When I received your last letter， I was at Trinity College， N.C. Dear Dr. I was very glad to hear from you， and also anxious to learn your great success in China. I hope to see the day， when I be able to meet you， and the responsibilities which are before me. We all are proud of you， even the whole church. You have placed such a plan before the world that they may know Dr. Young J. Allen is a successful worker the world ever seen. Dr. my desire is to be a servant of God as long as I should live. I think I can be more happy if it could do according to my desire. I am sorry to tell you the Rev. Dr. B. Craven is dead， the cause of heart disease. We were sorry to see him departed from us， which we did not expected， but he knew his work was done. A few days before the death to been placed， he says to one of his friend that his labor was ended， and he was ready for rest. He who trust in the Lord， surely he shall receive his reward. I came to Vanderbilt last September， and I have found two young men who are preparing for China also. I suppose you know them， but if you do not， I will give their names， J. Stephens， Texas and K.A. Dukes， South Carolina who is a medical Doctor， and a theological also. The new years day we had a entertainment in Wesley Hall， and Dr. Young was called upon to make a missionary speech. He said， “The last letter I got from Dr. Allen， he state that he want four men from our church， therefore I will select these four brethren at once.” The following brethren were selected， J. Stephens， N.E. Townson， K. A. Dukes and J.C. Davis. Dr. I would like to take an English newspaper from Shanghai. Please tell me the price of it， and please give me full description of it， and how to send money for it and so fourth. I shall be very glad to hear from you at any time. Nothing can give me more pleasure than to hear from you. Dr. do you have any railroad in China？ I heard some one say they have， and again the other say they have not， which is incorrect？ I could not tell who is right and who is wrong. The only way for me to find it out is by asking you. Please tell me if you can do so.
Dr. when do you expect to return to United States again？ Dr. I know you have only a little time to answer these questions. Please excuse me for asking you so many. I shall be glad to hear from you at any time. I wish you all a happy new year. God bless you and yours.
Goodbye.
Yours truly，
Charlie Jones Soon
Address
C. J. Soon
Wesley Hall， Vanderbilt University
Nashville Tenn.
5.1883年1月3日
范德比尔特大学
田纳西州纳什维尔市
1883年1月3日
我亲爱的艾伦博士：
收到您最后一封信时，我还在北卡罗来纳州的圣三一学院。亲爱的博士，收到您的来信我非常高兴，也很渴望了解您在中国的巨大成就。我希望有朝一日能见到您，并且承担起赋予我的责任。我们大家都以您为骄傲，甚至整个教会都是这样。您为世人制定了这样一个计划，因而他们将知道杨·J.艾伦博士是这个世界曾经见过的卓越成就的工作者。博士，我的愿望是在我的有生之年做上帝的仆人。如果我的愿望能够成真，我想我会更加快乐的。我遗憾地告诉您，B.克莱文牧师去世了，死于心脏病。我们遗憾地看着他离开我们，我们并不希望这样，但是他知道他的工作已经完成了。在面临死亡的前几天，他对他的一个朋友说他的工作已经结束，他准备休息了。当然，他这样一个虔诚信奉主的人会得到（主的）赏赐的。去年9月我来到了范德比尔特（大学），我发现有两个年轻人也准备去中国。我猜想您大概认识他们，但是如果您不认识，我将告诉您他们的名字，德克萨斯州的J.斯蒂芬斯和南卡罗来纳州的K.A.杜克斯，他们一个是医学博士，还有一个是神学博士。元旦那天，我们在卫斯理堂举办了一个晚会，杨博士被要求做传教演说。他说：“在我收到的艾伦博士的最后一封信中，他表示他想从我们教会中要四个人，所以我将立即挑选这四名兄弟。”以下兄弟被选中，J.斯蒂芬斯、N.E.汤森、K.A.杜克斯和J.C.戴维斯。博士，我想要一份上海的英文报纸。请告诉我报纸的价格，并请向我详细地介绍这份报纸，以及如何把钱寄给您等等。我随时恭候您的回音。收到您的来信对我来说是最快乐的事情。博士，您（知道）在中国有铁路吗？我听有人说他们有，而又听其他人说他们没有，哪一个不对？我无法判断谁对谁错。对我来说，唯一的办法就是通过问您来找到答案。如果您能这么做的话请告诉我。
博士，您希望什么时候再回到美国？博士，我知道您只有一点点时间来回答那些问题。请原谅我问您这么多。我随时恭候您的回音。我祝愿你们大家新年快乐。上帝保佑您和您的（兄弟们）。
再见。
您真诚的
查理·琼斯·宋
地址：
C.J.宋
范德比尔特大学卫斯理堂
田纳西州纳什维尔市
二、美国杜克大学藏宋耀如书信
1.To Miss Mattie （Mar.31th， 1882）
Trinity College， N.C.
