Invited Everywhere (1932)

In 1931, the political tension in Manchuria described earlier culminated in the so-called "Manchurian" or "Mukden Incident”. What happened was this: After the Japanese assassinated Manchurian warlord Chang Tso-lin in 1928, his son, Chang Hsueh-liang, succeeded him. Chang Hsueh-liang refused to stop construction of a competing Chinese railway network. On September 18, 1931, a section of the Japanese South Manchuria Railway near Mukden was dynamited and Japan alleged that the Chinese had sabotaged the railroad. The Japanese army then invaded Manchuria, took control of Mukden, and began a Manchurian campaign. In 1932, the Japanese took Harbin. On February 18, 1932, the Japanese set up a puppet government based in Changchun, installed the last Qing emperor, Pu Yi, as the ruler, and renamed Manchuria "Manchukuo". Japan went on to occupy all of Manchuria until the end of World War II. Moreover, the Japanese used Manchuria as a base for Japanese aggression against all of China. In 1937, Japan attacked Peking, Shanghai, and Nanking. By 1938, the Japanese occupied the main Chinese ports.

Since the Japanese aggressors focused first on the major cities of Manchuria, it took some time before they extended their actual rule to the outlying regions. Here, we present an account by Anna Bøg of her work in early 1932. Although it was several months after the Mukden incident, the only hint of the political situation in her story is the mention that when she entered the valley in the remote mountain area where she and the Bible Women had gone at the invitation of a Mrs. P'ang, they encountered a regiment of "village soldiers". The use of the term "village soldiers" very likely means that the men were Chinese and not Japanese. There is no way of telling from Anna Bøg's article whether the soldiers were protecting the area from bandits or whether they intended to put up a resistance against the Japanese. It does seem, however, that the Japanese had not yet taken de facto control of the area.

Here is Anna Bøg's description of her missionary journey to the home of Mrs. P'ang and the missionary work with women in the area surrounding Siuyen in early 1932:

"It is a great time to be a missionary. Jesus is moving here and glorifying his Name. It is as if all the doors are open, both here in town and out in the countryside. It is a rich and blessed time of growth for God's Kingdom. . .

"One of the first days of the Chinese New Year, a young man arrived from Lo-ch'üan-kou with greetings from his old grandmother: 'Aren't you coming this month, when the women have plenty of time?' We accepted the invitation. Two young Bible Women and I stayed a week in Mrs. P'ang’s home. She is 63 years old and was baptized at Christmas time in 1930. She is a widow, and lives in the midst of her big family, 6 sons with wives, 15 grandsons, and 5 granddaughters. They own the biggest farm in the village. It is beautifully situated in a valley with mountains in the background, in front of a large river, and the rice fields are fertile. This was our third visit.

"Right at the entrance to the valley, we met a regiment of village soldiers, with guns on their shoulders. They were going to stay in the temple yard at the start of the valley. We rode past one little hyggelige village after another. The families in these villages are almost all related to Mrs. P'ang. By nightfall, we reached Mrs. P'ang's home, the farthest into the valley. When the children sighted the cart, they came running out to greet us, and all the young women came out bearing their babies in their arms. The old lady was happy to see us and said, 'I have so longed for you; I am all alone as a Christian here.' 'Yes,' we answered, 'That is the reason we are here; we have come to help you.' 'You shall stay here in my room. All that there is my room is yours while you are here,' she said. She was so lively.

"By evening prayer we had two rooms full of people. We felt the Lord's presence during all our meetings, which was not so strange, since at home in Siuyen there were people praying daily for these meetings. When the children slept, or work was finished, they came and asked for help. Many of the young men could already read, but the young women progressed during this visit.

"At the time of our first visit last spring, the village women did not dare take us into their homes. This time they came out and spoke to us, and invited us in. Some came to the meetings at Mrs. P'ang's home and began to learn to read. God's word has free rein these days.

"When we visited last autumn two [male] evangelists accompanied us. The sons arranged meetings in the temple and school. They are well disposed toward Christianity. Their mother is solid in her relationship with God and all the pagan idols have been removed from the home.

"In a village a 2 - 1/2 hour walk from there lives a young Christian woman who definitely stands out from her surroundings. In her home too, we gathered many people to meetings. They were so happy when they saw us coming. In a shop in the mountains where we bought cakes, there came so many women that we held a meeting in the shop. There we were again invited by a neighborhood woman to visit her.

"Old Mrs. P'ang is well known in this vicinity. Without even realizing it, she is a living witness of Christian virtue. Before [Chinese] New Year, she was ill. Then she prayed, 'Dear Jesus, Make me well by New Year's Eve. Otherwise, who will lead my children?' And she became well.

"While all the neighbors worshiped ancestors, sang and played music the entire evening, at the turn of the year the old mother knelt down with all her sons and the whole family and led them in a prayer of thanksgiving. Every evening the old woman observes evening prayer in her home.

"While we were there, we received a letter from old Mrs. Pai, who lives 70 li [Chinese mile] north of Siuyen. She wrote, 'Aren't you coming soon? I have two rooms ready for you.'

"On the way home from Lo-ch'üan-kou we stopped to eat our packed lunch in a [private] home. Immediately, the kang was filled with persons large and small, and we talked with them a full hour. An old woman said, 'Come again,' and a young woman said, 'Can't a Bible Woman come and stay with us a few days?'

"Out in Hsing-lung-kou, a mile north of Siuyen, to which we cycle once a week, there are a few Christians and some that can read. It takes a long time for those who must first learn to read, but there are more young people who are able to read.

"Out in Sao-tzu-ho, where the Christians last year even opened an out-station and built a small House of God, there are many women who are ready to be baptized. There is plenty of work, and many centers that could be opened, if we had the right workers.

"Here in the town of Siuyen, besides school children, there are more than 60 women that are being prepared for baptism. To help with the work, we have one older and three younger Bible women, including a young blind girl from the home for the blind in Mukden [who will remain here]. The other two will return in September to the Bible Women’s school to complete their studies.

"All about there is growth and progress in our work. It is Jesus who does the work, and with His blessing upon the funds from the mother church we go confidently forward in faith, even though the enemy of the soul creates difficulties that in our eyes can sometimes look insurmountable. . . ."

Source:
Bøg Madsen, Anna; "Kommer I Ikke Snart", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 99, Nr. 17; April 27, 1932; pp. 243-246. Translation by Betty Christensen.

Image:
Photograph of women baptized in Siuyen, Christmas 1931, from"Kommer I Ikke Snart", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 99, Nr. 17, April 27, 1932, p. 245.

All D.M.S. materials used with permission.