The twenty-second day of August the cable flashed across the Pacific
the news that Miss Nellie N. Russell of Peking had succumbed to illness
and was no more.
Those who had not known Miss Russell intimately can little guess the
grief that came to every heart which knew her in China, whether
belonging to the missionary body, American or British, the Legation
circles of these countries, or the countless hundreds of Chinese who
had felt the beautiful uplift of her personality. While at school at
Northfield, Dwight L. Moody came to know her, and this reader of men at
once saw her rarely winsome gifts. I, who have known and loved her for
these twenty-one years, would like to write of her life in China,
hoping perchance that some whiff of that beautiful fragrance may enter
the hearts of those who read and make them more beautiful for God.
It was in 1890 Miss Russell came to Peking. One never could think of
her as being a bachelor maid, she was so womanly. How we revelled in
her pretty clothes, so dainty and becoming—so fit. The home-making
instinct was so strong that she was not content, as others had been, to
live in the families of married missionaries, but just as soon as
possible secured a house, that she might have a home. It was simplicity
itself, but every nook and corner breathed the woman,—home-maker,—and
it was always open to her friends, Chinese and Western.
Very early in her missionary life she felt the call of the country
village work. Dressed most carefully in Chinese garments, for many
years she spent months at a time away from Peking, living at some
branch station, making trips to nearby villages, holding classes for
women or visiting them in their homes. She purchased a cart and mule,
and with a young serving-man from the better class who respected her
every whim, consenting to be carter, cook, protector, whatever Miss
Russell wished, she went everywhere.
And how wonderfully she entered into every one’s life, whether of the
evangelist, his wife, the Christian school teacher, the wife of the
richest man in the region roundabout, the old lady tottering to her
grave, or the young daughter-in-law, the bride, or the little
mischievous boy. “With heart at leisure from itself,” she drew out from
each one his story. She never went in the spirit,
“Now-I-am-holier,-more-civilized-than-thou,-therefore-hear-ye-me,” but
rather in the spirit of one who sought to find out the interest or the
hunger of each one’s life, and so somehow bring it in touch with the
Lover of all. Such discoveries as she made of possibilities in the
lives of this one and that!
On returning to Peking for work in the city, she again wore the
European dress. There was something in her nature that compelled her to
have things suitable if possible, and she at once felt the dress that
other foreigners wore would meet with greater acceptance in Peking.
When the Boxer storm began to gather, being so much in the country in
the winter of 1899 and 1900, she saw, as few did, the blackening
clouds. The persecution of each Christian took a mighty hold on her
sympathetic heart. Ah! no one who was out of China can ever realize the
strain of the months preceding that awful cataclysm, the agony of those
months in the siege itself, not because of self, but because of
missionary friends, and because of the children begotten of the Lord,
who were out unsheltered in the fury of that wild and awful storm.
At its close, with no reserve, Miss Russell poured out her love and
sympathy on the one hand, and on the other sought to regather the
church in city and country, and to find work and help for men, women,
and children. The situation was all abnormal, and Satan slew many with
the poisoned darts of revenge and greed, whom he could not slay
otherwise. Oh! but these things almost broke her tender heart. Her hair
grew grey and the power to resist disease and overweariness lessened,
yet the spirit of our friend rallied, and she entered into the joy of
the Conquering Christ.
When she saw that she could not take as long country trips and endure
the same fatigue as formerly, she set all her energies to work in
bringing the Bible school for training women workers into being, and in
reaching city women. This did not mean giving up her country work, only
less prolonged visits.
Following the sudden but prolonged sickness and the death of Dr. Ament,
no one knew as did Miss Russell the work of the pastors, evangelists,
teachers, and chapel-keepers, in the city and in the large country
field, which reached into a few walled cities and many market towns and
villages. It was she who gave her days and nights for many weeks, and
even months, to helping Dr. Charles Young, the only gentleman then in
the Peking station, settle and rearrange the work. More than once the
midnight hour found her still in conference with Chinese workers,
strengthening those who were strong, exhorting the weak, and in some
cases reporting and removing those who were proving inefficient, and
even unworthy of their trust.
The pastor of the North Congregational Church, after the Hague
Conference, invited a Chinese friend who had been on the commission to
come to the church and tell about the meetings. This meeting he
advertised widely, and it was enthusiastically attended by many
non-Christians. Miss Russell, seeing the opportunity, began both at
this and the First Church to have simple lectures for women on the
great Fair days, three times a month.
These lectures were given sometimes by Chinese, sometimes by
Westerners, and covered every kind of subject. She invited noted ladies
to come and address these meetings. In this way she and her associates
made hundreds of friends among women of every rank in society. Her
associates helped receive and entertain, sometimes for hours afterward,
the many guests who came, showing school, kindergarten, museums, etc.
