Architectural Surprises (Elise Bahnson, Late 1940)

During 1940, missionary architect Elise Bahnson toured Denmark for the D.M.S., giving talks about the Manchurian missions. Although ordinarily her home leave (furlough) would have ended in November, 1940, because of the German occupation of Denmark, she was unable to return to Siuyen to collaborate with Anna Bøg in the work with the women.

In December, 1940, Elise Bahnson wrote an article about her architectural work in Manchuria that D.M.S. published in the missionary newspaper in early 1941. It was a short piece where, among other things, she related some of the difficulties she had in seeing her designs realized in Manchuria because of changes made by the local congregation. This was a common occurrence for Christian architects working in China.

In 1937, Bahnson had written:

"During the year, I have been helping with the design of churches in Feng-Huang-Ch'eng, Antung, Dairen, and Sui-Hua. The drawings were not always followed as made, for example in Feng-Huang-Ch'eng. For D.M.S., I have also helped plan buildings, such as the Danish School, the alterations of the mission station in Antung, and the extension in Hsin-Ching."

The buildings in Siuyen and Pitsaikou, where Elise Bahnson's drawings were implemented without alteration, were cleanly designed structures that very subtly allude to both Asian and Scandinavian architecture. They seem to communicate stability and permanence, which no doubt was Bahnson's wish for the Christians in Manchuria.

We know from Kirsten Berggreen Buch that the women missionary's residence that Elise Bahnson built in Siuyen is still standing. Miss Buch told us, "There is a very little part of the hospital left, but the nice building built by Elise Bahnson . . . is now used by a 'cadre', [a Communist] official. (It is too solid a building to give back to the church. . .)."

Here is what Elise Bahnson had to say in December, 1940:

"It has been a great joy throughout the years that I could assist the congregations and missions. It has been mainly design work. Beyond that, I supervised [the construction] at the Siuyen mission station and the church and evangelist school and seminary in Pitsaikou. [I supervised] at Pitsaikou once a month [while] Rev. Aagaard Poulsen provided daily supervision and accounting.

"Port Arthur Church was the first that approached me about design. I must say, however, that various surprises awaited me when I saw the building constructed. Three important changes had been made. The tower had been designed with a pitched roof and corbiestep gables similar to the wings. Since they wanted a Cross raised high above the church and town -- and idea the Manchurian Christians love -- they had completed the tower with a pyramidal roof. Also, they wanted to use the space in the tower for the congregation council meetings, so they moved the bell onto the roof and placed four small garrets in the sound apertures. An arched roof resting on columns over the door of the main entrance, and other things I heard about, were among the little surprises. Since there are building professionals among the friends of D.M.S. around the country, I wanted to write this little addendum.*

"My final examination at the Academy of Arts twenty-five years ago was a design for a church with a parish house, deaconess residence, and minister's residence. That became a banner over God's plan for the use of my practical training in service in the mission field.

"How delightful it has been during the past year to move around the country and meet with the faithful friends of D.M.S. who support the work before God's Throne.

"There are many old church buildings that have closed. Apparently, people have left them. Where can the Danish people hear the eternal Word, which is everlasting when all else passes away? Would that the bells that call in the New Year would speak of God's goodness towards Denmark.

"'God's goodness leads to repentance.' That saying is not by any means just for us these days. If we, his people, were more completely turned toward him in prayer for all who are baptized to hear him, then we could be better used by him."

Thus, while Elise Bahnson had been building churches in Manchuria, churches had been closing in Denmark. In reading this piece written by Bahnson in December, 1940, one senses the sadness she felt over the growing secularization of Denmark, especially when compared to the growth and excitement in the young church in Manchuria. One wonders what she would have to say now, 70 years later, when the secularization of Scandinavia has become nearly complete.

Sources:
Bahnson, Elise, D.M.S. Arsberetning for 1937, p. 132.
Bahnson, Elise, "En Berigtigelse og en Tilføjelse", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 108, Nr. 2; January 10, 1941; pp. 22-23.
Buch, Kirsten Berggreen; letter to the authors, dated August 11, 1999.

