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, initially focused on evangelism, gradually transitioned to prioritize educational initiatives due to external pressures from New Haven headquarters and other missionaries in China. Dr. Edward H. Hume's arrival in 1905 marked a turning point for the mission, emphasizing medical education and healthcare as crucial components of its work.