William Kelley, Tehuacana, Texas
Candidate - Guthrie Presbytery - Texas Synod

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1896, page 180]

Wm. Kelley (student), Tehuacana, Tex.
Licentiate - Guthrie Presbytery - Texas Synod

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1897, page 273]

Wm. Kelley (Nashville, Tenn.)
Licentiate - Guthrie Presbytery - Texas Synod

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1898, page 318]

Wm. Kelley (Nashville, Tenn.)
Licentiate - Lebanon Presbytery - Tennessee Synod

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1899, page 221a]

"At the request of Lebanon Presbytery time was given for the very solemn and impressive service of ordaining Gam Sing Quah and Dr. Wm. Kelly to the full work of the ministry." (May 10, 1899)

[Source: Nineteenth Annual Report of theWoman's Board of Missions of C. P. Church, with the Proceedings of the Annual Missionary Convention of Cumberland Presbyterian Women, Held in Nashville, Tenn., May 6, 7, 8 and 9, 1899.]

China.

We regard it as a special favor of Providence that our mission in China should be able to get a permanent location in the province of Hunan within ten days after reaching Chang-teh. Dr. O. T. Logan writes that the Christian Alliance people, who were the first to enter this province, were here a full year before they were able to secure a house. Dr. and Mrs. Logan arrived at Chang-teh on Christmas day. They were hospitably received by the Alliance brethren. Mr. Preston reached chang-teh a few days later. They secured a house within a very few days at a reasonable cost, and are now at home among a people whom we hope will be greatly blessed by their presence. That the interest in this new mission does not wane throughout the Church is evident from the faact that we have with us to-day these two, Rev. Wm. Kelly and Mr. Gam Sing Quah, a native Chinese, educated and equipped for the work in his native land through the generosity of our people, to be consecrated by your prayers and to be supported by your gifts while they do the bidding of the Master in preaching the gospel among the people of China. Dr. Kelly will go as a Christian Endeavor representative.

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1899, page 48a. Report of the Board of Missions and Church Erection.]

The Christian Endeavorers of the Church have been asked to support in China Dr. William Kelly, who with others sails for his far-away field in a few weeks. Dr. Kelly, who abundantly deserves both the support and confidence of our young people, lately prepared the following letter, which tells the interesting story of his life and his call to the foreign field:

My Dear Endeavorer.--I have been asked by the board to give you a short sketch of my life. I am willing to comply with the request, not because there is anything great or remarkable in my history, but because I hope in this way to interest you in the great work which the Master has given me to do, and in which you and I are to be so closely associated.

As to something about my early life and surroundings, I had the good fortune of being brought up on the farm until I was sixteen years old. I was born in Ray County, Missouri, in 1874, and after my father was taken away in 1878 my mother moved to Clinton County, where she would have a better opportunity to educate us. She died in 1882, leaving six girls and three boys to care for themselves. I continued in the public schools at Plattsburg until I was ten, and then for six years I attended school a few weeks in the winter. My mother was a very quiet but earnest Christian, and taught us to attend every church service. While not a Christian at that time, I was always made better by attending church.

I enjoyed the farm life, but, as I would walk up and down the corn rows, I would look into the future and plan for going to college in order to be more useful in the world. In the fall of 1890 I determined not to wait any longer, and so started to California by way of Texas. While visiting a friend in Gainesville, Texas, he suggested that I spend the winter there, and go to Leland Stanford University the following spring. I consented, and now comes the guiding hand of Providence. My work was such that I could not attend every church service, but I would go as much as I could, and what spare time I would have at night I would spend in the Y. M. C. A. reading room. The lady with whom I boarded was in the book store one morning and noticed some New Testaments. The thought came to her to buy one and give it to me, that day at noon, with the request that I would read at least one chapter per day. I agreed to this, and a few nights after, when I came to Matt. Xvi. 26, I accepted Christ as my Savior. This proved the promise in Isa. 1v. 10, 11, and I have always had confidence in this promise when talking to the unconverted.

