The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Wa iad Storm Envelops o Winnetka Missionary's Party 2 Later On Paul R. Reynolds' Trusty Pack Mule Encounters Disaster but Emerges Somewhat Battered and Journey Resumes Editor's Note: This is the fourth of a series of letters written from China by Paul R. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds needs no introduction to readers of WINNETKA TALK. He is a product of Chicago university and is now foreign missionary for the Winnetka Congrega- tional church in the land of Confucius. Myr. Reynolds is master of a facile pen and his epistles are both interesting and mstructive. Tien Tze Po Ho, Shensi, March 24, 1924. Dear Folks: Here we are hung up in a strange mountain village for the night and I shall improve the time by trying to get done a bit more upon the chronicle of this trip. When we started off this morning the day was perfect, clear, crisp, air, the bluest of skies, and a golden sun, but all afternoon it has been blowing -great guns. We were pushing up a river valley and the sand and dust edied past us so thick that often you could not see five feet ahead. Believe me, I know what a sand storm is now. So finally we knocked off and are staying here for tonight since we can do this and still keep on schedule. When I left you some time ago we had just spent a night in a mountain village. But this time we stopped while it was still daylight and are now all settled. Our cots are set up and blankets spread out; Mr. Pye is sitting on a pack case jotting down notes while I sit on an- other case with faithful old Corona bal- anced on the end of my camp cot. To- night we are going to have a feast. We are not at a church and so can eat any- thing we want to and so after some four weeks of Chinese food we are going to open a can of good old fash- ioned baked beans, and another of chic- ken and chestnuts. Some feast! ! | Come join us. After that other night in a strange village. we got off early and went all day and arrived at evening at a county seat city where Mr. Lei holds forth. He is, a good organizer and has six out-station preaching places and also does work in some twenty villages. He 3 held 19 intensive Bible study classes in © various places since last October. He s we were tired so after a good supper he chased folks out and left us * alone to rest, read, write letters, and get ready for Sunday. After the usual mob "which crowds into our room, this was much appreciated. Bed early and up next day for the usual Sunday services. Home Mail Cheers This was the first place we got home mail and it certainly did warm our hearts. Including those who came in from the villages there were 5 or 6 to baptise here. In the evening Mr. Lei and arranged for a workers' conference with himself, his young assistant pastor and the various lay workers from the vil- lages. Very interesting to see the way they have the field mapped out and to hear them speak of three more impor- tant market towns each with from 20 to 50 villages in their field and so far untouched. That is the way we work. We hit the county seats. Then out from them we reach the market towns, and from each market town we gradually get the work out into the villages that be- long to that particular trade center. I say "we" in a very possessive way but the folks here in Fenchow have made us feel very much that we "belong." All this work except the supervision is done by our Chinese men. Kach county seat and each market center has a Chin- ese pastor in charge. The village preach- ing places just have a local man, a lay leader. Next day we went on to an- other place and since the distance was not great were in by 5:30, cleaned up, had church service including baptisms and then had supper and after that call- ers all evening . It was in this county that a year ago the County Magistrate made a formal call on Mr. Pye. They were talking about the greatly improved general conditions in the county. Mr. Pye asked the official the causes for the increase in business, and generally im- proved conditions. - The man replied that he thought it was due to two things, the coming of the church and the open- ing up of post offices. Both, he said, had helped open things up. Next day we went on to a village where we spent the night and then were off for the Yellow River. Pack Mule In Catastrophe This was a long day over two moun- tain ranges and also brought us some Mr. Pye rides got caught on a narrow ledge and his pack boxes pushed him over the ledge. He fell some ten feet right down and landed on an icy incline, and went on down that--mule, boxes, pack saddle, bedding all in a tangle and then fell over a frozen waterfall another ten feet down. He was badly scratched up but nothing broken. Now, how is that for luck? If Mr. Pye had been on, I do not see how he could have escaped, for that tangled mess of boxes, rocks and mule would certainly have wrecked him. It was just luck that he happened to be walking at that minute. He has to ride up hill on account of his heart and this was one of the rare occasions when for a few minutes he was walking on an up- hill! That for that! Just to add cheer to the day, Mr. Pye told of how one of our church members in a place near there, slipped, fell over a cliff and was instantly killed just last year. Another story about a boy who was in our Mid- dle chool in Fenchow, a fine chap. He went home during summer vacation to help with the farming. He was work- ing on one of these steep mountain-side fields one day while his father with an ox hitched to the plow was just above on the next terrace. The field was so steep that the ox slipped, lost its foot- ing and tumbled over the edge of the field right down onto the boy below and crushed him to death. Well, as you may imagine after this, crossing the Yellow River was quite tame . This crossing we took is really not bad. There is one farther up that makes the cold sweat come out on one. This time we all, men, mules, donkies, etc., piled into the old board-made boat and away we went . They drag along shore about a half mile or more above where they ex- pect to land. Then we all get in and launch out while some bail furously, others row frantically and away down stream we whirl to land below on the other: side. The minute you get across you know you have left Shansi. Gambl- ing is absolutely forbidden in Shansi but we saw four