Correspondence (incoming): Hook, James, 1893

of venerable Padre Junipero, which I did 6 weeks ago, after having been given up as suffering from incurable a disease by prominent physicians of this city. I regained my health, and I will be ever thankful to the saintly Missionary. Now my leave of absence having expired, I must return to the vineyard entrusted to my care. But before I leave, I have to accomplish a difficult task, the raising of funds, a thing most necessary for the development of our missions. In order to show how great the necessity is of getting means, I will try to give in short a description of the missions under the charge of the Franciscan Father, and of the work done by them. The missions in Asia entrusted to our care comprise five provinces of the whole Chinese empire. Hupe - Hunan - Schensi - Sansi - Santung. About 90 of the Sons of St. Francis are working hard there for the conversion of the inhabitants. The missions are maintained by charity of good and pious souls, both from America and Europe. A great deal already has been done, but a far greater portion has to be done. The number of converts under our charge amounts to about 150000 souls. Everywhere chapels and churches have been built. Schools we have established, wherever we could, and orphan asylums erected in different places. It is especially for the maintenance of orphan asylums we need help. As you know, Honorable Lady, the exposing of and throwing away of children in China is a very common thing;

San Francisco, September 10th 1893

Mrs. L. Stanford Honorable Lady

You will excuse me for addressing you and troubling you with these lines. I am a Franciscan Father, and have been working for nine years in the North Western part of Asia near Tibet and Mongolia. I arrived in San Francisco a few days before the dedication of the Junipero Serra monument, which was erected by your munificence. I have been present with the other Francisan Fathers at this solemn occasion, and since that time a great veneration towards the venerable Father Junipero entered my heart. At the same time the idea struck me to ask from You, Honorable Lady, a favor. I was sent here by my superiors for two reasons: first to restore my health, which was broken down by continued heathens, trying to bring them to God and Christianity. Secondly I came here to raise funds for supporting our missions and to contribute in this way to the maintenance of the once started and erection of new missions. In order to obtain both ends, I promised to pay a visit to the grave of

Fou Kia { ?} July 12th 1893

My dear Father Athanasius

Scarcely a few weeks have elapsed, and again I have to send you a letter. At that time we hoped for a better harvest, but our hopes have vanished. The scourge of famine has with all its vigor and misery our province. When our now bishop came to this diocese, he found at his disposal only $700, where from he had to feed a thousand people for 5 months. We leave about 700 orphan children in our asylums. Owing to this our bishop immediately had to close the seminary and the schools, and even the most necessary expenses had to be reduced. We would have been able to get along, if we had had only a good harvest of rice. But now our best hopes are gone, the crops are dried up and not a single bushel of rice can be gathered from the most fertile land. Last years crop was small on account of to little rain; but this year we had no rain whatever. We commenced long ago to say the prayers prescribed by our holy church ad petendam pluviam, but no rain came. We made in community since that time the stations of the way of the cross, but our prayers until now were not heard. We are in the greatest misery. Whole families leave their houses, towns are abandoned, and their inhabitants are wandering around forcing those who have something left to divide. Crowds of hundreds are begging at the doors of the richer class, asking for food and money. It is impossible to import from neighbor provinces, first because in some of them the same famine prevails, and secondly because starving beggars will rob everything. The only thing wherewith thousands still their hunger, is a very thin rice soup.

To make things worse, hundreds are coming here from the provinces of Shansi, Shensi, and Mongolia, where an even greater want prevails, not knowing, that under such circumstances this province will be for them a certain grave. I cannot give anything to my own Christians, how much the less to these wandering skeletons from the North? After a few days I have to send away my orphan children, if I do not want to see them die before my eyes. If I do not get help instantly, I have to leave for Hankon. I therefore request you, my dear friend, who knowest by experience, what famine means in China, to ask good people to help me. Allmighty God will reward it. My orphan children and Christians will be ever so grateful to You and our benefactors by praying for all continually. I myself feel weak and sick at present, as I can scarcely find something to eat for myself. Fare well and pray for

Your affectionate Cfr. in Xst F. Edmund O.S.E. miss ap of Hunan

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