About this time a meeting was held in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and at one of the first services I made public my determination to live a Christian life. I met with such a welcome among the Christian Endeavorers of this church that I decided to join M. C. Johnson's congregation. One of the elders was a director in the Y. M. C. A., and secured me a position as assistant secretary. I continued here for about six months, or until September, 1891, when I decided to enter Trinity University. I had been there only a few months-it was during the Christmas holidays-until I decided to prepare for the ministry. After becoming a Christian, such passages as Matt. Xxviii. 19, 20; Acts i. 8, always impressed me very much, and so I determined to consider the mission work. I cannot explain my call, but February 2, 1892, I decided: "It is my purpose, God permitting, to become a foreign missionary," and since that day I have had no other object in life.

Some one has defined a "call" as: 1. The great need of the world. 2. Fitness for the work, and 3. The Holy Spirit guiding our reason and directing our judgment. The first and last seem to express the explanation of my call.

A few days after my decision, I wrote to Mr. Laughlin and told him that I felt called to the mission work, and he could count on me in the future. I have found this step to be of great value to me because of the helpful suggestions given during these years of preparation. During my six years in Trinity University I made a study of missions; kept up the course as outlined in the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions," read every missionary book and periodical I could find, and in this way found "facts which furnish the food with which missionary fervor is fired and fed." Of my reading, biography has been more helpful than any other branch. One cannot read such thoughts as this from Hon. John Keith Falconer without being made to look at life in a more earnest way: "While vast continents are shrouded in almost utter darkness and hundreds of millions suffer the terrors of heathendom or of Islam, the burden of proof lies with you to show that the circumstances in which God has placed you were meant by him to keep you out of the foreign mission field."

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and it may soon flicker out; but I would rather burn it out where men die in darkness than burn it in a land flooded with light."

In my reading I have been impressed with the advantage of medical missions over the other branches; so in my senior year I considered the value of the medical and theological courses, and, after many weeks of prayer and thinking, I decided for a medical course. Since that Sunday afternoon there has never been the slightest doubt in my mind about my choice being directed by Him. Prov. iii. 6.

With an A. B. degree, I was admitted to the second-year class, and took the examination for the three years in two years. This required hard work, but I am so anxious to go to my chosen work that I am willing to do most anything to prepare myself as soon and as thoroughly as possible. With this determination I realize that "most of all-for this makes all easy-men are wanted who do really desire in their hearts to live for God and the world to come, and who have really sought to sit very loosely to this world." Or with Robert Moffatt: "Whosoever goes to preach the unsearchables riches of Christ among the heathen goes on a warfare which requires all prayer and supplication to keep his armor bright." Or with Adoniram Judson: "Men who live near to God, and are willing to suffer anything for Christ's sake without being proud of it, these are the men we want."

And now one final word:

I have offered myself to the Lord for service in China. The Board of Missions has honored me by making me your second representative in this needy field. The board will depend on you for my support. If I give my life, cannot you share with me your money? My life and your money are both the Lord's, and may we not co-operate with the Lord in this work in preaching the gospel. It may be that your circumstances are such that you cannot go to the foreign field. If so, you can send. I am going. Will you not help support me? "A quarter! A quarter!" is not much for you, but it will mean a world to me. I hope every Endeavorer in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church will join the movement and pray daily for success in the Master's work. Sincerely, WM. KELLY.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, September 7, 1899, pages 308-309]

A FINAL WORD FROM DR. KELLY.

Dear Endeavorers:--When Mr. Laughlin talked over the work with me in March, we thought it possible to visit many of the societies before going out, but since that time circumstances have so developed that it seemed best to spend all of the summer in further preparation.

It would give me much pleasure to know you personally, and we would be of great help to each other, but I am sure you do not have to see the instrument before you are willing to give of your strength to carry on the work. "It behooves all disciples to awake and bestir themselves. God's eternal purpose concerning this world should be so engraven on our minds and hearts, that no doubt can ever arise as to the fact and nature of His plan, the destiny of the Gospel, or as to our duty." Few of you may have the inestimable privilege of telling the Gospel story to the degraded, despised, yet beloved mortals of China, but you can pray for those who do go.

"The evangelization of the world in this generation depends, first of all, upon a revival of prayer. Deeper than the need for men; deeper, far, than the need for money; aye, deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing, world-wide prayer. Missions have progressd slowly abroad, because piety and prayer have been shallow at home."

