
 
 82 
 
The Outbreak, of the Revolution. 
 
 little. It was an inexpressibly solemn time. We 
 hardly spoke, and we felt that we should soon be 
 done with this world. By the time our gate was 
 reached only a few of the most violent of the crowd 
 were following. We all went to the house occupied 
 by Ellison and Stanley, and then ensued the most 
 trying time of ail, sitting for an hour and a half 
 awaiting the return of the crowd which would seal 
 our doom. We took some milk and biscuits, as we 
 had eaten nothing since 8.0 a.m. and it was now 
 past one o'clock. Kneeling down, we committed 
 ourselves to God's hands. Rising from our knees, 
 two of our number made our wills, and gave them 
 into the hands of our small serving-boy, who stood 
 by, his tears rolling down his cheeks. Dr. Robertson 
 wrote a brief account of what had happened to the 
 London Secretary of the Mission. These last'duties 
 finished, we sat down to await the end. Dr. Robert- 
 son read some comforting passages of Scripture, 
 notably John xiv. Finally he ceased, and we sat 
 in silence. God at this time put a wonderful peace 
 into our hearts. No fear, only sorrow that our 
 service was so soon ended. No dread, for should 
 we not soon see Him face to face ! We thought of 
 home, and loved ones, and the possible manner of 
 our death, and of the home to which ''we 'were 
 speedily going. At the end of an hour and a half 
 our servant came rushing back, saying that the 
 soldiers were shouting from the walls that we must 
 be protected; and the tears that never came at the 
 thought of death brimmed in our eyes at the thought 
 of release and liberty. 
 
 83 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 " This evening one of the hospital assistants 
 turned up. He was let down over the city wall by 
 four soldiers to fetch Dr. Robertson. He felt it his 
 duty to be there, and hurried off to be drawn up 
 before dark. We have all been very happy in 
 mutual support and companionship, and Dr. 
 Robertson has been a tower of strength to us all. 
 It was rather hard to spare him, as he has been 
 our leader and chief stand-by." 
 
 S|C 3|C 9|S «|C ^S 
 
 We will now resimie Dr. Robertson's own ac- 
 count : 
 
 Later on that afternoon, towards dark, we heard 
 that the Rev. and Mrs. Donald Smith had been 
 found, and were being brought in. They had 
 fared worse than we had, having been surrounded 
 by a mob and badly beaten. Mr. Smith had both 
 his arms broken, besides wounds of head and leg, 
 in addition to many bruises. Mrs. Smith, too, 
 suffered not a little on her own account, but I 
 expect more through seeing Mr. Smith beaten in 
 that way. They were attacked once, and then 
 allowed to sit down for a while. Later on they were 
 attacked again, and again left. Then some of our 
 boys found them, and were able to bring them back 
 to us. It has been interesting to notice which of 
 our boys have remained staunch, and which have 
 left us ; among the former is that boy whom I caught 
 trjdng to steal some of my things last year. When 
 the Smiths came along, I was able to help them, 
 and one began to see God's purpose in getting me 
 
 84 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 out to the East Suburb just before the gate was 
 closed, so that I was prevented from returning. 
 
 That evening we all remained at the Bachelor 
 House, but the next afternoon the ladies and Smiths 
 moved up to the B.Z.M. House, which is only separ- 
 ated by the churchyard from the Bachelors'. I also 
 went up there to look after Mr. Smith, who could do 
 nothing for himself. During that day some of the 
 gentry in the T'ung Kuan paid us a visit, sajmig 
 that they were doing all in their power to protect 
 us. They sent twenty armed men to specially patrol 
 our street, and distributed others throughout the 
 East Suburb, the special fear being of robbers and 
 bad characters from outside. However, though we 
 had many alarming reports, none of them came true. 
 
 The next day everything continued as before, 
 except that we heard that the Manchus were over- 
 come, and the city was in the hands of the reformers. 
 The gate was stiU not open, but the firing was less. 
 Just as we were having tea, a messenger came to 
 say that our head assistant had come along to fetch 
 me into the city, as there were so many wounded, 
 and Dr. Charter was alone at the hospital. So, 
 after a little consultation with the others, I decided 
 to go in; but as the gates were closed, I had to be 
 hauled up the wall by a rope. It was a weird ex- 
 perience, for it is a pretty high wall. Needless to 
 say, the inhabitants of the East Suburb were all 
 very interested. From the inside of the gate to the 
 hospital I was accompanied by four soldiers. On 
 the way I was taken to the ammunition stores to 
 see the head man, but he was not there. We after- 
 
 85 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 wards met him and two of our business managers — 
 one from the hospital and the other of the East 
 Suburb — and I was able to tell them about affairs 
 in the East Suburb, and next day soldiers were sent 
 out to protect them. I need not dwell on the un- 
 pleasant sights, but it is needless to say that the 
 city presented a very different aspect from that when 
 I left it. Shops all closed, soldiers on foot and horse 
 getting about on their various errands. I was glad 
 to get back to the hospital. I found that the 
 Charters' Uttle baby had died the night before. 
 The story they had to tell I must try to give you 
 later, but will now continue with events as they 
 have affected me during the last week. 
 
 November i. — We have been very busy with the 
 wounded soldiers and others. Many of the wounds 
 we have attended to are the result of not knowing 
 how to use a rifle. We have had a lot of soldiers as 
 patients, for we were well known amongst them. 
 The thing that has been most dreadful is to see the 
 little children who have suffered. One little chap 
 of twelve with whom I was much taken had terrible 
 injuries. He has died. Oh, war is horrible ! Now 
 we are receiving people who were wounded at the 
 beginning, but who could not, or would not, come 
 at first. Their wounds are in a horribly filthy con- 
 dition. I have seen more terrible things this last 
 ten days than I have seen in all my previous ex- 
 perience, and the trying part has been our absolute 
 inability to cope adequately with the amount of 
 work, especially in the way of nursing, for which 
 we have practically no provision. 
 
 86 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 On Thursday evening, after I had got to bed for 
 about half an hour, I was called up to go to the 
 Provincial College, which is only about two minutes 
 ofi. Here I found I had been summoned to see the 
 former Provincial Treasurer, the second official of 
 the province. He is not a Manchu, but he had 
 tried to take his life with a rifle. He had been 
 found that evening, and brought to this college, 
 which just now is the seat of Government. I sent 
 for one of our boys to bring instruments and chloro- 
 form; was able to extract the bullet, and I think 
 he will get better. While there I met the man who 
 is now acting as Governor, so I had the opportunity 
 of speaking somewhat of our affairs. I have met 
 him once or twice since. On each occasion he has 
 been most anxious to show his concern about the 
 safety and well-being of the foreigners. I am going 
 each day to see my patient at the college. 
 
 We have been anxious concerning the safety of 
 the Shorrocks at Fu Yin Ts'un, and of the Youngs, 
 who are on their way back from Suite-chow, having 
 left Yenanfu on October 23. We sent word to the 
 Governor about them, and he said that he had de- 
 spatched 100 soldiers to San Yuan to protect and 
 escort them down; but I am afraid that all he has 
 told us in this way has not been carried out. The 
 country is by no means a safe place just now, there 
 being no Government. Robbers take their oppor- 
 tunity, and make the most of it. The Shorrocks 
 are being guarded by 100 men of the village night 
 and day, and from what we hear from them by 
 letters it is quite necessary. 
 
 87 7 
 
€«cil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 I must go on with my story another day. I want 
 to have a Uttle reading and meditation this evening 
 before retiring. There has been so Uttle time for it 
 these few days, and I do not want to lose the lessons 
 that God has to teach me in all this. I think there 
 is not one of us but has felt Him to be wonderfully 
 near, and having proved once what He could be to 
 us when we were face to face with death — ^in thought, 
 if not in actuality— it gives confidence in Him for 
 the future. Oh that we may trust Him fully, and 
 be more useful as the result of this ! 
 
 November 2, Sianfu. — I will now try to tell you 
 as far as I can what took place inside the city. It 
 so happened that on the first day of this Chinese 
 month there was an eclipse of the sun here. Whether 
 they purposely arranged to break out on that day 
 on that account I cannot say, but the eclipse took 
 place about 10.30, and the trouble broke out about 
 twelve o'clock. The soldiers first took the arsenal, 
 and gave out arms and ammunition to everyone who 
 was wiUing to join them, their badge being white. It 
 was unfortunate that they had not adopted a more 
 distinctive badge, for many bad characters put on 
 a white badge, obtained arms, and used them only 
 to rob and loot. I cannot tell you just now when 
 the attack on the Manchu part of the city first 
 began, but it must have commenced soon after, and 
 continued more or less incessantly until Wednesday 
 morning, when the work was practically finished. 
 The object of the Revolutionaries was to exterminate 
 the Manchus — man, woman, and child. After Wed- 
 nesday they ceased killing the women and girls, but 
 
 88 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 continued to seek out the males. The position of 
 the Manchus was absolutely hopeless from the start. 
 Though they live in a separate quarter of the city, 
 they are not enclosed by a wall; and though every 
 Manchu man is a soldier, they are soldiers of the old 
 type, and armed with very inferior weapons, thei 
 rifles being able to fire only once to the new troops' 
 five times; therefore, though there were 5,000 
 Manchus, they could do little. The Chinese fired 
 their houses, and then kiUed all they could while 
 they were escaping. Many of the Manchus climbed 
 up the city wall and dropped down the other side, 
 some to become badly maimed, others to be killed, 
 and perhaps a few to escape. Many took their lives 
 either by jumping down wells or by hanging them- 
 selves. This was especially the case with the 
 women. It is rumoured that there are still very 
 many Manchus in hiding, and that is not unlikely. 
 The soldiers were allowed to take anything they 
 chose from the Manchu city, and when I passed 
 through the city three days ago there were plenty 
 of beautiful silk garments lined with fine furs on the 
 backs of the soldiers, who in consequence presented 
 quite a picturesque appearance. A large number 
 of people have received injuries owing to the Manchus 
 hiding their gunpowder underground, so that there 
 were sudden explosions in the burning houses, with 
 no previous warning, and many persons who were 
 seeking spoil have been severely burned. We have 
 had several brought to the hospital suffering from 
 burns in this way. One man came in almost naked, 
 having had practically all his clothes burned off him. 
 
 89 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 On the second or third day a proclamation was 
 issued, the main purport of which was to " raise the 
 Chinese and destroy the Manchus," also " protect 
 the merchants, the foreigners, and churches of the 
 people." Since then a temporary system of policing 
 the streets has been established, and every house- 
 hold is expected to provide a night-watchman at 
 night. The new authorities are also doing their 
 utmost to seek out those who looted the shops on 
 the first two days. They have already discovered a 
 large number, all of whom are being very summarily 
 dealt with. However, despite all this, it is still the 
 reign of the soldiers, and while soldiers are looking 
 after things, it is scarcely likely that there will be 
 real peace and safety for the average commoner in 
 canying on his daUy avocation. The majority of 
 them have been going about lately with drawn 
 swords, and not a few innocent persons have suf- 
 fered at their hands. 
 
 There must have been a frightful slaughter of the 
 Manchus. I expect that foreign countries will be 
 horrified when they hear the tidings. It is Eastern, 
 but it is horrible. The doctrine of " no quarter " 
 is so absolutely foreign to the Western mind, and 
 many scores of able and good men must have been 
 killed. There are many thinking men who, though 
 they dare not say it in public, yet feel that the affair 
 has been altogether too severe, and that if people 
 were willing to submit, their lives should have been 
 spared. One man told me that there had been 
 nothing like this in all the past history of China. 
 I heard the following of one of the leading pro- 
 go 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 fessors: He was a Manchu, had always treated his 
 pupils well, and was weU liked by them — indeed, 
 was on intimate terms with many. He had been in 
 Japan at the same college with the man who is the 
 head of the movement here; He therefore went to 
 this man, who protected him for two days; but 
 then the authorities moved his headquarters, and 
 another man took his place. This latter man had 
 also been formerly on friendly terms with the 
 Manchu official. He treated him, however, as if 
 he did not recognize him, asked him who he was, 
 and, directly he opened his mouth, showing by his 
 speech that he was a Manchu, ordered his men to kill 
 him. This is the sort of thing that makes one sick 
 at heart. China has none too many good men to 
 kill them so ruthlessly, and if they were willing to 
 submit to the new Government, why kiU them ? 
 
 One cannot help wondering what wiU ultimately 
 happen. Will the new men be able to manage 
 affairs ? They are all, or nearly all, very young 
 men — e.g., the head of the Foreign Office here is 
 only twenty-one, and the Governor cannot be more 
 than thirty-five. The only hope seems to me to be 
 in the inherently law-abiding and peaceable char- 
 acter of the Chinese, who, directly a Government is 
 established which is at all reliable, will obey and 
 support it. Of course, I do not know what men 
 they have in other provinces. The thing that seems 
 pretty evident now is that they have too much to 
 do, and too few men to carry out their plans. All 
 prices are greatly increased. Most foodstuffs are 
 double the price, and clothing material is also at 
 
 91 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 least double the price. This is due largely to the 
 large amount of looting that was done on the first 
 two days by bad characters. They tell me that all 
 the shops — silver-shops, pawn-shops, silk merchants, 
 boot and shoe shops, cloth-shops, cash-shops, foreign 
 food-shops; in fact, all the shops that had things 
 that could be taken — were looted. Possibly a few 
 escaped, but according to report not many. I must 
 stop again for to-night. It is a long story, and 
 there is much more to tell. I wish I had better 
 powers of description, for I suppose I have seen 
 more than most foreigners here. God has guided 
 us in a wonderful way. I cannot tell you what He 
 has meant in the last few days. How I have longed 
 for years for a more intimate knowledge of Him! 
 I think that He Himself has been teaching me of 
 late. May I be ready to learn all that He has for 
 me, and for greater opportunities of service later ! 
 
 November 4, Sianfu. — I have already told you 
 that the present military regime is one full of terror 
 to the average citizen. There are numerous rumours, 
 more or less alarming, every day. To-day it is said 
 that a large Mohammedan army is waiting at Ping 
 Liang Fu ready to march on Sianfu; also that a 
 Manchu army from Peking is coming west, the 
 Manchu being said to be victorious at Peking. 
 But no reliance can be placed on these reports. 
 
 But now to come back again to affairs as they 
 affected the hospital and Dr. and Mrs. Charter. 
 Some little time after I had left the hospital to go 
 to the East Suburb, Mr. Henne came to see how 
 the Charters' little baby was. He came on his 
 
 92 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 horse. On his return the affair had broken out in 
 the city, and he was attacked by robbers and bad 
 characters, who first demanded his horse, then 
 allowed him to walk on a bit, but again set on him, 
 inflicting a number of wounds on his head. Had 
 he not been rescued by soldiers he would certainly 
 have been killed. On his arrival at his house Dr. 
 Charter was immediatelysent for, being escorted there 
 by soldiers; but after he had finished binding up 
 Mr. Henne's wounds it was considered too dangerous 
 for him to return through the streets, and he had 
 to wait until the next day. In the meantime Mrs. 
 Charter and Miss Watt were alone at the hospital, 
 with the little baby gradually sinking. Can you 
 imagine what a terrible time they must have had 
 during those hours, with the city in an uproar, and 
 most of the hospital servants in a state of terror ? 
 
 However, all was well until about Monday mid- 
 day, when a large crowd of Mohammedans collected 
 outside the hospital with intent to kill, and to do 
 damage to the building. The ladies felt that their 
 last hours had come. Fortunately, however, our 
 business manager was on the premises, and he did 
 his utmost to comfort and help them. In their 
 desperation they cried to God to send them some- 
 one reliable who could advise them how to act. In 
 the midst of their praying Mr. Lin, whom I have 
 already mentioned, came in to tell them not to be 
 afraid, because the mob outside would very soon 
 disperse, which proved true; so they, too, in a 
 wonderful way proved God's nearness in a time of 
 extremity. Not long after this Dr. Charter re- 
 
 93 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 turned, and the work of attending to the wounded 
 began, and they were kept pretty busy. Their baby 
 died on Tuesday night at twelve o'clock, and, as I 
 have said before, I was sent for on Wednesday 
 afternoon. 
 
 I think, perhaps, I will leave the story of the 
 people in the South Suburb for another time. Let 
 me tell you of one of the Swedish ladies who lives 
 at a place about eighteen miles away. Robbers 
 came to loot her house and to kill her, but she 
 managed to escape to another house not far off. 
 Here she remained two days without food, and her 
 pursuers actually came to the very room where she 
 was hiding, coming twice; but though she was only 
 just behind the door, they did not see her. This 
 sounds impossible, but it is so. One ought never to 
 lose faith in our God after experiences such as these ; 
 and, whatever He has in store for us in the future, 
 we shall have been prepared in these days, whether 
 it be for more service here or for an early call to be 
 with Him. 
 
 The soldiers who went to fetch the Shorrocks from 
 Fu Yin Ts'un earlier in the week returned with them 
 yesterday, and we are all very glad that they are 
 with us again. They have had days of much diffi- 
 culty at Fu Yin Ts'un, and it has been necessary 
 for them to have a large number of men keeping 
 guard night and day to prevent robbers attacking 
 them. One night some men were caught attempt- 
 ing to set fire to their house, and at another time 
 an alarm was given for them to escape to a hiding- 
 place on which they had arranged; so we are glad 
 
 94 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 for their sakes as well as ours to have them back 
 again. We are now anxious about the people in 
 the north of the province, especially for the Youngs, 
 who were on their way down from Yenanfu, as we 
 know that there are many people in the north who 
 have strong feeling against foreigners; but we must 
 hope for the best, and wait for news. Soldiers are 
 being sent up to escort them back again here. 
 
