In the last two posts, we mentioned pastoral visits to Siuyen by Rev. Ch'eng in October, 1936, and by Rev. Bolwig during Christmas, 1936. These visits were particularly important to the Siuyen congregation because Rev. Bjergaarde had been back in Denmark on leave since June of 1936 and the congregation had been without the sacraments for the entire time, except during those visits.
In the D.M.S. annual report for the fiscal year 1936-1937, Elise Bahnson wrote that during the past year the worship services had been well attended. Since they had not yet been permitted to rebuild the church, they were holding the services at the school. After Rev. Bjergaarde left, however, they had only been able to receive Communion twice -- that is, during the visits by Rev. Ch'eng and Rev. Bolwig. The male evangelists had preached, and Dr. Nielsen had preached once a month after his return in October. And, all of the evangelistic work (Sunday school, Bible studies, hospital devotions, home visits, and so on) had been carried on as usual by the women missionaries, male evangelists, and Bible Women.
In view of the foregoing, this seems a good time to provide some details about the ministers in Siuyen over the years:
Rev. Ole Olesen and Rev. Johannes Vyff, established the mission in Siuyen in 1898. In August, 1898, they purchased a Chinese house and lot enclosed by a tall wall and the two ministers and their wives took up residence there. They opened a street chapel and began holding services that were soon well attended.
There was an interruption during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 when the Olesens and Vyffs were forced to go to Port Arthur for several months. Apparently, it was after this that Rev. Olesen took sole charge of the work in Siuyen and remained in charge until he left in 1923, the year after he supervised the building of the church.
Rev. Olesen's full name was Ole Peter Svenning Olesen. Altogether, he served in Manchuria from 1896-1927. Rev. Olesen's first wife was Magdalene Sørensen. It was she who began the work with the women in Siuyen that Anna Bøg took over.
On September 25, 1921, there was a big celebration in Siuyen for the Olesens' silver wedding. It was a "triple feast" because they were also commemorating Rev. Olesen's 25th anniversary as a minister and as a missionary to China. Anna Bøg and nurse Anna Busch organized the celebration while the Chinese Christians decorated the yard and chapel as beautifully as they knew how. Not the least of the joy came when Rev. Bolwig arrived. He had cycled all the way from Takushan for the occasion.
Sadly, Magdalene Olesen died only a few months later, on January 13, 1922. In 1923, Rev. Olesen was transferred to Fengcheng and remarried. His second wife, Marie Thomsen, died in 1926, and he returned to Denmark in 1927.
Rev. Hagelskjær succeeded Rev. Olesen in Siuyen, serving there until September, 1929. His full name was Laust Lauridsen Hagelskjær. Altogether, he worked in Manchuria from 1909-1930. He was married to Jacobine C.C. Larsen.
There was no immediate successor to Rev. Hagelskjær in Siuyen. In a short article by Anna Bøg written in early 1930, she related:
"There was a large empty spot in the congregation here when the minister left and no substitute could be found. The congregation very much hopes that the Hagelskjærs will come back. The chairman [of the parish council] said to me the other day, 'Here in Siuyen we cannot do without a missionary minister yet. There should be both a Danish and a Chinese minister. But now there are neither.' The chairman also asked me if I thought the old Mushih could come out for a year's time. He meant Rev. Olesen."("Mushih" is a term the Chinese used to refer to ordained Christian ministers. It apparently derives from the Hebrew verb for "to anoint", which is "mashach".)
The congregation in Siuyen was without a minister until late 1931. Our readers might remember that in our post entitled Difficulties to Overcome (1931-1932) we quoted from articles by Elise Bahnson where she talked about how the congregation had been without a minister for two years and hoped for one soon. The construction of the women missionary's residence had been delayed so that she could build a home for the minister they expected to come.
In late 1931, Rev. Jens P. Bjergaarde arrived and took up residence in the home Elise Bahnson had prepared for him and his family. Rev. Bjergaarde was married to Maria Kruse. Altogether, Rev. Bjergaarde served in Manchuria from 1912 to 1939 and Maria from 1915 to 1939.
Here is what Gullach-Jensen had to say about the Bjergaardes in her 1937 book on the work of D.M.S. in Manchuria:
"[Rev. Bjergaarde] was born March 14, 1881 in Brovst Parish. His father was a farmer. Until his confirmation, Bjergaarde lived at home, of which he has many good and bright memories.As mentioned above, the Bjergaardes went home to Denmark in June, 1936. As far as we can tell, they came back to Siuyen after this home leave and remained in Siuyen until 1939.
