Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

, *< is.!')"V -J >-T „,The Children's CornerDR. PEOPLES PREPARES TO BE A MISSIONARYMrs. Kenneth Sanderson, Larnaca, CyprusDr. John Peoples was so discouraged he sometimeswondered if God really meant for him to be a medicalmissionary or not. Hundreds of people were needing hismedical help, many of them dying, in the city where he'dbeen called to be a missionary, and here he was miles awaysitting studying French in Constantinople. Maybe he shouldhave stayed at home in America. Life just seemed to be onediscouraging thing after another.On April 17, 1909, he wrote to his family, "No oneknows what a week will bring forth. Meagre reports aresickening. They say a thousand or more are dead in Adanawith the town burning and two American missionaries arekilled. — My but I wish I was there. I'm anxiouslyawaiting news. I don't know whether to go or not. Thewhole country is just like an active volcano."Before we go on maybe we'd better see how Dr.Peoples had gotten into his dilemma.John's father had died when he was just ten years old.A year later an uncle and aunt in Liverpool, England sentmoney for John and his younger sister to come to visit them.Although his sister returned in the fall John stayed on andwent to school in England for a year. During that year hememorized all of the 119th Psalm as well as many others.Missionaries were welcome guests in his UncleDaniel's home and perhaps that was the place that the firstseeds of his desire to be a missionary were sown. They camefrom far distant places like Egypt, India, and Turkey. Onetime thirteen missionaries all met there at one time beforethey left for their different countries of service.The following year when John had returned toPhiladelphia and was again in school at home he was invitedto come to a friend's home for dinner. He felt quite importantwhen he arrived for no one else from his family hadbeen invited.Among the guests present was the hostess' nephewwho was the cashier of the largest bank in Pennsylvania. Heasked John many questions and also wanted to play somegames with him. Two or three weeks later John wasdelighted to receive a second invitation to dinner at the samehome. A few days later his mother received a letter from thebank cashier asking if John would like to come and work inhis bank. Mrs. Peoples felt this was an answer to prayer Shewas finding it quite difficult to support three young childrenShe gladly welcomed the opportunity for John at twelve tobecome the youngest "bank clerk" in PhiladelphiaAt that time state laws did not require compulsorvschool attendance; therefore, John was able to quit school10but he did not want to stop his education, so he started goingto night school. Within three years he had completed abusiness course and began taking Latin lessons and othercourses which would prepare him to study medicine.During these years many Covenanter young peoplefrom other states were coming to Philadelphia to studymedicine. Most of them planned to become foreignmissionaries. Their enthusiasm was catching for soonseveral from the Philadelphia congregations that they attendedalso decided God was calling them to the missionfield. One of these was John Peoples.For thirteen years John continued to work in the bankwith regular advances both in salary and responsibility. Butbanking and night classes were not the only things to occupyJohn's mind. One of the medical students who came toPhiladelphia was Miss Maude George. She was planning togo to China as a missionary. John and Maude became verygood friends and before long she was showing her friends alovely engagement ring which, of course, came from John.John decided that he must stop his work in the bankand give his full time to medical studies, so he resigned andentered the Medico Chirurgical College of Philadelphia.Meanwhile Maude George finished her internship and left in1901 for China. John intended to follow as soon as he hadcompleted his studies.Before long she was busy learning the language andtreating the sick at the same time. One September day in1904 while John was in his third year in college, he receiveda telegram. It contained the shocking news that his fianceewas dead. She had contracted a contagious disease from someof her Chinese patients and lived only a short time. PoorJohn was heart broken. His will to be a missionary was asstrong as ever, but he wrote the Foreign Mission Board,"—any place but China."The busy years of medical school and internship finallycame to an end and on October 5, 1907 he sailed for thehome of that great early church leader, Paul, for he wasappointed to be a missionary in Tarsus, Turkey.Naturally after all these years of preparation Dr.Peoples was anxious to begin his medical work at once.Imagine his disappointment when he was told that topractice medicine in Turkey he must pass a governmentmedical examination either in Turkish or French, never inEnglish. The missionaries on the field advised him that itwould be easier for him to learn French than Turkish, sincehe had had a little French already in school, so he immediatelybegan French lessons with a private tutor. In orderto have better opportunities for study he soon went toLebanon, and then, in March 1909, he learned that a BerlitzLanguage School had been opened in Constantinople, so heleft to study there. (To be contj n ued)