 November y, Sianfu. — Since writing the above we 
 have had news of the Youngs, for which we are 
 profoundly thankful. It appears that they left 
 Yenanfu on Monday, October 23, the day after the 
 trouble broke out here. They first heard of the 
 Revolution at the end of the second day's journey, 
 but they still came on, and had reached Chung Pu, 
 four days from Yenanfu, when they heard more about 
 the trouble here, and received a report that the 
 foreigners were killed. They went to see the official 
 in Chung Pu, who gave them an escort of soldiers. 
 At the end of that day's journey a letter from Mr. 
 Shorrock reached them by a messenger from Fu Yin 
 Ts'un to say that Mr. and Mrs. Donald Smith were 
 dead, and that we had aU left the East Suburb. To 
 explain Mr. Shorrock writing this, I must say that 
 this was the first news he received which seemed 
 to be attested by circumstantial evidence, for the 
 head-teacher in the school said he had seen them 
 both dead on the roadside ! Dr. Young therefore 
 decided to attempt to return to Yenanfu. They 
 got back to Chung Pu, but here they were deprived 
 of aU they had — their horse and all their belongings. 
 They then went to the house of a Church member, 
 
 95 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 and later resumed their journey, keeping off the 
 main roads, until ultimately they found a cave 
 where they could hide. Here they were able to 
 get food from friendly people, but they dared not 
 go on, for their boys, who were sent out to make 
 inquiry, said it was not safe. Finally, they sent their 
 boys to the city here to find out how matters stood, 
 and they arrived on Saturday night last, November 4. 
 On the following day a little company of horse 
 soldiers, with some of our men, started to fetch them 
 down here, so we hope that before many days they 
 will be back amongst us. The details of their ex- 
 periences I must wait for. Dr. Young said that 
 though the food was coarse, they were getting on 
 all right, and were quite safe. He had written his 
 letter with a piece of incense-stick, not having any 
 pencil to write with. 
 
 Some days ago Mr. Beckman came in to see us. 
 He was the missionary living in the South Suburb. 
 It appears that the evening of the Sunday on which 
 the trouble broke out they had discussed the best 
 method of escaping if they were attacked. I ought 
 to tell you that living at their house were Mr. and 
 Mrs. Beckman, their three children, three other 
 children, and Mr. Watney, a young man who has 
 only recently come out, and teaches some of the 
 children of the Swedish Mission in this district. 
 The house is situated outside the walls of the South 
 Suburb. It has a large garden in front and at the 
 back, and is surrounded by a fairly high wall. In 
 the front there is an entrance by a large wooden 
 gate. About midnight they were attacked by a 
 
 96 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 band who, as we afterwards heard, consisted largely 
 of robbers and bad characters of the neighbourhood. 
 AU the servants fled, and not only so, but removed 
 the ladder that they had put up against the wall to 
 enable them to get over if they were attacked; so 
 when they came to this place, they could not find 
 the ladder. They put a barrow up against the wall, 
 and Mr. Watney climbed up on the wall, their plan 
 being to hand the children over; but only one child 
 was handed over, and when it began to cry Mr. 
 Watney jumped down on the other side. Mr. Beck- 
 man called out to them, but had no reply, and 
 gathered that Mr. Watney and this child, who was 
 his own daughter, a girl of twelve, had been com- 
 pelled to run. I ought to say there was no moon to 
 enable them to see. Mr. Beckman, his wife, a little 
 baby, and a little girl of seven or eight, and the 
 rest of the children, then got into a little outhouse 
 near by and remained there. Presently they heard 
 footsteps, and ther^ was knocking at the door. His 
 wife jumped out at once with the little girl of seven 
 or eight, but Mr. Beckman remained back for a 
 while. He could see that there was only one man in 
 the courtyard, for they had set fire to his house, and 
 all was lighted up. I do not think he saw his wife 
 again after that. They must have caught her and 
 killed her at once. He, with the little baby in his 
 arms, then went out. The man had disappeared. 
 He knew he could not get out at the back, so he 
 went round to the front. The front gate was burned 
 down, and outside was a mob of people. He ran 
 right through them, and made straight for a pool 
 
 97 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 just outside the suburb, and jumped down the side 
 into the water, which was about two feet deep. 
 Here he stopped for a while in a little recess among 
 some thick grass, prajdng God to help him. He 
 could hear the men searching for him, and when 
 he saw that they had lamps he moved a little 
 farther along to a tree, by the side of which he 
 remained, still hidden by the thick grass. He heard 
 them asking for him, and presently three men were 
 deputed to watch until morning. He then heard 
 these men come to the conclusion that since it was 
 impossible for him to get up on the north side, 
 because it was too steep, they would remain watch- 
 ing the three other sides. All this time he was 
 standing in the water with his little baby in his arms, 
 and not once did she utter a sound that might betray 
 his presence. After a while he saw the morning 
 star, and heard the men remark on it, saying that 
 soon it would be light, and they would be able to 
 find him. He therefore felt about on the north 
 side of the pool, and found a place where he could 
 just reach to the top with his arm. He therefore 
 put the little baby there. She made a little sound, 
 and he took her down again, and sought for another 
 place, but not finding one, he returned and put her 
 up there again, praying that she might be kept 
 quiet. He then managed to climb up, though his 
 strength was almost gone, and escaped from his 
 watchers, reaching the West Suburb, where he was 
 received by his friends. He and his little baby are 
 the only two who escaped from that place. It is 
 terribly sad. Six children, Mrs. Beckman, and Mr. 
 
 98 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 Watney lost their lives. Mr. Watney and the girl 
 (Beclanan) ran for about six miles, but were over- 
 taken and done to death by having mud bricks 
 thrown at them. One boy who was killed was 
 such a jolly little chap. His mother, Mrs. Ahlstrand, 
 is such a noble woman, and he was the very idol of 
 their home. She had brought him to me to see 
 about his eyes, and I had already ordered glasses 
 for him from Shanghai. I hear that she and her 
 husband have just arrived in the city from their 
 station two days' away, so they are safe. 
 
 The new authorities are extremely sorry about 
 this affair. They ought to have managed better 
 if they really wanted to avoid the bloodshed of 
 foreigners, for they must know that in many places 
 the people are not really friendly. It was un- 
 fortunate that this place was so far outside the 
 suburb. Four men have been executed there on 
 account of their share in this, and their heads hung 
 up outside the gate, with characters saying that this 
 is the punishment meted out to those who kill the 
 foreigners. 
 
 There has recently been started here a Red Cross 
 League, and on Sunday I had a visit from the two 
 head men, who told me that they are not able to 
 attend to the wounded, as their methods are no 
 good ! They asked if we would receive anybody they 
 had on their hands who had been wounded ? Of course 
 I said we should be very pleased to do so. They told 
 us that they are busy with the burial of the dead; 
 and are burying them in the Manchu city in pits, 
 about ten in one pit. They told me that up to the 
 
 99 
 
Cecil Robertson ot Sianfu. 
 
 present they have buried 4,000; but, at a low 
 estimate, probably 10,000 have been killed, for 
 there were 5,000 Manchu soldiers, not counting 
 their families, which must bring the total number 
 up to at least 10,000. These men told me that more 
 have died from suicide, either by poison, strangula- 
 tion, or jumping into wells, than by wounds. Also, 
 that the Chinese have received comparatively very 
 few injuries, which is not surprising in view of their 
 superior weapons. It is a remarkable thing that we 
 know certainly of the safety of nearly all our Manchu 
 Christians. There are many Manchus in hiding; 
 we have some here at the hospital who came in 
 amongst the wounded, but our boys have since told 
 us that they are Manchus. We shall keep them 
 here until there is a real chance of their safety. 
 
 We have been receiving a great many rumours of 
 all sorts, one of which was that a large Mohammedan 
 army from Kansuh was about to march on us here. 
 It was waiting at a place eight days distant. To- 
 day we hear that forty Mohammedans from the 
 west came to ascertain the actual conditions. They 
 were taken to see the Governor, and were sent away 
 with 50 taels each in their pockets (;^6) to induce 
 them to say good words to the folk who sent them ! 
 
 We have also heard that the band of soldiers who 
 were sent to Weinan, forty miles east of here, to 
 demand its surrender, were joined by robbers who 
 appeared to be friends. The robbers, however, set 
 on them, killed several, and then went to Weinan, 
 and demanded 7,000 taels of silver, which I am told 
 they received. This shows how the present trouble 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution, 
 
 has brought all the bad elements to the surface; 
 the country is simply infested with robbers, and if 
 the Government is going to secure real order they 
 have a very difficult task before them. 
 
 The city continues quiet, except for little bands 
 of horse soldiers galloping about on business, and 
 the way these soldiers gallop down the streets is 
 most dangerous. One man was brought in here the 
 other day who had been knocked over, and he died 
 from his injuries. There is not much business being 
 done except in foodstuffs . Wounded are still coming 
 in, some who were wounded over two weeks ago 
 with compound fractures, bullet wounds of hands, 
 hands and fingers cut off — all in a most horrible 
 state of filth. The suffering that they have been 
 undergoing must have been terrible, but many of 
 them have been too weak or too frightened to come 
 before. 
 
 I must finish for this evening, for, as I am writing, 
 I can hear the night-watchman going his round, 
 beating his little rattle or drum. It is a most 
 peaceful sound. I like to lie in bed and hear him 
 gradually come nearer, and then gradually die away 
 in the distance. 
 
 November 13, Sianfu. — ^Two days ago the funeral 
 of the foreigners who had been killed at the South 
 Suburb took place in the garden of the house, which 
 is now a complete ruin, the walls alone standing. 
 It is amazing to see how thoroughly the ruffians did 
 their work that night: every single place was burned, 
 not even little outhouses remaining. There must 
 have been bitter hatred of the foreigner by those 
 
 lOI 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 who did the deed ; most of them have now fled, and 
 the inhabitants of the South Suburb are all afraid. 
 The funeral was very trying for some of the relatives, 
 especially for the mothers whose children had been 
 killed. Mrs. Ahlstrand, of whom I have already 
 spoken, was there. One could see how intense was 
 her grief ; it was a sad and yet a beautiful picture to 
 see her kneeling by the coffin of her little boy !* Poor 
 woman, it is a bitter cup ! As we stood together 
 amongst the ruins we could not but realize the horror 
 of that night, and the ruthlessness of the men who 
 did the deed. A number of the Chinese came, 
 amongst them the head of the Foreign Office, the 
 head of the Military School, and a representative 
 of the General, who had left the city to attend to 
 affairs in T'ung Kuan, a town on the border of 
 the province. 
 
 You will remember that I mentioned that town 
 just after my arrival here. It is one of great strategic 
 importance. There has been some trouble there, the 
 exact nature of which it is difficult to make out. 
 The General visited it, three days ago, to try and 
 settle affairs, but we have not yet received certain 
 news . The Red Cross League sent three of their men 
 to us, wanting to borrow instruments and obtain 
 drugs. They told me they had been ordered to go to 
 T'ung Kuan, where there had been fighting, and to 
 attend to the wounded ; but they felt their helpless- 
 ness, not knowing at all how to treat wounds. I 
 pointed out to them the danger of putting instru- 
 ments in the hands of men who did not know how 
 * " George, a Little Martyr for Jesus" (Morgan and Scott). 
 
 102 < 
 
The Outbreak of the Revolution. 
 
 to use them. It was as bad as to give a rifle to a 
 man who did not know how to use it, so they had 
 to be satisfied with a few brief instructions as to 
 how to bind up a simple wound. It would be 
 ludicrous if it were not so pitiful. They will doubt- 
 less have the more severe cases of those who do not 
 die sent to us here; but think of the delay — three 
 days' distance — and all the pain and discomfort of 
 the journey ! The city is fairly quiet now, but life 
 is still pretty cheap ; men are losing their lives for 
 very small crimes, and any Manchu males who are 
 found are still being killed. 
 
 i°3 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 SUMMONED TO T'UNG KUAN 
 
 November 23, T'lmg Kuan. — On Wednesday even- 
 ing, a week ago, the Youngs got back to the East 
 Suburb from the north. I have not yet had a 
 detailed account of their experiences, but they 
 appeared better in health than I had expected, and 
 the httle boy was in good form. On Friday Mr. 
 Shorrock and Dr. Young came into the hospital, 
 and while they were there the head of the Foreign 
 Office, Mr. Lin, came to say that they wanted to 
 send one of us to see to the people here who had 
 been wounded, because the Red Cross League people 
 were not able to meet the urgent needs of the 
 situation. So it was arranged that I should come. 
 I started right away to get things ready, and left 
 the city the next day at noon. It was fortunate 
 that Dr. Young and Mr. Shorrock were there, as we 
 were able to consult together, and I was able to hand 
 over my part of affairs at the hospital to Dr. Young. 
 
 That briefly explains the above address . It appears 
 that after affairs broke out in Sianfu, the Shensi 
 troops got possession of this place, which is really 
 in Shensi Province. The troops consisted of about 
 1,000 men. The Manchu official here, however, 
 escaped, and, according to reports, went into Honan, 
 
 104 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 asking that troops might be sent to reconquer the 
 city. In consequence some soldiers were sent, and 
 though the gates were locked, they climbed over the 
 wall. When these Honan soldiers entered T'ung 
 Kuan, the Shensi troops were practically helpless, 
 as they were poorly equipped with ammunition 
 and rifles, whereas the Honan soldiers had good 
 weapons. The Honan troops must have been here 
 several days — six or seven — during which they 
 ransacked every house and shop in the place, de- 
 manding sUver and valuables, killing if not at once 
 shown where the things were. When more Shensi 
 troops arrived from the west, the Honan men packed 
 up their things on mules and left. One can imagine 
 something of the joy of the inhabitants when the 
 Shensi troops arrived, for they were fearing that they 
 would die of starvation, not having any animals 
 left to grind the corn. However, food and fodder 
 have been sent from the neighbouring places for the 
 inhabitants and the newly arrived soldiers, and the 
 food-shops are doing a considerable trade. 
 
 After the Shensi troops occupied the place a 
 second time, they asked for the Red Cross League 
 people to come. These, however, realized their own 
 incompetence to deal with the wounded, and after 
 the General returned to Sianfu, I was asked to go. 
 As you may guess, we had to work hard to get things 
 ready, and had it not been for Miss Watt I do not 
 think it could have been done. However, by mid- 
 day Saturday, the i8th, all was ready ; but, with 
 true Chinese delay, we did not really get on our 
 way until the next morning, though we got as far as 
 
 105 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 the East Suburb, where I spent the night with the 
 Shorrocks. The next day the carts, four of them, 
 with the medicine, dressings, instruments, two 
 hospital assistants, my cook, and four Red Cross 
 League men to minister to my wants and generally 
 to carry out my instructions, went on ahead, leaving, 
 as I supposed and had been informed, a horse soldier 
 to accompany me, as I was going on my horse. But 
 after waiting an hour for this man to turn up, I 
 found that he had gone. This seemed rather trying. 
 Here was I left behind, the most essential member 
 of the expedition ! However, Mr. Shorrock lent me 
 a horse, and my horse-boy escorted me until we 
 caught them up six and a half miles out. Subse- 
 quently we were overtaken by another man who is 
 managing everything for me — a very decent fellow, 
 a Honan man, awfully keen on everything foreign, 
 who has been drill-master to the two largest schools 
 in the city. He and I reached Lin T'ung, sixteen and 
 a half miles from Sianfu, a little after midday. It 
 was our intention to get on farther the same day, 
 but our own carts turned up too late, as the roads 
 were very bad indeed, owing to rains during the 
 previous week. We spent the night at the Yamen. 
 The next day my companion and I got on to 
 Weinan. 
 
 While at Weinan I heard that the Evangelist at a 
 neighbouring place where the C.LM. works, after 
 the outbreak of trouble, went to take refuge at the 
 house of a Christian. The magistrate at this place 
 had already committed suicide. When these men 
 heard that robbers had come into the place they 
 
 1 06 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 both took poison; the EvangeUst died, but the other 
 man did not. This is a thoroughly Chinese way of 
 doing things. In the case of officials it is a mark 
 of devotion to commit suicide if the dynasty under 
 which they were serving is abolished. 
 
 The next day we had arranged to go by boat, but 
 I found that it would take longer than I expected. 
 We therefore sent on the goods and some of the 
 men by boat, while Tung, one of the hospital 
 assistants, and I rode by horse. We hoped to reach 
 T'ung Kuan the same day, but it was impossible, 
 owing to the rain, for it poured all day long, and 
 we had to put up at a little village, the inn being 
 none of the best. We all three slept together on 
 the k'ang. We had the k'ang heated, but then we 
 could not get to lie down for some time because the 
 smoke in the room was altogether too overpowering. 
 However, we slept all right, and next day got on 
 early. Fortunately, it was fine, and we reached 
 T'ung Kuan (twenty-four miles) before midday. I 
 was thus able to get the premises we were to occupy 
 fixed up before the boat arrived the next morning, 
 and things were ready for use that afternoon 
 (Thursday) . 
 
 On our arrival we went to the Yamen, saw the 
 head man, and had food there. That evening we 
 slept at our hospital, which was located in premises 
 at the back of the post-office. Trestle beds have 
 been put up covered with straw and felt. A little 
 operating-room is all ready, kitchen, store, cooks, 
 and helpers ; the only drawback is that the patients 
 are not flocking in as I expected. However, we have 
 
 107 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 ten to start with, and I expect they will come along 
 all right. 
 
 It is difficult to realize that we are now in the 
 midst of perhaps the most momentous Revolution 
 that has happened within the last hundred years, 
 the issues of which will be fraught with good or 
 bad for the whole world. If one stops to consider, 
 one can hardly conceive what may be the outcome ; 
 and now, as one thinks of the headquarters at Sianfu 
 and here, of the young men who are at the head, of 
 their keenness, of their audacity at undertaking such 
 an affair, of what they have already done, one cannot 
 help wondering what the outcome will be and what 
 the future will bring. 
 
 I overheard a rather interesting conversation at 
 one inn at which we stopped for midday meal. To 
 explain, I must say that I was wearing foreign 
 clothes on the journey, the big overcoat I bought 
 just before leaving, and the leather boots and 
 leggings. Translated freely, it would be like this 
 in English: 
 
 A. " What do you think of that woollen over- 
 coat ?" 
 
 B. " It does not look very thick, and it is not 
 very good-looking, but it must have been very 
 expensive." 
 
 A. " No, it is not thick, but I should think it is 
 warm." To me: " Is it warm ?" 
 
 C. F. R. " Oh yes, it is all right." 
 
 B. " Oh, he understands Chinese !" 
 
 C. " Yes, he is from the ' Save the World ' Hall 
 in the city. There is Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Young 
 
 io8 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 and Dr. Charter there at the hospital. I know 
 them. They have been there eight years, and they 
 can speak and understand the language; but their 
 language is very difficult to understand " (referring 
 to English). 
 