Images:
Top: The Evangelist School and Seminary in Pitsaikou.
Bottom: Interior of the Church at Pitsaikou.
Both photographs are from the 1941 article cited above.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.
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*"Addendum" - This article apparently followed an earlier one about architecture in Manchuria published sometime in 1940 that we have not yet accessed. We will try to obtain and post it.

And Then There was One (Late 1939)

At the end of 1939, architect Elise Bahnson was once again due to return to Denmark on home leave (furlough) as she had done in December, 1932. Meanwhile, although the articles from Siuyen did not speak of it, during the intervening years, Japan had engaged in considerable aggression in the Far East, including attacks on Peking, Shanghai, and Nanking in 1937.

In 1939, the Japanese aggression continued. There were significant border hostilities between Japan/ Manchukuo and the Soviets in Siberia that resulted in a cease-fire signed September 15. Because of the Soviet superiority in this conflict, some war analysts believe the outcome made a significant difference in how World War II developed. That is, the strength of the Soviets made it clear to Japan and Germany that they would not be able to link up their geographic areas of control via Russia. This might have made a difference in the Japanese decision to attack the United States at Pearl Harbor.

There were oblique references to the Japanese-Russian conflicts in the D.M.S. newspaper as it reported on whether Elise Bahnson would be able to make the trip home. In the October 20, 1939, D.M.S. wrote that it was doubtful whether Elise Bahnson and another woman missionary, Katherine Thomsen (who was based in the Manchurian capital city of Hsinking/ Changchun), would be able to travel via Siberia and Russia in early November as planned.

In the issue of November 17, 1939, the D.M.S. reported that it had been arranged for Bahnson, Thomsen, and also woman missionary Petra Nielsen to travel from Harbin on November 1. There was concern about the trip, however, and the article noted, "We will keep this return in our prayers."

Then on November 24, 1939, the D.M.S. reported, "We have received a telegram that the three women missionaries, Misses E. Bahnson, K. Thomsen, and P. Nielsen, can be expected in twelve days. They have departed from Harbin. We can now hope to have them here around November 26." The women must have traveled via the Trans-Siberian Railway, to which there was a connection from Harbin.

The parting between the close friends and collaborators, Anna Bøg and Elise Bahnson, must have been a sad one. And, it would have been even sadder if the two had known that -- except for a very brief time in late 1946 -- they would not see one another again until they retired from the D.M.S. nearly twelve years later. Moreover, as far as we can determine, Rev. and Mrs. Bjergaarde had already left Siuyen by the time Elise Bahnson departed, so at that point Anna Bøg was the only missionary left at the mission station. She would remain so throughout World War II.

Elise Bahnson, Katherine Thomsen, and Petra Nielsen did reach Denmark safely. In an article published in the D.M.S. newspaper on April 19, 1940 -- just 10 days after the German invasion and occupation of Denmark -- Elise Bahnson referred to the trip before giving an account of the work with the women in Siuyen that had gone on after her departure, based on letters she had received from Anna Bøg:

"Three female missionaries sat in Harbin for 11 days, waiting for passports for transit through Russia and Finland. Authorization came, so we departed November 12 from Harbin and arrived by God's will and your intercession safely home just a week before the disturbances began.*

"It was hyggeligt and homey to come in to D.M.S. where everything had been arranged for us so beautifully and conveniently. For this, we owe a big debt of gratitude to the many who so kindly thought of us.

"In the work [in Siuyen] it is good for there to be two working together. When one is on home leave, the other feels the solitude more deeply but it also has the great advantage that there is no discontinuity in the development of the work out there.

"Miss Budtz Christensen from the Danish school in Antung spent 14 days in Siuyen during the Christmas holidays. She flew in,** helped Miss Bøg Madsen, and experienced Christmas at an inland station.

