Elizabethtown College - Anna V. Blough Missionary Letters and Diaries from China

Active Filters:
  • Location Covered = Beidaihe (China)

About This Collection

The Blough missionary letters and diaries from China are an invaluable resource to those researching Church of the Brethren history, along with those scholars studying the Western missionary endeavor in China in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They enhance other collections of Western missionary documents, such as those housed at Yale Divinity School, the Union Theological Seminary, and Harvard University. In addition, the letters and diaries of Anna Blough provide information about Chinese people and events that may not be available in China, as well as offering general information about life in China at that time (1913-1922). Anna V. Blough was born in 1885 near Waterloo, Iowa. She was baptized into the Church of the Brethren in 1989, and later attended Mt. Morris Academy and Bethany Bible School. In 1913 she sailed for China, where she served as a missionary at the Pingding station until her death from typhus on May 9, 1922. Blough's service was part of the broader Church of the Brethren involvement in China, which began in 1906 when Daniel Long Miller traveled there for the General Mission Board to investigate possible sites. He stopped at Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shanghai; after returning home, he made his report to the board. In the fall of 1908, the board sent George and Blanche Hilton, Frank and Anna Crumpacker, and Anna Horning to China to begin the church's missionary work. After speaking with missionaries of other denominations, devoting themselves to prayer, and studying the Atlas of Missions by H.P. Beach, they selected Shanxi Province as their mission field. The Crumpackers opened the first mission station in Pingding on May 25th, 1910, and the Hiltons opened a second station in Zuoquan in June 1912. The Brethren missionary presence in China ended in 1951 following Mao's rise to power.
Displaying 6 items
Filter
Anna V. Blough letter to dear ones at Delano, Waterloo, Cuba, Aug. 20, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0820
Anna will be leaving the sea soon to return to Ping Ting. On her way, Anna hopes to find a Chinese girl nurse in Pao Ting Fu to bring back to the mission to work at the hospital. Anna visited the Great Wall of China, and gives a brief description of the Great Wall. Some of the walls surrounding the mission have been swept away by the rain. Anna also learned a quick way to read Chinese, and hopes to teach it at Ping Ting.
More
Anna V. Blough letter to dear ones at home, July 9, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0709
Anna is still on summer vacation by the sea. She spoke of 4th of July celebrations being held by the U.S.A. soldiers. There was baseball, refreshments, and instead of regular polo, they had donkey polo (according to Anna it was rather amusing because donkeys are difficult to guide).
More
Anna V. Blough letter to dear ones at home, June 18, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0618
Anna has left Ping Ting for the summer. She will be spending the summer with the Brubakers by the sea. However, scarlet fever seems to be in the area. Brother Flory has dysentery. Yuan Shin Kai died, and the Vice President took his place, and is atttempting to revive the former republican government. Anna learned of the Republican nominees in America (comments it is time for poor Teddy Roosevelt to let go of politics).
More
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother June 20, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0620
Anna is on summer furlough with the Brubakers. She weighs 129 pounds which is unusually low for her. She informs her parents that she has a spot on her lung, and has spit some blood, but the doctors say it is nothing serious yet. She assures her parents they need not worry. Gives a lengthy explanation of the difference between Chinese grown berries and foreign grown berries, and how they must boil the Chinese berries because they are grown differently.
More
Anna V. Blough letter to Ida, June 21, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0621
Anna's bowels are having issues, but she hopes to recover soon. Complains of the Chinese peoples lack of comprehension for the value of honest labor. A lot of the converts expect jobs from the mission, but there are not enough to go around or for the mission to fund. Anna asks Ida to pray that her strength returns.
More
Anna V. Blough letter to mother and father, July 30, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0730
Anna is gaining weight, and her appetite has returned. She went to bathe with other adults today, she is feeling much better and is trying to learn how to swim. Asks her parents for a new sweater.
More