Writing in the D.M.S. annual report in January, 1922 about the missionary activities in Siuyen during the previous year, Rev. Olesen* said, "The Sunday School has advanced significantly. This is due in particular to Anna Bog Madsen who has put a great deal of personal effort into it".
In her own report to D.M.S. written at the same time, Anna Bog summarized her activities during 1921. Her comment that her language ability might be tested at "the conference" is probably a reference to the upcoming meeting of evangelists and Bible women held in September, 1922 that we described previously when writing about the Bible women:
"A Chinese minister, Dr. Moses Chin, says, 'Missionaries must have three sides: teacher, friend, and evangelist.' I have tried to achieve this in the work that God gave me to do during the past year along with my second year of language study. I have not yet taken the second year final examination but I have begun to study the third year curriculum. Perhaps I will receive my first test at the conference. It has been a good time, these first two years of language study, and I have been so glad for the little parallel tasks that have helped it, making the language alive and more interesting.
"The first Sunday in January [1921], I was asked to help in the Sunday School. In March, the Sunday School committee held a meeting at which it was decided to reorganize the school, and ten Christian Chinese were put to work as class leaders with Teacher Li in charge. Through their great diligence, the Sunday School grew from week to week. Our highest attendance was 180. There were also Sundays when there could be 30-40. That was when there was theater in the city. At the Christmas celebration,** there were 200 children. Our preliminary goal was to bring together 280. The well-known evangelist, Billy Sunday, says that most people who are converted by his proclamation are those who for years have been under the influence of the Gospel. It has been a blessed year in the Sunday School and the same with teaching.
"Each Tuesday morning from February until November, I went with one of the Bible women from the hospital to a large home where we met with the women, first for devotions, then afterward we taught them how to read. Three young girls have read their first book all the way through but none has yet said yes to the call to come to Jesus.
"In the spring, I often went with Mrs. Nielsen*** to the clinic to talk with the patients. Many good Chinese women came there with their children. With the help of large biblical pictures, they could see and understand the tidings I brought them.
"From April to the end of November, along with Rev. Olesen, I taught an English class for young men. They were from Siuyen Academy. They have read in the Gospel of Mark and some short stories. They always wanted us to sing, "Frem i Hellig Leding, Alle Herrens Maend".**** In April, a K.F.U.K. [Danish Y.W.C.A.] was also started here. There are four young Christian teachers who lead alternately with Bible women from the hospital. We meet each Sunday afternoon and have had many good times. Since all the young girls from the government school did not join us, we asked to be allowed to go to them, and the answer was that I was asked to give English lessons to the teachers and the upper level elementary students. I gave six hours per week and had at times 70 pupils. Now and then, they have been to our K.F.U.K.
"At our special Christmas celebration, they were all there and I believe that they were very pleased to be."
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*Rev. Ole Peter Svenning Olesen served in Manchuria from 1896-1927. He was in charge of the mission in Siuyen during Anna Bog's early days there.
**Literally, "Christmas Tree" - This refers to the Danish Christmas Eve celebration, which includes dancing around a tree decorated with lighted candles.
***Ane Jorgensen Nielsen, the wife of Dr. Niels Nielsen, the founder of the mission hospital at Siuyen.
****This is a Danish hymn akin to "Onward Christian Soldiers". The title in translation is "Go Forth in the Holy Leding, All God's Men". There is no English equivalent for leding, which was an old Scandinavian form of military organization.
Referenced sources:
Bog Madsen, Anna; "Frk. Anna Bog Madsens Beretning"; Det Danske Missionsselskabs Arsberetning for 1921, pp. 147-149.
Olesen, Rev. Ole; "Missionaer Olesens Beretning"; Det Danske Missionsselskabs Arsberetning for 1921, p. 143.
Used with permission.
Image: Picture of Chinese schoolgirls in Siuyen. Courtesy of H.B. Petersen.
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