 A. " Those leather boots he is wearing look rather 
 cold, but I should think they last a long time." 
 
 C. " Yes, they last several years; but they cost 
 about 8 taels (£i). These foreigners have a lot of 
 money." 
 
 There was a little more of it, which I forget. I 
 appeared not to understand, and found it very inter- 
 esting. 
 
 Last night I was called out about midnight to go 
 to our friends, the Chinese doctors of the Red Cross 
 League, who have a patient with a wound of his 
 head. This wound has been bleeding periodically, 
 and last night they could not stop it, and so sent 
 for me. It was really somewhat amusing going 
 along there at dead of night with the Red Cross 
 men, about six of them, accompanying me with 
 drawn swords ready to protect me. They were 
 profuse in their promises to protect me, against 
 what I do not know, for all the inhabitants of this 
 place are so scared they would not touch a dog. 
 However, when we reached our destination, I found 
 the man with his head plastered up with mud and 
 filth to stop the bleeding, which they had effected. 
 I removed the mass of plaster and mud with some 
 difficulty and cleaned up his head, and succeeded 
 without much trouble in stopping the bleeding 
 permanently. The wound is not a serious one, and 
 
 109 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 will easily heal up; but because of this wounded 
 vessel it was very serious to them. 
 
 I had several more patients yesterday, amongst 
 them a young fellow who had received bad bums 
 over one-third of his back, one arm, neck, and face. 
 They had been done about three weeks previously, 
 and the poor fellow was in a most pitiable condition. 
 The only treatment that had been adopted was to 
 sprinkle dry earth over the bums, which, with the 
 discharge from the raw surfaces, had been converted 
 into mud, partly dried and caked on, and partly 
 moist. It was a sore job to get him clean. His 
 bedding was all covered with earth and mud. How- 
 ever, we got him moderately clean. There is another 
 man with burns who is being brought here to-day. 
 
 We also had a man in yesterday who had been 
 beaten for deserting. My word ! the Chinese beat- 
 ing is a horrible sort of affair. This is the second 
 case I have seen. I saw one some months ago at 
 the beggars' home. In each case it was the same. 
 Large ulcers of both legs as the result. It will be 
 weeks before he is about again. 
 
 To-day we hear there has been fighting with the 
 Honan troops about sixty miles to the east, and so 
 we are sending men to bring back the wounded here. 
 Of course, the Red Cross brethren ought to have 
 sent men with the troops for that purpose. It will 
 be a bit better than before, however, for most of 
 the patients here had been wounded two or three 
 weeks before I saw them. These will only have 
 been wounded four or five days. 
 
 November 30, T'ung Kuan. — Two more days have 
 no 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 slipped away, and we have had four men in from 
 the east side, where there has been fighting, but 
 only one with a really serious injury. We have had 
 various reports as to what has taken place, but the 
 last is more reassuring — viz., that the two Generals 
 have agreed, and that no more fighting is to take 
 place. Each is to remain in his own province; but 
 by to-morrow, perhaps, we shall be able to get at 
 the facts, for I hear that the Shensi General has 
 returned to a place twenty li away. 
 
 December 13, Hua Chou. — On the 2nd the General 
 returned to the city, with all the soldiers who had 
 gone east against the Honan troops, a peace having 
 been concluded, by which each army is to keep 
 within its own territory. On that same afternoon I 
 received a letter from Mr. Shorrock which made me 
 feel it was right to go back to Sianfu — for a day or 
 two, at any rate — and in view of this peace it 
 seemed possible to go. I therefore started off about 
 eleven o'clock on the next day with my former 
 companion Tung, who wanted to return to the city, 
 leaving my two assistants to look after my patients 
 in the meantime. We reached Sianfu about 11 a.m., 
 Tuesday, December 5. I found all quiet there, 
 though they had had some bad scares of Moham- 
 medans coming from the west, the Chinese greatly 
 fearing another Mohammedan invasion. I remained 
 in Sianfu Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 
 started back on Friday morning, being accompanied 
 by another man called Sun, Tung not being able to 
 return for two or three days. On arrival we found 
 that there had been fighting the previous day, and 
 
 III 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 that the Shensi troops had been forced to retire to 
 within thirteen miles of T'ung Kuan on the east side. 
 I went to see the General, but found he was out, 
 and afterwards discovered that he had gone out of 
 the West Gate. He had practically run away, with his 
 guards. This very soon got known in the city, 
 and the result was that everybody, soldiers and 
 inhabitants alike, wanted to leave the city. The 
 West Gate was, however, kept shut until dark. 
 
 By this time the Honan troops had advanced 
 farther, and firing was very close, within a mile of 
 the walls. At dark it ceased, and the Shensi 
 troops retired within the city walls. About dark the 
 officers at the Yemen wanted me to move there, I 
 afterwards learnt, with the idea of my leaving the 
 city at dark with them. I felt it to be my duty to 
 remain with the patients. It was easy to see how 
 anxious and disturbed all my boys were, so I had 
 evening worship with them. I told them that we 
 could rest assured that we would be all right, that 
 the Honan troops would not want to kill us, who 
 were helping men, and were ready to help the 
 Honan wounded men likewise. I also spoke about 
 God's protection. However, they still remained 
 extremely anxious to go, and not one of them would 
 have remained with me. It was extremely difficult 
 to know what to do. Some of the patients had left, 
 and of those who could not walk (five), one or two 
 were taken away by their friends. The boys and 
 Sun, my companion, all declared that Chinese were 
 not like foreigners, and that the Honanese would 
 regard all as their enemies, saving none, and having 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 no respect for the Red Cross flag. I was torn with 
 conflicting feelings and duties. In the meantime 
 Sun secured a cart to wait outside our place to be 
 in readiness if we wanted to go, and I then con- 
 sented to go if firing broke out again during the 
 night. 
 
 About II p.m., when the moon began to get up, 
 firing began again just outside the wall. We sent 
 to the Yamen to see what they were doing, and 
 found that not a soul was there. They had all fled 
 some time previously. We then packed up what 
 we could and started, and as we went through the 
 streets we could see that the city was practically 
 empty. How many soldiers remained on the wall 
 I do not know, but all the next day there were 
 streams of people, both peasants and soldiers, for 
 about forty miles from T'ung Kuan. When we 
 reached Hua Yin Hsien, a place twelve miles from 
 T'ung Kuan, we tried to find out where the General 
 was . We discovered the place where his guard were, 
 but he with a few others had left some two hours 
 previously. So we, too, came on, travelling all night 
 and all the next day, finally reaching here in the 
 afternoon. The inhabitants of nearly every place 
 had shut up shop and fled, as they heard that the 
 Manchu troops were coming. As a result, food was 
 very difficult to get. Arrived here, we found the 
 General, and went to see him. I asked him to send 
 a letter to the Honan General, asking if he would 
 let me go to T'ung Kuan to see after the patients and 
 wounded there, which he consented to do. The next 
 day he sent, asking me if I would remain here, as 
 
 "3 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 there were a number of wounded who had been 
 brought here. Unfortunately, we had not brought 
 away dressings. I therefore sent one of my boys 
 back to the city to get them, but it will be three 
 days before he can get back. 
 
 Yesterday evening the General from Sianfu 
 arrived here, and to-day about 3,000 soldiers have 
 arrived. They are going to march on to T'ung 
 Kuan to-morrow, and in the event of their re- 
 taking that city we shall move on there again. If 
 the troops are beaten, we shall have to return to 
 Sianfu. This is a bad time for the common people; 
 indeed, the reign of the soldier is a reign of terror 
 for ordinary folk. We are staying at the-shop of a 
 grain merchant who had fled, but when he came 
 here the next day he was obviously delighted to 
 find that we were stationed here, and not soldiers, 
 for he knew that nothing of his would be touched or 
 spoiled. 
 
 December 31, Sianfu. — On the 15th Tung joined 
 us at Hua Chou, having completed his business at 
 Sianfu. When he heard details about T'ung Kuan, 
 he also was of opinion that we should have been all 
 right had we remained. On the 17th the boy got 
 back with the dressings and drugs, and we started 
 off at once for Hua Yen Hsien, a place twelve miles 
 this side of T'ung Kuan, the army having marched 
 on to this place two days previously. We reached 
 there about 8 p.m., and found that we were just in 
 the nick of time, for there had been fighting during 
 the day, and they were just bringing the wounded 
 back. Tung quickly found a place where we could 
 
 114 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 see the wounded, and that evening we must have 
 seen about thirty odd, our Httle hospital being soon 
 filled up. We were very busy on, the five succeeding 
 days, and must have seen nearly 150 wounded. On 
 December 21 the Shensi troops retook T'ung Kuan, 
 and then fighting ceased. We sent the next day to 
 see if the drugs and other things we had left were 
 still there, but found them all gone, among them 
 my cabin trunk. Not only so, but they had dug 
 up the floor and dug out the walls of the rooms we 
 occupied to see if there was any silver there. They 
 had not molested the inhabitants at all. 
 
 On the 23rd a good number of the soldiers re- 
 turned to Sianfu, and many of the patients were 
 very anxious to go back also — indeed, we could not 
 persuade them to stay — and as we had no chloro- 
 form (having lost it at T'ung Kuan), I decided to 
 take them back to Sianfu myself. Dr. Young had 
 gone west to see the wounded, and Dr. Charter was 
 alone, so I felt bound to return to help him. On 
 the same day nearly twenty returned with me, and 
 I was able to change their dressings and attend to 
 them a little on the road. It snowed for two days, 
 which made it rather unpleasant for those who were 
 being carried back, but all arrived safely. You will 
 see, therefore, that I spent my Christmas travelling 
 on the road in a Chinese cart. 
 
 I got back here on December 26, and found that 
 they were expecting the relief party from Tai Yuan 
 Fu with the people from Suite-chow and Yenanfu. 
 They arrived on December 28th. I expect you will 
 have heard all about them, as I suppose the papers 
 
 "5 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 have given reports of their expedition. It was very 
 fine of them to come in that way. They appear 
 to have had very Uttle diffictilty except on one or 
 two occasions, so I hope that they will get through 
 to the coast in like manner. They were extremely 
 anxious to take every lady down to the coast, but 
 Mrs. Shorrock is remaining with Mr. Shorrock. 
 Dr. and Mrs. Young and I are also remaining. All the 
 rest, I expect, will go back, starting on January 3rd. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mr. and Mrs. Borst-Smith, 
 and Dr. and Mrs. Charter and Miss Watt, whose 
 furloughs are due, are all returning home. The rest 
 will, I expect, stay at the coast. 
 
 We have seen a large number of wounded, and 
 have now about 120 in-patients here, in addition to 
 those who can walk and come daily. The result is 
 that we are well known throughout the army, and our 
 work seems to be appreciated. I think, therefore, 
 that there is no cause for anxiety about us. We are 
 very busy indeed. It is almost impossible to cope 
 with the work, and to do it efficiently is out of the 
 question. We have got three or four extra boys in, 
 but it is impossible to give the personal attention 
 to each patient as we would wish. Dr. Young will 
 be back from the west in a day or two, and then we 
 shall remain here together. These weeks have been 
 full of God's care for us. Someone remarked to .me 
 the other day: " I would rather have the chariots 
 of fire than all the escorts in the world." The 
 " chariots of fire " have been very real during these 
 last weeks, and I have been very fit the whole time. 
 
 116 
 
Summoned to T'ung Kuan. 
 
 The graphic pen of Mr. Keyte* must be called 
 into requisition to give a further description of the 
 march of that pitiful procession of the wounded 
 transport train back to Sianfu on Christmas Eve: 
 " Here a wounded man sitting in a chair slung 
 between two poles; there a party of four carrying 
 a door, and on it a man with a leg broken, splintered 
 by a fragment of shell ; for another a litter had been 
 improvised, laid on ropes stretched between two 
 poles. The soft snow fell persistently all the night 
 before their start, and the world lay white around 
 them, save where the trampled highroad wound on 
 ahead. At last the stage was reached, and they 
 found a good inn, doors and windows unbumt, and 
 brick beds capable of being fired. Here, then, they 
 laid the wounded, and in and out went the surgeon 
 (Dr. Robertson), with his one raw assistant provided 
 by the Red Cross. The feeble light from a Chinese 
 lantern fell on the primitive equipment — a few pots, 
 an enamel washbowl or two, some dressings, and a 
 few tabloids, that was all — and always the pitiful 
 appeals to the surgeon for the ' stop-the-pain 
 medicine.' 
 
 " Christmas Day dawned clear, cold, still. Over 
 all there brooded peace, covering even the piteous- 
 ness of the grim procession with its soft promise. 
 Probably, to one man only in that crowd was the 
 promise articulate. The young Church of China has 
 its own fresh, naive joy, but the gracious memories 
 which cluster round the Christmas festival are for 
 those in the homelands. To the heart of the Eng- 
 
 * " The Passing of the Dragon," pp. 102-104. 
 117 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 lishman this Christmas morn, in its beauty and still- 
 ness, brought a message of glory. Someone must be 
 told, someone must share the knowledge, that it is 
 the birthday of the Christ-Child, and the Red Cross 
 boy, to whom the cross of his badge meant so little, 
 was told something of the mystery. 
 
 " It was all very far from home, and from what 
 Christmas may mean there. There were no carols, 
 no joyous greetings ; but joy sang nevertheless in the 
 Doctor's heart, for it is given to those who enter 
 into the love of Christ to know that His Church, 
 elect from every nation, is yet one o'er all the earth. 
 There came memories of the Christmas at home, of 
 a stately church wherein the worshippers had united 
 in intercession for all who on Christmas Day were 
 travellers, and for all who were lonely.* But dis- 
 tance was no bar to worship. There was possible, 
 even on this Chinese highroad, an abundant entrance 
 into its fellowship. 
 
 " On the next day bearers and wounded reached the 
 
 Mission Hospital at Sianfu, and the surgeon plunged 
 
 into the hospital, crammed and overflowing with 
 
 wounded." 
 
 * These two petitions are characteristic of our worship 
 at Regent's Park Chapel on Christmas Day, as Dr. Robert- 
 son remembered. — F. B. M. 
 
 118 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 BACK AGAIN AT SIANFU 
 
 It is necessary at this point to insert an explanatory 
 note, the facts of which have been collated from the 
 thrilling account of the Relief Expedition by the 
 Rev. Ernest F. Borst-Smith, entitled, " Caught in 
 the Chinese Revolution." 
 
 After it was known at Peking that not only the 
 whole of the Manchu population in Sianfu had been 
 practically exterminated, but that eight foreigners 
 had been massacred, the Rev. J. C. Keyte, M.A., 
 who had just returned from furlough in England, 
 decided that at all costs, accompanied or alone, he 
 would help those in the interior, whose lives were 
 imperilled, to escape to the coast. The story of the 
 Relief Expedition has been already fully told, and 
 it is not necessary to repeat it here. Suffice it to 
 say that eight others joined him in carrying out his 
 plans, and that they passed through the country, 
 gathering up missionaries in lonely outposts, and 
 advancing through the midst of the unsettled and 
 menacing populations. Finally, they reached Sianfu, 
 and the serious question arose as to who of the mis- 
 sionary staff should take advantage of their presence 
 and share their escort to the coast. 
 
 Fighting was going on around the city, and several 
 119 9 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 branch hospitals within the walls had been im- 
 provised, as we have seen. Dr. Young and Dr. 
 Robertson felt it impossible to leave. Dr. and Mrs. 
 Charter, who had passed through some of the most 
 anxious days of the Revolution, also decided to 
 remain, but their decision was overruled by the 
 consideration that a doctor might be needed to 
 render assistance to members of the Relief Party 
 on their dangerous journey to the coast. As their 
 furlough was in any case almost due, they therefore 
 consented to accompany the expedition. A large 
 contingent of missionaries, accordingly, joined the 
 Relief Party, and the only members of the English 
 staff that were left were Mr. and Mrs. Shorrock and 
 their daughter Mary, Dr. and Mrs. Young and their 
 httle boy, and Dr. Robertson. 
 
 The procession that left Sianfu on January 4 was 
 a long one, being more than double the size of that 
 which had entered the city on December 28th. The 
 entire company numbered 150 persons, including 
 Chinese, with ninety-three animals. 
 
 These notes will explain the references in Dr. 
 Robertson's diary, to which we now return : 
 
 January 2, 1912. — You say in your letter we can 
 only reach you by way of heaven, but one begins to 
 find out in days like these how certain that way is. 
 We have had to-day a message that Yuan-shih-kai 
 is sending up ah escort for us at the request of 
 some of the Ambassadors, but it we medicals can 
 possibly stay I think we shall do so, as we have so 
 many patients to care for. You may rest assured con- 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 ceming us, for the whole army here are our Iriends ; 
 and if the Imperialist forces were to capture the 
 city, we know that they are equally anxious to see 
 that we are safe. We have had to get another house 
 to-day for more patients, so now we have three 
 houses going, with about 130 in-patients, in addition 
 to those coming daily for dressings. 
 
 January 6. — Everything seems very quiet in the 
 city just now, and except that many shops are not 
 open, all appears quite as usual. What the future 
 has in store we cannot know. The only thing is that, 
 whatever rowdyism there is, we are almost certain 
 to be all right, for the robbers are our friends, as 
 are their chiefs, who are most of them in the army. 
 One cannot help feeling that the fact of all these 
 people being under obligation to us is one more of 
 God's ways of protecting and caring for us in these 
 days, when things are very unstable and those in 
 power may be overturned at any time. 
 
 January 14. — ^We are very busy here. It is now 
 just about 9 p.m., and this is the first time to-day 
 that I have been able to sit down, although it is 
 Sunday. I am looking forward to a nice quiet 
 Sunday some time. I wonder when ! It will be a 
 great treat some day to reach a place where one can 
 attend an English service again. These days that 
 are so full are very trying, and one tends to get a 
 bit irritable with patients who are worrying and 
 clamouring to be seen when I am busy with other 
 folk. It is difficult for them to believe that they 
 will all be seen by someone in the course of the day. 
 This is fine surgical experience, but there are some 
 
 J2J 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 aspects which are too terrible altogether. One ques- 
 tion has been often on my mind of late: " Am I 
 learning the things which God is wanting to teach me 
 in all this ?" I trust so, but we have been so busy, 
 so full of work, and I have had so much change, so 
 many journeys, that there has not been the time 
 for quiet that one could have wished; yet in the 
 midst of everything there is the comfort of prayer. 
 It is good to prove the reality of these things at 
 such a time as this. 
 
