The xeroxed letters forming almost all of this collection are reports by the Reverend Richard L. Jackson and his wife Dorothy while they were serving as missionaries of the United Church of Christ in Shaowu and Foochow in Fukien Province. Except for three typescript letters, one of them addressed to the American Consulate General in Shanghai on Oct. 20, 1949, the letters are clippings from THE CHRISTIAN SUN. The letters afford much insight into the trials and tribulations of missionaries and of the Chinese people during the transition years when China was becoming a Communist nation. Jackson urged the U.S. Government to recognize the new government of China and give it economic assistance. He felt this would preserve much of the reservoir of good feeling among many Chinese for the United States, and would possibly temper the Communist regime. He felt that it was a great mistake for the U.S. to give military assistance to the Kuomingrang. The reports also reveal significant accomplishments by various missionaries.
