Benjamin H. Helm to E. C. Lord, August 22, 1873

Rev. B. Helm to Mr. Lord.

Respected and dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on yesterday (21st) of your recent communication to Mr. Houston and myself, with regard to a petition presented by some gentlemen of Hang-chow, who desired through you to secure the removal of the foreign houses occupied by the Southern Presbyterian Mission on the hill known as the Kwan-me hill.

The above-mentioned letter I have forwarded to my colleagues, and our mission will act on the matter and return you an answer as soon as possible. In the meantime, permit me to express to you individually my thanks for your kind and full letter.

If the gentlemen who waited on you are really authorized to act for the citizens of this city, then my own opinion is that, owing to their courteous manner of relieving themselves of what they consider to be a grievance, it becomes our duty as Christians and citizens to comply, notwithstanding the great inconvenience and injury we must necessarily experience in the change proposed. If left to our own free will, we would not for any sum of money again spend our time in brick and mortar instead of preaching Christ crucified to perishing souls. Money cannot compensate this; but duty may demand it. Secondly, the healthiness and comfort of our present place would by no means be relinquished merely for money, did not some higher motive enter. Both of these considerations ought to be borne in mind when any estimate of our loss is considered.

Building now costs (I am safe, I think, in saying) one-fourth to one-third more than when we built. Stone and tiles and wood and brick are all selling much in advance. For example, tiles sold for $18 per ten thousand are now $23.

I should feel it necessary, in entering into any agreement of so much importance and delicacy, that you should give it official sanction on the one side, while in some way it should receive the same on the native side, that there might be confidence; and in case of perfidy, redress might be obtained.

The native gentlemen ought to secure us a lot in a part of the city both healthy and suitable for our work, else as missionaries we could not occupy it; and we should keep possession of our present premises till we had houses in the new ones suitable to move into, when they could do as seemeth them best with the present buildings. Your official sanction should be a guarantee to them of good faith on our part.

You will excuse me for making these suggestions now, while they occur to me. They may assist you in any conference with the native gentlemen. I have no authority to speak for our mission as a body, but feel sure it will accede to your request, so courteous and just under the circumstances. If further negotiations are proceeded with, I suppose it would be necessary to ask you to continue to act for us, or at least counsel with us, and give your sanction to what may be done. Our mission can appoint a committee to confer with you, and settle the terms as well as select the site, if it accedes to the request. It would be useless to prove that, according to their own belief, one of our houses is not in front, and could not interfere with the fung-shuy.

If the body of the people and officials are determined on a change, we ought to yield. And the petition seems sent in, and a speedy answer required, so as to have the opportunity during the examinations of abating a nuisance anyhow, should we refuse. Mr. Houston is in Chefoo and Mr. Du Bose in Shanghai. Your letter has been forwarded, and an answer will be returned as soon as possible. In the meantime I have the honor to remain, respectfully, yours,