You will not hesitate to give to foreign missions when you recall the fact that the same amount of money spent on the home church, with all of its Christian literature and workers, brings only one-third as many persons to Christ. It takes more grace to make an impression on the heart of a Christian than it does to convert a heathen.

It was the opening verse of a stray copy of the chinese Bible that led Nusima to Christ. He afterwards became the first native evangelist to Japan, and was the instrument in sounding the great Doshisha Iniv.

Some years ago a member of the Gainesville congregation sent $5 to one of our mission stations in Mexico with the request that it be used in buying Bibles. These were sent to a village near by, and as a partial result we now have, a church with more than 30 members.

The history of missions overflows with answers to the promise recorded in Isa. 55:10-11.

You have read in the "Record" some of the needs of China, an empire with an area of one-tenth the land surface of the globe, and a population of 407,000,000, one-third of the human race.

No other nation is so destitute of the Gospel, while eight of the eleven million in Mexico have never seen a copy of the Scriptures, still they have one missionary to every 60,000.

In some of the countries of South America the only mission work is the distribution of the Bible in spanish, but they have a missionary to every 100,000.

In Africa the need is so great that Mr. Stanley says in traveling 999 days for more than 7,000 miles he never saw the face of a Christian or of a man who had had the opportunity to become one, yet they have a missionary to every 125,000.

In India Mr. Wilder speaks of the province in which he labors as having 1,172 cities and towns--out of 1,190--which do not have a resident native or foreign Christian. Here we have a missionary to every 135,000.

But in China, where the population is so dense you are "never out of sight of a living Chinaman or a dead Chinaman's grave," the need is much greater. A reliable source gives one ordained minister to every 600,000, or one missionary to every 200,000.

The Province of Hunan was one of the last to open its gates to the Gospel. With an area of 80,000 square miles, or the size of the State of Kansas, and a population of 18,000,000, having the greatest tea and rice markets in the world and coal and iron fields that surpass those of Pennsylvania, or Alabama, it has one ordained minister and two physicans to work among the people.

Our missionaries have been in the City of Changteh not quite eight months, and have the work thoroughly established in a house just outside of the east gate of the city. Every letter from them speaks of the great spiritual and physical needs of the people and the lack of sufficient workers. When you remember they are in a city of nearly 500,000 inhabitants, you can better understand why they close their letters with an appeal for more help.

"While vast continents are shrouded in almost utter darkness, and hundreds of millions suffer the horrors of heathendom of of Islam, the burden of proof lies with you to show that the circumstances in which God has placed you were meant by Him to keep you out of the foreign mission field."

For myself, "I have but one candle of life to burn, and it may soon flicker out, but I would rather burn it out where men die in darkness than in a land flooded with light."

Sincerely, WILLIAM KELLY.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXV No. 4, October, 1899, pages 94-95]

THE LAST LETTER

Just as we go to press we are in receipt of a letter from Rev. and Mrs. J. C. Worley, Miss Gardner and Dr. Kelly. The letter was written on the steamship Coptic, near Honolulu. All the missionaries were well and in good spirits, each one testifying to the goodness of God in permitting them to embark upon this journey and engaging in this great work. Dr. Kelly says: "Remember all of us to the Christian Endeavorers of the denomination, and especially to the Juniors."

The ship on which they sailed has forty-five missionaries on board going to the Sandwich Islands, Japan and China. Of the forty-five missionaries sailing on the ship with our representatives, seventeen are Student Volunteers. This speaks volumes for the great Student Volunteer Movement. Of the five whom we are sending, four are Student Volunteers; the other would have been had she not been on the field before the organization of this movement.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXV No. 5, November, 1899, page 126]

Dr. Kelly's Impression.

Dr. Kelly writes concerning his impressions of our location in China. He says: "It was nothing short of the Lord's opening the door for us to enter this place, not only to the city, but to this house. It is just outside of the east gate, and one of the best locations that could have been found. Members of other missions say the same thing. In this city there are three young men of the C. I. M. A man and his wife of the C. and M. A., and ourselves. The other two missions are alone, but they are never sure of a permanent place. The C. I. M. has another man a few miles up the river, and this constitutes the force in Hunan. I was very fortunate in meeting a number of prominent missionaries coming up the river, and all of them spoke well of our location and of the remarkably short time in which we got a footing here. I have heard since coming here that the Chinese felt as if one of their friends had gone when they saw Dr. Logan carried on a stretcher through the streets to the boat last summer. Mr. Preston says they often asked about him while gone, and that people from the country, when in the city, would ask when he was coming back. There was good feeling among them when he hung out the sign a few days before his return, telling them when the doctor would be back. There is a world of work to be done here, and I shall rejoice when I know enough about the language to be able to share it."

