We were told of girls being tied to trees by their parents to keep them from following, and left to starve, of children being thrown into the river, of husbands poisoning their wives and children to spare them suffering. Many of the awful details cannot be given, only sufficient to make us realize a little what grim, relentless, awful famine is. Even the crows and jackdaws have left some regions. It is estimated that at least 40,000 Christians are among the famine sufferers.
The Canadian Presbyterian Mission of North Honan is practically in the centre of the famine region. Among the brief notes taken from the address of one of our missionaries were the following:—"Th> situation is appalling." "A superhuman, stupendous task lies before us." "Something must be done immediately to save the lives of our Christians and others." "Tt means for the time being the break up of the Church." "Absolute starvation practically" everywhere." "Only a remnant of Christians left."
Much time was spent in discussing ways and means of relieving the terrible situation. Among them were the following: 1. Special schools to be opened for young peaple. 2. Orphanages. 3. Supplying seed wheat. 4. Aid for boys and girls now in school, and for new pupils. 5. Assistance for Evangelists. 6. Industrial Schools. 7. Erection of Mission Buildings. 8. Irrigation work 9. Road building.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.