Kratkaja Istorija Duxonvyx Missij v Kitae, (c. 1915-16)
English trans. by Jeremias Norman. Original postings: 1,73.

Missions in Zhili [the present Hebei province]

The following mission stations were opened in the province of Zhili. In Tianjin a station was set up immediately after the return of the Christians to Beijing from the residence of General Nie. In exchange for the residences left by us, we were offered a small residence with 16 rooms in Xiaoguan'er lane in the area of Yaowa on the borders of Chinese Tianjin. A school and a temporary church in honor of the Protection of the Theotokos were opened there. In the course of time, during visits of the missionaries there, 100 people were baptized, for the most part new arrivals and not permanent residents, and for this reason it was difficult to form them into a single community. At present [c. 1916] the mission and the school are run by a former seminarian, Serafim Zhao. This mission has all the conditions for development and the importance of Tianjin as a trading port and the presence of the mission among a poor working population, all speak for its importance for missionary work.