"He would have liked to study, but it could not be afforded so he was placed in a commercial apprenticeship. As a shop assistant in Vendsyssel, he came into close contact with believing people for the first time and that touched a spiritual longing that had slumbered in him since his school days. He awoke to new life and came into a conscious relationship with Jesus Christ.
"Almost simultaneously, the idea of serving in the mission field presented itself but his obligations to his family prevented him from pursuing it for another five years. In 1907, he began to educate himself with an eye on the mission field, first at Norre Nissum Seminary, next at the Mission School in Hellerup, and finally during a term of study in England. Resources for his training and travel came from believers who were merchants in Vendsyssel and Han Herred. In 1912, D.M.S. sent Rev. Bjergaarde out as a missionary to China. He has worked at various stations and since 1931 he has been in Siuyen.
"In 1920, Bjergaarde married Marie Kruse, who since 1915 had been a D.M.S. Missionary in Chinchou."
From 1939 onward, there was no minister in Siuyen during Anna Bøg's time. In fact, during World War II, Anna Bøg was the only remaining missionary at the mission station, although there were still medical missionaries at Siuyen Hospital outside town.
When Anna Bøg returned to Denmark in late 1946, she carried with her a letter in Chinese from a representative of the Chinese congregation in Siuyen addressed to the congregation in Denmark. It may or may not have been from the same man who years earlier had hoped Rev. Olesen could return. He used the Chinese nicknames for the Danes he referred to. We know from Kirsten Berggreen Buch that "Ma" was the Chinese nickname for Anna Bøg Madsen (based on the similarity in sound to the first syllable of Madsen) and that "Yang" referred to nurse Anna Busch (because of the first syllable of her first name). We do not know whom he meant by "Rev. Shao" but we believe that by "Rev. Yuan" he must have been referring to Rev. Jens Bjergaarde, since as far as we know he was the last Danish minister in Siuyen. (Perhaps "Yuan" sounds like "Jens" to the Chinese.) Here is the letter:
"Since Rev. Yuan left Siuyen . . . We have for years not been able to find a pastor for our flock, God's sheep. Everything has developed into such a difficult situation!When we reach the year 1946 in these posts, it will become much clearer to our readers what this faithful Chinese Christian meant by the phrase, "Everything has developed into such a difficult situation". That was an understatement. It was a very difficult situation indeed.
"We now send greetings to everyone in the congregation and to Rev. Yuan at the same time, as the missionaries Ma and Yang are now going back to Denmark.
"Our profound wish is that Rev. Yuan would return to Siuyen. If he cannot come back, we shall certain also wish Rev. Shao a heartfelt welcome. If that minister cannot come here either, then the Lord must help us to find another suitable pastor.
"Missionary Ma will certainly tell you about our situation."
Sources:
Bog-Madsen, Anna; "Et Sølvbryllup i Hsiu-yen", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 89, Nr. 4, January 25, 1922, pp. 38-40.
Bog-Madsen, Anna; "Fra Missionærerne i China," Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 97, Nr. 14, April 9, 1930; p. 214. Translated by Marie-Jacqueline.
Bahnson, Elise; "Beretning fra Frkn. Bahnson og Bøg Madsen," D.M.S. Aarsberetning for 1936-1937, p. 131-132.
Gullach-Jensen, Thyra; D.M.S. i Manchuriet (D.M.S., Copenhagen, 1937), pp. 32-33. Translated by Marie-Jacqueline.
Hviid Jensen, Anne; I Lys Og Skygge (Unitas Forlag, Copenhagen, 2005), pp. 159-163.)
Representative of the Siuyen Congregation, letter to the Danish congregation; May 18, 1946. Translated from Chinese to Danish by Kirsten Berggreen Buch and from Danish to English by Preben Jørgensen.
Vyff website, "Ophold i Siu-yen"
Images:
Top - Rev. and Mrs. Olesen visiting Siuyen Hospital in Chinese cart, from D.M.S. Aarsberetning for 1921, p. 141.
Center - Rev. and Mrs. Jens Bjergaarde and family from one of the Danish Missionary Albums
Bottom - Letter from representative of the Siuyen Congregation to the Danish congregation, dated May 18, 1946. (From the D.M.S. archives in the Rigsarkivet.)
All D.M.S. items used with permission.
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