To Offer My Life (1909-1919)

Tomorrow, July 19, 2009, is the 90th anniversary of Anna Bøg’s official acceptance by the Danish Missionary Society. Therefore, this week’s excerpt covers her life from 1909 until 1919.

As we explained earlier, Anna Bøg arrived in America with her parents, sisters Marie and Elisabeth, and their little brother Rasmus (Robert), in October 1909. After doing domestic work for the first few years, in 1914 Anna Bøg obtained employment at the church-operated Western Old People’s Home in Cedar Falls, where she was put in charge of the kitchen. Meanwhile, between 1912 and 1915, Anna Bøg’s siblings all found spouses and married, except for the youngest, Rasmus.

On February 5, 1915, Anna Bøg wrote from Cedar Falls to her cousin Kirstine* in Sanderum, near Odense. Here is part of that letter:

“Time goes like the wind, so fast, that one hardly understands that it is already five years since we left Denmark. Great changes have occurred in our family as just about everyone has married and have house and home. Peter is due to marry in the autumn; he now lives in Montana.

“Brother Christian says that Rasmus and I shall act as an old uncle and aunt and bring goodies to the children and that is alright. Rasmus went to commercial school and works now in a large office as a shorthand writer; he is clever in language …. I am the cook in a German old people’s home, 32 persons every day. It is a perfect job. I only do the cooking. The dining room for the old people is on the first floor and the kitchen is in the basement, so the food goes up by an elevator. I do not have to peel the potatoes or do the dishwashing and I receive 30 dollars a month, more than 100 kroner. And you should see the place, what a wonderful home it is and how elegantly it is equipped and it is beautiful that old people can be so well cared for during their last days. There are many Germans in the U.S.A. and this is the German Church Institute, thus guided in a Christian spirit, which suits me perfectly.

“A huge tent has been set up with space for 3-4,000 people; an evangelist, Lowry, is going to speak. Singing evangelists Mr. and Mrs. Moody** from Chicago shall conduct the songs and we expect a major revival at these meetings, which will last for 4-5 weeks, starting in 10 days. There will be a choir of 200-300 voices. It will be magnificent. Prayer meetings will take place in 30 homes every week to pray for the salvation of souls at these great revival meetings.” (1)

In January, 1916, Anna Bøg’s mother, Karen, died after a short illness and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Falls. It had long been Karen’s hope that one of her children would become a missionary to China, and Anna Bøg decided that she would fulfill her mother’s wish.

In 1917, Anna Bøg left Cedar Falls for Chicago, Illinois, to study scripture at the Moody Bible Institute. Anna Bøg later described the progress of her vocation as follows: “As a young girl I sang in the Nazareth choir and taught summer school [Daily Vacation Bible School]. At that time I started to tithe to God’s work, the first year one tenth, the second year, two tenths, and the third year I gave myself: ‘Here am I, send me!’” (2)

The Western Old People’s Home had this to say about Anna Bøg in its newsletter when she left her employment there in 1917:

“Anna Madsen, for three years the happy ‘Queen of the Kitchen’, has abdicated the throne to enter Moody Bible Institute in Chicago to prepare for a special line of Christian Work. She rendered splendid service here during these years and was much beloved by the members of the Home family. All will wish her well and God’s blessing in her new field.” (3)

In the spring of 1917, before moving to Chicago, Anna Bøg traveled to Denmark to visit with the Danish Missionary Society (D.M.S) as well as with her Danish family. On May 2, 1917, Anna Bøg wrote from northern Jutland to Mr. and Mrs. Christian Schlesch*** of D.M.S. a letter that included the following:

“A heartfelt thank you for your love given to me, a homeless Dane. It was so hyggeligt to live with you there in D.M.S.**** . . .

“My cousin was on holiday from school; he and I bicycled around and visited [the entire family]. I had a really good time; I had been unaware that we had that many good friends in Denmark.

“Right now we are way up in Jutland visiting a big farm, but to get here we did not use bicycles. I have written to the [Board] members, of whom you gave me the addresses, but my visits to them will be on my way back.

