The Devil Old Woman Has Come!

An excerpt from a letter by Lottie Moon, missionary to China from 1873 to 1912, to Henry Allen Tupper, the Corresponding Secretary of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board. Miss Moon makes reference to her practice of "regular, systematic visiting." A major part of her mission work consisted in visitation of people in their homes. She took a Chinese helper with her; they were sometimes treated cordially and sometimes not. This letter was written December 28, 1874.

As I write, the old woman who goes out visiting with me comes in. I thought surely, with the ground covered with snow, she would hardly make her appearance today, but she is really indefatigable. The branch of work to which I am especially devoting myself, is regular, systematic visiting. I feel a good deal encouraged by the kind reception that I meet. Not of course that personal kindness means spiritual interest, but it is more pleasant to visit those who receive you cordially and address you respectfully, than it is to go among those who greet your appearance with the words, "The devil old woman has come!"

Send the Light: Lottie Moon’s Letters and Other Writings, edited by Keith Harper, Mercer University Press, 2002, p. 160.