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXV No. 8, February, 1900, page 207]

NOTES FROM CHINA.

BY DR. KELLEY.

Instead of sending to Hankow, 600 miles away, for stamps, and then sending our letters there to post, we now have the "Chinese Imperial Post" in our city. It was established just a few days ago. This nation is thousands of years old, but has had a government postoffice system only a few years. The postoffice gives us the privilege of branding our stamps, as they are sometimes "borrowed" and not returned, when uncanceled. It takes seven or eight weeks for a letter to go to the States.

China is a dark field, and this is her black spot. All is sin and darkness. I am thankful my lot has been cast in such a needy place. At present there are only nine resident missionaries in this province of more than 20,000,000 souls. Eight are in this city. You can hardly realize in the daylight of the twentieth century a city surrounded by walls, with the gates closed at night. All these central and western China cities have them. It is difficult for any one to pass those gates in daylight in many of the cities. They watch the foreigner. Of course we go anywhere we wish, because they know us; but this is about the only city in the province in which we could do it.

It is only one year ago Christmas since we entered this place. We had a union service that day in which the members of the other two missions took part; more than twenty natives also took part. When you think that it has been only a few months since they have had the privilege of learning the glad tidings for the first time, you can better understand the joy it gave us to see so many take part. It was the best Christmas I have ever seen. Very few of the Chinese know the comforts of a fire, so they add clothes as the weather grows colder. Many of the Chinese cannot grow beautiful cues, so they buy one already made, and plait silk into it until it is the desired length.

Changteh's population is not far from 350,000. It is the second, if not the first, city in the province of Hunan. It is in a great tea and rice district; so this part of the country is more prosperous than other sections of China. In dealing out the Word, it is best to use inducements occasionally. We have two kinds of calendars; one with the calendar proper, gospel verses and the picture of a windmill, and the other the picture of a bridge, boats, etc. I have noticed them buy for the picture, but am sure the gospel would be read at the same time. They have twelve months in a year, six of thirty days and six of twenty-nine days. The "New Year" is a great time with them. They spend all the money they have saved up for the past year. It is to them what Christmas, Thanksgiving and Fourth of July are to us. This year it comes on the 31st of our January. The picture of the bridge and the boats cause them to open their eyes and mouths. Very few of them have ever seen a steamboat. They have no use for a bridge, as they have no wagons, carts, etc., to use on it. If they want to cross they get in a small boat and go over. As they have very few cattle and horses, they work a kind of buffalo on the farm. When he is not working he takes a delight in "resting" in the mud and water along the river bank. As they can swim like a fish, they need no bridges for such animals.

The Chinese are a noble people in many ways. They have their faults; but the gospel can correct these. "China has no sorrows that His message cannot cure." I have always loved them, and my life is to be spent for their welfare and conversion.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXV No. 4, April, 1900, pages 252-253]

In China: Rev. T. J. Preston and Dr. and Mrs. O. T. Logan have been rejoiced by the arrival of Dr. Wm. Kelly, whom the Endeavor societies are supporting. (page 17a)

The heartiness with which the Endeavor societies have taken hold of the idea of supporting a missionary is encouraging. After the Texas Endeavorers undertook the support of Mr. Preston a call was made to the other societies to contribute to the support of Dr. Wm. Kelly. This resulted in a sufficient amount of money to send him to the foreign field and the result we believe has been beneficial to the young people. (page 20a)

TheChristian Endeavorers of Texas are supporting Rev. T. J. Preston in China. The Endeavor societies outside of Texas are supporting Dr. Wm. Kelly in China. (page 21a)

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1900. Report of the Board of Missions and Church Erection.]

