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[Letter from Young John Allen to George Gilman Smith, Jr.]

Shanghai ChinaMay 1 1880
My dear Br. George

Your letter of Feb. 23rd came to hand on the 20th ult. Always glad to hear from you. Indeed your letters are a source of great pleasure, and profit as well. You are the most literary of all my correspondents and I am glad you give me an occasional insight into your study and its subjects. You will soon become a bookful man. First principles – the groundwork and

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basis of all proper study rightly engage your thoughts and I am glad to see that your labors are fundamental in another respect, to wit, that they have respect to the development of the church by s [deleted] instructing the children, etc.

Well some of these days your little books will bear fruit. Success is my old friend. As to your future labors I should say beware of entering into the speculation on Holiness, Sanctification, Perfection or [unclear] whatever else it may be called. God is all things and all for God. Here is where I work [unclear] . But you must not

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break yourself down. I like to read your letters in the Advocates [unclear] . You are an easy fluent writer and withal have a mind to it.

I am sometimes almost overwhelmed — not with work only — but with a sense of down castness. You cannot appreciate the struggle I have in this country — almost alone and lonely in companionship of endeavor. I sometimes sigh for the wings of a dove and would flie one away and hide myself from the face of men. Now is not that bad enough? It is partly from weariness and exhaustion and partly from being without the

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shoulder to shoulder influences that make one strong under such tremendous strains. The small voice within is more [unclear] powerful than all circumstances and not to do [unclear] still, would be like death to me. I could not if I would give up, and I will not complain. How little we know of one another! Those apparently strongest are to themselves the weakest of the bunch. Newton’s-on-the-strand are we all, if wise. I am striving to do my whole duty to China and the Church and though I succeed but poorly yet faith is left and that keeps me active. But enough of this — Yes Oxford is

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booming. Emory College has signalized itself. Well there’s some hope after all for the China Mission.

Stand up fairly and squarely for us my dear brother. The Methodist Church South can do wonders if properly aroused. We want to get a fair start here — organize a Conference and for once get all the machinery of a life church into operation. My work is prospering — 20 names on probationers [unclear] list. Other persons almost persuaded [unclear] to forsake paganism.

Remember us still & always. Love to the dear ones — and believe me ever yours–
Young J. Allen