Chapter five mentions uprisings and mobs against foreigners in China. The turmoil in China caused CIM or China Inland Mission to be concerned for the safety of the missionaries in China. Many missionaries were evacuated as soon as possible to Shanghai which was relatively safer. Isobel's boyfriend, John Kuhn, was evacuated to Shanghai by boat. The dangerous state in China made it impossible for new missionaries to enter China,so Isobel was not able to journey to China.
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| Above picture is of a Chinese Christian martyr. |
I was interested by the author's brief reference to this period of uprising and violence in China at this time, so I decided to research the topic further. This time period is called the anti-Christian movement of 1922-1927. Led by communists, a violent movement swept through China which targeted foreigners, missionaries, and Chinese Christians. Chinese Christian converts and missionaries including women and children, were brutally slaughtered by horrific methods including being roasted alive. Chinese soldiers continued to terrorize China by murdering many more missionaries and Chinese Christians. A total number of deaths is not certain. During the Boxer Rebellion CIM suffered more deaths and property damage than any other organization. I have previously researched John and Betty Stam who were a missionary couple to China during this time period. They were also murdered by communist soldiers.
Learning about this time in China's history makes me especially thankful for God's grace and work in my life. Christians in the United States, including myself, are not faced with a lot of persecution. We are blessed with religious freedom. I attend a Christian school, where being a Christian is a relatively easy and normal thing to do. I often wonder how I would respond to situations similar to those of the martyrs in China. Would my faith be strong and sincere enough for me to take a stand for Christ, despite persecution and torture? The strength of the faith of the missionaries in China amazes me. I am also inspired and awed by missionaries like Isobel Kuhn, who despite the danger and potential cost, followed God's call to China. They continued to obey God, even in the midst of violence in China. They risked their lives in order to bring the gospel to the very same people who had brutally murdered other believers. Instead of responding with fear or hatred, the believers responded with love and an even greater passion for reaching out to the lost.
I found a video with excerpts from letters Carl Lundberg, a Swedish missionary, wrote hours before he, as well as his wife and two young daughters, were murdered by Communist soldiers. I believe it gives a better idea of Christians and missionaries in China during the early 1900's.
Learning about this time in China's history makes me especially thankful for God's grace and work in my life. Christians in the United States, including myself, are not faced with a lot of persecution. We are blessed with religious freedom. I attend a Christian school, where being a Christian is a relatively easy and normal thing to do. I often wonder how I would respond to situations similar to those of the martyrs in China. Would my faith be strong and sincere enough for me to take a stand for Christ, despite persecution and torture? The strength of the faith of the missionaries in China amazes me. I am also inspired and awed by missionaries like Isobel Kuhn, who despite the danger and potential cost, followed God's call to China. They continued to obey God, even in the midst of violence in China. They risked their lives in order to bring the gospel to the very same people who had brutally murdered other believers. Instead of responding with fear or hatred, the believers responded with love and an even greater passion for reaching out to the lost.
I found a video with excerpts from letters Carl Lundberg, a Swedish missionary, wrote hours before he, as well as his wife and two young daughters, were murdered by Communist soldiers. I believe it gives a better idea of Christians and missionaries in China during the early 1900's.
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