"At the Sunday School Christmas festivities in the church, there were approximately 1,100 to 1,200 children. The Sunday School workers prepared a Christmas cantata for the celebration. There was a fine Christmas snowfall.

"On the morning of the 24th, 34 were baptized, as can be seen in the accompanying picture, and 20 in Sao-tzu-ho.

"Mrs. Shun, who stands holding the Bible, was baptized shortly before I had to leave. She is from a village between Sao-tzu-ho and Chien-shan-yao. During the difficult years, the entire family sought shelter with some relatives in the village of Hung Ch'i 3-4 miles north of Siuyen on the north side of the River Yang. A group of women there received regular instruction once a week for a year.

"Now Mrs. Shun had to go back. During the final days before baptism, she came in to live at the mission station in order to study in peace and be well prepared. In a letter, Miss Bøg Madsen wrote about her, 'Mrs. Shun departed one of the first days. She can now read the first four chapters of St. Mark's Gospel. She says, "When I cannot sleep, I read." She starts at 5:00 in the morning and reads all day until bedtime. She does not see or hear what is going on around her.' It will open up new opportunities for us in her village, when we can work from such a home.

"In the large picture, there are also some rural residents. Mrs. Ch'en, third from the left with the child in her arms, is from Lohr Ch'uän Kou. Her husband has been a Christian for many years.

"Mrs. Chou (No. 1 seated) is the mother of Ch'en Pou En (far right) who is bringing her son to be baptized. Mrs. Li (No. 3 seated) is the mother of Li SSii Ch'üan who is a farmer (No. 3 from the right). All are from Pei-Wa-Kou, 30 kilometers to the northwest.

"Lawyer Chao (in front of the right window), whose wife is a member of the church council and whose daughter is our Bible Woman, Chao Chu Lin, has been a particular pleasure to see among the baptized. His daughter and wife have fought for him in prayer.

"Old Mrs. Feng (second from the right, seated), Reverend Shun's mother-in-law, is a sweet old woman. She spent 1 - 1/2 years in the minister's home, did not advance much, but was always punctual for instruction, could not learn to read but was not difficult to engage in conversation, and walked slowly but willingly forward until she came to baptism. Now she has left her son-in-law to return to kinsmen somewhat north of Peking where none of the others are Christians. -- Reverend Shun will now have his final year at the seminary in Pitsaikou while his wife and children stay in Siuyen.

"It would take too long to tell about them all. Each has his history with his difficulties and his way to the Savior. Newly baptized persons need special intercession so that now after finishing instruction they do not stand still but remain awakened and continue to move forward. They must really take charge of their lives and renew them daily.

"Thank you to any of you who will remember them before the Throne of Grace."

Sources:
Bahnson, Elise; "Vær stille for Herren og vent paa ham!", Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 107, Nr. 16, April 19, 1940; pp. 206-208.
Christoffersen, Ragnhild; "Noter", Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 106, Nr. 46, November 17, 1939; p. 689.
Holt, Axel; "Fra Markerne meldes," Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 106, Nr. 42, October 20, 1939; p. 627.
R., J.; "Noter", Dansk Missionsblad; Vol. 106, Nr. 47, November 24, 1939; p. 704.

Images:
Top: Mrs. Shun from Hung Ch'i. Photograph from the article by Elise Bahnson cited above.
Bottom: New Christians baptized in Siuyen during Christmas 1939, from the same article. We do not know for sure, but we think the man in the back row on the far left might be the Rev. Shun referred to in Elise Bahnson's article and that he performed the baptisms during Christmas, 1939.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.
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*We do not know to which disturbances Elise Bahnson is referring, since she was home a few months before the German invasion and supposedly the Japanese-Russian conflict had ended.
**The Danish phrase used is "kom flyvende derind" ("came flying in there"). We do not know if this was meant literally (i.e. by airplane) or as a figure of speech. Given the limited transportation facilities, it seems rather unlikely -- although not impossible -- that Miss Christensen traveled to Siuyen by airplane.