With rare tact Miss Russell showed her appreciation of all things in
Chinese life that were really beautiful. She read the papers, learned
the newest phrases, found out what Chinese women loved, the motive of
their acts, and, best of all, helped every one to be her best.
How they confided in her! The wealthy, aristocratic sisters, whose
brother, drawn away by the skilful efforts of some European gambler,
was gradually losing all their property; the ardent Confucian lady
teacher, who was using her property for the establishment of a school
for girls, and who so longed to bring to Chinese and Manchu women the
teaching of Confucius to make them forceful in their lives; the high
official’s wife, who would learn from her how best to work to banish
polygamy; the princess who in Mongolia would establish a school for
Mongol girls; or the wives and sisters of high officials who would open
schools or work against the evils of the cigarette or of opium. Chinese
youth and Chinese women are in that sensitive state—the state of real
life and growth—when they long to originate and execute for themselves.
It is the sign of independence, and while it leads to mistakes, in the
end it will lead to more vigorous thinking and action. No one
unassociated with Miss Russell can understand the tactful way in which
she made suggestions.
This past winter (1911) Miss Russell and Mrs. Ament opened rooms in a
court directly opening from a gate on the main street, where they
received their lady guests, held classes and small lectures, etc.
Nowhere in Peking was there a daintier, prettier reception-room. It was
a joy of every Chinese heart. There were always flowers, the flowers
they loved, and tea served in the daintiest manner. The Chinese, in the
desire to be “enlightened” and like Europeans, which has temporarily
seized them, have too often banished their beautiful furniture from
their reception-rooms, substituting an inferior European article. In
this room there was a beautiful blending of European and Chinese
furnishings, with Chinese largely predominating.
Some of the ladies, when they found they would be free to have meetings
here, said, “So often we want to meet together, we who are interested
in the progress of our women, and plan and talk over matters. It is not
easy. We come from different ranks in society. We are not free to open
our homes, as we do not control them, but we are so grateful that we
may come here. You do not laugh at us. We are new to all this and we
know are often bungling.”
Another said, and she a lady of high rank and highest breeding, “One
thing I have discovered. If ever Miss Russell encourages any movement
for our betterment, I am always sure I can indorse it. Some of the
suggestions of the Chinese ladies I cannot favour, but Miss Russell is
so wise, so careful, so good a friend of the Chinese, I can always
trust her.”
Our friend, not content in keeping this means—the lecture and class
courses—of reaching women confined to our Mission, one day a year ago
invited the representatives of all the Missions in Peking to her study.
There she unfolded a plan by which these might be repeated in every
Mission and each of its centres of work in the city. This eventuated in
a plan for fifty lectures, often a missionary and a Chinese lady
speaking on the same subject, and thus reinforcing each other.
Seeing, too, the great result following the union evangelistic meetings
for men during fairs held in the spring and early summer at the
temples, her fertile brain conceived a plan for a union effort on the
part of all the various Christian workers for women. Tents were
erected, seats rented, tea served, and there large and small groups of
women heard the Gospel message for the first time. The result has been
that several of the Missions have opened new centres of work in the
city, near city gates, or in the suburbs.
The tireless brain is still—the living heart has ceased its beating.
The loss to our work in Peking only those who knew and saw what she was
able to do and to inspire done can fathom. Miss Russell always carried
with her the dignity of her womanhood, yet with never a sense of
independence. She sought the help of men and in some way drew out all
their manhood and chivalry by her belief and trust in it. Her nature
never was distorted by her work, but her power to love and enter into
others’ lives increased with every passing year.
Her love for little children—the new-born babe, the toddling child, the
merry boy or girl, was peculiarly reverent and beautiful. Her face
often expressed an abandonment of joy as she watched the children play,
or laughed at their wise and witty sayings. She took time for
friendships, of which she had a few very close and dear. She never
failed a friend in time of need.
She loved, too, the social life, being always most punctilious about
her calls at the Legations and Customs, and on her Chinese friends of
official families. She went not from a sense of duty, but from real
pleasure. She heartily enjoyed intercourse with the cultured ladies and
gentlemen of these circles and was often able to bring them into touch
with her Manchu and Chinese friends with real advantage to both sides.
“And was she perfect?” you ask. Ah, no! She had her strong likes and
dislikes. She had her battles to fight, but each year, as her thoughts
dwelt more and more upon the Lord and Master of us all, His power to
uplift and to save, she grew in likeness to Him, and now she sits
radiant in the Heavenlies, enjoying Him who was her life, and who can
doubt but that He whom she loved and lifted up will draw the souls she
knew and loved, up and up, even to Himself.