 January 21. — We get a bit tired at times, but 
 otherwise are very well, and I am very glad that 
 we have remained up here. I do hope we may get 
 news of peace before long. If we get many more 
 wounded, I do not know what we shall do with 
 them. Another place has been opened for us on 
 the other side of the road to-day, and I expect we 
 shall get another fifty or sixty wounded from the 
 west this week, as there has been more fighting, and 
 it is likely that there will be still more. Anyway, I 
 hope it is going to stop before the weather gets 
 warmer, or else I fear we shall see something worse 
 than war here. May anything in the nature of 
 an epidemic be averted ! 
 
 January 21. — ^The latest news is by wire from 
 Hankow, and the peace prospects are hopeful. We 
 are still as busy as we can be; indeed, there is more 
 work than two men can adequately attend to, and 
 it is the more trying, as patients cannot be looked 
 after as they should be. The ordinary hospital ad- 
 ministration is so difficult to work under present 
 conditions. A hundred and one details, that would 
 
 122 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 be easy enough at home, out here are next to im- 
 possible. The only thing is to compare it, not with 
 what might be, but with what might have been. 
 Numbers of patients have said to us : " If you had 
 not been here, it would have been all up with us." 
 The soldiers of some of the regiments tell us that 
 their whole regiment will escort us home to England 
 when we go ! So there is real appreciation, though 
 I guess some think that we are getting plenty of 
 silver out of the job. It would have been absolutely 
 impossible to leave, unless one were as heartless 
 as some of the Chinese, and I could never have con- 
 sented to leaving here at this juncture with a clear 
 conscience. The soldiers seem very willing to listen 
 to the Gospel just now. When I was going round 
 late one night, and most of the patients were asleep, 
 I found one man with three or four others round 
 him. He was the only one who could read, and he 
 was reading the Gospel to the others. I have also 
 noticed several Gospels open, as if they had recently 
 been read. Another evening, in one of the rooms, 
 a man asked me if I would send a teacher to explain 
 a text that had been given to him on a little card. 
 None in that room could read, and they wanted 
 someone who would explain to them the Gospel. 
 There has been much that has been disappointing, 
 but I have been astounded at some of the results. 
 
 January 27. — We have had a lot more wounded 
 in from the west, and have had to open another 
 place for them, so now we have nearly 350 on our 
 hands. It is absurd, when one thinks of it. Middle- 
 sex Hospital with two doctors ! We have ceased 
 
 123 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 seeing ordinary out-patients now, because the 
 wounded are too many. Sundays are now just like 
 other days, and I am afraid that the numbers are 
 not likely to diminish just yet. 
 
 February 3. — The Red Cross people are working 
 well with us. They are running two of our extra 
 hospitals, while the Foreign Office are running the 
 other two. The head of the Red Cross — an awfully 
 nice fellow — was in here the other day . I was operat- 
 ing at the time, and at the end of the operation hesaid : 
 " Are you not cold without your fur gown on ?" I 
 explained the impossibility of working in a fur 
 gown, and he has sent along to Dr. Young and me 
 a beautiful little fur-lined jacket with short sleeves, 
 specially for working in the wards and operating- 
 room. 
 
 February 18. — Chinese New Year's Day, and 
 Sunday, too. I have the prospect of a real Sunday, 
 the first for many weeks, which I mean to enjoy to 
 the full. Despite of fears of strife within the city, 
 and threatened dangers without, we have arrived at 
 New Year's Day in peace, for which we are pro- 
 foundly thankful. A week ago the Red Cross folk 
 gave a feast, to which several of the Generals were 
 invited and all the foreigners. I could not go 
 myself, but I heard there were some speeches. Mr. 
 Shorrock preached a sermon, and the head of the 
 Red Cross said that if men were to work in the Red 
 Cross they must do it for love, and must look upon 
 the wounds of the wounded as their own wounds, 
 and treat them thus. This is pretty advanced for 
 a Chinaman ! 
 
 124 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 February 25. — As the other day I returned through 
 the West Gate to the city I was a httle amused when 
 the soldiers — about twenty of them — rose and stood 
 at attention. I wondered who I was to receive such 
 a mark of respect ! 
 
 March 2. — You will be glad to know that there 
 has been a much better spirit among the assistants 
 here lately. They have been more sympathetic in 
 their attitude, and have started a prayer meeting 
 once a week on their own initiative. I hope that 
 this spirit will be maintained. 
 
 March 10. — It has been good to know in these 
 busy days, when we have had but little time to spend 
 in private prayer and communion, that you at home 
 have been bearing us up. That knowledge is a real 
 help, and I sometimes think that it is perhaps for 
 the sake of us here that the danger and difficulty, 
 which at times have been so near, have been averted. 
 
 March 15. — A few days ago another small town 
 was taken by the Mohammedans. It had been 
 occupied the day before by about 1,000 Shensi 
 troops. The next day the Mohammedans sur- 
 rotmded and entered it, slaughtering practically the 
 whole force. Poor Shensi ! What a severe atone- 
 ment they have had to make for the slaughter of 
 the Manchus ! How many scores of families have 
 lost one or more members ! Thank God, it is now 
 practically over ! 
 
 I have been out this afternoon to the Shorrocks — 
 the first time for a month. We feel extremely glad 
 to think that we remained here. It has been so 
 manifestly God's purpose for us. Let me teU you 
 
 125 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 one thing. After the party left for the coast in 
 January, letters were sent to us which, if they had 
 reached us in time, would probably have compelled 
 us to leave the city; but they did not reach us, 
 though others did. Was not that wonderful ? I 
 have seen so much more of God's guidance and 
 control of events in the last six months, sufficient 
 to dispel any doubts as xo His hand being in our 
 lives; and if so, it must be in the affairs of nations. 
 Otherwise, one's faith must break down. It is 
 difficult to see why all this slaughter was permitted, 
 but it must be part of the working out of a purpose. 
 
 March 20. — What a delight a real spring morning 
 is ! It is one of God's good and perfect gifts. The 
 only way is to lean hard on Him. But what a 
 perverse spirit one sometimes seems to have — 
 knowing well the way one ought to go, but seeming 
 to be so far from it. One thing is certain — this 
 leaning and an increasing knowledge of Him cannot 
 be sudden and quick. It has to be a growth, but 
 we ought not to grow too slowly, ought we ? The 
 Shorrocks are with us now, as there is danger of 
 the soldiers looting the East Suburb. W^e can only 
 hope that all will be settled before long, but there 
 are some aspects which are serious. We cannot but 
 think, however, that there is some way of deliver- 
 ance, as so many times has been the case during 
 the last few months. And we know that the hosts 
 of the Lord are encamped about us. What a sense 
 of stability there is in that ! 
 
 April 4. — I have had my work considerably in- 
 creased, as Dr. Young is ill with appendicitis. He 
 
 126 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 is a little better to-day, and I am hoping very much 
 that he wiU get well enough to go to the coast, 
 where conditions are more favourable. You can 
 well understand that this is the source of no Uttle 
 anxiety, but one finds out in these days the truth 
 of, " As thy days, so shall thy strength be." Be- 
 sides, our sta5dng here with all this work has been 
 so markedly overruled, in almost every detail, that 
 I believe this wiU be clear and plain too. This 
 thought helps one to keep less disturbed, though 
 one's anxiety about Young is not lessened. It seems 
 strange to us that this should have happened, but 
 it must have a place in the plan. The drugs, which 
 we have been wanting so much, have arrived to-day, 
 at a time when we had run through our own stock 
 of chloroform, having only one bottle left. So you 
 see it has come just in time. As Mrs. Young re- 
 marked: " It looks as if someone has been managing 
 this affair who knew how to time things." 
 
 April 21. — How strange are God's leadings ! 
 How little we calculated on this illness of Dr. Young ; 
 but it must be in the plan. I am glad to say that he 
 is better, but exactly what our future course will 
 be we have not quite decided. . . . 
 
 April 23. — Young had a relapse yesterday morn- 
 ing, and I felt that the only thing to do was to 
 operate on him right away. I did so in the after- 
 noon, and, judging from the conditions, it was well 
 that I did so. Mrs. Yoimg was present, one of 
 our assistants giving the anaesthetic, and another 
 helping me. Mrs. Young was a brick ! There are 
 few women who could have done what she did. 
 
 127 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 It was a tremendous strain, but I was wonderfully 
 helped. God is able to do exceedingly above all 
 that we think. One finds this out more and more. 
 I almost forgot that it was Dr. Young. It is 
 now twenty-four hours after the operation, and he is 
 going on as well as one could wish. I have every 
 hope that he will get better. If all goes well, and 
 he makes a good convalescence, we all hope to get 
 away for a holiday. 
 
 April 25. — Young is improving, but I am still a 
 little anxious. 
 
 April 28. — The last three days there have been 
 special meetings — the Half- Yearly Church Confer- 
 ence. Before these meetings there is always a special 
 subscription-list for the upkeep of the church. The 
 soldiers in our hospitals have contributed, though 
 their pay has been by no means liberal, £2 5s. ! 
 I am glad to say that I feel really better than before 
 Dr. Young's operation, having been stimtilated by 
 the pleasiure and relief of his good progress. Truly 
 we have experienced the mercy and loving-kindness 
 of the Lord ! 
 
 May 19. — We have been able to get some of the 
 wards at the military hospitals into much more 
 hospital order. When the patients first came in, in 
 January, we had to do the best we could; most of 
 them sleeping on straw on the floor, covered by 
 mats. As soon as they could be procured, trestle 
 beds and straw palliasses were prepared; but in 
 the winter, Chinese do not like to be in separated 
 beds, with each man in a bed. It is not warm 
 enough, so they had all the beds together, resulting 
 
 128 
 
Back Again at Slanfu. 
 
 in considerable overcrowding. But there was no 
 help for it, and we had to give in. But now that the 
 warm weather has come, and many of the patients 
 have gone, we have had all the rooms, previously 
 separated by partitions, thrown into one, and each 
 man has a bed. They have shown themselves much 
 more willing to acquiesce in what we recommend 
 than formerly, and in one place I have between 
 twenty and thirty men sleeping outside — a great 
 accomplishment ! Another thing in which we have 
 found a great difference is in taking of milk. Usually 
 Chinese patients are very unwilling to take milk; 
 but the last three or four months they have not 
 only been willing but anxious to do so, believing 
 that there is some special virtue in it. It is very 
 leasping, too, to see how attentively they listen to 
 the Evangelists. Our two Evangelists are very keen, 
 and I frequently come upon one or other of them in 
 the wards, with a few men listening and sometimes 
 asking questions. I have seen also some of our 
 own staff talking to patients or explaining a Bible 
 passage, or helping them to read. A little cripple 
 boy with a happy face I have several times seen 
 occupied in this way. Daily prayers, too, are a 
 more living act than they used to be. I have 
 been specially pleased also in the change which 
 has taken place in our senior assistant. He told 
 me some time ago that he had given up taking 
 prayers, because he felt his bad temper and 
 taking prayers did not go together. I told him 
 that he had given up the wrong thing, and in 
 the last three months there has been a marked 
 
 129 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 change, which has had a beneficial effect on all the 
 others. 
 
 June I. — We have been trying to arrange for the 
 establishment of an Institute for permanently dis- 
 abled soldiers. The General, of whom I have 
 written previously, Chang Yiin Shan, when he heard 
 about it, and understood the idea, wept because it 
 was a foreigner who had thought about it for his 
 soldiers, and not he himself. To think that his love 
 for his soldiers was so small that he had not thought 
 about it ! No wonder that his soldiers love him, 
 and will do anything for him. He is a remarkable 
 man, of very strong emotions, and has given about 
 £140 to us to be spent at our direction for this 
 purpose. We shall not have the control of this 
 establishment, but he gave the money to us 
 because he knew that it would not be wasted. 
 
 June 9. — The city authorities have said that they 
 want to pay our travelling expenses down to the 
 railway, so that looks as though they have really 
 appreciated our staying up here. 
 
 June 17. — We have had to go to three feasts, 
 which take up half a day. One was at the invita- 
 tion of the Red Cross Society, one at the invitation 
 of one of the Generals, Chang Yiin Shan, and the 
 other at the invitation of the War Of&ce. Some 
 time ago we suggested that they should have a 
 sort of Chelsea Hospital for the disabled, and they 
 have taken up the idea very readily. The place has 
 just been started. They call it, " Pity the Wounded 
 Hospital," and the feast to-day took place at the 
 new Institute. The head men of the different 
 
 130 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 offices were present, including the head of the 
 province and the General spoken of above. These 
 two were originally the heads of the Young China 
 Party and the Elder Brethren Society, and have 
 not been on good terms, so it was very interesting 
 to see them together. 
 
 June 23. — Most of the head men of the new 
 r6gime are anxious for me to remain in the city for a 
 while longer, so I felt that the decision to do so, which 
 we had come to on the previous night, was the right 
 one. This week we have received two more scrolls 
 and tablets. The Church have given us each 
 scrolls describing our virtues, and the General has 
 given us each a tablet and two scrolls. These are a 
 personal affair. 
 
 June 29. — A further presentation was made to-day 
 of a tablet extolling our virtues, and of an umbrella. 
 The umbrella is a large silk one, with the names 
 of subscribers in gold on it, among which are the 
 names of the General of one of the two divisions — 
 the man who held Chi'en Chou against the Moham- 
 medans for three months — and of the Commander 
 of his bodyguard. There are also the names of nearly 
 300 wounded who have been treated by us. For the 
 fact that they are given by the men themselves, 
 these things are specially valuable. Most of the 
 soldiers are members of the renowned Elder Brethren 
 Secret Society, and among them are some of the 
 leaders here. This is rather remarkable, for this society 
 was formerly always feared as being anti-foreign. 
 
 (The Shorrocks and Youngs have left. What a 
 send-off they had !) 
 
 131 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 July 12. — It is astonishing how many things have 
 happened to prevent nay going away. However, it 
 must be all in the plan, so it's all right. 
 
 July 19. — I am now on the road to Honanfu. 
 Quite a number of the soldiers came to see me off, 
 which I appreciated very much. It was very nice 
 of them; an action like that on their part was 
 specially pleasing, as there was no obligation. I do 
 hope that these few weeks away will make me more 
 fit in every way for next year's work. Despite aU 
 God's wonderful dealings with us during these few 
 months, I feel somehow that I have made so little 
 progress. How one does long for more practical 
 holiness ! Perhaps one makes the mistake of look- 
 ing for some wonderful revelation of divine power 
 instead of bringing our wills to bear on the matter, 
 for I believe that faith and holiness are much more 
 a question of the will than of the emotions. 
 
 During those months of special stress this year I 
 sometimes had to run right away to my room for 
 a while, and it helped me when I looked up those 
 passages which speak about the people thronging 
 our Lord. There was no gate-keeper and no 
 organization in those days to make people see Him 
 in order, no one to keep them from all clamouring 
 at once to be seen by Him. I think that I have 
 learned this year to know a little of what His patience 
 meant under those circumstances, for He was 
 tempted in all points like as we are; but when one 
 thinks calmly about these people, their needs, 
 difficulties, and sorrows, and when one thinks that 
 He is ever by our side, we ought to be patient with 
 
 J33 
 
THE EAST GATE OF SIANFU. 
 
 CECIL ROBERTSON RECEIVING GIFT OF TABLET AND 
 UMBRELLA. (^Seej). 131.) 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 them. One has to become truly humble in mind 
 to be able to enter into other folk's difficulties and 
 to be truly S3mipathetic. It is so easy to appear 
 unselfish and humble to other people when all the 
 time one is proud of being thought so. How subtle 
 temptation is ! Instead of seeking for all these 
 special virtues in oneself, one ought to meditate 
 more on the Lord Jesus Christ, on those virtues 
 as they are in Him, and, above all, on His love. 
 Then these things would come into our lives un- 
 consciously, and that is how they ought to come. 
 It seems as though one knows so much of the theory 
 of it all, as to how it ought to be done, but far too 
 little about the reality and practice of it. When 
 one gets out here, I think one begins to see the in- 
 fluences of one's past life in their true perspective, 
 and one owes to home much the larger proportion 
 of whatever good one is able to do; and I have 
 learned that love and sympathy count for more than 
 learning and skill, and indeed anything else. 
 ***** 
 In a subsequent letter Dr. Robertson gave the 
 following general epitome of his well-earned holiday: 
 
 I left here in the middle of July, usually the 
 hottest time of the year for travelling, and deter- 
 mined to take the car-de-luxe (which is the sedan- 
 chair) in the road journey to Honanfu. My bearers 
 were Szechuenese, all of them opium-smokers. It 
 is a marvel to me what physical endurance these 
 opium-smoking chair-bearers have. They can go 
 for thirty miles a day, and come in at the end almost 
 
 133 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 with a sprint, and appear quite fresh. But non- 
 opium-smokers can do a great deal more: they can 
 go for another ten miles a day, if it is not kept up 
 too long. An escort appointed by the Foreign 
 Office accompanied me, and we reached Honanfu 
 without incident worthy of note. It was interesting 
 to go over the road which was the scene of conflict 
 last winter between the Imperialists and the Shensi 
 Revolutionaries. A night at Honanfu, and the 
 next day we boarded the train for Cheng-Chou, 
 the junction for Hankow. The first hour or two 
 in a train, after two or three years in the interior, 
 is a novel experience. At first one feels very much 
 like the country cousin who is paying his first visit 
 to London, but the experience very soon ceases to be 
 novel, and becomes normal once more. Fortunately, 
 we did not have to wait long for a steamer to take 
 us down the Yang-tse-Kiang to Kiu-Kiang. What 
 a delight that river journey was! such a refreshing 
 change after the Shensi plains and the Honan gorges ! 
 On arrival we lost no time in getting to the river's 
 bank and fixing up coolies and chairs to take us up 
 the Kuling Mountain. 
 