Dr. Kelly and Mr. Preston have been ordered from Shanghai, China, to Osaka, Japan, until the troubles in China have been somewhat settled. This has been done as a matter of economy and for greater safety.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXV No. 10, October, 1900, page 417]

A letter from Dr. Wm. Kelly, dated Nankin, January 12, 1901, says that he has been invited to teach Lord Li's son English. Mr. Li is the oldest son of Li Hung Chang, and is a refugee from Tien Sin in Nankin. He asked for a Christian man to teach his children, although he is reported to be very much like his father. Dr. Kelly goes to the royal palace in which Mr. Li lives and has rare advantages in studying the life of the officials in the Chinese empire and at the same time has unusual privileges of bringing to bear upon this royal family and these children who look forward to preferment in the government the influence of our holy Christianity. At the same time Dr. Kelly expressed the hope that the way may be opened soon for him to return to his work in Hunan, for which, no doubt, the church is devoutly praying. He reports that he is keeping in closest postal touch with the boys left in charge of our buildings in Hunan and at that date everything was in good condition and we have suffered no serious loss.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, February, 1901, page 30]

China: Our Station--Changteh, Province of Hunan.

Our Missionaries.

Dr. and Mrs. O. T. Logan, Bethany, Ill.

Rev. T. J. Preston, Hankow, China.

Dr. and Mrs. Wm. Kelly, Nanking, China.

We need not recite the facts of our having to abandon work in China for the present. Certainly you expect us to begin work in China again as soon as it is thought wise to send the missionaries back. Many missionaries have returned already and are at work. The majority of these have gone to treaty ports, but a few have gone to the interior. Rev. T. J. Preston is now on the field and we are awaiting word from him so as to know what to do. Dr. and Mrs. O. T. Logan are at Bethany, Ill., abiding the time when they shall be permitted to return to their work, in which their hearts are bound up for the Master's sake. They have been making good use of their time since the last General Assembly, having visited a number of Synods, Presbyteries and churches in the interest of their work. They have created much new interest for Foreign Missions, and especially for the work in China. Their presence and words in behalf of China's millions have been benedictions to the Church. Rev. T. J. Preston has been sojourning in Japan since having to leave China. Dr. Wm. Kelly has spent his time at Shanghai and Nanking, and has been making good use of his time in studying the language and the people of China and teaching English to the Chinese. It is an "ill wind that blows no one any good," 'tis said. Dr. Kelly now has had some one to sympathize with him, encourage him and share his dangers. On August 22, 1900, he and Miss Carrie Goodrich, of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society, were married. Miss Goodrich came well recommended by the society of which she was a member. We welcome her very cordially to Mr. Kelly's home and to our mission forces.

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1901, pages 3a and 4a. Annual Report of the Board of Missions and Church Erection.]

CHINA.

The latest word from our missionaries in China is that Brother Preston and Dr. Kelly have arrived at Changteh and have found all their belongings intact. They have received every courtesy from the authorities and nothing but the greatest marks of kingness has been shown them. Mrs. Kelly has not yet ventured into the interior, but it is thought that very soon she may join her husband in his field of labor. A prayer of thanksgiving should go up from the whole Church that we have suffered so little either in property or life in that land which has been so sorely distressed. Now that the door is again opened shall we not send out a new force of laborers to gather in the ripened and ripening harvest? We should never run before the Lord, but we should certainly see His hand leading us out and follow with enthusiastic zeal where He may lead.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXVI, No. 8, August, 1901, page 173]

Kuling, China, Nov. 5, 1901.

We are much encouraged now as the Consul has given consent for Mrs. Lingle, of the North Presbyterian Mission, to join her husband in Siang Tau, Hunan. So I hope that I may be able to join the party and all go on by the time that Dr. and Mrs. Logan reach here. How we do rejoice in their return. In view of the present conditions in China, the need of Christian work is more than ever apparent. Every account of the recent trials, sufferings and martyrdom of Christ's followers should be an appeal for Gospel teaching in China. No other honor so appropriate could be given those who have sacrificed health and life for the salvation of China's millions, as to win all China from idols to the worship of the living God. Among the Chinese people were many noble-hearted men and women who risked their own lives to befriend Christians, both native and foreign, and their reward whould be a more wide-spread gospel of peace.

