While going in to Mamu Saturday, I met three detachments of soldiers who were just returning, from a combat with the ever-present bandits. The casualties on the part of the soldiers were one officer and two men, We heard nothing of what happened to the bandits. It is reported that there is a band of 300 in the vicinity of Yuchang and it was these whom the soldiers were attacking.
The people of Mamu complain bitterly of the increasing insolence of soldiers. What the latter want in the way of beds, chairs, etc, they take. Even mission compounds no longer enjoy immunity from their depredations and church workers and school boys, as welt as others, have to "grin and bear it." One of our catechists said the soldiers entered the boys' school compound and took away various things belonging to the boys and no one dared to withstand them. So many of the soldiers in this part of the country are young lats in their teens that one wonders if all their self-assertiveness and insolence are merely a smanifestation of the ''gang'' spirit, or if they have a deeper significance.
Foreign Affairs is here on a visit; he is much beloved here. It is hoped his next promotion will be to the capital.
Apr. 2.
The visitors to Hangchow this Easter have had lovely weather. Yesterday was a little too hot at $6 degrees, but to-day the temperature has fallen to 62 degrees and it looks as if it would shortly rain.
The Easter festival of all the churches was held this year in tha Y.M.C.A. gymnasium, which holds. about 500 more than the lecture hall, but otherwise is not so suitable. The singing of the special choir, composed of about 200 pupils from the various Christian schools, with a few of the missionaries helping, was very good indeed, and Dr. Wang, the conductor, deserves great: credit for his able training, which had to be done very quickly owing: to the difficulty in getting the music. Rev. D. S. Chen preached on the proofs - of the Resurrection and it was good to hear him stand vp for the good Old Book. The Easter English service was well attended and the Rev. H. Clements preached a very good and appropriate sermon.
On Saturday afternoon, there was a wonderful sight at the loka side, when paper houses, furniture, bedding, clothes, sedan chairs, ricshas, motor-cars, etc., went up in flame and smoke to the value of $500, to satisfy the spirit of some dear departed friend. in case of need in the spirit world.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.