 Two hours across a blazing hot plain, covered by 
 the green rice gently waving in the breeze; another 
 three hours to the top of the hill — and what a climb 
 it is ! Feelings of pity make the passenger dis- 
 mount and start climbing himself; but he soon 
 finds out his weakness, and again gets into his chair. 
 But these men with their magnificent physique go 
 on without fatigue, taking the inclines steadily, and 
 running down the declines at a rate that makes one 
 
 134 
 
Back Again at Sianfu. 
 
 shudder. What a surprise Ruling itself is ! Perched 
 up on the top of a hill, and stretching along Uttle 
 dips among the peaks, it is well laid out with 
 foreign-built bungalows, in such a way that almost 
 all have a wide view out beyond the peaks them- 
 selves, across the Yang-tse Valley. The air is 
 delicious, but to a resident from the interior of 
 China it was a delight to get into a foreign com- 
 munity once more, to see little children and old 
 people, and to have all the delights of social inter- 
 course with those of kindred spirit. How stirring, 
 too, to stroll along the central avenue on a Sunday 
 evening, with the clear, star-lit sky overhead, and 
 first on one side and then on the other to hear the 
 sound of hjnnn-singing break out on the stillness, 
 or to hear some sacred song which reminded one of 
 happy Sunday evenings long since in the old home ! 
 A fortnight here soon sped away, and once more 
 we got down to the hot plain. 
 
 After spending two or three hours at Kiu-Kiang, 
 we again embarked, and in twenty-four hours 
 reached Nanking. There was only half a day to 
 give to it, but one got something of an impression 
 of this large city, with its macadamized roads, its 
 twenty-mile wall, its foreign shops, and the buildings 
 which are springing up everywhere now. At midnight 
 we boarded the train, and were in Shanghai early 
 the next morning. After a few days there, mostly 
 spent in shopping, I started for Japan. But a fort- 
 night in that beautiful country was only long enough 
 to make one wish to visit it again. Probably one 
 is hardly justified in giving an impression of the 
 
 135 10 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 people after so short a visit, but I could not help 
 feeling glad that I am fixed in China rather than 
 Japan. There seemed to me something less stable 
 and lasting about the Japanese character; but they 
 are extremely courteous and anxious to help a 
 stranger. 
 
 On my return to China I visited first Tientsin and 
 then Peking. There it is not so much the place that 
 inspires one as the memory of some of the important 
 and stirring events that have occurred in this the 
 centre of the Court and of the political intrigues 
 of the Chinese Empire. Here, too, one could 
 meditate at the Temple of Heaven on those yearly 
 ceremonies in which many Emperors have taken 
 part. But to the medical missionary ^i the most 
 interesting thing is the Union Medical College, where 
 an attempt is being made to give the hundred 
 students a course as far as possible like ours at home. 
 
 Leaving Peking, twenty hours' journey brought me 
 back to the junction of Cheng-Chou, and the rest 
 of my journey was just the reverse of my journey 
 down. It was good to get away to entirely fresh 
 scenes, but it is good to be back again. We have 
 regained a more or less normal condition, and are 
 now looking forward to Dr. Jenkins's return. 
 
 136 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE LAST LEAVES OF HIS DIARY 
 (October 6, 1912, to March 16, 1913) 
 
 October 6, 1912. — Back once again in Sianfu. It 
 is good to be back again. We had a warm welcome 
 from Keyte. Bell came over in the evening, and 
 we had a day's conference on Thursday. As you 
 may imagine, there are many things to do to get 
 into ship-shape again. Nearly all our patients have 
 been moved to the Red Cross Hospital, where they 
 have been looked after by the Chinese doctor from 
 the Medical College, Peking. There are only eighteen 
 here just now, and that gives me the opportunity 
 of getting things fixed up before getting into full 
 swing again. There are many new difficulties and 
 problems awaiting solution, and we need much 
 wisdom in knowing how to direct things aright. 
 One feels how small, how feeble, we ourselves are 
 in face of these things. There is the Red Cross 
 Hospital and the home for the disabled, in which 
 though not run by us, we to some extent at least 
 have a part. They come to us for advice, and ex- 
 press a desire that we should co-operate, which 
 indeed we are glad to do. But it is not now a 
 question of association for a few months, but of 
 getting a basis which shall be of a permanent char- 
 
 137 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 acter between them and us. We hope to make an 
 arrangement satisfactory to both sides, as there is 
 a great opportunity for the Gospel in both these 
 places, and at the Red Cross Hospital there is quite 
 a nice little hall where services are conducted every 
 Sunday. In addition to this there is all the Church 
 work, the evangelistic work, and the clerical work 
 associated with the mission and the hospital. Just 
 Keyte and I until the end of the year, when Jenkins 
 will be back, and we hope others. Doesn't it seem 
 terrible to think that now is the time of opportunity, 
 such an one as we may never have again, and only 
 two or three young men to attack it ? But " one 
 with God is a majority." 
 
 October 21. — It is so easy to get keen and find, if 
 you look into your motives, that the keenness is 
 rather for the success of your own little project than 
 for the main object of the glorifying of Christ. 
 
 October 27. — Services are being held at the home 
 for disabled soldiers every night. I went to one 
 this week. It was fine to have that audience of sixty 
 or seventy listening intently without any disorder 
 or restlessness. That home is a good piece of work, 
 and though we talked about it at first, the credit is 
 entirely due to the men who carried it through, 
 especially Mr. Shih, who is now at the head of it. 
 
 November 17. — Some day we shall get a true pro- 
 portion in our estimation of what people accom- 
 plish. " They also serve who only stand and wait." 
 Maybe their service is more effectual. 
 
 December 2. — It will be almost Christmas by the 
 time this reaches you. It will be a different one for 
 
 138 
 
The Last Leaves of His Diary. 
 
 all of us — more peaceful and free from anxiety. 
 This will be my fourth away from home. There 
 have been quite a number of opium-smokers at the 
 Chelsea Hospital, and arrangements have been made 
 to help them to give up this fatal habit. A special 
 courtyard has been allotted to them, into which they 
 are locked. Not a few took opium to deaden the 
 pains of their wounds, while others have taken it for 
 years. We first went round collecting the pipes, etc. 
 After this no man who smokes will be allowed in 
 the place. May the new year bring to us all more of 
 that peace and tranquillity of mind which comes to 
 those stayed upon Jehovah. It may bring various 
 changes, and whatever it brings of opportunity may 
 we be ready for it. 
 
 December 22. — Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Creasey Smith 
 have arrived here this week, and it was good to see 
 them. They are living at the hospital with Keyte 
 and me, and we are quite a happy little party. 
 
 December 30. — Christmas Day we spent quite 
 quietly. It was bitterly cold, and in the evening it 
 snowed. We had a service here in the hospital in 
 the morning, after which I saw the women out- 
 patients. The two post-office men came here to 
 dinner; then we all went out to the East Suburb 
 to tea with the Donald Smiths, and to an English 
 service. I am afraid that the friends from China 
 have been sa3dng a great deal too much about what 
 I have done here, and, after all, what a little it is 
 when we think of all the great love of our Lord ! 
 I think sometimes that we must so injure His love. 
 We do things ostensibly for Him, but there is so 
 
 139 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 much that must wound Hun in it. We were think- 
 ing of Malachi together to-day, and I was looking 
 up some of Dr. Campbell Morgan's notes. It speaks 
 there of the sensitiveness of God's love, and how, 
 though they had got the form of the old services 
 going on in the Temple, there was so much that 
 wearied God and disappointed Him. We think so 
 much of coming up to the expectation of friends 
 and other people, but to come up to God's ex- 
 pectation — not to disappoint Him — that is success. 
 And much can come through prayer. One recalls 
 the times when we and others got to the impasses 
 of life, when there seemed no way, either physically 
 or spiritually, when everything seemed black dark- 
 ness. At these times He has not been a disappoint- 
 ment to us, and now in the daily task we ought not 
 to disappoint Him. 
 
 Two of our hospital boys are being baptized. 
 
 January 5, 1913. — You would be pleased to see 
 how my boy looks after me. He is about thirty, 
 but seems younger, and he is such a real Christian. 
 I think I have seen few Chinese who have so mani- 
 festly the Christian spirit. I have taken the service 
 at the hospital this morning. It always seems such 
 a responsibility to take one of the larger services, 
 but I sometimes think that we ought to regard a 
 conversation with a single individual as a much 
 more responsible work, for the opportunity of im- 
 pressing him is proportionately greater. 
 
 January 13. — It is difficult to say what are the 
 necessary qualifications for people who come out 
 here. God uses such manifold varieties of people. 
 
 140 
 
The Last Leaves of His Diary. 
 
 But of one thing I am confident — no mere pity for 
 the degraded state of the Chinese will stand. The 
 only thing that can possibly keep one keen is a 
 knowledge of the love of Christ and a love for Him. 
 Directly one's love wanes one's pity wanes, too ; and 
 instead of pitying, one gets annoyed with the things 
 which are constantly present to irritate. The only 
 thing that can get over that is a greater love, or, 
 rather, love for a greater Person. That is the only 
 thing that will stand. There is a tower of strength 
 in the Bible, for those who constantly study and live 
 in it. It is that strength that one needs out here. 
 
 As to our future plans, it is suggested that a man 
 should go from here, as soon as the students from 
 Hankow come back, to take up the medical work 
 at Suite-chow. Of course, the man to go must be 
 myself, because Jenkins has built up the work here. 
 Before I knew anything of the resolutions of the 
 Committee, I had been thinking about the future of 
 the medical work in this province, and the desir- 
 ability of staffing the station in the north with a 
 medical, and it had occurred to me that it would 
 be the best thing for me to go there. I have there- 
 fore volunteered at the Conference here to go, and 
 I expect, if arrangements are made for the proper 
 stafiing of this station, that I shall go up there; but 
 it could not be till the beginning of 1914. Of course, 
 all appointments are liable to change out here, as 
 one never knows what may happen; but I think 
 that I should enjoy the work in an absolutely new 
 place. Not that I am anxious to leave here. After 
 all the clear guidance of last year, we ought not to 
 
 141 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 doubt that the same will be given to us this year, 
 and, indeed, always. 
 
 January 19. — Six of the men at the Chelsea are 
 very keen on learning to read, and now they each 
 have a Bible of their own, and were very anxious to 
 attend some recent meetings that we held. One of 
 our hospital boys also has recently been baptized. 
 He was with Dr. Young at Chi'en Chou, and when 
 asked why he had changed his attitude to Chris- 
 tianity, replied: " It was when I saw Dr. Young 
 spend himself for the Chinese soldiers here and 
 working so hard. It made my heart receive a 
 ' moving,' and it inspired me." This is a tribute 
 to Young, who is truly a saint. God has given us 
 good things, hasn't He ? Not the least of them is 
 the love of one's dear ones at home, and of friends. 
 I feel that I have had this in abundance. There 
 has been so little of sorrow, so little of discipline by 
 personal trial for me. I am staying in a beautiful 
 Christian home. It does not need possessions to 
 make a home, but just love ; and they have real love 
 here in abundance, and it is not superficial. 
 
 January 24. — My little stay away has done me 
 much good. The Lord seemed so near in that 
 home, and I could not help feeling that if friends 
 can have such an uplifting influence, how much 
 more would the constant companionship of our 
 Saviour. I seem to have been brought nearer to 
 Him. It is a long time since I have felt so con- 
 scious of having received spiritual blessing, and one, 
 too, which leads me so directly nearer to our Master. 
 
 I feel so grateful to Him for using this to bring me 
 
 142 
 
The Last Leaves of His Diary. 
 
 nearer to Him. This makes me feel so happy. The 
 Lord Himself seemed so present, and it is for this that 
 I rejoice. I do long to walk with Him, and do my 
 utmost for Him. The Opium Refuge at the Pen- 
 sioners' Hospital is over now, but if twenty out of 
 the forty are really rid of it, that is good. 
 
 February 2. — There is much here now to give us 
 cause for anxiety — at least, not anxiety, but we are 
 made to feel how much we need to be guided by 
 God. There is a movement among the older Church 
 members to have an Independent Church. I sup- 
 pose that every missionary hopes to see this some 
 day, but wants at the same time to feel that it is 
 led of God. We shall have to be ready to take a 
 second place, and instead of being leaders, perhaps 
 be servants. 
 
 February 25. — The thought of the Lord's nearness 
 has been very precious to me of late, but how it 
 reveals one's own failures and shortcomings ! May 
 we know the blessed Lord's presence in every time 
 and every circumstance ! May He be to us the 
 altogether lovely One ! I think sometimes, if we 
 only knew Him as He is to be known, in that inti- 
 mate way that John knew Him, and others of the 
 saints have known Him, we should never want to 
 leave Him nor take our eyes from Him. We should 
 never want to do anything that would hurt Him at 
 all. May He be all this and more, for I cannot 
 speak of Him in suitable language. 
 
 143 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE TRIUMPHANT END 
 
 After Dr. Robertson's return from the coast in 
 September, 1912, as we have gathered from his 
 diary, he set about the readjustment and improve- 
 ment of the hospital organization and administra- 
 tion, which during the revolutionary days had been 
 largely in abeyance. With Dr. Jenkins he instituted 
 a new nursing department, and the two looked for- 
 ward to a rapid development of the work in the 
 immediate future. 
 
 He was equally keen on the evangelistic side of 
 the work, and was always faithful in attending the 
 devotional exercises with the patients and helpers, 
 taking a considerable share in the leading of worship 
 and in Biblical exposition. He used to take a 
 regular share in the religious services of the Chinese 
 Red Cross Hospital, and at the Chelsea Hospital, 
 which, as we have seen, owed its institution to his 
 own suggestion. It was his custom to visit there 
 on two evenings a week, taking the evening service, 
 and entering into personal intercourse with the 
 inmates. On finding that several of the men were 
 taking opium, he started a vigorous opium-cure 
 work to enable them to break off the pernicious 
 habit. This effort was crowned with good results. 
 
 144 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 He was specially happy in his relations with the 
 Chinese authorities. From the first he had hit on 
 the right way of dealing with them. Too shrewd 
 to be easily deceived, he never became cynical; 
 whilst he was too generous and manly to bear 
 grudges against those who would have imposed on 
 him. His sunny and happy disposition made him 
 the friend of all, and it is probable that in three 
 brief years he secured a position of influence over 
 the ruling classes which in other cases could only 
 be gained by years of laborious effort. He had also 
 many friends among the Swedish missionaries, the 
 Catholic Fathers, and other missionary families; 
 but he was careful to let none of these social atten- 
 tions detract from his Chinese duties. He con- 
 tinued as keen as ever on language-study, and tried 
 to make time for it, that he might become freer in 
 his preaching. For his devotional life he pursued 
 the habit of early rising, as providing the only 
 opportunity for uninterrupted Bible-study and 
 prayer. It was characteristic also that he arranged 
 for the morning service of the missionary circle to 
 include " some grind as well as devotion," and the 
 brethren undertook the systematic study of Dr. 
 Adam Smith's " Minor Prophets." 
 
 Mr. Keyte, who was his companion at this time, 
 writes : " It was a delightful life which we lived 
 together. He was never tired of expatiating on the 
 way in which he had been taught to see the work- 
 ing of God's plan and care in the occurrences of 
 1911-12. He was of the opinion that the story of 
 what had happened ought not to be lost. He had 
 
 145 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 evidently been greatly developed in certain aspects 
 of the Christian life by what he and others had ex- 
 perienced of the grace of God and communion with 
 Him in times of distress. ' All thy children shall 
 be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace 
 of thy children," would, I think, best express the 
 sequence." 
 
 So life went quietly and happily forward through 
 those quiet months, only there was an evident 
 ripening and maturing of character which was 
 anticipative of the great vision of the Christ which 
 was so suddenly and gloriously to break on him. 
 
 On February i6 he writes to his mother: " On 
 Tuesday we got a message from a man who is 
 travelling down from Kansu with his family, saying 
 that his little boy of two years old was ill with 
 smallpox. He wanted us to send up some quicker 
 method of bringing him down, and fearing lest his 
 child might be bad, I went up myself with a chair, 
 riding on my horse, and taking with me a man, who 
 rode another horse lent by Mr. Ross, the post- 
 master. The letter was dated from a place four 
 days' journey away — Pin-chou, in the west. Some- 
 how I missed them on the road, and could hear 
 nothing of their having passed through various 
 places where I made inquiries. I pushed on till I 
 reached, in two days, the place from which they 
 had sent the letter, but found that they had left 
 three or four days before. It was rather trying, 
 but the only thing I could do was to come back 
 again. I reached home this morning. It was a 
 fairly hard ride, but it has shown me that I am far 
 
 146 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 fitter than I thought I was, for I had to take long 
 stages, and to do a good deal of walking to save 
 the horse." 
 
 In a letter received from Mr. Ross, narrating the 
 same incident, there are one or two very character- 
 istic touches, which reveal Dr. Robertson's method 
 and habit so graphically, that it is well worthy of 
 insertion: " You have heard of Dr. Robertson's 
 memorable ride to Pin-chou, at the urgent request 
 of some Kansu missionaries, to save the life of their 
 little baby-boy. He received their note late in the 
 afternoon, and came to my office about 4 p.m. We 
 walked to my house together, and he stayed for tea. 
 I sent my chair with him, and lent him a horse for 
 his servant. The cook also placed some cold meat 
 and cakes in the chair for him. I don't think that 
 he had brought anything with him for his journey. 
 We rode together to the West Gate of the city, and 
 how well I remember that we dismounted there to 
 say good-bye. We lingered together for a minute 
 or two without speaking, and then hurriedly said 
 good-bye. It was then about dark, and he started 
 off alone to ride all night on that dark and lonely 
 road. I returned home, but my thoughts were of 
 him. A few days previous to this journey we had 
 taken a walk together on the city wall, and he told 
 me that he thanked God for not having to go home 
 after the Revolution, as he feared the praise which 
 people might have bestowed on him might have 
 injured him spiritually. He never referred to his 
 experiences here during the trouble unless com- 
 pelled to. The same afternoon he spoke of the 
 
 H7 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 love of Christ, and said that he longed for nothing 
 that the world could give him, but he wanted to 
 be more conscious of the indwelling of the Spirit of 
 Christ. He also spoke of the possibility of his 
 removal from Sianfu, and asked me to pray about 
 it. I never heard Dr. Robertson say an unkind 
 word of anyone. When others criticized in his 
 hearing anyone who was not present, he kept silent 
 to the end, and then would remember and relate 
 something good of the person who had been dis- 
 cussed." 
 
