to his mother. John's love of missionary literature and his eager
attendance upon missionary meetings had filled the family with a secret
fear that he thought of going. One day he invited his younger sister,
Catharine, to take a walk with him across the fields. He began to talk
about missions to foreign lands. Finally he said, "Catharine, you must
help me prepare the way to tell mother that I want to go to China." Too
overcome with emotion was the sister to reply. They walked home in
silence. John sought opportunity when he could quietly tell his mother.
Said he, "Mother, I am going to China." In the intensity of a mother's
love she replied, "Oh, John, it will kill me." But the grace of God
triumphed and again she said, "I prayed to God for this, how can I object?"

In October, 1845, he applied to the American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions, through Dr. Thomas De Witt, the Secretary for the
Reformed Church. The letter is still in possession. An extract from it
reads:

"I was twenty-five years of age last August, reside at Somerville, New
Jersey, have been blessed with Christian parents and enjoyed an early
religious education. By the assistance of friends and the Church, I have
been enabled to pursue the usual course of study preparatory in our Church
to entering upon the duties of the Gospel ministry. I graduated at Rutgers
College in the summer of 1842, pursued my theological studies in our
seminary at New Brunswick, and received from the Classis of Philadelphia,
July last, 'license' to preach the Gospel.

"Owing doubtless in great measure to the religious advantages I have
enjoyed, my mind has been more or less under religious impressions from my
earliest recollection. About eight years ago I united on confession of
faith with the Church (Reformed Dutch) at Blawenburgh, New Jersey, of which