Dr. Williams

The Rev. John E. Williams, Vice Chancellor of Nanking University, was the sole U. S. citizen killed, last week, in China. An earnest and simple Christian, he was held in affectionate esteem by thousands of Chinese. Of him Dr. Keigwin, pastor of the Manhattan congregation which maintained Dr. Williams in China, said, on learning of his death, "Jack Williams was one of the best friends China ever had.... If he could speak he would say he accounted it a privilege to go to the Cross as Christ went."

How Dr. Williams met his death was told by an eyewitness. Dr. A. J. Bowen, Chancellor of Nanking University. He said: "I was crossing the campus with our university librarian when we noticed what we thought to be Northern [Shantungese] troops looting and burning the home of Dr. Daniels, also a faculty member.

"We walked toward the Daniels Home, when we were accosted by seven or eight soldiers wearing the uniforms of the Southern [Nationalist] army. The soldiers stopped us and demanded our valuables, which we handed over. Dr. Williams, who was a noted Chinese scholar and spoke the language like a native, then stepped up and addressed one of the soldiers and protested at the action.

"The soldier immediately shot Dr. Williams through the temple, killing him instantly, after which he robbed him, taking everything of value, even stripping the clothing from his body.

"After finishing robbing us and murdering Dr. Williams, the troops walked off unconcernedly, chatting with each other as though they had shot only a pig or a dog."

To sincere Christian workers and missionaries the sacking of their homes in Nanking which was most extensive last week, seemed only an essentially minor disaster in the wreck of their spiritual work. The typical Christian missionary places his loyalty to China second only to that for his homeland; and his concern for the welfare of the Chinese is apt to exceed the care he takes of his family or himself.

Not a few men of this ilk and their families arrived from Nanking at Shanghai, last week, haggard, troubled in spirit, some hatless, many in Chinese garments, some suffering from ptomaine poisoning contracted aboard their rescue ship, the U. S. gunboat Noa.