Billy Graham Center
Archives
Waisenhaus note
This note can be found in Collection 215, the United States Home Council of the overseas Missionary Fellowship, Box 2, Folder 13.
The Archives is indebted for this translation to Mrs. Cindy Wu, of Singapore Bible College.
Front. The four characters in the round circle at the four corners of the front
of the note mean "note of the Children's house." The three bigger
characters (read from right to left) along the top mean "Children's
House [orphanage]." The smaller characters at the right side of it mean "Hunan," the
characters at the left side mean "Zhi Jiang." The five characters in the
oval at the center of the note mean "one hundred copper cash coins." The
small characters along the left side of the front mean "Republic of
China/ year/month/note," those along the right side mean "registered
number."
Back. The four small characters in the round circle at the four corners of the
note mean "one hundred cash coins exact."
The paragraph is translated
sentence by sentence as follows:
"During the tenth year of the Republic of China [AD 1921], Zhi-Jiang
county was suffering from a severe draught. Many children were among the
victims. Greatly sorrowed for the children, the Director of the
Children's House therefore telegraphed the philanthropists in both
Europe and the United States, pleading them to rescue the children victims
through financial support. The request received quick responses. Thus,
about two hundred children in Zhi-Ma and Huang-jin areas were adopted to
the Children's House. The children were taught in academic subjects and
technologies (programs include elementary school, preparatory school,
andtraining courses in weaving, sock-making, tailoring, shoemaking,
carpentry, towel-making etc.) In the past four years, this excellent
approach and its achievement have been applauded by the natives of
Zhi-Jiang. Now we are committed ever more to expand the program so that
the children would be able to become fully self sufficient after
graduation. This is truly the aspiration of the Director of this
Children's House. ---By the Children's House"
The three character at the top left of this note mean "Place to
exchange." The six larger characters along the left side of this note
mean "She-dong street Pharmacy." The small characters at the bottom mean
"Printed by Hui-Yuan Book Shop, North Street, Zhi-Jiang."
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Last Revised: 2/13/04
Last Revised: 1/5/05
Expiration: indefinite
© Wheaton College 2005