We who are here believe that we may expect great things for the Master in the next few years. But we need more helpers, and we must have the support and prayers of the Church at home in this work.

We are not the least discouraged, for we can say of China as has been said of India, "Our future is as bright as the promises of God."

It will be one of the happiest days of my life when my feet can touch the soil of Hunan, and I realize that at last I can carry the sweet old story to the women of that our chosen province.

Carrie G. Kelley.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXVII, No. 1, January, 1902, page 20]

Grief and sympathy will come to the heart of every Endeavorer when he hears that Mrs. Kelly, the beloved wife of our esteemed missionary to China, has passed away. The suddenness of her taking but adds to the sorrow, and her husband and fellow workers far across the sea must feel her loss most keenly. Only a week before she had returned to her post, thinking all danger was over--but death is ever nigh. We had expected so much of her since she joined our ranks and, for love of him, agreed to share Dr. Kelly's labors, his trials and his triumphs. But God did not permit her to do the work that we and she had planned.

To our representative among the Chinese, noble man that he is, bereft of his companion in a foreign land, we give the assurance of our prayers. We know he will bear the bereavement with genine Christian fortitude, but we wish him to know that our petition will ascend daily to God asking that comfort and strength may come to him from above in this trying hour.

Fellow Endeavorers, we cannot comprehend the greatness of his grief, for his situation is so strangely unlike ours, yet we can plead that the grace of our God, in rich and abundant measure, may rest upon him.

[Elsewhere Dr. Fullerton gives further details about her life and death.]

Next month we will publish an article from the pen of Mrs. Kelly, probably one of the last she ever wrote. It came some weeks ago in response to the request of the editor of this department, and it was then our expectation that it would appear in this issue. In view of her death it seems best to postpone its publication for a time.

In a personal letter to the editor Dr. Kelly says: "Little did we expect this leading when we wrote you last. God has given us grace to understand and endure the past two weeks. While her life was short I trust her death will accomplish much for the spreading of the gospel both here and at home. Mr. Preston conducted the English service at the house and one of the China Inland Mission men the Chinese service at the grave. It was a providential opportunity for effectually explaining some of the truths of the gospel to the Chinese. A great change has come over Hunan in the past three years. Mrs. Kelly was buried on Christmas eve, which was the third anniversary of the starting of our mission in Changteh. The officials were so kind and thoughtful, and the people were so sympathetic as one could wish." How grateful we ought to be for this fact, showing, as it does, how the gospel leaven is silently but surely working on the hearts of our brothers in yellow.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXVII, No. 3, March, 1902, page 58]

Changteh, Hunan, Dec. 18, 1901.

Dear Brother Fullerton:--It pains me very much to tell you that Mrs. Kelly was taken from us last night, after a brief illness of five days.

She became suddenly ill at breakfast time on Thursday after her arrival here, and in spite of all we could do she grew steadily weaker until the end. We are free to confess that we do not know the exact cause of her death, but symptoms pointed to a concealed hemorrhage.

Misses Lawrence and Hill, of the Methodist Protestant Mission, Mrs. Logan and myself were with her almost constantly, assisting Dr. Kelly. Barring expert medical counsel, I am sure everything was done for her that could have been done at home.

As a mission, we feel her loss very keenly and as friends, if possible, we feel it even more. She had endeared herself to us all by her consecrated life which we could not fail to observe.

Twenty days we were together on the house boat coming from Hankow and we became very well acquainted indeed. Her whole heart was given to the work she hoped to do here among the women and children. She had unusually rare gifts in dealing with children and had great ambitions in the line of school work among them here. When we saw how completely she captured Elsa on the trip we had no doubt of her ability along this line.

We will lay her away here if we can buy a suitable burying ground of these people, if not, she will be taken to Nanking, where there is a very pretty cemetery and where the greater part of her time was spent while in China.

Our China mission is not rich in earthly treasure, but we have great treasure in heaven--our dear sister and our little Dorothy.

It did seem that we could not spare a worker while we are already so few, but He saw differently, and His way is best, even though it be dark.

May God raise up others whose ambitions and motives are as high as were our sister's and speed them out to tell these poor women and children about Jesus.

Later we hope to send an account of our sister's life so that our people may better know the first foreign missionary representative of our Church in glory.

