Bookseller Hsü and Chang Wen Ch'ing (Early 1937)

In early 1937, the D.M.S. missionary newspaper published a vignette by Anna Bøg about Bookseller Hsü, an itinerant salesman who sold separate books of the Bible in the countryside around Siuyen. Our readers might remember that Elise Bahnson introduced Mr. Hsü in one of the articles excerpted in our post Difficulties to Overcome (1931-1932).

In the early 1937 newspaper, there was also a vignette by Elise Bahnson about Mrs. Chang, an elderly Chinese woman who had recently been baptized, and Elise Bahnson reported that, thanks to the new motor coach line, Rev. and Mrs. Bolwig had been able to travel to Siuyen from the town where they lived in order to spend Christmas with the missionaries and Chinese congregation. The Bolwigs had many friends among the Chinese Christians in Siuyen.

Here are the two vignettes:

Bookseller Hsü

"Bookseller Hsü has just returned from a trip of a little over two months during which he sold 4,700 individual books of the Bible. Not all homes could pay with cash, but they were willing to trade a bowl of corn for a little book.

"To the question, 'Are you sure they will now read in the books?', he replied, 'I find some parts that I know they would like to read and mark them, because if they begin with Jesus' genealogy they might easily stop there.'

"He had spent a week in the home of a schoolteacher who has previously been a patient at the hospital [in Siuyen]. Food was not so difficult to come by in the country dwellings, but a couple of times it was 1 o'clock in the morning before he found his night's lodging.

"He experienced many answered prayers, spoke with many about God's Word, and witnessed [to them]. If there were sick people in the home, he talked with them and prayed for them. . . .

"On such a trip, one cannot escape a chance encounter with a troop of brethren who live in the mountains [bandits]. But, despite the winter cold, snow, and many other difficulties, the bookseller returned fresh, happy, and empty-handed, having left behind the many books."

Chang Wen Ch'ing

"A truth-seeking soul, eagerly she had served Buddha and other gods for many years. She had abstained from meat with the intention of honoring the gods.

"Now 75 years old, she came with her daughter to the worship service during the month of October, the first Sunday Reverend Cheng was here. During the entire week [of women's meetings] she sat in the first pew, listening. She had reached her destination; she had finally found the truth.

"She lived here in those days, and started to eat meat again, an important sign that she had begun to break away from idols to serve the living God. She was full of questions. Even though she was advanced in age and she could not learn to read, she could go home and do away with all the idols. We told her about Christmas and invited her to come back.

"She came at the appointed time, worn out and motion-sick from riding on the rigid cart. During Christmas, she lived here again in order to be with us as much as possible, and her hope was fulfilled: the Sunday between Christmas and New Years, she was baptized 'Chang Wen Ch'ing'.

"For three weeks, she lived with her daughter and came for further instruction. Now she is back home in the country."

Source:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Smaabreve fra Siuyen - Bogsælgeren," and Bahnson, Elise; "Smaabreve fra Siuyen - Gamle Fru Chang"; Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 104, No. 9; 1937 (exact date unknown); pp. 127-129. Translation by Marie-Jacqueline.

Image:
Photograph of Mrs. Chang (front), Bible Woman Miss P'ei, and Anna Bøg, from the article cited above.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.