“. . . Do you think I could stay here a little longer than to the 15th? Or do you prefer to see me in Copenhagen around that date?” (4)

On September 5, 1917, Anna Bøg entered Moody Bible Institute. And, on September 20, 1917, she received a commendation from the Board of Trustees of the German Evangelical Church for which she had worked at the old people’s home Cedar Falls, “Resolved, that we record our appreciation of the faithful service rendered and wish for [Miss Anna Madsen] in the new field of activity abundant success in influencing those for good whom to minister unto she may be called.” (5)

Anna Bøg spent the autumn of 1917, all of 1918, and the first half of 1919 preparing for missionary work. After a year at the Moody Bible Institute, she went on to spend another year studying nursing at the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in Chicago. She also served at the Chicago rescue mission, Pacific Garden Mission.

At this time, missionaries affiliated with the Danish Missionary Society were expected to make a lifetime commitment. On January 19, 1918, while residing at Moody Bible Institute, Anna Bøg sent an application to the Board of the Danish Missionary Society with this cover letter:

“Dear Friends in Christ! The Lord has laid it on my heart to write to D.M.S. in Denmark to offer you my life in the service of D.M.S. . . . While we were quite small children at home, my mother, a believer, implored the Lord to let one of her children be a missionary and travel to China. The Lord chose me and with this aim I am presently a pupil at the ‘Moody Bible Institute’ in Chicago, where I study the Bible, music and English. Pastor Pedersen from the United Danish Lutheran Church here in Chicago recommended that I take a course at a hospital, convinced that this shall be very useful for me in the mission field as I will be able to care for the sick. The Lord opened the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in Chicago to me. I can start my training the first of May of this year.

“I love the Lord and his work. I have a strong constitution and a certificate of good health. It is my fervent wish that He can employ me out there in the pagan field. At our next meeting I will be admitted to ‘The Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions’. I have good recommendations from the board of the German Evangelical Church here in America where I worked as a manager of housekeeping in one of their institutes (an old people’s home). I was there for three years. I could be sent out by an English ‘Board’ but wish to offer my life to the Danish Lutheran Church. If I am taken on, I ask you for guidance concerning the length of time you wish me to study nursing. If a manager is needed in a hospital or school I could take up such a work with the experience I now have. . . .” (6A)

On the accompanying application form, Anna Bøg wrote, “This evening, I laid my life on His altar.” (6B) Later, in remembering this event, Anna Bøg related, “It was a joyful day when I placed myself on God’s altar.” (7)

Many letters of reference followed: On May 15, 1918, Mads Wolff, Chairman of the Nazareth Danish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Cedar Falls, wrote to the D.M.S. :

“I have received a letter from Anna Madsen who is now in Chicago, Ill. She writes that she sent an application to this society to be sent to China. . . and she is in her soul convinced that you will accept her, but she writes me in this way, 'It will be a wonderful day when I receive the conclusive, we will . . .' I am convinced she means to say, 'Oh Lord take me, employ me according to your own will, I just want to be taken into your service.'

“I have known Anna Madsen for about 8 years and always found her a sincere child of God. She has always participated in the Lord’s work here in Nazareth Congregation, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

“How wonderful to see all the small children she taught in Sunday school. They loved her as if she were their mother and sorrow spread when she left but her memory will remain alive among them and all of us. The same children shall be happy to learn that their former Sunday school teacher can do something for the small Chinese children.

“. . . May the Lord let me live and see the day when Anna Madsen will be sent to China by you. Then I shall be happy and thank God that the prayer of Anna Madsen was heard – and maybe these few words of recommendation from me may help you decide to take her on. . . . (8)

On May 21, 1918, Dr. Svenning Dahl, M.D. wrote, “I herewith certify that today I examined Miss Anna Madsen at the Norwegian Deaconess Hospital in Chicago and found her perfectly fit and healthy in all respects.” (9)

And, on May 25, 1918, P.B. Fitzwater of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago wrote, “This is to certify that Miss Anna Madsen was enrolled as a student in the Moody Bible Institute from Sept. 5, 1917 to April 18, 1918. Our records show that she did good work while here. She impressed us as being a woman of worth. We think that she would make a good missionary. I am sending this to you at the request of Miss Madsen, who purposes to go to the foreign field under your board.” (10)

