A Cruciform Church (1934-1938)

Our readers will remember our post on the original construction of the church at Siuyen in 1922. We mentioned that there was a fire in the church in 1935 and that the church had to be reconstructed. Here is the story in detail:

After finishing the women's missionary residence in 1932, architect Elise Bahnson went on a furlough that lasted from December 1932 to January 1934. On her return, one of her first tasks was to remodel the interior of the church at Siuyen, including the altar, the pulpit, and the pews.

About the remodeling in 1934, Rev. and Mrs. Bjergaarde wrote in the missionary newspaper:

“The church in Siuyen has undergone a thorough interior renovation and is difficult to recognize. Miss Bahnson and the handy Chinese craftsman worked hard to make it as beautiful as possible and they succeeded beyond expectations."

And Dr. Peter Bertelsen (assigned to Siuyen Hospital) and his wife had this to say:

“This spring and summer the church here in Siuyen has been remodeled, and now we think it is one of the most beautiful churches here [in Manchuria]. It has been a real pleasure to see how interested the congregation has been. The chairman of the parish council, Mr. Sung, did a great job last year of embellishing the square in front. The work inside the church had to wait for the return of Miss Bahnson, and she has had a deft hand in creating a beautiful church interior, which earlier was rather desolate.

“An earlier less successful altarpiece has been replaced by a Cross overlaid with green marbled Siuyen stone* that is very simple and beautiful. The interior paint of the church is pale yellow oil as far as the windows, and above that a frieze of a somewhat darker golden color. Many gifts were received, among others a lovely carpet to lay in front of the altar that was donated by a member of the board and his adult son.”

On the night between December 16, and December 17, 1935, however, a tragedy occurred: the recently remodeled church was destroyed by fire, although the pews were saved and the granite walls remained standing.

Here is Anna Bøg's description of this event and its aftermath, written on February 25, 1936:

"All our plans for Christmas festivities collapsed after the fire in the church just before Christmas. It was for us an unspeakable sadness to see the church burning. Many of the [Chinese] Christians wept with sorrow over our beautiful house of God. The next morning, the pagans mocked us saying, 'Could God not protect his house? Now I will not go to church anymore, for Jesus is burned," etc. We thought, 'I wonder if all the women who have requested baptism this Christmas can stand firm in the face of this mockery?' During a meeting, Miss Bahnson asked them, 'How will you respond to the pagans' ridicule?' Old Mrs. Chao responded quickly and boldly, 'We still have Jesus.' Immediately the next morning some of the Christians said, 'Did the church burn because it was too small? Perhaps God meant that we should build it bigger.' One of the Christian women, who lives near the church, was so upset and worried by seeing the church burn that she went in and out watching the fire until she found rest in Hebrews 9:24: 'For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself for now to appear in the presence of God for us.'"

In spite of these difficulties, there were many baptisms that Christmas. In the annual report for the fiscal year 1935-1936, Anna Bøg wrote:

"The fire in the church was one of the saddest events I encountered in Siuyen but then my happiness returned when 37 persons were baptized at Christmas. The walls of the poorest schoolroom were witness to this great glory."

In the same annual report, Elise Bahnson related:

“In the spring [of 1936], my time has by request been occupied in planning buildings, especially churches, in Pikou, Dairen, Feng-huang, and now also restoration of the church in Antung as well as our own."

In order to rebuild the church, however, it was necessary to obtain building permits from the Japanese/Manchukuo authorities and there were many delays such that the restoration of the church was not completed until 1938.

In 1936, Anna Bøg wrote in the missionary newspaper:

"It has been a great pleasure to see the women's zeal in collecting for the restoration of the church. Three of the Christian women have visited all the homes. 'We are so warmly received,' they say. In three days they collected more than a tenth of the cost to rebuild and the second tenth is just about complete. The three of them received a great blessing."

In the annual report for the fiscal year 1936-1937, Elise Bahnson wrote:

"Up until now the authorities have not authorized the reconstruction. . . . Permission was requested to reconstruct the church in an enlarged cruciform shape. Materials were bought, and we awaited the answer, as nothing in the new 'empire' [Manchukuo] may be constructed before permission is received. This is a new rule... Now, one year later, we are still waiting for the response.

"The damaged church has impaired our work . . ."

