Calvin Wilson <A Bio seraph if DANIEL W. HER ^ . 2-. / . 5 O / J tilt aiitoiojif/ii J, PRINCETON, N. J. //^ Purchased by the Hamill Missionary Fund. nv„ BV 3427 .M3 F5 Fisher, Daniel Webster, 183( -1913. Calvin Wilson Mateer CALVIN WILSON MATEER C. W. MATEER • »r \> JAN 301913 y ^Wmhi %^ Calvin Wilson Mateer FORTY-FIVE YEARS A MISSIONARY IN SHANTUNG, CHINA A BIOGRAPHY BY DANIEL W. FISHER PHILADELPHIA THE WESTMINSTER PRESS 1911 Copyright, 191 i, by The Trustees of the Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath School Work Published September, 191 i AA CONTENTS Introduction 9 CHAPTER I The Old Home ^S ^ Birth—The Cumberland Valley—Parentage—Broth- Grandfather—Re- ers and Sisters, Father, Mother, In the moval to the "Hermitage"—Life on the Farm— Home—Stories of Childhood and Youth. CHAPTER II The Making of the Man 27 Native Endowments—Influence of the Old Home— Schoolmaster—Hunterstown Academy- \j Country Teaching School—Dunlap's Creek Academy—Pro- Recollections fession of Rehgion—Jefferson College— of 1857— of a Classmate—The Faculty—The Class '^ Semi-Centennial Letter. CHAPTER III Finding His Life Work 40 Mother and Foreign Missions—Beaver Academy- Theological Decision to be a Minister—Western Seminary—The Faculty—Revival—Interest in Mis- sions—Licentiate—Considering Duty as to Missions- Decision—Delaware, Ohio—Delay in Going—Ordi- nation—Marriage—Going at Last. CHAPTER IV • * ^' Gone to the Front . • Hardships Bound to Shantung, China—The Voyage— for Che- and Trials on the Way—At Shanghai—Bound Shore- foo—Vessel on the Rocks—Wanderings on to Deliverance and Arrival at Chefoo—By Shentza Tengchow. V — CONTENTS CHAPTER V PAGE The New Home 70 The Mateer Dwelling—Tengchow as It Was—The Beginning of Missions There—The Kwan Yin Temple —Making a Stove and Coal-press—Left Alone in the Temple—Its Defects—Building a New House Home Life. CHAPTER VI His Inner Life 88 Not a Dreamer—Tenderness of Pleart—Regeneration —Religious Reserve—Record of Religious Experiences —Depression and Relief—Unreserved Consecration Maturity of ReHgious Life—Loyalty to Convictions. CHAPTER VII Doing the Work of an Evangelist . 105 Acquiring the Language—Hindrances—Beginning to Speak Chinese—Chapel at Tengchow—Province of Shantung—Modes of Travel—Some Experiences in Travel—First Country Trip—Chinese Inns—A Four Weeks' Itineration—To Wei Hsien—Hatred of For- eigners—Disturbance—Itinerating with JuHa—Chi- nese Converts—To the Provincial Capital and Tsai An —Curtailing His Itinerations—Later Trips. CHAPTER VIII The Tengchow School 128 ^' The School Begun—Education and Missions—First Pupils—Means of Support—Enghsh Excluded Growth of School—A Day's Programme—Care of Pupils—Discipline—An Attempted Suicide—Conver- sion of a Pupil—First Graduates—Reception After Furlough—An Advance—Two Decades of the School. vi — CONTENTS CHAPTER IX FACE The Press and Literary Labors . .150 Contributions to the Periodicals—English Books The Shanghai Mission Press—Temporary Superin- tendency—John Mateer—Committee on School Books—Earlier Chinese Books—School Books JMandarin Dictionary—Mandarin Lessons—Care as to PubUcations—Pecuniary Returns. CHAPTER X The Care of the Native Christians . .173 Reasons for Such Work—The Church at Tengchow Discipline—Conversion of School Boys—Stated Sup- ply at Tengchow—Pastor—As a Preacher—The Scat- tered Sheep—Miao of Chow Yuen—Ingatherings Latest Country Visitations—"Methods of Missions" —Presbytery of Shantung—Presbytery in the Coun- try—Synod of China—Moderator of Synod—In the General Assembly. CHAPTER XI The Shantung College ...... 207 ''The College of Shantung"—The Equipment—Physi- cal and Chemical Apparatus—Gathering the Appar- atus—The Headship Laid Down—The Anglo-Chinese College—Problem of Location and Endowment Transfer of College to Wei Ksien—A New President "The Shantung Christian University"—Personal Re- moval to Wei Hsien—Temporary President—Ofl&cial Separation—The College of To-day. CHAPTER XII With Apparatus and Machinery . .236 Achievements—Early Indications—Self-Development —Shop—Early Necessities—As a Help in Mission vii — CONTENTS PAGE Work—Visitors—Help to Employment for Natives Filling Orders—A Mathematical Problem—Exhibi- tions. CHAPTER XIII \ The Mandarin Version . .252 First Missionary Conference—The Chinese Language —Second IVIissionary Conference—Consultation as to New Version of Scriptures—The Plan—Selection of Translators—Translators at Work—Difficulties Style—Sessions—Final Meeting—New Testament Finished—Lessons Learned—Conference of 1907 Translators of the Old Testament. CHAPTER XIV Incidents by the Way ...... 275 Trials—Deaths—The "Rebels"—Tientsin Massacre —Japanese War with China—Boxer Uprising—Fam- ine—Controversies—English in the College—Pleas- ures—Distinctions and Honors—Journeys—Furloughs —Marriage—The Siberian Trip—Scenes of Early Life. CHAPTER XV V Facing the New China ...... 