March， 31， 1882
Dear Miss Mattie，
I received your letter few days ago and was very anxious to hear from you， please excuse me for answer your letter any sooner. Mr. Buie writes his letter to Miss Sneed. So our letter will send off at the same time. I got a letter from Miss Annie， few days ago. & she said every things were well， the weather has been very pleasant up here， the Commencement will be here in a short time. We have to study heaps. Mr. Buie， send his kindness to you， and thank you for the favor， all the boys are well. We will have speaking some time nextmonth. Please give my regards to Miss Liuse ［？］。 I would be glad to hear from you again. I will enclose this letter with Mr. Buie， good bye it is time to get ready for the Society.
V. R. C. J. Soon
1.致马蒂也小姐马蒂也小姐：宋耀如在达勒姆的好友之一。（1882年3月31日）亲爱的马蒂也小姐：
几天前收到你的来信，因为非常急切地希望知道你的消息，我也许给你回信早了，请原谅（应译为请原谅我没有尽快给你回信——著者按）。贝耶先生贝耶先生：应为宋耀如在圣三一学院的朋友或同学。给斯尼特小姐斯尼特小姐：应为宋耀如在达勒姆所认识的女孩。写了信，所以我们的信会同时寄出。前几天我收到了安妮小姐的来信，她说一切都好，那里的天气一直非常怡人。毕业典礼近期即将举行，我们还得学习一大堆东西。贝耶先生向你问好，并感谢你的好意，男孩子们都很好。下个月我们将进行演讲。请代我向路易斯小姐路易斯小姐：宋耀如在达勒姆的好友之一。问好。很希望再次收到你的来信。我会把此信附在贝耶先生的信里一同寄出。准备社团活动的时间到了，再见。
C.J.宋
1882年3月31日
于北卡罗来纳州兰道夫圣三一学院
2.To Miss Annie （Apr. 24th， 1884）
Vanderbilt University，
Nashville， Tennessee，
April 24， 1884
Dear Miss Annie，
It is true that I havent written to you for some time；but you must remember I have written you a letter before I receive this one. But， you say I ought to write whether received the reply or not. Well yes， but I have 24 hours of recitations every week， and the lessons are exceedingly hard， and long. In addition to the regular studies， 2000 pages of parallel reading to do， during the session； and will have to stand an examination on them as well as text books. So you see I have a great deal of work to do during the year. I hope this will be a sufficient excuse to my most esteem friend for my unpromptness.
Our final examination will begin on the 8th of May and close on 22th. I wish I have time enough to write you a long letter this very evening， but I am not able. You may look for a long letter from me about 24 or 25 of May. Yes， I am getting very anxious to see you all， but， my coming to Durham this summer is depend on somebody else， and not myself. I wish I have means to pay my way.
I have to stand on all my examinations before long， so am not able to write to you again until the examination is over. Oh， by the way， I have written a piece of play which I intend to send to you， but dont think you will appreciate because not good thing is come out off “Nazareth”， for the piece I have is my own originality. Good to know that you all were well. Please give my kindest regards to all.
Hope you will remember me in your prayer.
