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Arthur and Mabel Billing were longtime Methodist missionaries to China who were connected with the Union High School at Foochow, Fukien Province.
The correspondence in the collection is representative of their last years in China and letters written in retirement. Correspondents include fellow missionaries, former student and the Mission Board of the Methodist Church.
Outspokenly against United States involvement in Aisa, the Billings waged a correspondence campaign with the U.S. government regarding Indochina, beginning as early as 1954 to criticize Eisenhower policies, i.e., the rise of the domino theory. They were also critical of defense spending and nuclear development and testing.
Their dislike for Chiang Kai Shek and his "warlords," whom they accused of amassing wealth amid galloping inflation, led them to regard the change of government on mainland China as desirable and worthwhile for the people. Fellow missioner Congressman Walter Judd, now identified with the AMA and China lobbies, was the recipient of a denouncement of U.S. policy in Asia. His answer is not included.
After returning to the United States, the Billings were instrumental in bringing several former students to the U.S. for university education, in some cases giving financial assistance from their pensions.
Arthur and Mabel Billing are now deceased.
Collection comprises papers of Arthur William and Mabel Spohr Billing, Methodist missionaries to China, connected with the Union High School at Foochow (Fuzhou), Fukien (Fujian) Province, and includes correspondence, Mabel Billing's diary (1939-1943), mission newsletters, minutes and other official records of the Foochow Conference of the Methodist Church, Foochow (Fuzhou) newspapers, Foochow Union High School pamphlets and photograph album, and a thesis by Portia Billings Foster on the high school.