305 The Great Break-Up—Past Anticipations—A Maker of the New China—Influence of Missionaries—Present Indications—Dangers—Duties—Future of Chris- tianity. CHAPTER XVI Called Up Higher . .319 The Last Summer—Increasing Illness—Taken to Tsingtao—The End—A Prayer—Service at Tsingtao —Funeral at Chefoo—Tributes of Dr. Corbett, Dr. Hayes, Dr. Goodrich, Mr. Bailer, Mrs. A. H. Mateer—West Shantung Mission—English Baptist Mission—Presbyterian Board—Secretary Brown Biographer—"Valiant for the Truth." viii INTRODUCTION is a privilege to comply with the request of ITDr. Fisher to write a brief introduction to his biography of the late Calvin W. Mateer, D.D., LL.D. I knew Dr. Mateer intimately, corresponded with him for thirteen years and visited him in China. He was one of the makers of the new China, and his life forms a part of the history of Christian missions which no student of that subject can afford to over- look. He sailed from New York in 1863, at the age of twenty-eight, with his young wife and Rev. and Mrs. Hunter Corbett, the journey to China occupying six months in a slow and wretchedly un- comfortable sailing vessel. It is difhcult now to realize that so recently as 1863 a voyage to the far East was so formidable an undertaking. Indeed, the hardships of that voyage were so great that the health of some members of the party was seriously impaired. Difficulties did not end when the young mission- aries arrived at their destination. The people were not friendly; the conveniences of life were few; the loneliness and isolation were exceedingly trying; but the young missionaries were undaunted and pushed their work with splendid courage and faith. Mr. Corbett soon became a leader in evangelistic 9 10 INTRODUCTION work, but Dr. Mateer, while deeply interested in evangelistic work and helping greatly in it, felt chiefly drawn toward educational work. In 1864, one year after his arrival, he and his equally gifted and devoted wife managed to gather six students. There were neither text-books, buildings, nor assist- ants; but with a faith as strong as it was sagacious Dr. and Mrs. Mateer set themselves to the task of building up a college. One by one buildings were secured, poor and humble indeed, but sufiicing for a start. The missionary made his own text-books and manufactured much of the apparatus with his own hands. He speedily proved himself an educator and administrator of exceptional ability. Increasing numbers of young Chinese gathered about him. The college grew. From the beginning, Mr. Mateer insisted that it should give its training in the Chinese language, that the instruction should be of the most thorough kind, and that it should be pervaded through- out by the Christian spirit. When, after thirty- five years of unremitting toil, advancing years com- pelled him to lay down the burden of the presidency, he had the satisfaction of seeing the college recognized as one of the very best colleges in all Asia. It con- tinues under his successors in larger form at Wei Hsien, where it now forms the Arts College of the Shantung Christian University. Dr. Mateer was famous not only as an educator, but as an author and translator. After his retire- ment from the college he devoted himself almost INTRODUCTION 11 wholly to literary work, save for one year, when a vacancy in the presidency of the college again devolved its cares temporarily upon him. His knowledge of the Chinese language was extraordinary. He prepared many text-books and other volumes in Chinese, writing some himself and translating others. The last years of his Hfe were spent as chairman of a committee for the revision of the translation of the Bible into Chinese, a labor to which he gave himself with loving zeal. Dr. Mateer was a man of unusual force of char- acter; an educator, a scholar and an executive of high capacity. Hanover College, of which Dr. D. W. Fisher was then president, early recognized his ability and success by bestowing upon him the honor- ary degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1903 his alma mater added the degree of Doctor of Laws. We mourn that the work no longer has the benefit of his counsel; but he builded so well that the results of his labors will long endure, and his name will always have a prominent place in the history of missionary work in the Chinese empire. Dr. Fisher has done a great service to the cause of missions and to the whole church in writing the biography of such a man. A college classmate and lifelong friend of Dr. Mateer, and himself a scholar and educator of high rank, he has written with keen insight, with full comprehension of his subject, and with admirable clearness and power. I bespeak for this volume and for the great work in 12 INTRODUCTION China to which Dr. Mateer consecrated his Hfe the deep and sympathetic interest of all who may read this book. Arthur Judson Brown 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City, April 13th, jgii PREFACE the biographer I was asked to become WHEN planned to do other of Dr.