'The Boxer storm broke over North Cchine im Sune, 1000 and'. Bryaon, His family having. just_ gone Home, was relieved of all anxiety on their recount during the defence of Tien-isin against fanatical hordes besieging the: Brian Concession. With other missionaries he shared the hogpitallty his close friend, Mr," Bamund Cousins. isipan of "Ewo? and" did Ycoman, service inthe organization hundreds of Chinese" Christians, who had fecked Into the Concession loh escape a cruel fate, 'The "converts were housed Jardine' godown "during" the siege and acquitted themselves honour Sbly asa labour corps through shote "anxious weeks." For hie services "Mr. Bryaon received the Ghina Medal from the British "Gov Srament. for the "eliot of Peking? Sut what he valued "more "war a ment the deflelencies of his schoo! education by assiduous attendance at fight classes, Diaries and letters of that, period, written ina plate hand, which is 1 of his descendants, ive a vivid pleture of strenuous days in the office, followed by laborious nights of study. He was of a serious turn of mind and, in his mid-teens, associated him self' with the U. P. Church at St. James' Place, Edinburgh. where he was soon in ative Christian work.
Tt was not long before a sense of vocation developed and, in his teenth year, ho decided' to become a missionary. The way was not easy, but his Scottish grit and the "frm conviction of his call triumphed over all dimeulties and. in 1062, he was accepted as a candidate by' the dir-actors of the London Missionary Society, who hod. sent out Dr. Robert Morrison, the frst Protestant _missionary for China in 1807. For the next four years ho studied in Be fairly compre. hensive one and included a preliminary study' of the Chinese language the last year, which tested to th {ull the application and zeal of the Pupil, "The writer has heard him tell of 10 te and back, during which he memorized the form: midable list of 214 Radicals, Ordained in 18
Mr. Bryson was ordained at St James! Place, Edinburgh, on July 12, 1808 and the followifig month, sailed for his adopted country, We have already seen him at his destination five months later, eagerly facing the problems of a pioneer missionary in this peculiarly dificult field. He had no illusions as to the nature of his tank, for he was the first foreigner to reside in the great city of chang across the Yangtze from Hankow.
Tt was charnetoristic of his tenacity of purpose that, for the first year more, he out himself off as. far with, whole-hearted abandon to working knowledge of late De. Thomas Bryson In Wuchang. In consequence of a serious breakdown in the latter's health, Mr. and Mrs, Bryson were transferred' in 1885 to the North China Mission and established their home in Tientsin, where. for the next 27 years, they took a prominent part in the life of that port.
The next period of Atteen years! his powe climate of the North, self Into his beloved evangelism with Unabated vigour. Under the inspire leadership of Jonathan Lees. both Hopkyn Rees and Thomas Bryson developed new work in the great country. fields" south of Tientsin, where the next decade saw rapid, developments, Returning to Tientsin from a preaching tour, the three missionaries halted one night in the turbulent city of Tsangchow on the banks of the Grand Canal. "The. bitterly anti {orelgn populace would have none of their preaching and, after a futile attempt to pacify the mob, the party hood to take refuge in their inn. where, outside the bolted and barred doors," a hostile demonstration was continued during the avenin; T have heard Mr, Bryson tell of their evening worship in a dingy room at the end of that memorable day, when the revered senior led their devotions in a passionate prayer that Almighty God would seatter the forces of darkness and open hearts in that city to the light and truth of the Christian message. That plea was answered in less than ten years and to-day Tsangechow Is the headquarters of an extensive missionary work, embracing seven or eight counties with 60 village churches. Moreover, son of 'Thomas Bryson has just completed 33 years of service in the city and district where his father was stoned and reviled nearly 50 years ago. The romance of missions, the Far East ts not dead and, for sheer" adventure' and fascinating Simple brass memento, inscribed with "few Chinese: characters, presented iy'his Chinese charges. whom he had erved with, such "devotion" im the ordeal, Me, Bryson returned from furlough Mood for his last decade of aclive work, Though past 00, he. took 8 Prominent part in the arduous. tasks St reconstruction" after the." Boxer Sisaster, im which his early training an_ architect was invaluable. His Interest in evangelism and. zest for preaching in Chinese were maintain-up to the time of his retirement In 1012 on the eve of his 70th birthday and in the 47th year of service for the Society. A few months later hhis beloved partner passed on and, for a few years, he continued to live Tientsin.
Chungking to Peiping at 80 Years Freed from responsible duties which engrossed him while in harness. he delighted in visits to. the various members of his family and, wherever he went, his extraordinary, vigour, mental alertness and. forceful personality made him a welcome guest in any circle, When approaching his 80th year, he startled. the family by dashing off to Peking from Chungking at a most unseasonable Period of the year, travelling In a crazy, steamer, conveying bullion for a tuchun. "He had booked a shakedown in the -chartroom, which he subsequently discovered' was to be shared with five others, He thoroughly enjoyed the adventure, as he did the amazed comments of his friends on arrival in Ichang. When asked what was taking him up to the late capital, he announced that he wanted to be present at al National Conference of the Young Men's Christian Association. resented any imputation of old age and his retort (0 the greeting of old Tientsin friend, now in Shangh: "Well, how is my venerable friend! was characteristic, "Not so much of the venerable."
In 1922 he left for Scotland and settled in "Auld. Reckie:" his. birth~ place, for six happy years. With, many and varied interests to occupy hhis time and Ju constant touch with members of the family and numer and markets "of the city citizens. John was quick to became a familiar gute to the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.