[Letter from Young John Allen to Rev. George G. Smith, January 20, 1901]

Shanghai, China,Jan. 20th 1901

My dear George,

I am not due you a letter but write because I feel moved to do so. Your recent article in one of the papers, about our old friend R. W. Bigham [unclear] , I think it was, deeply stirred my heart-memories. There was a vein of sadness in it that chimed in with my own latent feelings, unfrequently touched with a feeling akin to melancholy and a sense of isolation and loneliness–I am so far away from the few old friends who are left, and there is sometimes such a heart hunger for love and sympathy, that life in China but for the faith and hope which surive, [sic] [survive] and dominate all, would be almost insupportable. Faith to me is truly the evidence of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for, and so I dare not relax my grasp on this mountain (of Chinese paganism) but feel sure it shall be in due time plucked up and cast into the sea. I am waiting anxiously for your usual Conference letter. May God bless you more and more my dear old friend and comfort you with the assurances of much love from your old friends, among whom count me always.

Young J Allen

Revd. George G. Smith, D.D.
Macon
(Vineville)
Ga. U.S.A.