Commemoration of the Birth Anniversaries of Anna Bøg Madsen and Preben Jørgensen - May 13

Today, May 13, 2025, we celebrate the birth of two Danes, born on the same day but 35 years apart:   the subject of this site - missionary Anna Bøg Madsen (1888-1973), and the co-author of this site - Preben Jørgensen (1923-2014).

Anna Bøg was a missionary in Manchuria with the Danish Missionary Society (DMS) from 1919 to 1946 and established the Women’s Mission Station in Siuyen.  It is remarkable to think of the course of events in China in general and Manchuria in particular during the more than 26 years that Anna Bøg served there: the various phases of the Chinese Civil War, the increasing presence of the Japanese in Manchuria with the establishment of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo in 1932, World War II, and the post-war incursion of the Soviets.  Anna Bøg endured all this with faith, diligence, and dignity until airlifted out by UNRRA in 1946.  When she returned to Denmark on the Ansgar, she was so weak with malnutrition and exhaustion that she had to be hospitalized for several months.  Nevertheless a year later she was on her way back to Manchuria despite the Communist incursion, but the DMS called her back because of the political situation.

It is also remarkable to think of the life of Preben Jørgensen, who ran the Belgian branch of a Danish firm in Brussels (Nilfisk), married a Belgian woman, was made a Knight of the Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe, provided his extended family with extensive genealogical material, made a major contribution to this site's presentation of Anna Bøg's missionary work in Manchuria, and managed to keep going for many years despite a struggle with cancer.

We celebrate their lives.  

 

 

We Beheld His Glory (Christmas, 1963)

In 1963, Anna Bøg (left) and Elise Bahnson sent this Christmas card to relatives and friends. They are in front of the home in Kings Lyngby (a suburb of Copenhagen) which the two missionaries shared in retirement. The lettering of the text is in the precise script of architect Elise Bahnson.

Above the picture of the two women is a quote from the Gospel of St. John proclaiming the incarnation of Our Lord:

"The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; we beheld his glory." [Jn. 1:14.]

Below the picture and above the names of the two women, it says, "Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year".

May our readers have the same joy and blessing.

Massacre of Nicholas, Alexandra, and their Family

In March, 1917, following the February revolution, Russian Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on behalf of both himself and his son Tsarevich Alexei.  Nevertheless, the family was arrested and imprisoned by the Bolsheviks.

During the early morning hours of July 17, 1918, the Bolsheviks murdered Nicholas II and his entire family, as well as the family doctor, Nicholas' footman, Alexandra's maidservant, and the family cook.   It is believed that Vladimir Lenin himself gave the order that they should be killed.