"The missionary's wife, as well as himself, should be a sort of moving commentary on the Bible; every thing she says or does should remind the hearer or beholder of something in the Bible; her whole life should be altogether a New Testament life." (2)

At the height of its popularity, missionary work carried with it an immense devotion to religious endeavors. As seen in the preceeding quote, all efforts were centered around Christian conversion. Lucy Lyon, the niece of the infamous Mary Lyon, even reported in an 1854 letter from China that it was "a privilege to suffer anything, if, by our sufferings, we could produce their [the heathens'] salvation." (2)

This ideal, however, changed dramatically in China with the start of the 20th century. By 1905, it was clear to see that the bulk of Alice Browne Frame's attention in China was directed toward the welfare of Chinese women and children. This differed greatly from missionary work happening in India and Hawaii.

In speaking about her first experience at a Chinese school, Frame explained that "if you could've seen their [the children's] faces, you would've surrendered at once. With bright sparkling eyes, smooth olive cheeks that showed a dimple now and then, I thought they were just dear, and I know you would've agreed with me." (3)

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