Dr Edward Kirk and Rev Herbert Davies with other CVM missionaries and their Chinese language teacher.

Dr Kirk and is rear left and Rev Davies is rear right.   They started together with the CVM in 1909.

New missionaries typically spent their first two years learning the language.  Quite often the students knew no Chinese and the Chinese teacher knew little English, but with acting, hand signs and blackboard drawings somehow the transfer of knowledge happened.

Later on, language schools were established eg Canton and Cheung Chau.

Eventually language schools grew up in the sending countries.

Source:  Presbyterian Research Centre NZ