I know you will pray especially for Dr. Kelly in this dark hour.

Yours in Him,

O. T. Logan.

The above will be sad news to many people. A letter from Dr. Logan dated December the 27th says that Mrs. Kelly was buried in a beautiful place about two miles away, overlooking the river. A simple service, in English, was conducted at the house, and the burial service at the grave was in Chinese and made a profound impression upon the little company gathered in the rain to witness the first Christian burial. Dr. Logan well says, "May we not believe that our sister's death will be, in God's hands, a mighty factor in the harvest of sould we all are praying for and expecting."

Mrs. Kelly was the only child of Rev. and Mrs. Orren Goodrich. Her father died when she was only fifteen months old. Her education was obtained in the High School and college at Athens and Hiram, Ohio. After graduation she took a special course in kindergarten in Cleveland, Ohio. She was appointed to mission work in Japan by the Mission Board of the Christian Church as a kindergartener and sailed on the same steamer with Dr. Kelly in September, 1899. After a short stay in Japan she sailed for China and began the study of the language at Nanking.

She and Dr. Kelly were married August 22, 1900, and but for the Boxer movement would have gone at once to Changteh to begin their work together. They had large plans for their future and were happy in the prospect of giving their united life to the Lord for work in China, but He has ordered it otherwise and He knows best. While we remember Dr. Kelly and the mission in our prayers let us not forget Mrs. Kelly's mother, who bears this heavy sorrow at Athens, Ohio.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXVII, No. 3, March, 1902, page s 60-61]

Mrs. William Kelly's Death.

The condition of the country was such that Mrs. Kelly did not return with her husband, but accompanied Dr. and Mrs. Logan upon their return, in November. Shortly after their return to Changteh she was taken ill, and in five days fell asleep in Jesus. A suitable burial place was secured near the city, and her body was laid away by the small, sorrowing company. She was a gifted woman, consecrated to God and the work in China, and our mission and the whole Church will feel her loss most keenly.

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1902, page 25a. Annual Report of the Board of Missions and Church Erection]

China.

"The three new missionaries who sailed in October, Rev. and Mrs. George F. Jenkins, and Rev. I. G. Boydstun, were assigned work in China. Early in the year Dr. Wm. Kelly asked permission to open an additional mission station in China. After carefully considering the matter, the Board, for lack of funds, could not comply with the request, and Dr. Kelly tendered his resignation, which was accepted."

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1904, page 21a, Annual Report of the Board of Missions and Church Erection]

Rev. William Kelly dismissed from Lebanon Presbytery, Tennessee Synod on Aug. 13, 1904 to another denomination.

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1905, page 149a]

Our readers will remember that Dr. Kelly resigned as an appointee of our Board some time since, as he felt called to open a new work at Chenchow, and we were not able to enter that field. We are sure all will be glad to know that the Lord is blessing him in his new field. He has become connected with the Reformed Presbyterian Church and the mission under their care which he is conducting seems to be prosperous and he is happy. The field in China is large and all rejoice at the manifest presence of the head of the Church with His people in any part of it. It is to be regretted always that we are not always able to comply with the wishes of those we send out, but these times come, and there is nothing for us to do but to be frank with our missionaries and tell them so. This, however, should never create the least unfriendliness between us and them, and we are sure it does not. Our Board will rejoice always at any success Dr. Kelly or anyone else may have in the field which is in such great need for workers.

[Source: The Missionary Record, Vol. XXIX, No. 8, August, 1904, pages 189-190]

Rev. William Kelly, M.D. - Changteh, Hunan, China

Listed in Index of Ministers and Licentiates

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., 1936, Part I, page 1031]

Rev. William Kelly, M.D. died June 22, 1957, age 83, in Peking, China. He was a member of Chattanooga Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 1957, Part III, page 421]

Mr. Kelly
died: 1878
wife: ?
died: 1882

Children of Mr. Kelly and ?:

1. William Kelly
Cumberland Presbyterian Minister
born: 1874 - Ray County, Missouri
died: 22 June 1957 - Peking, China
married 1st: 22 August 1900
1st wife: Carrie Goodrich
[daughter of Rev. Orren Goodrich]
died: 17 December 1901

married 2nd:
2nd wife: Grace Hill