At the urging of the home office in New Haven as well as other missionaries in China, the Yale Mission early on assumed more of an educational than evangelical function. With the arrival of Dr. Edward H. Hume in 1905, medical education and care became a major focus of the endeavor.
The Yale Mission, under pressure from New Haven headquarters and other missionaries in China, shifted its focus from evangelism to education. Dr. Edward H. Hume's arrival in 1905 marked a significant change towards medical education and healthcare as central aspects of the mission's activities.