Finally, in 1938, the church was rebuilt. In Guds Kirke Bygges, D.M.S. described the restored church:

"It was reconstructed as a cruciform church. The tower was renovated with corbie-step gables as it was impossible to restore the biblical pictures. The roof is, as before, covered with gray tiles, and the outside is still white, black and gray. One hundred seats were added. The ceiling is flat, the walls light yellow, the pews green, and the rest of the furniture has been coated with a reddish-brown Chinese lacquer. The old baptismal font burst in the fire. The new one is granite. The baptismal bowl and pitcher are of brass made in Mukden. . . . on September 25, 1938, Rev. Ch’en reconsecrated the church. Miss E. Bahnson helped with the plans for restoration and expansion, and Rev. Shun directed the restoration. The vessels and candleholders are gifts from missionaries, and the altar cloth was a gift from Danish friends, who also made large contributions to the restoration.”

From this account in Guds Kirke Bygges, one can see that -- contrary to what Tobias Faber reported in his biography of Johannes Prip-Møller -- it was not until the reconstruction in 1938 that the church acquired its corbie-step gables and that was only because the original tower could not be restored.

Sources:
Bahnson, Elise; "Frk. Bahnsons Beretning", D.M.S. Aarsberetning for 1935-1936, pp. 137-138. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.
Bahnson, Elise; "Beretning fra Frkn. Bahnson og Bøg Madsen," D.M.S. Aarsberetning for 1936-1937, pp. 131-132. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.
Bjergaarde, Rev. and Mrs. Jens; "Siuyen", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 101, Nr. 35, 1934 (exact date of publication unknown), p. 513. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.
Bertelsen, Dr. and Mrs. Peter; "Hospitalet i Siuyen," Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 101, Nr. 43, 1934 (exact date of publication unknown), p. 637-638. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Frk. Bøg Madsen Skriver", D.M.S. Aarsberetning for 1935-1936, pp. 136-137. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Fra Missonsmarket i Manchuriet", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 103, Nr. 14, 1936 (exact date of publication unknown), p. 201. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Siuyen", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 103, Nr. 16, April 15, 1936; pp. 230-231. Translated by Marie-Jacqueline.
D.M.S., Guds Kirke Bygges (Copenhagen, 1941), pp. 52-53. Translated by Preben Jørgensen.

Images:
Altar and interior of Siuyen Church after the reconstruction, from D.M.S., Guds Kirke Bygges (Copenhagen, 1941), p. 53.
All D.M.S. material used with permission.
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*Siuyen is renowned for its jade. One wonders if the "green marbled stone" of the Cross was jade. Dr. Bertelsen does not say so, however. Rather, he says "der er beklædt med grønt flammet Siuyensten".

Among the Bandits for 196 Days (Dr. Niels Nielsen, 1933)

Our readers will remember the post entitled, Dr. and Mrs. Niels Nielsen, Medical Missionaries. We mentioned there that Dr. Nielsen had been abducted and held for ransom. Now, we present the story of his ordeal, which occurred in 1933 and fits in sequence here.

This is a translation of the greater part of a long article written by Dr. Nielsen following his release. We think our readers will agree that it is a remarkable story in many respects:

"During this time of transition, it is difficult to distinguish between insurgents, dismissed soldiers, and professional bandits since they all live by banditry.

"Since it was commonly said that many of the people here in this district were beholden to me for long hospital stays as well as health and life, I had absolute confidence that no one would rob the hospital or do me any harm. Such was also the opinion of the general public and the police shared this view.

"The hospital doors had stood open to the people day and night, and we relied on nothing other than the protection of God and the affection of the people. On the night of April 11, however, I was called down to the men's hospital in order to attend to a wounded patient, someone who was expected any moment. When I came in and began my preparations, I was surrounded by soldiers who were in the room and I imagined to be waiting for their wounded comrade's arrival. They held three pistols to my chest and put a rifle to my back, while another hurriedly tied my arms from behind and put a noose around my neck. Then in the cold spring night, only half dressed, with a bandit on each arm, a rifle tucked hard into my back, and surrounded by a troop of bandits, I was abducted from home and work and taken out to the idle life of a fugitive in the remote mountainous regions. Two of the hospital assistants were also taken, one of whom was later allowed to go home again, while the other was forced to remain to act as a messenger and so forth.

