Section Three

“Dwelt as a foreigner in the land of promise” (Heb. 11:9)

Miss Barber first went to China in 1899. She was sent to the city of Foochow, Fukien, where she taught in the Tau Su Girls’ High School (a school begun and operated by the Church of England) for seven years. Because she had the rich life of Christ overflowing in her excellent living, many students were attracted and desired her instruction. This made the principal jealous of her. The principal accused her of ten “illegal” matters. While she was being carefully examined, she felt before the Lord, “If the thumb argues with the little finger, it only hurts the head; so I should just leave this school.” She was completely obedient to the Lord and quietly left the Tau Su Girls’ High School. Even so, a list of her “crimes” was sent to the headquarters of the British mission. At that time she learned to remain silent under the shadow of the cross. She would rather suffer misunderstanding than defend herself. She returned to England and continued to avoid vindicating herself until the brother responsible for the mission told her, “As your authority I charge you to tell me the facts of what happened in China. Don’t hide anything.” Then she told him what had happened.

After her return to England, she met Brother D.M. Panton, the editor of the Christian magazine, The Dawn. She received much help from him. He was clear about the matter of denominations. He also knew the prophecies of the Bible and the truths concerning overcoming. He influenced her to live as a person waiting for the Lord to come back. She stayed in England for two years. During that time she exercised faith and prayed that the Lord would open the way for her to go back to work in China. Finally in 1909, with fellowship from D.M. Panton and the Surrey Chapel, Norwich, where he ministered, she returned to China. This time there was no big mission to support her. Her niece, Miss Ballord, who was twenty years her junior, accompanied her to China. Miss Ballord had her own little savings, but Miss Barber had only the Lord of Psalm 23 as her supply. Like Abraham, she trusted the Lord to supply her needs and to lead her where she should go. While the ship crossed the Min River in China, she quietly looked to the Lord in dependence for her needs and her future. When she came upon the beautiful scenery of Pagoda Anchorage, she felt that this was the location God had arranged for her work. Later she rented a house in Pagoda Anchorage and lived there until she departed to be with the Lord. The landlord was Sister Shia, who was the principal of an orphanage.

Pagoda Anchorage was an obscure place near the sea, and there Miss Barber lived in a simple house. This was in sharp contrast to the fine house where she had lived the first time she was in China. To reach her house from Foochow, one had to take a steamship to Mai Wei, then a little boat to a nearby village, then walk along the path on the hillside to some old wooden houses. In one of the houses was her bedroom, where she would fellowship with the Lord. Other houses were for hospitality. Pagoda Anchorage to Miss Barber was like Canaan to Abraham. It was her “promised land.” But would God take away this land? After Miss Barber had been living there for a while, the landlord decided that she needed the houses for the orphanage. She wanted Miss Barber to move, and she sent workmen to make repairs on the houses. It seemed that this was the end of Miss Barber’s stay there. However, she trusted that God would not go against what He had promised. With confidence she prayed, “O Father God! I beg You to make Your promise firm.” In the end, the landlord sent someone to tell her that the repaired houses would be hers to live in. She resided there until her departure to be with the Lord in 1930. Miss Ballord continued to work in Pagoda Anchorage until 1950, when she left God’s “promised land” and returned to England.