 Evidently that journey had told upon him more 
 heavily than he realized, for Dr. Jenkins writes that 
 on March 5 he was reluctantly compelled to take to 
 his bed. His temperature stood at 104°, and he 
 was obliged to give in. "I suppose that he must 
 have caught some typhus infection when he went 
 up to meet the Preedys. He had been back just a 
 fortnight when the fever began, but he had been 
 feeling very indisposed for some days before, though 
 he kept at his post because I was unable to get 
 about, and Dr. Hsiao was also ill with typhus." 
 
 " On Friday, the 7th, Dr. Robertson was very de- 
 pressed because he could not see the meaning of his 
 illness. He had become so accustomed to seek for 
 the inner teaching of God's varied providences for 
 him, that he was disturbed by his inability to read 
 the Father's purpose. But after a day or two he 
 came out into the clear sunlight, and was able to 
 realize the peace of God. The valley of the shadow 
 was entered with all the old courage and the simple 
 faith that his Father God was ordering, it all for the 
 
 148 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 best. His soul was wrapt about with untroubled 
 serenity, and he often said that ' he was quite at 
 peace about it all.' " 
 
 " March ii. — Cecil has had a good night, and is 
 comfortable this morning. We feel that all is going 
 on as well as we could wish." 
 
 " March 12. — Cecil has had a fairly good night. 
 The temperature, though still high, is easily kept 
 within bounds. He sends much love to you all, 
 and says he has no pain and is comfortable. All is 
 going on as well as we can expect." 
 
 " March 13. — Cecil is keeping up fairly well, 
 though very weak. The temperature is a little 
 lower this morning." 
 
 " March 14. — Cecil is more delirious to-day. We 
 are expecting the crisis in a few days. His pulse is 
 very weak." 
 
 Mr. Keyte here takes up the story : 
 
 " March 15. — Dr. Jenkins is gone to bed with 
 typhus fever. As I write, Cecil is easier and 
 cooler. He is not clear in his mind during these 
 last two days, but is his own dear patient self. 
 Even in delirium, if asked to drink medicine, he 
 catches the idea that he is to do something to 
 oblige someone, and says : ' Oh, certainly.' I hope 
 to be able to-morrow night or Monday to send good 
 news. Cecil says that he is quite happy about all, 
 and can leave it with God." 
 
 In his lucid moments he would ask for a verse or 
 two of Scripture to be read to him. Two of the 
 last of these repeated to him by his devoted friend, 
 Mr. Keyte, were: "The Lord is my strength and 
 
 149 
 
Cecil Robertson of Siantu. 
 
 my song, and is become my salvation "; and, " My 
 Beloved is mine, and I am His." On hearing the 
 latter verse, he responded: " That is good." 
 
 It is a very tragic picture. Two doctors too ill 
 to help, and Mr. Keyte left to do his best for them 
 and for Dr. Robertson, who was evidently suc- 
 cumbing to the fatal malady. 
 
 On Sunday morning, March i6, he was worse. 
 His temperature had risen to 105°. He ceased to 
 want to get up or in any way exert himself. About 
 10 a.m. a kind of coma came on, and he continued 
 to grow worse, in spite of the strychnine injections. 
 It became clear that the home-call was near, and 
 that never again in this world would he see the 
 faces of that beloved home-circle to which his heart 
 was ever turning, and who by telegram were already 
 apprised of his danger. 
 
 As soon as it became certain that the end must 
 come speedily, the Chinese helpers could not be kept 
 away. No thought of infection would deter them, 
 and they seemed prostrated with grief. Probably 
 he was hardly conscious of their presence. He grew 
 weaker very rapidly, and sank into sleep — the sleep 
 in Jesus — a little past noon. Thus, surrounded by 
 an atmosphere of sorrowing affection, his gentle, 
 noble, and radiant spirit passed into the presence 
 of our Lord. 
 
 As the news spread through the city it was 
 received with the prof oundest emotion. The soldiers 
 of the Chelsea Home were specially desolate. The 
 beloved body was wrapped in white silk, which was 
 woven there, though not by them. Mr. Shih asked 
 
 150 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 to be aJlowed, as representing the rest, to provide a 
 white silk covering for the whole of the outer coffin. 
 At the special request of the city authorities the 
 funeral was delayed for a day, that the various 
 departments of the provincial administration might 
 be represented; and though to one of Dr. Robert- 
 son's rare modesty any publicity was distasteful, it 
 was felt that in this case, in view of his influence in 
 the city and with the army, the request should be 
 acceded to. He was their dear friend, and their 
 ardent affection demanded expression. 
 
 No flowers had bloomed at that date, but the 
 soldiers and the Red Cross Brigade, the General, 
 and others, sent such artificial wreaths as they could 
 make or procure in the brief space of time at their 
 disposal. The coffin was placed in the worship-hall 
 of the hospital, that those who had loved and 
 honoured Lo Tai Fu (Dr. Robertson) might pay their 
 last tributes of respect and affection. 
 
 Finally, the beloved body was borne through the 
 streets of the city under a catafalque provided by 
 General Chang Yiin Shan, the former leader of the 
 Ko Lao Hui. It had been decided that the inter- 
 ment should take place in the garden of the Mission 
 Church in the East Suburb. The funeral proces- 
 sion was headed by the cavalry guard and band of 
 the Governor of the Province — the Tutu Chang 
 Feng Hui. Two white banners, borne by soldiers, 
 proclaimed in golden characters to the crowds that 
 lined the streets the fame and virtues of him whose 
 mortal remains were being borne to their last rest- 
 ing-place, On the one the inscription was : " He 
 
 J51 " 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 created happiness throughout the Province of 
 Shensi"; and on the other: "By his grace men 
 were restored to life." Behind the coffin stretched 
 a procession a third of a mile in length. 
 
 "And so," writes Mr. Keyte, " we came to the 
 East Gate of the city. It was through this gateway 
 he had ridden that Sabbath morning, October 22, 
 1911, when the Revolution started. It was over 
 the wall here, when these same gates were fast shut, 
 that he had been drawn into the city to do his heal- 
 ing work. Through it how often he had clattered, 
 the hoofs of his horse ringing on the great stones, 
 on errands of love and mercy ! And now we fol- 
 lowed him, and realized that never again would that 
 gallant, gracious figure ride through the old gate- 
 way, and that this was his last earthly escort. He 
 had loved the old suffering city and its people, he 
 had given himself unstintedly for them in the 
 service of his Lord and Saviour, and now he had 
 gone before. With him it was well — well, indeed — 
 but for us who were left there remained an aching 
 sense of loss and a deep sorrow. And still the 
 band sounded in front, the banners gleamed, and we 
 came out of the cool, dark arch of the gate into the 
 clear sunlight of the long suburb street, and so for 
 a mile to the church." 
 
 The Governor of the Province had been delayed, 
 but rode up in full military dress before the memorial 
 service had commenced. He sat through the service 
 on the platform with Mr. Donald Smith and Mr. 
 Keyte, the two missionaries who led the service, 
 and himself addressed the crowded congregation, in 
 
 152 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 which the Church, the civic and military authorities, 
 and the common soldiers were represented. Of Dr. 
 Robertson's life in and service for Shensi the 
 Governor spoke with genuine feeling, and agreed 
 with the previous speakers that the dynamic for 
 both had been supplied by the Christian doctrine, 
 which he commended to the congregation for their 
 consideration. He explained that he knew but 
 little of that doctrine, but he could understand 
 such a life as had now closed; and he acknowledged 
 that, since Dr. Robertson and all his colleagues 
 attributed the good they had wrought to the in- 
 spiration of Christ, then the Christian faith was a 
 factor that could not be ignored. It was con- 
 sidered to be a remarkable tribute of respect that 
 this high official should express himself in this 
 manner, the more so as it was supposed that he was 
 not sympathetic towards religion. But his be- 
 haviour throughout was excellent. The whole of 
 this moving and impressive spectacle afforded an 
 opportunity of reaching hundreds of persons, espe- 
 cially of the high ofificial class, who seldom come 
 within hearing of Christian teaching, and it was 
 taken full advantage of. 
 
 When the service in the chapel was concluded 
 the congregation streamed into the yard, where a 
 touching incident took place, which is thus narrated 
 by Mr. Ross: "The coffin was in the churchyard, 
 surrounded by soldiers and other friends of Dr. 
 Robertson, most of them weeping bitterly. As I 
 tried to approach to lay a wreath on it, I observed 
 his ' boy ' clinging to the head of the coffin and 
 / 153 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 weeping as if his heart would break. This is just 
 what Dr. Robertson did to us all — he made us love 
 him." 
 
 Many maimed and crippled soldiers came on 
 crutches or in carts, and gathered round the grave 
 of " our doctor," as they called him. While the 
 coffin was being lowered, prayer was offered and a 
 hymn sung. Two large bunches of peach-blossom 
 — the only flowers obtainable — and crosses and 
 wreaths of paper flowers from the Chinese Christians, 
 were strewn in the grave, and with one last lingering 
 look the great gathering slowly dispersed and melted 
 back into the streets of Sianfu. But those who 
 loved Dr. Robertson in England will never recall 
 the respect and affection manifested in Sianfu by 
 the officials, soldiers, and people, without the 
 profoundest gratitude and regard. 
 
 As soon as the sad tidings of the death of the 
 beloved physician began to spread, loving tributes 
 to his memory began to pour in. Father Hugh 
 Scallon, one of the Roman Catholic missionaries in 
 Sianfu, wrote: "The Bishop brought us the sad 
 news, and the missionaries, who were assembled for 
 the annual retreat, were deeply affected. They felt 
 that they had lost a friend and benefactor, one ever 
 ready to aid them in times of sickness. My per- 
 sonal opinion is that your English doctors are the 
 hardest worked people in Sianfu, and if they suc- 
 cumb, they die martyrs of charity. If English 
 heroism shows itself at the South Pole, it abounds 
 in the hospital in China. The Bishop commissions 
 me to express to you the heartfelt sympathy of the 
 
 154 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 Catholic Mission in your sad bereavement, and our 
 trust that Dr. Cecil Robertson is in enjoyment of 
 the reward of a life devoted to the service of God 
 and the alleviation of human suffering. ' Verily, I 
 say unto you, Whatsoever ye have done to one of 
 the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto 
 Me.' " 
 
 To quote Mr. Keyte once more: " Young and 
 strong, a master of his craft, with an unusually 
 wide experience, his removal means a heavy blow 
 to the Baptist Missionary Society, in whose ranks 
 he was proud to be numbered, and for which he held 
 a loyal affection. Of that more intimate sorrow 
 which comes to his own people we may not speak. 
 Like so many of the world's best men, he held that 
 what was of good in him came to him, under God, 
 first and foremost from his mother. In the love of 
 earnest Christian parents and brothers and sisters he 
 was singularly happy. Of the many beside who 
 had helped and influenced his life there remains 
 space but to mention two — names so frequently on 
 his lips — the one his former ' chief,' Sir Alfred 
 Pearce Gould, the other his minister, Rev. F. B. 
 Meyer. To his colleagues here he was ever a brother 
 beloved; by the foreign commimity generally he 
 was loved and honoured." 
 
 It will be remembered that in the awful outbreak 
 of the Revolution a little boy of ten, named Ahl- 
 strand, had been killed by the ruthless band that 
 broke in upon the Swedish Mission House in the 
 South Suburb. His mother wrote: "I must tell 
 you of a dream that I had the night between Satur- 
 
 155 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 day and Sunday. I dreamt, first, that we were 
 busy printing texts on Chinese round cards, with 
 Dr. Robertson's name in the centre; then all of a 
 sudden I heard a voice saying, ' Though he is dead, 
 yet he speaketh,' and by that voice I was awakened 
 in the middle of the night. ... I am sure that 
 will be true of him, and as his hfe has been a bless- 
 ing to all who knew him, his removal will be a call 
 to us all to follow Christ and give ourselves out for 
 others, as he did." 
 
 But there were many other tributes of affection 
 that poured in on the sorrowing hearts in England, 
 to whom they came like the healing leaves of the 
 Tree of Life. Of these, the following must serve as 
 specimens : 
 
 The Rev. A. G. Shorrock, writing from Tientsin: 
 "A Chinese letter was waiting for me here saying 
 how Cecil was honoured in the hearts of our Chinese 
 brethren. ' His earnestness, simplicity, diligence, and 
 skill, led them to mourn for him with unusual sorrow. 
 His good name is spread in and out of the Church, and, 
 though young, he has accomplished much.' This is 
 written by one of my own students who is now an 
 able Evangelist in Sianfu. How great your thankful- 
 ness must be that Cecil has left such a record behind, 
 to establish faith in the work and message of the 
 missionary in years to come ! How I miss Cecil's 
 word of welcome even now ! How different the 
 place will be ! But is he not continuing his heavenly 
 service, amid conditions which are infinitely better ? 
 ' His servants shall serve Him.' " 
 From Dr. Harold Balme, Tsinanfu : " I feel that 
 156 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 I must add a line to the very many that you will be 
 receiving at this time, to express to you my deepest 
 sympathy in this crushing blow. As one who knew 
 Cecil in his student days, and has followed him with 
 the keenest interest and highest admiration, the 
 news is simply tragic, and now this morning comes 
 the tidings that dear Stanley Jenkins has passed 
 away also. Words just fail at times like this, and 
 one just bows one's head before Perfect Wisdom and 
 Perfect Love, knowing that He doeth all things well, 
 and that He loves the work in Sianfu as none of us 
 can do. It was but the other day that I was speak- 
 ing of Jenkins and Cecil in connection with the pos- 
 sibility of either of them being appointed here. This 
 was before my appointment was settled. I was 
 urging with all my strength that either Jenkins or 
 Cecil should be transferred, on the ground that in 
 my opinion these two men stood shoulders above 
 every single one of us in the B.M.S. medical work 
 in. China. But the answer which came, which I felt 
 was incontrovertible, was that they were both abso- 
 lutely indispensable in Shensi, and now the Lord 
 has called both away. How utterly strange it does 
 seem to our poor finite minds, and yet He will not 
 forsake Shensi or allow her to suffer. The memory 
 of your son, and the knowledge of his lovely work 
 at Sianfu, will be a very precious thing. Everybody 
 loved him, and everybody spoke highly of his char- 
 acter and influence. May God raise up many hke 
 him, called forth by the story of that life which he 
 was so ready to lay down a year ago, and which he 
 has now 5delded up ! I cannot think of Cecil 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 Robertson without being reminded of Cecil Schofield, , 
 the first medical missionary to Shansi. Both had a 
 brilliant record at home ; both spent just three years 
 in the field; both were carried off by typhus; both 
 laid wonderful foundations for the Kingdom of God. 
 Others will enter into their labours, and their work 
 shall follow them." 
 
 From Dr. Lewis {a fellow-student), T'aiyilanfu : " I 
 must write to tell you how deeply I sympathize with 
 you in the terrible blow which has recently come 
 upon you. Cecil's death has been a real personal 
 sorrow to me, for I valued his friendship highly, 
 knowing him to be a really good man in the highest 
 sense of the word. It is hard to realize that his 
 work on earth is completed. But though his term 
 of office has been a short one, it has been a glorious 
 one. We were very proud of his splendid work 
 during the Revolution, and I am thoroughly con- 
 vinced that, though he himself has been taken, the 
 influence of what he has done still abides, and 
 Sianfu is nearer to Christ because your son lived 
 there. More recently we have had news of the 
 death of Dr. Jenkins, and all our hearts are filled 
 with grief at this terrible and inscrutable Providence. 
 In the presence of such a crushing blow as this 
 one can only bow in wondering submission to the 
 God Who overrules all, prapng that He may com- 
 fort you and all others who are bereaved, and that 
 this great loss may stimulate many more medicals 
 to give their lives for China." 
 
 From the Rev. Evan Morgan, Shanghai : " Though 
 I had not been in your son's company more than a 
 
 158 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 few days altogether, I had conceived quite a per- 
 sonal affection for him. He was one of those charm- 
 ing men that you occasionally meet with in life. 
 His gifts and personality had a great attraction and 
 beauty. He had unique opportunities in China. 
 He availed himself of them to the full, and few have 
 done such a noble and efficient work as he managed 
 to crowd into his short life of service here. Though 
 short, his life has been most influential, and his 
 work, I fear not to say, has been a great power 
 for good and the advancement of the Redeemer's 
 Kingdom." 
 
 Perhaps the most touching of all is the following 
 letter from the Chinese " boy," so warmly referred 
 to in a previous note of Dr. Robertson's diary: 
 
 " Peace ! To begin with, I send my humble 
 respects, because you asked Dr. Charter to bring 
 from England a beautiful portrait of your son. Dr. 
 Robertson. Dr. Charter has already bought glass 
 and a frame for it, and I have respectfully received 
 it. Many thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Robertson. I shall 
 never forget your kindness. It has been brought 
 over a thousand hills and ten thousand rivers, and 
 has certainly become very precious to me. I 
 humbly hang it in my home, and will never for- 
 get it. 
 
 " I worked for the [literally ' our '] Doctor. Who 
 was to know that the Doctor would suddenly con- 
 tract fever, and have the fever so severely ? Al- 
 though the fever was so dangerous, everyone hoped 
 it would quickly depart. Suddenly in the spring, 
 in the third month, the Lord called the Doctor 
 
 159 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu 
 
 home. As the world would say, it certainly was to 
 be lamented, but if you examine the true meaning 
 of it there is no cause for grief. His body for the 
 time being has entered the ground, but his soul 
 certainly has returned to heaven. 
 
 " Only think of the time when the Doctor came 
 to China to preach the Gospel — of the suffering he 
 endured, travelling over the mountains and wading 
 through the rivers, in order to cure diseases and 
 help the ills of men. This he did for two reasons — 
 firstly, because he was in sympathy with the love 
 of the Saviour; and, secondly, because he had a 
 heart of compassion for men. These two are one. 
 