"To be so violently torn away from all that you have been connected to in daily life since your early days seems to be a living burial, because of the immediate cessation of all work and habitual activity. Moreover, you are now surrounded by rudeness of spirit, immorality and cruelty, and the life of the vagrant Cain. . . . In this helpless condition, there is absolutely no fear of death, since the idea of being transported to one's heavenly home is liberating and comforting. . .

"A hymnal and a New Testament were the only books I had with me. One must cast off all burdens to live by night, climbing mountains and wading through rivers and mountain streams, the more so as the bandits rarely use the known and more accessible trails, mountain passes, and fords to ensure that no enemy overtakes them and no spy follows. In addition, clothes are often soaked in rain, so only with great care may books and soap be kept dry. . . .

"It was a great encouragement to have the opportunity to bring many people the message of salvation as well as medical care. An old medicine dealer lay huddled on his kang. He had lain for several hours with a strangulated hernia. I offered to cut an opening in the intestines with my pocket knife so he could be returned to his previous condition and then after he was out of danger he could be borne to the hospital for further treatment. Fortunately, we managed to get back the intestine without using the knife.

"A bandit was shot through the right lung, and the bullet had been sitting in the left shoulder area for two days. An urgent operation was necessary to keep his lungs clear, but instruments and medications for anesthesia were missing. When the man heard that we in the west had operated well before we knew how to use anesthesia, he chose that. I then cut with a Chinese razor and took the bullet out with the shaft of my teaspoon. The man recovered in two weeks.

"Another man had his left upper arm shattered near the elbow joint by a rifle bullet. For three weeks, he had been using a plaster of a sort of shoemaker's pitch and the whole arm was attacked by inflammation and filled with pus. Instruments and medicine had been fetched from the hospital, and I managed with local anesthetic to position the arm and take out seven pieces of bone. The arm is now almost healed with motion in the elbow and new bone growth in the upper arm.

"I did a multitude of smaller operations, and in many homes I gave out medicine to at least a dozen people for many different disorders. The robbers took no small pride in thus bringing medical assistance to the homes. They demanded eggs and other good things for me, as my wife had sent them three hundred dollars for provisions. Then the bandits took their cut and ate most of the eggs.

"At this time there are several thousand bandits here in these environs that feed both themselves and their families by banditry because of the major political upheavals. At the time of the change of government, the last mandarin, along with a significant component of the army, was driven out into the mountains and must engage in banditry to cover their current expenses. Besides, there are many other outlaws, etc., which likewise use banditry as a livelihood. Therefore, all the bandits cannot be considered from the same presupposition. The difficulty of separation arises in that the political outlaws use people and procedures that draw them down into plain banditry and common outlawry, so the difference is that a proportion of income is used for political agitation, as well as to cover the costs of the agitators, their sojourns for a change of climate, and their political journeys outside the country.

"The bandit gang that abducted me is of the political type. The leaders are members of the school- and student unions. They are aged 16 to 25 years. Originally there were only a dozen members, but they have since increased their number by fifty hired people who receive a monthly salary, and besides that they keep many spies. In numerous ways they are deceived and seduced by the mendacious political and social agitation and the currents of the time. Particularly affecting are those in the direction of malicious criticism and hatred. They busy themselves with fomenting international, industrial and political complications and entanglements. With rejection, they brood on the past political mistakes, which incidentally no historian tries to conceal, excuse, or minimize the responsibility of the guilty parties. They do not understand how to assimilate the warning and instruction of history. They neither understand nor have an overview of the present world situation. Their use of and interaction with a large number of low criminals will in a short time bring them down to their level.

"Although they are embittered and advocate many non-Christian views, they did not blame me for anything, nor did they comment negatively on missionary labor or its motives. In their youthful inexperience and lack of diplomatic insight, they conceived a plan to abduct me as a hostage and make the government pay half a million dollars in ransom as well as supply them with a portion of firearms and ammunition. All this they meant to achieve in a week's time. This was a complete overvaluation of the role and value of a missionary in society. And they thought the government's refusal would lead to war between Japan and America, which they regarded as a timely help for China. I tried to advise them, but they did not follow my advice.

