Sone was among the small group of foreigners who remained in the city and provided aid to the Chinese victims of the Japanese atrocities.

He served with John Rabe on the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone and was Associate Food Commissioner.

After the departure of George Fitch, Sone was elected Director of the Nanjing International Relief Committee.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Sone was licensed to preach by the Methodist Episcopal Church South District Conference on 7 May 1918.

He applied to the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, for an assignment as a missionary to China.

[1] Sone studied Chinese at Soochow University in Suzhou and was assigned to Huzhou to build a Methodist Mission station.

The residents, students and faculty of Nanjing Theological Seminary went to air raid shelters when the warnings sounded.

In November 1937 the Imperial Japanese Army captured the port city of Shanghai and Sone sent his wife and children to Mount Mogan, while he remained in Nanjing.

Our explanations were accepted and respected....On 9 December 1937, Japanese troops launched the attack upon the city of Nanjing.

[4] Sone was one of twenty-seven Western nationals in Nanjing who experienced its fall and witnessed the ensuing massacre.

Marshal T. Steel, Pastor of Highland Park Methodist Church, today Highland Park United Methodist Church, in Dallas, Texas, US, on 14 March 1938 Sone said:[6] The Japanese soldiers came into the city in quite large numbers on Monday Dec. 13th.

On 23 December, around 5 p.m., two Japanese soldiers approached a residence belonging to the Nanjing Theological Seminary, an American institution.

2 Shanghai Road, took down the American flag and hoisted a banner stating that this house is to be the residence of the Investigating Committee.

The proclamation placed on the front gate by the Japanese Embassy was removed just a few minutes before I found these soldiers taking down the American flag.

They then became very angry and rough with me, shouting and striking me on the shoulder, and finally by force took hold of me and dragged me across the yard and out into the middle of Shanghai Road.

They ordered the Chinese refugees who are living in the house at present to move out completely.A "safety zone" had been implemented in Shanghai by a French, Catholic Priest, Father Robert Jacquinot de Besange, in August 1937.

It was a successful model and the Nanking Safety Zone (南京安全区) began organizational efforts in November 1937.

They elected a German businessman of Siemens China Corporation, John Rabe, as its chair presumably for not only his character, but also his status as a Nazi.

On 1 December 1937, Mayor Ma Chaochun of Nanjing met the International Committee and authorized them to take over the city administration once he and his staff were evacuated.

"[9]: 51  Residents of Nanjing began streaming into the safety zone and ultimately "over ninety percent of the city's population crowded into it.

To a missionary colleague Sone wrote of the looting, rape, murder, burning and destruction caused by the Japanese.

Nanking has been almost a living hell.Sone attempted to prevent assaults on Chinese civilians and was beaten by the Japanese soldiers.

"[11] After George Fitch departed, Sone was elected Administrative Director of the Nanjing International Relief Committee.

However, he drew a picture of the medal, the lapel pin, and box in which it was presented and mailed this in a letter to his parents in the United States.

The United States entry into World War II on 7 December 1941 indefinitely postponed his return to China.

The Chinese government required departing foreigners to advertise in the paper for three days in the event there was an outstanding issue someone wished to bring.

In April, 1951 the Sones were allowed to leave after much of their personal effects were confiscated, including all United States currency, his field glasses and radio with a comment that it could be used to send signals.

On their fourth furlough, they departed Hong Kong on 8 May 1951 for San Francisco on board the SS "President Wilson", never to return to China.

In 1961, the Sones return to the United States and retired from active mission work after forty one years of service.