 " Again, when China was unexpectedly in the 
 throes of the Revolution, and soldiers were wounded 
 in the east and west parts of Shensi, he exerted his 
 heart and strength, and spared no toil. The sound 
 of the cannon reached to heaven, and frightened ten 
 thousand people ; but the Doctor was full of courage, 
 from which it may be seen that he preserved the 
 truth in his heart. The Doctor was keen on preach- 
 ing the ' doctrine,' and exerted his strength to the 
 utmost in healing diseases. Since the time of his 
 departure there is no one who does not praise his 
 virtue and extol his beautiful life. Those who 
 sorrow for him are not few; those who shed tears 
 on his account are many. Again, these two are 
 one. Now we must mutually trust each other to 
 the grace and mercy of God, and think of the com- 
 fort of His truth. When the Lord leads us, no 
 matter where or when, we will never depart from 
 Him to the right hand or to the left. 
 
 i5o 
 
U5 
 
 u 
 u 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 u 
 
 Q 
 
 Q 
 
 < 
 
 .J 
 
 Id 
 
 X 
 
 H 
 
 ■^ '2 
 
 i ^ 
 
 ■::?; 
 
 ^ 8 
 
 „ a 
 
 •T^ 
 
 •^"■^- -S 
 
 § -S 
 
 
 as ° - c/2 
 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 
 Repu 
 hours 
 ofth 
 ' in 
 
 S Q 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the 
 ent 
 rtson 
 
 Ha 
 
 ~ S* a 
 
 1 
 
 '^fll 
 
 ^:&-i 
 
 « 
 
 ^ ■^ tei ;e 
 
 S ""^ !^ ^ 
 
 ■s t-. 1 
 
 
 K S 1^ 
 
 E 
 
 
 « ^ -K, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 '^'^ s 
 
 s 
 
 a,>a,^ 
 
 S !^ !^ 
 
 fe 
 
 ^ •« ° 
 
 ■« ■§• 
 
 
 The 
 coun 
 nglis 
 tion 
 
 
 g 
 
 ■~ CO § 
 -■^ -^ >-J 
 - S s 
 
 ^ s § "« 
 
 "3 
 
 05 S a 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 " Do not grieve overmuch. Please read Romans 
 XV. 4 and 2 Cor. v. 8, and in general think rightly of 
 this teaching; and we will mutually be comforted. 
 
 "Now I am with Pastor Keyte as cook, and he 
 also treats me well. Do not grieve because of the 
 distance. This year my unworthy country is at 
 rest, and the old capital (Sianfu) is peaceful. Even 
 the harvest is good. 
 
 " I only hope you will regard it as important to 
 keep well. Now, because of a thousand hills and 
 ten thousand rivers I cannot in person thank you, 
 so I specially on this account use this inch of paper, 
 in order to manifest that I sincerely wish to inform 
 you with regard to this. My affection is great, but 
 my paper is short, so I will say no more. 
 
 " I respectfully wish you peace. I hope that all 
 your honourable friends and relatives may receive 
 happiness. 
 
 " Your hmnble servant, 
 
 "Chao Lin, 
 
 " Of the market town of Chao Tai, in 
 the county of Lantien, in the Pre- 
 fecture of Sian, in the Province of 
 Shensi, personally addresses you." 
 
 * * * 'ff * 
 
 When the first tidings of Dr. Robertson's illness 
 reached this country much prayer was offered on 
 his behalf, that he might be spared. But it was 
 otherwise ordered, and when we heard that he had 
 passed home to God an inexpressible grief filled 
 widespread circles of friends. 
 On the following Sunday morning we held our 
 161 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 memorial service at Regent's Park Chapel, at which 
 his favourite hymns were sung, fervent prayers were 
 offered for his sorrowing family, and, so well as we 
 could, we recounted again the story of his noble 
 life. 
 
 On April 19 an impressive service, presided over 
 by Rev. J. H. French, was held in the Woodgrange 
 Baptist Church by the pastors and members of the 
 congregations who for five and a half years had so 
 loyally supported Dr. Robertson by their prayers 
 and gifts. An enlarged photograph, emblematically 
 wreathed in laurels and ivy, recalled the beloved 
 features, while the epergne of white lilies spoke of 
 the purity of his life. Touching and beautiful 
 tributes were paid by the Chairman, by Dr. Percy 
 Lush, the Chairman of the Medical Auxiliary, 
 who had known Dr. Robertson from his boyhood, 
 and the Rev. C. E. Wilson, Foreign Secretary of 
 the Baptist Missionary Society. From the speech 
 of the latter we quote the concluding paragraphs. 
 After describing the scenes of the Revolution, he 
 said: 
 
 " I hasten to speak of the time when the acute 
 trouble was abated, and when our missionaries who 
 had bravely stayed all through the Revolution time 
 needed relief. Remember their names ! Cherish 
 them in your hearts ! Thank God for them ! Tell 
 your children of them ! Let the story of their 
 heroism be among your household memories: Mr. 
 and Mrs. Shorrock and their daughter Mary; 
 Dr. Andrew Young and this doctor's wife and their 
 little child; and Cecil Robertson — with no other 
 
 162 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 Europeans. All through those long, trying weeks 
 they toiled on, having to go long periods without 
 news from home, knowing that their friends were 
 anxious about them and wondering if they still sur- 
 vived. After that time relief forces went out, and it 
 was necessary that some should go away on holiday. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Shorrock had to come home, with 
 Dr. and Mrs. Young ; but Dr. Robertson determined 
 that nothing more was necessary than that he should 
 take a brief holiday at the coast, or perhaps a 
 journey to Japan. The people and officials, how- 
 ever, would not let them leave the city without a 
 great ovation. They presented them with memorials 
 and decorated them with tokens of love and 
 esteem, paid their travelling expenses to the coast, 
 sent military escorts with them far out of the city 
 to show them honour; and when, his holiday over, 
 Robertson returned, it was to a city that already 
 loved him and looked upon him as a great benefactor. 
 
 " Dr. Stanley Jenkins soon went back to China. 
 The country was still disturbed, and the city far 
 from fit for ladies to dwell in, and Dr. Jenkins left 
 his wife and two children at the coast while he hurried 
 inland. He took out with him from England the 
 approved project for the new hospital. He was full 
 of enthusiasm for the carrying of this to a successful 
 and speedy issue, in order to replace the old and 
 dilapidated premises then in use. 
 
 " Then came typhus. It is little wonder that the 
 dread disease should work such havoc in the city. 
 At the time of the massacre of the Manchus they 
 filled the wells with corpses. Frightened men and 
 
 163 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 women, in dread of the soldiery, committed suicide 
 by jumping into them. What wonder that the 
 springs were poisoned, or that the dreaded typhus 
 struck its roots into the overcrowded population! 
 The young doctor, who had taken his short holiday 
 with the full hope of returning fresh and strong for 
 his winter's work, was one of the first victims. The 
 Chinese doctor also fell a victim, then Dr. Jenkins ; 
 and the new recruit, Dr. Thomas ScoUay, who had 
 but just come into the country, had his three col- 
 leagues all down together, he alone being able to 
 help. And then Robertson died. 
 
 " What are we to say to all these things ? I will 
 not deny here in your presence, my friends, that 
 when the news came of the death of Robertson, 
 and later of Jenkins, my friend Dr. Moorshead and 
 I knelt side by side in my office in an agony of 
 sorrow. It seemed so wonderful. God tried our 
 faith, but we are here to-night, not mourning, but 
 to triumph. It is an hour of victory. We thank 
 God for a life — for two lives — so pure, so noble. 
 They have conquered death. Robertson would not 
 have deplored his death. Are we not servants of 
 Him who gave as His great ideal of life : ' Even as 
 the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but 
 to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many ' ? 
 That is the Christian's motto. We are not going 
 to count our lives by years, by attainments, by 
 money laid up, by treasure in the home; our lives 
 are measured by the way we fulfil that motto : ' Not 
 to be ministered unto, but to minister,' and to give 
 our lives, even after the pattern of His ransom. 
 
 164 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 " What are we seeing as a result of their labours in 
 Sianf u ? The very atmosphere of the city is changed 
 as regards religion. The Governors are thinking of 
 advancing the Christian Church. That is surely the 
 result of God's work among them. We are em- 
 barrassed by the eagerness of the Chinese to under- 
 stand and grasp Christianity. They say that with- 
 out a revival of the moral and spiritual life of the 
 country they cannot fulfil the ideals just coming 
 into their hearts and lives, so they want to estab- 
 lish Christianity. Was there ever anjrthing more 
 pathetic than the announcement in yesterday's 
 paper that the new Chinese Cabinet have sent out 
 from Peking to every part of that great Republic, 
 to the magistrates of every city, an announcement 
 in the following significant words : ' If there be a 
 band of Christians in your city, tell them that we 
 want them to pray for China. If there be a mission- 
 hall anywhere in your district, send a message for 
 next Sabbath, April 27, asking the people to pray 
 for the Republic of China. Let them pray that 
 virtuous men may be appointed to office, and peace 
 established in our midst, and that the Government 
 may be true.' 
 
 " The labour of these two noble men is not in vain. / 
 God is unfolding a great plan. With tears we look 
 on the memorials of our friends, but we know that 
 their lives are now reaching their fruition. Oh that 
 our lives may resemble theirs ! Here is the call of 
 a noble example, and what is so well worth living for ? 
 
 " Dr. Robertson was a gifted doctor and a skilled 
 surgeon. During the dreadful days of revolution 
 
 165 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 his only medical colleague had appendicitis, and his 
 life was in danger. Robertson, however, operated 
 successfully on him and saved his life. But what we 
 remember to-day, and what we hear from China, 
 is not so much about his skill, but about his beautiful 
 life, his courtesy, his gentleness, his faith in Jesus, 
 his spirituality. Though we cannot all be surgeons 
 and have his gifts and attainments, we can all aim 
 at being known as God's servants, and as being 
 without blame before Him in love." 
 
 The Pastor, officers, and friends at Regent's Park 
 Chapel are inserting a brass tablet in the vestibule 
 of the Chapel, with the following inscription : 
 
 IN 
 
 LOVING MEMORY 
 OF 
 
 CECIL F. ROBERTSON, 
 
 M.B., F.R.C.S. 
 
 MEDICAL MISSIONARY OF THE B.M.S., 
 
 WHO, AFTER PASSING THROUGH 
 
 THE GREAT REVOLUTION, I9II-I912, 
 
 DIED OF TYPHUS FEVER 
 
 AT HIS POST, 
 
 SIANFU, SHENSI, IN CHINA, 
 
 ON MARCH i6TH, I9I3, 
 
 AGED 28. 
 
 * * * * * 
 
 Such are the records, so far as human love can 
 limn them, of a rare and beautiful character — one 
 of God's great gifts to all of us who knew him. He 
 adorned the Gospel of his God and Saviour, and 
 
 166 
 
The Triumphant End. 
 
 made it fragrant and attractive to those who saw 
 it embodied in the life of their benefactor; and it 
 will take more than one generation before all the 
 harvest will be gathered in, which has resulted 
 from his sowing. 
 
 The Churches in East London are giving a prac- 
 tical evidence of their affectionate appreciation of 
 Dr. Robertson's life-work by contributing towards 
 the Jenkins-Robertson wing of the new Sianfu 
 Hospital, and it is quite possible that some readers 
 of these memorials may like to help in the same 
 direction. But, after all, the best commemoration 
 would be in the reader's afi&rmative response to the 
 appealing summons which comes from the throne of 
 our exalted Lord and the need of a perishing world — 
 from the throne : " Who will go for us ?" from 
 the world; "Come over and help us!" What 
 higher vocation is there among those which men 
 gird themselves to follow? What nobler service 
 could engage the energies of a brief mortal life ? 
 In what could young men better invest themselves 
 than^ in the relief of human misery, whether of body 
 or soul? What would give more zest to life, or 
 more tranquillity in death ? In all the earth there 
 is no profession more noble, more interesting, more 
 valuable to our human kind, or more pleasing to 
 the Redeemer, than that to which Cecil Robertson 
 gave himself; and in this, " he being dead, yet 
 speaketh." If he were back again and could choose 
 his hfe-work, with all the experience of the past to 
 help him, do you suppose that he would not choose 
 again to be a medical missionary ? 
 
 167 12 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 The ranks of this noble order of Christian service 
 have been sorely depleted in recent years, and 
 recruits are not so plentiful as once. But surely 
 this can be only a temporary arrest. More than 
 a passing phase it must not, cannot be. And that 
 the vacant places may be refilled, let each young 
 Christian, after reading these memorials, look straight 
 into the face of Christ, sa57ing; " If Thou needest me 
 out yonder in the dark, bid me come unto Thee." 
 
 The life of Cecil Robertson appeals for volunteers, 
 mustering silently as the dew-drops which alight 
 so gently on the summer lawns, clad in the beauty 
 of holiness, and deft at dealing with the diseases 
 of soul or body. Thus will the Master's footprints 
 on our world's surface be kept fresh, for He went 
 about doing good, and healing all manner of sickness 
 and all manner of disease among the people; and 
 He left us an example that we should follow in His 
 steps. " Who, then, will be baptized for the 
 dead ?" 
 
 " Awake ! why linger in the gorgeous town. 
 Sworn liegemen of the Cross and thorny crown ? 
 Up from your beds of sloth for shame. 
 Speed to the eastern mount like flame ; 
 Nor wonder, should ye find your King in tears. 
 Even with the loud hosanna ringing in His ears." 
 
 1 68 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 CECIL Robertson's own account of his 
 
 JOURNEY FROM SIANFU TO YENANFU, AND ALSO 
 A SHORT RECORD OF HIS WORK THERE 
 
 I MUST start from the beginning and give you as good a 
 picture as I can of ray journey and experiences. 
 
 I had some things of my own as well as drugs for 
 myself to use at Yenanfu, also for Mr. Watson at 
 Suitechou, so that it was necessary to hire three 
 animals — one a full load; one half a load, on the top 
 of which my boy, Ch'u Stu, our cook, sails; and one 
 for the teacher who is accompanying me. These three 
 went to San Yuan on Saturday, as that is the direct road 
 to this place. I, however, went to Fu Yin Ts'un, as I was 
 anxious to see the Bells, who are leaving shortly for 
 England. 
 
 Our native cook went with me to show me the way. 
 About five miles from Fu Yin, Bell and Jenkins, who are 
 staying there, met us on their horses, and we all rode 
 along together, reaching there about dark. 
 
 I had a very pleasant Sunday at Fu Yin T'sun. I took 
 the service there in the afternoon. It was a little for- 
 midable, for they have a somewhat high pulpit. How- 
 ever, I got through with it, though not so well as I 
 should have liked. 
 
 To-day I left there about 9.30, Mrs. Bell having first 
 fitted me up with necessaries. Mr. Bell sent his stable- 
 
 169 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 boy with me on his own horse for about half the way, 
 for which I was very glad, as otherwise it would have 
 been difficult to find the way. He left me a little after 
 midday, and I went on alone to a small place where I got 
 a meal and had my horse fed. The folk there seemed 
 extremely interested in all my belongings, especially 
 because I could understand what they said ; and, what 
 served to surprise them more, they could understand what 
 I said. The source of the greatest wonder was my 
 thermos flask. 
 
 That place was eight or nine miles from here, so it did 
 not take a great while to get here, but unfortunately it 
 snowed during the latter half of the day. I am staying 
 here at the little mission station, where there is an evan- 
 gelist, a young fellow who was in the school a few years 
 ago. He seemed a bright young fellow, but it is not at 
 all an unfit building as native buildings go. They have 
 about forty attendants, including members and scholars. 
 
 Tuesday, Fehruary 21, Pai Timg Quan. — As I told 
 you yesterday, it snowed, and kept on for the whole 
 afternoon and through the night. At first it was decided 
 that we should stay there for the day, but later the 
 muleteer discovered that there was another party going, 
 consisting of a pack mule and a mule litter, so he 
 thought he would go too. I could have wished the 
 roads had been better for the sake of my little horse, 
 who is not quite strong enough for a long journey yet. 
 As for myself, I was well fortified against weather of all 
 sorts with a skin gown, mackintosh, Wellington boots, 
 and a wind-cap. After a little the sun came out, and I 
 was very glad of some black glasses, for the brilliance of 
 the snow was rather trying. For most of the way we 
 travelled along the bank of a river, now by its side, now 
 on the side of the hill, and constantly crossing and re- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 crossing. There is something fascinating about the slow 
 dawdle of a mule caravan, the tinkle of the bells, the 
 whirrup of the muleteers, and the hill scenery. The 
 man in the mule litter is a sort of minor official, who is 
 going to Chung Pu to take up duties there at the Yamen. 
 We have just exchanged courtesies, that is all at present 
 — he is a Hupeh man, and his talk a little difficult to 
 follow. This town is of a fair size ; it has a little mission 
 station, with an evangelist. There are only two mem- 
 bers, and a weekly attendance at Sunday services of 
 eight or nine. That is enough to take the grit out of a 
 man who has not the real thing in him, is it not? It 
 brings home to one the difficulty of these isolated places. 
 We ought constantly to remember such in prayer. We 
 think much of the big things — the schools, the hospitals, 
 and the large agencies at work — these appeal to us ; but 
 we tend to forget these isolated workers, who are labour- 
 ing faithfully under great difficulties ; but they are sowing 
 the seeds of a Church that will be strong some day. 
 
 February 22, Ni Chun, — Here I am at the next stage 01 
 my journey. We started soon after it was light, but 
 did not arrive till it was just dark, after a fairly cold 
 journey. We have been passing through hilly country 
 again to-day. 
 
 February 24, Chung Pu. — You will remember that I 
 told you there was a minor official travelling with us. 
 On Wednesday evening he came into my room at the 
 inn and had a chat with me. Like them all, he wanted 
 to see all my things, and to know the price of everything. 
 He also had his food with me. A little later Ch'u Stu 
 came in and wanted to know if I was going to have 
 prayers — I have prayers every evening with the teacher 
 and my boy Ch'ti Stu. I said, " Yes, presently," so my 
 guest after a little retired, and I started to write this 
 
 171 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 letter. Then the teacher came in, and said that my 
 guest would like to join us at prayers, for which I was 
 very glad ; and the four of us had prayers together. I 
 read a portion of John xiv., explaining it briefly, and 
 then we stood and I led in prayer. He afterwards had a 
 look at the Bible, and I promised to send him one. I 
 wonder how he was impressed with it all. It was then 
 getting rather late, and so I retired. 
 