"After some time, a law came out prohibiting the payment of ransom to bandits. It requires the person who pays a ransom without permission to be punished. Since the law is not supported and implemented with adequate police power against the bandits, the defenseless unarmed citizens must endure and suffer both the bandit attacks and the police punishment because the ransom must nevertheless be delivered, or else the prisoner, after cruel tortures, must pay with his life.

"On the whole, the band did not stop banditry after receiving instruction in Christianity. Several were not immune, however, and I managed to persuade some to return home. Others have promised to abandon the profession as soon as they get their summer wages. Both of the leaders also made detailed inquiries about the possibility of obtaining the 'clean hands' that they had heard me say all sorts of soap was not able to give them.

"Banditry is often not caused by greed and sloth. The ingenious institutions fostered by Christian love for the relief and protection of many unfortunate people are obviously unknown in this heathen land. The concept of mercy is expressed, but generally falls short of achievement. Relief of the poor, old age and health benefits, hospitals, mental asylums, retirement homes, Fredehjem,* orphanages and other rescue institutions are as little known as a public school that gives children a hot meal and free dental care and nursing services. Mutual help associations with assurance against fire, pestilence and livestock disease are all unknown, so the losses are often more than the individual can bear. Then when they lack bread, how shall they sustain life in their small, leaky houses without ceilings, with only thin roofs, and holey ground floors, which in summer are so humid that small water-pipes are needed to drain out the trickling flow of water while in the winter the floors freeze to cold sheets of ice which absorb the heat that the little, hungry, almost naked and frequently sick children so desperately need? In their leaky windows, there are only thin layers of newsprint as a defense against the importunate winter storms. The unemployed and helpless breadwinner who lays hands on another's property will remain for the rest of his days a poor, bitter, and outlawed bandit, since according to Eastern custom and law each family member's mistakes and offenses are imputed to the entire family. Thus their home must be moved to remote and unknown regions. Other robbers are partly or wholly insane, but since they are quite without resources for mercy, they seek, like the lepers, food and shelter in distant places and exercise self-help.

"Many bandits here in this district are working men that during the spring came from Shantung to seek work spinning silk, etc., to return home late in the autumn with their summer pay. Silk spinning is presently at a standstill, however, so those workers are without trade or travel money. They can be hired by the bandits for monthly wages and a large portion of them participate only as watchmen. This is far from everything said about bandits or banditry. I say this only to emphasize some of the causative circumstances that help keep many bandits in their unhappy lives.

"Originally it was absolutely not the bandits' intention to extort money from the hospital or me, but since the country is very impoverished, their summer yield was low, and they stood on the threshold of winter without winter clothes and food for themselves and their family, and at the same time owed the hired people several months' salary, they were inclined to follow my recommendation to write down their requirements.

"They sent me back under full protection against capture by other bands and at great peril to their own lives, as there are many government troops in the district whose objective is the eradication of bandits. Rather than surrender me to the nearest division of the army, they wanted to show the army that they were able to deliver me to the place from which they had taken me 196 days earlier.

"On October 25, 1933, at 2:00 a.m., I was set free and received with much love in my beloved home milieu.

"The robbers all along treated me as well as circumstances and their desperate living conditions permitted. Deliberately and intentionally, they did not mistreat me, and they sheltered me from witnessing the beating and torture of other prisoners.

"One day some dear children decorated me with flowers, and after that the young robbers every day took an opportunity to fill my buttonhole with the most beautiful flowers they could find.

"However deeply I may regret that a 'ransom' had to be paid, it is a comfort that a large portion of it will be used for food, clothing, and shelter for many people who, with or without any fault of their own, are in such great distress that many contributions for famine relief could not find a better use.

"The bandits claimed that after this mountain tour I will be able to work at least five years longer than otherwise. Only God knows, but He is able to bestow His blessings tenfold.

"'To a prayer in loving faith, the Lord does not say no', has again provided a good outcome to this incident.

"Hearty thanks to all the dear friends for their faithful intercession throughout this long time.

"Affectionate greetings from your grateful envoys.

"Kirstine and N. Nielsen"

Dr. and Mrs. Nielsen were American citizens. Early in the doctor's captivity, the American vice-counsel unsuccessfully tried to negotiate his release. The Japanese from the beginning opposed the payment of a ransom. Moreover, according to an article in the New York Times published immediately after Dr. Nielsen's return, rescue efforts by the Japanese troops had only resulted in the bandits taking the physician farther into the mountains.