The D.M.S. did accept Anna Bøg and on December 22, 1918, she wrote to D.M.S., “God willing, we shall sail on July 8, from New York to Copenhagen on the ship, ‘Frederik the 8th’.” (11)

Anna Bøg later related: “After I had attended the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and also taken a missionary nursing course at the Deaconess Hospital in the same city, I went to Denmark to meet the Mission Board of the … Danish Mission Society, and to be officially accepted. I remember leaving New York and standing on the deck of the boat as we passed the Statute of Liberty [thinking] that now I was sailing away from home and leaving all my loved ones behind . . .” (12)

Anna Bøg arrived in Denmark in mid-July and was officially accepted by D.M.S. on July 19, 1919. (13) In reference to the interview that preceded her official acceptance, Anna Bøg said, “In Denmark I was interviewed by the president of the D.M.S. He asked me only one question: ‘Do you believe that others than the Lutherans will be saved?’ If I did! Had I not lived at the Moody Institute in a definite ecumenical environment of young Christian fellow students and [been] a member of the Student Volunteer Movement?” (14)

Two months later, in September, 1919, Anna Bøg was consecrated as a D.M.S. China missionary at the annual meeting of the Danish Missionary Society. Anna Bøg later recalled:

“[The president’s] closing word to me was II Chron. 15:7, ‘But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.’ In a letter I sent home to Cedar Falls I wrote: ‘I am so happy; my heart is so quiet and full of God’s peace. I am now a consecrated missionary prepared to serve my Master. I went to Holy Communion today and received strength and blessings; I needed a deeper communion with Jesus before I could go out and teach others.” (15)

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* Kirstine Bøg Rasmussen was the daughter of Anna’s mother Karen’s brother, Simon Bøg
**This cannot refer to Dwight L. Moody since he had already passed away. Perhaps the singing evangelist was his son.
***Christian Schlesch was the treasurer of D.M.S. at the time.
**** The D.M.S. headquarters in Hellerup near Copenhagen includes residential facilities for families and single missionaries.

Referenced sources:
(1) Bøg Madsen, Anna; letter to Kirstine Bøg Rasmussen; dated February 5, 1915. Courtesy of Erik Bøg Madsen.
(2) Bøg Madsen, Anna; “The Old Missionary’s Brief Story”, Nazareth Lutheran Messenger, Spring, 1971. Courtesy of Casey Welch.
(3) Newsletter of Western Old People’s Home, Cedar Falls, Iowa; 1917. Date unknown. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet. (The Rigsarkivet is the Danish national archives).
(4) Bøg Madsen, Anna; letter to Mr. and Mrs. Christian Schlesch; dated May 2, 1917. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(5) Resolution by Board of Trustees of German Evangelical Church signed by F.F. Jordan, pastor of the First Church of the Evangelical Association, Elgin, Illinois. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(6A and B) Bøg Madsen, Anna; letter and application to the Board of the Danish Missionary Society; dated January 19, 1918. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(7) Bøg Madsen, Anna; “The Old Missionary’s Brief Story”, Nazareth Lutheran Messenger, Spring, 1971. Courtesy of Casey Welch.
(8) Wolff, Mads; Chairman of the Nazareth Danish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Cedar Falls, Iowa; dated May 15, 1918. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(9) Dahl, Dr. Svenning; certificate of health re Anna Bøg; dated May 21, 1918. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(10) Fitzwater, P.B.; letter to Christian Schlesch of the D.M.S.; dated May 25, 1918. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(11) Bøg Madsen, Anna; letter to the D.M.S.; dated December 22, 1918. From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.
(12) Bøg Madsen, Anna; “The Old Missionary’s Brief Story”, Nazareth Lutheran Messenger, Spring, 1971. Courtesy of Casey Welch.
(13) Olsgaard, Susanne (D.M.S.); letter to Preben Jørgensen; dated February 27, 1997.
(14) Bøg Madsen, Anna; “The Old Missionary’s Brief Story”, Nazareth Lutheran Messenger, Spring, 1971. Courtesy of Casey Welch.
(15) Ibid.

Image:
Anna Bøg and her brother Peter Bøg Madsen. Courtesy of Roger Lais.