 Next day, yesterday, we started off again. I went on 
 ahead, as there is a mission station here, and I wanted to 
 get a talk with the evangelist. The road in many places 
 went through deep gullies, and in other places along ridges 
 with a sheer drop on either side of one to two hundred feet, 
 and in one place not more than room for the horse to go 
 along. However, my little nag did not let me down 
 once. When I got here I came along to the little mis- 
 sion station, and received a very warm welcome. They 
 wanted me to stay there, and I submitted to their 
 entreaties. It is rather a novel experience, because last 
 night I slept on the same kang (bed) with the evangelist, 
 and am living to-day with him in his room. Yesterday 
 evening some of the Church members came to prayers, 
 which I conducted. This morning, hearing a doctor was 
 here, a number of people came to be treated, but, alas ! I 
 had no drugs. They were all packed away ; so I had to 
 tell them I had no medicine prepared, as I had not 
 expected to stay here. Our friend the official has just 
 been up to call. It must have been at some personal 
 inconvenience, as this is the first day he has been here, 
 and it showed his interest. I am going to send him a 
 Bible when I get to Yenanfu, and shall probably call on 
 him on my way back. 
 
 Saturday, February 25, Lo Ch'uan. — We decided to start 
 quite early this morning — at daybreak — and so get the 
 
 173 
 
Appendix. 
 
 advantage of the hard frozen roads before the sun began 
 to melt them, reducing all to mud. The evangelist got 
 up quite early, while it was yet dark, and awakened 
 Ch'ii Stu, who came into the room we were sleeping in 
 and started to get breakfast ready. The evangelist, 
 Mr. Hsu, in the meanwhile returned to his kang to 
 finish off his sleep. I, however, proceeded to get up 
 and have my breakfast. When everything was packed 
 up it was still dark. Our good friend the evangelist 
 had awakened us too early, and, like the Apostle of old, 
 I wished for dawn. The evangelist was sleeping away 
 comfortably while I was trying to make myself happy' 
 for about an hour opposite an apology of a charcoal fire. 
 However, "all's well that ends well," and it enabled 
 Ch'ii Stu to go and arouse the muleteer and get him 
 along to the little mission station by daybreak ; so that 
 we were able to get one-third of the way here before the 
 sun became powerful enough to change the hard earth 
 into soft mud and the ice and snow into delicious brooks 
 that gurgled down all the hills and along all the roads in 
 a delightful fashion. 
 
 Travelling is one occasion when Chinese dress is a 
 distinct disadvantage, and one cannot help wishing for 
 the breeches and gaiters of the Western dress. We have 
 continued all day passing through very hilly country, 
 and it was really beautiful this morning with the early 
 sun on the hills and our road lying along a little stream ; 
 but when the difficulties underfoot arose it made the 
 beauties tend to disappear. We got here about 4.30 
 to 5 o'clock. Unfortunately I have no watch at present, 
 and have to depend on the sun ; and when you have had 
 nothing more than a snack since five o'clock in the 
 morning you feel ravenously hungry. A couple of bowls 
 • pf " mery " — that is, strips of dough boiled together with 
 
 J 73 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 bran curd and pieces of fat pork — were followed by 
 toasted Chinese bread and marmalade, and accompanied 
 by I won't say how many cups of tea. Does not this 
 sound sumptuous ? But you do not need anything 
 special to tempt your appetite under these circum- 
 stances, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and feel 
 another man. This cook of ours is really excellent 
 along the road ; he seems to have got a fixed idea that 
 there are three things I require directly I get to an 
 inn, viz., hot water for washing, a pot of tea, and a 
 charcoal fire, all of which are usually ready in ten 
 minutes. 
 
 This inn seems all right to stay at for the Sunday 
 (to-morrow), but just now there is one of those bands 
 of which I have told you working away pretty hard not 
 far off! 
 
 Monday. — To-day we started at daybreak again. We 
 had to go up and down some very steep hills, and when 
 you take up half a pound of mud with your boot at each 
 step you can understand it is pretty difficult. The latter 
 part of the day the roads were distinctly better, and 
 I hope that means the same for to-morrow. This place, 
 Fu Chou, where we arrived about 6 p.m., is tucked 
 away at the foot of some hills ; in fact, surrounded by 
 hills, on one side quite close, and on the other three 
 sides at a little distance. A fairly wide river passes 
 round these three sides. I met the evangelist here, and 
 he tells me there are many people coming in to Yenanfu 
 to break off their opium while I am there. That is two 
 days' journey away. It is really in some cases the only 
 thing that prevents them joining the Church. 
 
 This is the last day we rest at an inn, for to-morrow 
 we reach Yenanfu. We had a somewhat exciting inci- 
 dent this morning, and one which might have ended 
 
 174 
 
Appendix. 
 
 disastrously. We were going along a portion of the 
 road which had a high bank on the inner side and on 
 the outer side a drop of about 30 feet — certainly not 
 less. Along the outer side the muleteer was walking ; 
 we three were riding at a walking pace. Suddenly a 
 piece of the turf gave way, and the muleteer would have 
 fallen down the 30 feet had he not just managed to catch 
 hold of the edge with both his hands. We three at once 
 jumped off, and Ch'ii Stu and the teacher pulled him 
 up. Had he fallen right down he would certainly have 
 suffered serious injury, which would have been a great 
 misfortune for himself and awkward for us from many 
 points of view. A little farther on we met Mr. Shorrock, 
 on his way back. Had we not been delayed a day, we 
 should have met here and spent the night together, 
 which I wish very much we had been able to do. As 
 it was, we did not spend more than ten minutes together, 
 as it is a long road, and we could not delay. He 
 seems to have enjoyed his trip very much. It was 
 pleasant to meet on the road like thatj miles away 
 from any other foreigner. Then he went on his way, 
 and I on mine, and by now thirty miles will be sepa- 
 rating us. 
 
 March 2, Yenanfu. — Yesterday I left Kan Ch'uan at 
 daybreak and came on ahead on my horse, so that I got 
 here about two o'clock in the afternoon. The road was 
 good the whole distance, and there were no hills worth 
 speaking of. It was a good deal prettier than the other 
 road, as it ran along a valley practically the whole way. 
 There were more trees about, and the road and general 
 surroundings were more like England, and the road was 
 good for travelling. It would have been possible to ride 
 a bicycle most of the way. Mr. and Mrs. Borst Smith 
 had not expected me quite so early, but as I was passing 
 
 175 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 the street preaching-shop Mr. Smith happened to be 
 there, so he came out and took me along to his house. 
 
 They were glad to see me, and seemed grateful that I 
 had come. Though the premises are small, they are quite 
 comfortable. There are two courtyards with rooms on 
 each of three sides, and in addition a courtyard devoted to 
 a small girls' school of about eight or nine. At a little 
 distance off, about a stone's throw, is the little chapel, 
 with Mr. Shields' rooms and a school for small boys of 
 about eight or nine. On the big street there is a preach- 
 ing hall. The city itself, though a "fu" city, is really 
 quite small. On the north and west sides are hills fairly 
 steep, at the foot of which the city lies, and on the south 
 and east sides a river flows round the walls. The two 
 sides face two valleys, separated by a hill on which is a 
 pagoda or temple. These two valleys contain the main 
 roads ; on the one hand from the south and on the other 
 toward the north. The north here seems to have got 
 a good start. But more of that in future letters. 
 
 March 9, Yenanfu. — At the services here there is quite 
 a nice little audience of about twenty to thirty, and, if 
 evangelists and colporteurs are included, sixteen com- 
 municants. I took the service on Sunday afternoon, and 
 delivered my one sermon for the third time. We have 
 got two women and two men opium patients just now, 
 besides the folks who come here twice a week, for any 
 ills they may have, to see me. In addition occasionally 
 I go out to see patients, so there is quite a deal to do in 
 addition to my study. I have been with Mr. Smith 
 to-day to pay my respects to the two highest officials in 
 the city. It is the first time I have paid an official visit, 
 and I rather enjoyed it. We hired a couple of chairs and 
 went to the Yamen. On arrival we went inside the gate 
 to an inner courtyard, while Mr. Smith's servant h^d 
 
 176 
 
Appendix. 
 
 meanwhile gone on ahead with our cards to warn the 
 official of our arrival. Presently we were invited to go 
 farther, the central gates being opened, and we passed 
 through in our chairs, which we then left, and following 
 a man, who held up our cards, passed into the guest- 
 room, the official having first come out to meet us. 
 Inside the guest-room we first made the usual greeting, 
 which corresponds with the shaking of hands. Then the 
 official, taking a cup of tea from a table, carried it up to 
 the chief seat, which was for me, as I was the chief 
 guest. We went through the usual form of etiquette, I 
 saying, " I am unworthy," he saying, "It is only what 
 ought to be." Mr. Smith had the next highest seat, and 
 the host took a lower seat. We then had more conver- 
 sation, in which I did not take much part, but in which 
 there were plenty of compliments flying about, such as 
 " It is impossible for us to exhaust our gratitude to you 
 for coming to our mean country." To which the reply 
 is, " I am unworthy "; or, " How dare I ?" or anything 
 else of a humble nature. On referring to our speaking, 
 he would say, " You speak extremely well ; I am much 
 impressed by it"; to which we reply, "You are too 
 complimentary. My knowledge is only a rough general 
 acquaintance with the language ; I don't pretend to have 
 mastered it," and so on. Then when our business is 
 ended he invites us to drink tea. This is the signal for 
 us to depart. While we have been talking there are a 
 number of servants waiting outside, and the moment 
 they see the sign of drinking tea there is a bustle and 
 stir to get doors open and the chairs ready for our 
 departure. We rise from our seats and go to the door ; 
 he comes too, but we beseech him not to escort us out, 
 but to " restrain his footsteps." However, of course he 
 accompanies us out to our chairs. A final bow is made, 
 
 177 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu, 
 
 and we go off, he having first said that he would come 
 and repay the visit. So they will be coming here in a 
 day or two. There was really more than this, but it is 
 all very interesting, and it seems to work like clockwork. 
 At a small place like this the foreigners get much more 
 intimate with the officials than at a large place like 
 Sianfu. They all seem very cordial and friendly, and 
 some are really quite intimate. 
 
 March 12. — Since I commenced my letter we have had 
 the return call of the Sub-prefect, but it did not seem at 
 all a formal affair, for Mr. Smith had his guests in the 
 sitting-room and gave them foreign tea. The Sub-prefect 
 stayed quite a long time, asking me about an affliction 
 his wife suffers from. How convenient it would be to 
 have a lady doctor for a wife ! 
 
 Yesterday the secretary of the Prefect came to consult 
 me about a trouble of his. He used to be at Han 
 Chungfu, and has acted as a teacher to several of the 
 C.I.M. missionaries, though he has a much better post 
 now. It seems, therefore, as if I might get quite a 
 number of official patients while I am here. I have 
 been attending a man who I believe is now dead. They 
 first called me to see him when he was practically 
 dying. When I got there they were burning incense 
 and paper and tinkling a bell, to send away the " vicious 
 breath" of which he was supposed to be a victim. The 
 room was only small, and at one end was the kang on 
 which the man was propped in a half-sitting posture. 
 There were also on the kang several men, women, and 
 children. Every now and then they would give him a 
 shake and call his name to try to wake him up, for he 
 was unconscious. In the room I counted altogether 
 twenty-one other people, relatives. They besought me 
 if I could to save his life. " Use any method, and if he 
 
 178 
 
Appendix. 
 
 dies we shall not blame you." I did what I could, 
 though I told them I feared he would die. He improved 
 slightly, which raised their hopes, but he must have died 
 in the night, as they have not been to-day. I saw they 
 had got all his best clothes ready to put on him before 
 he died, in accordance with their custom. They do not 
 seem to have the slightest idea how to attend to the sick. 
 What a contrast a sick-room in China and a sick-room 
 at home I 
 
 I am going to have prayers with the servants, teachers, 
 helpers, and scholars once a week, and to take the ser- 
 vice this day fortnight in the afternoon. 
 
 The opium patients are gradually progressing, and 
 several of them will be leaving this week. I wonder 
 how much they have learned of the doctrine and what 
 sort of impression they have gained. They have been 
 studying a little catechism with the teacher who lives 
 on the same premises with them. I was talking with 
 the teacher this week. We had been reading the Sermon 
 on the Mount, and he said to me, " I think if Confucius 
 had lived in the same time and in the same country as 
 Jesus Christ they would have had a great many things 
 to talk about together." As you see, he puts Confucius 
 on a level with Christ, but it was not an irreverent 
 remark to make. I wonder when he will learn to put 
 Jesus on a higher level ! Later he said in a half-tentative 
 way, "There are many Christians who are not like this," 
 referring to the Sermon on the Mount, a conclusion,, I 
 fear, that too many have had to come to, both in this and 
 in other lands. How one longs for something of the 
 fragrance and of the radiance of Jesus Christ ! I am 
 more and more convinced of the importance of the daily 
 Ufe, a factor that is of far, far more value than the power 
 to speak or preach. 
 
 179 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 March 31, — I have heard a piece ol news. Dr. and 
 Mrs. Jenkins are going home directly I get down 
 from here. We had letters yesterday. I do not yet 
 know the details. This will make a great deal of differ- 
 ence to me, for it will mean that I shall be thrown into 
 full work and responsibility at once, sharing the work 
 with Dr. Charter. It will be no easy place for me to fill 
 in my present stage. The greater part of the hospital 
 management will fall on me. It will require all the dili- 
 gence and application I am capable of, especially if I am 
 to get a little language study and evangelistic work in. 
 
 I want to tell you just one or two of the special things 
 to pray for. One is from my own inner life. It is so 
 terribly easy to let things which seem of pressing import- 
 ance break in upon the time which ought to be regarded 
 as the most important and valuable of the day, and time 
 which, rightly used, is the only certain source of steady- 
 ing and staying power, amid the multitude of duties that 
 arise during the day. The second is in the control and 
 management of the many Chinese servants and helpers 
 that are associated with a hospital. This is an aspect of 
 the work that is not thought so much of at home, but 
 which provides an endless cause of petty difficulties and 
 worries, specially to the new man. The third is that I 
 may be able to carry on efficiently the work that Dr. 
 Jenkins has done, and in something of the same spirit, 
 for I have never seen him angry or cross or really 
 irritable, despite the numberless little difficulties and 
 interruptions which constantly arise. There are other 
 things which will require all the grace and tact that may 
 be bestowed on me. 
 
 Apyil 5. — I am contemplating leaving here next Friday, 
 and getting to Sianfu on April. 22. I took the service here 
 on Sunday morning, and got on moderately well ; but I 
 
 180 
 
Appendix. 
 
 find it rather an effort to prepare sermons in Chinese. 
 I have been visiting several cases, one a young man with 
 pneumonia, who I hope is going to get better. There is 
 a great deal that would be very attractive about perma- 
 nent medical work here. The doctor would soon get to 
 know personally a large number of people, and would 
 be known by all. He would have officials among his 
 patients, and would keep in closer touch with all classes 
 of patients than is possible in a big city. This would 
 have great advantages both from a medical and from a 
 missionary point of view. I think I told you I have been 
 attending the military official's wife. The second time I 
 went he had heard I had a camera, and was anxious to 
 have his photograph taken. I went along later and took 
 quite a number of photographs of himself, his wife, his 
 little boy, and his bodyguard. He is sending his little 
 boy to our mission school, and wants him to learn Chris- 
 tianity. He has been a good friend to the mission, and 
 gave a feast specially in my honour, treating me as the 
 chief guest. Mr. Smith and Mr. Shields were also pre- 
 sent, and the magistrate whose visit I told you about ; 
 also two or three secretaries from the various Yamens. 
 The custom at these feasts is to take a mouthful or two, 
 and then put your chopsticks down and chat a bit ; but 
 they were all very friendly, and there was not much 
 ceremony. 
 
 The next day Mr. Smith had the military official Reu 
 and the magistrate Peng to dinner, to English food. 
 They seemed to enjoy all, specially the soup. By the 
 kindness of Reu 1 have been able to do two days' journey 
 in one day. I sent my boy and teacher on the day before 
 I started with mules and luggage and my horse. They 
 left my horse at the first stage, and went on the next day, 
 while I started that day from Yenan on a horse that Reu 
 
 i8i 
 
Cecil Robertson of Sianfu. 
 
 lent me, accompanied by his special servant, who is on 
 his way also to Sian. It was a lovely horse, and we 
 reached the first stage by 11.30, having started at 
 5.15 a.m. There was a meal waiting for me, since he 
 had sent a man the day before to instruct his soldiers to 
 prepare a meal for me, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I 
 afterwards went on my own horse to the end of the 
 second stage. 
 
 I was quite busy with patients the last day or two. 
 The opium patients and one or two others wanted to 
 show their appreciation of what I had done, and so 
 approached me through a middle man to know whether 
 I would receive a tablet — the tablet being usually in 
 these cases a piece of wood with characters carved on 
 and all painted to extol the virtues of the recipient. 
 I acquiesced, and, guided by the evangelist, they chose 
 four excellent characters, the meaning of which is, 
 " To succour the world his heart labours." All the 
 names of the subscribers were also engraved on it, and 
 it was hung up in the presence of all the givers and 
 ourselves to the accompaniment of the letting off of 
 crackers. 
 
 Afterwards they all came in to drink tea, and I made 
 a little speech, and the evangelist led in prayer. There 
 is one thing about this for which I am glad : since their 
 names are all on the board they are not likely to go back 
 and take to opium again, for it would be such a loss of 
 "face" — the one thing the Chinaman abhors above all 
 else ; but I sincerely hope some of these men will later 
 learn the truth, and become real disciples of our Master, 
 
 I got back to Sianfu Friday, April 21. Dr. and Mrs. 
 Jenkins will be leaving on May 5— all being' well. 
 
 BILLING AND SONS, LTD., PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, BNGLAND