Although there is a public relations photograph taken later on during the morning of Dr. Nielsen's return which depicts him (now clean-shaven) standing with Japanese soldiers and the current mandarin, his actual return was in fact a clandestine operation. A time was selected when most of the soldiers were out of town and the hospital guards had been secretly cautioned by the missionaries not to shoot if someone approached. Then Dr. Nielsen was brought back to the hospital at 2:00 a.m. under cover of darkness so that his captors were less likely to be killed or apprehended by the Japanese. The young Chinese man abducted at the same time had been with Dr. Nielsen throughout the ordeal but had been released some days earlier. He then assisted in the transactions that actually resulted in Dr. Nielsen's return.

From Dr. Nielsen's article, it appears that the actual amount of ransom agreed upon and paid was based on a computation of what the bandits actually needed to pay off their hired help and cover their own winter expenses. According to our sources, the amount was US $1,200.

When Dr. Nielsen describes the fantasy the bandits had about the "government's refusal" leading to war between Japan and the United States, apparently what he was saying was that these naive young bandits believed that Manchukuo's refusal to permit a ransom to be paid would result in the United States declaring war on Japan.

It's difficult to reconcile the fact that these young political bandits on the one hand were pleased to bring Dr. Nielsen's medical aid to some households while they robbed and kidnapped from others and even beat and tortured their prisoners. Presumably, they made a distinction based on the household's economic circumstances or perhaps based on their own need for support from some segment of the populace. Unfortunately, Dr. Nielsen does not clarify this aspect of the situation.

Dr. Nielsen (who was 58 years of age at the time) does not mention being ill. In a follow-up article, however, Rev. Bjergaarde wrote that on the morning of his return Dr. Nielsen looked so old and tired that the missionaries found him difficult to recognize. Also, he had lost 47 pounds during his captivity. Moreover, the New York Times reported that while still being held the doctor had said in notes to his wife that he was in poor health.

The Nielsens left for America not long after the doctor's release. They were on furlough for nearly three years, until October 1936. After that they returned to Siuyen and continued to serve there until the onset of World War II when the Japanese ejected them because they were American citizens.

Translated source:
Nielsen, Kirstine and Niels; "Blandt Røvere i 196 Dage;" Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 100, Nr. 47, November 22, 1933; pp. 685-690. Translation by Marie-Jacqueline.

Other published sources:
Bjergaarde, Jens P.; "Dr. Nielsens Frigivelse", Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 100, Nr. 52, December 27, 1933; pp. 762-766.
"Manchurians Free American Doctor," New York Times, October 26, 1933, p.11.

Image:
Photograph of Dr. Nielsen early during the morning of his release before he shaved off the beard he had grown over the past seven months. From Dansk Missionsblad, Vol. 100, Nr. 52, December 27, 1933; p. 765.
All D.M.S. items used with permission.
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*The literal translation of fredehjem is "protect-home". This seems to be some kind of protective services, but we would appreciate information from our Danish readers as to the exact nature of this institution.

Bandits Besieging, Shells Whistling (February, 1933)

As we mentioned in a previous post, during the early 20th century banditry was rife in Manchuria, as it had been historically. Moreover, the boundaries between soldiers, bandits, and warlords were fluid. This was certainly true during the social dislocation following the Mukden incident and the Japanese takeover.

In her letters of February, 1933, Anna Bøg speaks of "the gray", or "old gray", explaining in a parenthetical comment that by this she means "former soldiers, now bandits". The color apparently relates to their uniforms. It is said that the northern soldiers who were affiliated with the Nationalists/ Kuomintang wore a winter uniform with a padded slate blue jacket that soon faded to gray.

Prior to the Japanese takeover, Manchuria was ruled by the warlord Chang Hsüeh-liang (the son of the assassinated warlord, Chang Tso-lin). Chang had affiliated with the Kuomintang, however. Thus, the Kuomintang padded jacket is probably the "gray" that Anna Bøg refers to.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Chang, after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, Chang's armies "withdrew from the front lines without significant engagements". Readers will remember that in her letters at Christmas, 1932, Anna Bøg used the term "old soldiers" to refer to men who were apparently putting up a resistance to the Japanese. And, she said in her letters at New Year's, 1932-1933 that some of the "old soldiers" surrendered at the end of December. Now, in her February, 1933 letters she refers to those who did not surrender as bandits.

