上周六（12日）非常高兴收到您4月30日的来信。这是我回国后收到的您第二封来信，非常感谢您的两封来信。很高兴获悉那些鞋子和茶叶如期抵达并受到收件人如此高的评价。
是的，茶叶是给我在达勒姆最好的朋友詹姆斯·索斯盖特先生的。
我也不知道怎么会将他的地址弄错了，好在信还是顺利收到了。我把这个错误归因于我的非一贯正确性，所以至少这次您得原谅我。不知为什么，我从来不会把您的地址搞错。
是的，我再次走在这片生育我的土地上，但远不是家一样的地方了。我觉得在美国比在中国更有家的感觉。
不，我还没有去见我的父母。艾伦博士说过，我可以在即将来临的春节期间（1887年1月）去，在这之前不行。对这种发号施令，我很不满，但我必须忍耐。如果我草率行事，家里的人们可能不明就里，尤其我在达勒姆的朋友们可能会认为我对监理会不忠诚，破坏了规矩，所以我就像老鼠那样，始终保持沉默。可是一旦时机成熟，我将不顾他的反对、高高在上的权威和本地传教士的憎恶，来摆脱目前监管人所有傲慢的发号施令。大约在一年前，这个伟大的“大人物”想解雇布道的本地传教士；现在他又无视我有权获得的权益和平等的对待。我不喜欢在他手下工作，我想申请去日本。
假如要回家的话，我想就在明年春天的时候走。
因为中国新年前后，沿海和海南岛的中国人就变得非常麻烦。
上周六（12日）我们获得消息说董事会决定在日本成立布道团。被指派去日本工作的有蓝柏博士蓝柏（J.W.Lambuth，1829—1892）：美国监理会教士。1854年来华，在上海、苏州等地传教32年。1886年调往日本，死于神户。、蓝华德博士蓝华德（W.R.Lambuth，1854—1921）：美国监理会传教医师，蓝柏之子，生于上海。1877年在美国获得医学博士学位后返华，在上海、南京、苏州等地施医传教。1886年随其父往日本建立监理公会，1891—1910年主编《监理会传教评论》（The Methodist Review of Missions），并任监理会干事。1910被选为会督。死于横滨，葬于上海。（蓝柏博士之子）和杜克博士。这些传教士中没有一个能够忍受上海的这个“专权者”。
今天下午我感觉不好，信写到一半我就想结束了。
另找时间再给您写封长一点的信。
爱你们。
永远忠于您的
查理
1886年6月14日于中国苏州
5.To Mr. Southgate （Oct.7，1886）
Soochow， China
Oct. 7， 1886
My dear Mr. Southgate，
Your nice letter of Aug. 1st has been received a few days since. Glad to hear from you and please to get such an elegant letter but sorry to learn that your sore foot and confinement. However I trust that you are entirely well by this. Bishop Wilson arrived in Shanghai a week ago last Tuesday， and has gone to Peking on a speculating tour. The Bishop may get back to Shanghai toward the last of this month， but our annual meeting will not take place until the middle of November. The weather is quite pleasant in this part of the country now. This is a Thursday and I have just returned from our weekly prayer meeting. The Southern Presbyterian missionaries are now have their annual meeting in this city. Dr W.H. Park of our mission has gone to Japan to get marry and will back to his duty on the 20th. By the way， I have succeeded in paying my folks a visit since I wrote you. All the members of my family are well. They were very glad to see me though none could recognize my person. I had a warm reception from them. At present there is a little war going on between the native of Hainan and imperil troops. I thought I could have a taste of gun powder while I on my way to Hainan but the war was too far away from my home to see any fun. The native Roman Catholic Christians in Ichang have given a great deal of trouble to the local mandarin（o）ns and people； but alas， they only brought destruction upon themselves.
Please remember me kindly to all. I shall write to you a longer letter when I have more news to give.
