Wenchow, Jan, 13.
Since last writing, the medical staff of the Methodist Hospital has been increased by the advent of Dr. Elmlie Dymond who with his wife arrived from England on January 2. Dr, Dymond has nobly taken up the place of his brother also medical missionary who after a short term of service here was transferred to Yunnan to take up the medical work of the late Dr. R, P. Hadden who died at his post, of disease contracted in the prosecution of his professional duties. His young successor soon and si arly fell a victim to disease.
Dr. and Mrs. Dymond have received a most hearty welcome by the staff of the mission whose work in two hospitals will afford ample scope for his professional abi These brothers have a fine ancest~ ry behind them, their father Rev. F, J. Dymond also in Yunnan having been the almost lifelong comrade-in-arms of the late Rev. Sam Pollard the inventor of the Mino dialect script into which the latter had turned parts of the New Testament thus giving to a whole tribe the beginning of a literature, The Rev. F. J. Dymond after 45 years in China' almost entirely in Yunnan is due to return home to England in the spring of this year. A sister of the doctor's is also on the China Mission Field, after serving for a time in Yunnan, and now worried into the China Inland Mission.
Too Old for Bandits I was speaking to an old pastor of the mission this afternoon, over 70 years of age, who has steadfastly continued at his post in spite of bandits, among the mountains of county. In the prosecution of his work he has encountered them but they have not molested him. In answer to a question he replied that he was too old for the bandits to want him, He tells me that in circuit banditry is still rife, and that when taking morning services at one of the village churches word was received that bandits were coming.
He refused, however, to leave and announced that he would take the afternoon service as usual On Friday, January 2, a village Just across the river from Wenchow was attacked by a party of 40 bandits who carried off eleven people. From a neighbouring village several people have come into the city to be safe from the marauders. A few days ago a pastor informed me that in his district 706 soldiers were endeavouring by an encircling movement to round up bandits who were said to have 17 captives in their custody an that part, I have heard no further ews.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.