crap games with a big crowd at each, just going up from the landing to the church above. Here we found the young preacher has gotten interested in a bunch of boys. We talked school to them long into the night. Indeed, Mr. Pye talks school to the boys all along the way. Next day we were off at dawn over the mountains to a county seat town. This is one of the places which has been so completely wrecked by repeated bandit raids. Noth- ing much left but ruins. Only a few families have ventured back. But the church is on the job and as things get settled it will take an increased share in the community life. Churches Without Women After a busy day there holding all ser- vices in a fireless church room, we were off next day for the city where Mr. Lu holds forth. I have already told you about his encounter with the soldiers who rule that city or used to, so we can skip along. After our day there we had to get an early start so we were up at five- thirty and away at sunrise. It had been snowing and all day long the trail was wet underfoot. Got in late in the evening and found the pastor a fine young chap just out of our Fenchow Bible school, very much on the job. Next day the crowd was too big for the hall so we held church in the open churchyard and spoke from the steps of the church. This and the next place are the only churches in our whole field where they Nive as many women as men. Many the churches have no women at all ye In the late afternoon we had church again in the open court and this time I spoke. Just at sunset the young pastor and I with some of the boys climbed way up on the mountain back of the city to see the refuge. All these cities have a walled refuge to which people can fly when the bandits come. The city itself is walled but this refuge is on top of the mountain and is practically im- pregnable. Next day we went down the valley to another city and were glad we had only thirty li to go for there was a driving wind right from the Gobi desert, full of snow and sand and dust. Luckily it was at our backs . We got in at one o'clock, had dinner and then church, baptisms, communion and a con- ference with the leaders. Next day we went on to another county seat city where another chap just out of Bible School is doing good work. These younger men I know for I have had them in gym and basket ball during the past two years. Here we found a cap- tain who was converted while with IGeneral Feng Yu Hsiang, the famous Christian General. This chap had rounded up his whole company, seen them through the preliminaries and had them all up for baptism. Terrible dust storm was raging all day long but late in the afternoon we had to face it for 30 li on to the next place. Got there about 7:30 and after sort of unearthing our- selves we had service. I spoke and con- ducted the communion and baptism. Am getting more confidence in my Chin- ese. Next time I must tell you a good bandit story. But this wil be all for tonight. All fine here. Hope it is so with all of you. C. of C. Band Shows Up as WOW of an Orchestra If the Winnetka Chamber of Com- merce band could be said to have scored a hit in its concert on Fourth of July afternoon, then the appearance of that organization as the "orchestra" for the annual Independence Day street dance created nothing short of a riot, or as the two-a-day folks would put it, the per- formance was a WOW. "Not every band can adapt itself to syncopation time," a prominent Chicago bandmaster who visited in Winnetka on "JUPKAEKLY TALK, SATURDAYA = ™ : v1 ay remarked after he aeard the Chamber of Commerce men start off the evening's dancing pro- gram, "but your band does it to a nicety. It is truly remarkable when you consider the youth of the organization. Then, too, some highly trained bands, in which every man is an accomplished musician, never acquire the syncopation touch. It is extraordinary to find a band that does dance music as smoothly as the Chamber of Commerce organization." The Chamber of Commerce band ap- peared in concert last evening in the first of a series of regular free summer open- air concerts. THE MEMORY OF QUALITY REMAINS LONG AFTER THE PRICE IS FORGOTTEN! Thanks, Careful, for your good advice! I went over to PETERS MARKET and they certainly have the fin- est Broilers I ever saw-- and the best part of it is that they dress them fresh every day! 86 Phone Winnetka 920-21-22 PETERS MARKET Of course they do, Hap- py! You are always sure of Quality Meats, Poul:ry, and Fish at PETERS! They certainly put the "fact" in satisfaction over there! OPTICAL SERVICE to be satisfactory, must be complete without division of responsibility. OUR SERVICE EMBRACES Eye Examination Grinding of Lenses Designing and Making of Glasses Repairing of Broken Glasses Accurate adjustment to the face We carry a large assortment of Goggles or Protection Glasses. 14 Years of Successful Practice Dr. 0. H. Bersch Optometrist Former Mgr. Optical Dept. C. D. Peacock, Inc 1177 Wilmette Ave. For Appointment Phone Wil. 2766 or Residence Wilmette 1707 Hours daily from 8:30 A. M. to 5:30 P.M. Eve's by appointment. Tel. 2243 CITY ELECTRIC CO. Contractors POWER and LIGHTING WINNETKA 22 Prouty Annex 551 Lincoln Avenue "The place where eating is a pleasure" Cameo Restaurant and Lunch Room NOT ONLY ILL you find our Steaks and other Meats "Fit for a King", but the rest of our Foods. The greatest care is exercised in preparing Meals for particular people, and we are equally painstaking with our Service. Joe Stoner & Co. .: OAK TERRACE LAUNDRY CLEANERS AND DYERS Wet Wash, 20 lbs. $1.00 Rough Dry, 11lc per Ib. This includes flat pieces ironed. Oak Terrace Laundry | For information: Phone Highland Park £7 4 Py o big excitement for the lead mule, the one sm -- Phone Winnetka 32 16 Prouty Annex WINNETKA TEAMING & SUPPLY CO. 1 L. J. HAYES, Prop. GENERAL TEAMING AND EXPRESSING, BUILDING MATERIAL, DRIVEWAYS, GRADING AND BLACK DIRT Residence Phone 426 Winnetka, Illinois rr STORAGE "The Home of the Well-Groomed Car" 724 Elm St. Our storage is excellent. easy to get in and out and splendid light. You will not be disappointed in our service. OIL AND GREASING A well greased and oiled car will give you twice the pleasure and will last twice as long. We do a regular job of greasing and oiling. WASHING AND POLISHING is properly done day or night at our garage. Richardson's Garage WINNETKA Plenty of room, Phone 841 and 25