Goodbye
Yours truly
Charlie Soon
P. S. I would like to get any newspaper that you care to send.
5.致索斯盖特先生（1886年10月7日）
亲爱的索斯盖特先生：
收到您8月1日的来信已有数日。很高兴收到您如此精美的来信，同时为您因脚痛而行动不便，深感遗憾。不过，我确信您现在已经完全康复。威尔逊主教于一周前即上周二抵沪，按照预定的行程他现已去了北京。主教将于本月底回到上海，但我们的年议会直到11月底才会召开。在中国的这一地区，眼下的天气相当舒适。今天是周四，我刚从每周一次的祈祷会回来。南方长老会传教士正在本市召开年度会议。我们布道团的派克博士即柏乐文（William Hector Park，1858—1927），美国监理会传教医师。1882年来华，协助蓝华德大夫在苏州建立博西医院，任外科主任30余年。柏氏为蓝柏女婿，蓝华德的妹夫。已去日本结婚，会在20日回来履职。自从上次给您写信后，我成功地看望了我的家人。家中所有人都很好。他们看到我都非常高兴，尽管没人能认得出我来。我受到他们的热情接待。眼下，海南本地人和朝廷军队之间发生了小小的战斗。在回海南的路上，我本以为会尝到枪药的滋味，但是战争离我的家乡太遥远了，未能尽兴。宜昌当地的罗马天主教徒们，给当地官员和人民制造了很大的麻烦。可是不幸的是，他们只是给自己带来了毁灭。
请代为向所有人问好。如果有更多的消息我会写更长的信给您。
再见。
忠实于您的
查理·宋
1886年10月7日于中国苏州
又及：请给我寄些随便什么报纸来。
6.To Mr. Southgate（Feb. 4th， 1887）
Kiensan， Feb. 4， 1887
My dear Mr. Southgate，
It is a matter of great sorry to learn the death of Miss Annie； though on the contrary， do rejoice to know that she is happier in heaven than could possible be on earth. And no doubt all things work for good to them that love God. May God comfort you all and sustain you with his tender love and grace； and finally when our work is done in this life we may all meet her on that happy shore where there is no parting.
Miss Annie was one of my best friends. Her Christian example is worthy of attention. When left America I had no idea of such event would have occurred so soon， and that we are not permitted to meet again on the side of Jordan. O， this is sad to think of. The sweetest flower God has plucked off and took away from us； but that very identical flower is blooming in the garden of God in heaven. Happy are thou who sleeps in the lord. And thrice happy art thou who being translated from earthly sorrow to heavenly joy. May God keep us from sin and weakness and finally translate us to his home where we will meet all our friends and loved ones and to live with Christ forever.
I have begun to preach in this dialect though not as fluently as I would like to and will be after a while. The Chinese New Year has just passed， But the holiday is not yet over. The Chinese have no Sabbaths during the year， and when they do have it， they extend to two or three weeks. Our school （day） will be opened on the 16th of this moon or Feb. 8th. Last year we had 12 pupils but the coming session we expect to have twice as many.
Kuensan is a wall city of 4 miles in circumference. It has a population of 300000 including the suburbs. At present， we have three different denominations represented here besides the various sects of heathen religions. We， the Southern Methodist， the Southern Baptist， the French Catholic， the Buddhist， the Taoist， & the Mohamedan. The Northern Presbyterian used to be here， but as they had no house of their own and the landlord turned them out from the house they did stay in， so they were compelled to remove to another place.
Please pray for me and work. May God give us abundance of success in the coming year and that we may experience more deeply of his love to usward.
Give my love to all.
I shall be glad to hear from you at any time.
I beg to remain yours most gratefully，
Charlie
C. J. Soon
Cfo. Rev. C. F. Reid，
Shanghai，
China.
6.致索斯盖特先生（1887年2月4日）
我亲爱的索斯盖特先生：
获悉安妮小姐去世，万分悲痛；但反过来，知道她在天堂比在人间更加快乐，深感欣慰。毫无疑问，万物皆为那些崇爱上帝的人造福。愿上帝以他温柔的爱与恩典安抚并支持你们；最后，当我们完成生命中的一切，都将与她相聚于没有分离的幸福彼岸。
安妮小姐是我最好的朋友之一。她作为基督徒的榜样值得人们重视。在我离开美国时，万没想到这样的事情会这么早发生，万没有想到我们不能再相见于约旦河的此岸。噢，想到这里就非常难过。上帝把最甜美的花朵摘下，并从我们身边拿走；但是，这朵花正盛开在主的天国花园里。在主的怀抱里安息是幸福的。从人间的悲伤转化为天堂的欢乐会更加快乐。愿上帝让我们远离罪恶和虚弱，最终带我们归去，在那里我们将和所有的朋友、所爱的人相聚，与基督相伴永生。
