Another writes:  “During the day the neighbours, Christian and non-Christian alike, came to pay their respects....  A very large company of people attended the funeral, including a number of missionaries of other denominations.  There was a procession of forty sedan chairs to the Christian cemetery, which is about two miles beyond the East Gate.  For the half mile from the home to the city gate both sides of the street were lined with people, who stood quietly and respectfully while we passed.  The absence of the numerous heathen symbols, and of any cover for the casket save the floral tributes, was observed; and the fact that even the foreigners had their chairs draped with white, ‘just like us Chinese,’ was also noted.  An English gentleman from the foreign concession, who was to pay a call on the captain of one of the war vessels the next morning, said, ’I shall tell him that I have witnessed a procession to-day which will do more to bring peace and harmony between the Chinese and foreigners than all the war vessels will do.’”

Measured by years, Anna Stone’s life was short.  Measured by the time which she was enabled to give to her work after her return to China, her service was brief.  Almost all her life had been given to preparation for service, and it may seem as if she had hardly begun her life work when she was bidden to lay it down for the richer service of another life.  But if to be is more than to do, and if Anna Stone’s life be measured by what it was, rather than by achievements which could be recorded, we must count her years of service to have been many.  Through all the years of preparation for her work she was, in fact, serving in the truest sense, through what she was.  Bishop Joyce often said that her presence in the home was a benediction.  One who had close contact with her work pays the following tribute: 

“Hers was a rare character.  So simple, unaffected, and tender and yet withal so strong.  Like the blameless knight of old, ’her strength was as the strength of ten because her heart was pure.’  Gifted with a winsome personality, and a voice of great sweetness, she literally sang her way into the hearts of all who heard her, while the illumination of her life ‘hid with Christ in God’ particularly impressed those who saw in her a product of the missionary enterprise of our church.  All who came within the influence of her radiant presence were the better for it.”

Her life was an inspiration to people in Christian America.  She once said while here:  “Since coming to America the greatest wonder to me has been how any one can live in this country and yet not be a Christian.  If I had not given myself to God it would be the first thing I would do.  But thank God He has me off His mind.  I am His child and I will love and serve Him all my days.”  One woman who heard her sing asked, “Why do you let her go back?  We need her right here to help us.  I never felt so near Christ as when I heard