Anna Bøg's characterization of these men as bandits perhaps reflects the official Manchukuo view. Maybe she was being circumspect. One might question, however, whether the "gray" were not in some way still fighting a resistance, even if surviving by banditry. After all, fighting armed battles from behind sandbags sounds more like a military endeavor than typical bandit activity, and there is no indication that the "grays" had joined up with the local bandit chieftain, Teng-Tieh-Mei, whose men were plundering the area.

The fact that the "grays" might have been robbing does not mean they were not fighting a resistance. Chinese soldiers were generally not well behaved. Nor does fighting a resistance necessarily imply a noble purpose, especially in a political context as fragile and chaotic as early 20th century China. It simply implies an opposition to Japanese rule. Unfortunately, Anna Bøg's letters furnish no information about any chain of command, although she does say that part of the town was still in the hands of the former mandarin.

Janet Mitchell, in her book Spoils of Opportunity, wrote that in 1936 the Japanese analyzed Manchurian banditry and concluded there were five classes of bandits: (1) political, (2) professional (the hunghutze), (3) civilians forced into banditry for survival, (4) religious bandits (the Long Sword and Red Spear leagues, and (5) minor groups of impoverished farmers and workers. The "political bandits" were those "formerly under the command of notorious political leaders, such as Ma Chan-Shan, Ting Chao, and Su Ping-Wen." Perhaps the "gray" in Siuyen fell into that category.

In any event, as the old soldiers had before, the "gray" chose as a stronghold the vacant house of the Japanese man that had been built right up to the property line of the mission station. And so, as before, the mission station was in the line of fire.

Here is what Anna Bøg, the Bjergaarde family, and the Chinese Bible Women who lived in community at the women's mission station in Siuyen underwent during the February, 1933 confrontations:

February 22, 1933

"During the morning the Bible women were away from home. Suddenly at noon, there was panic in the streets. Carts and infantrymen rushed down the streets. At noon the thunder of cannons could be heard from North Town. There was unrest the entire afternoon, and many refugees arrived. The blind girl, Chang Kuei-Ch'ing spoke at a prayer meeting about Jer. 33:3* and told about the three angels:** faith, hope and charity. But, the refugees were nearly all pagans. The Christians could not get out. In the evening, we did not put on any lights in the yard because the bandits are right here by the town. At this time, there is no moonlight. I went to bed at 7:30 p.m. but at 9:30 p.m. I had to get back up and dressed again because there was a frightful cannon volley. It was a bad night, the worst we have experienced so far. The entire night there was the sound of cannons, machine-guns, rifles, and hand-grenades, so there was no sleep.

"Most of the night, [blind] Kuei-Ch'ing sat in the living room. It startles her every time a gun goes off. The Bjergaardes did not sleep all night either. The cook, whose home is out of town, did not come this morning. It is like it was at Christmas. A small crowd of gray (the former soldiers, now bandits) from the nearby temple just ate breakfast at the house of our neighbors across the street. So far, they have not knocked on our gate to get food. Before lunch, there was an awful sound of howling and shouting. It was the soldiers coming into town.

"While Mrs. Bjergaarde and I stood watch a while at the west gable, I suddenly caught sight of a big hole in the stove. A bullet had passed through the window and into the wall. It's snowing -- the first day of real snow the entire winter.

"On the calendar this morning was Mark 4:40: "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" May the Lord in this hour be with all in this small home, where they live for him and pray to him, and may they believe that Jesus is with them in everything.

"3:00 p.m.: The old gray are still holding up at the old temple and the corner of Main Street. All day long there has been cannon-fire alternating with rifle-fire and together with that all day long there has been a glorious snowfall such as we have not seen the whole winter. That is good for the homes that have no water as the clean snow can be melted. All the thatched houses are soaked, so if they are set afire, they will not burn so quickly.

"6:00 p.m.: The southern part of the city is at this time in the hands of the former Mandarin Leo, and the north is in Manchukuo's. It said that the bandit chieftain, Teng-Tieh-Mei, will come in by the northern road this evening. Mrs. Chao's home at the cross-street has been plundered of everything. They had all gone together and locked the doors. Now even the shutters of the house are gone. It looks grave outside. What will night bring? We are now nested up here in my living room.

February 24, 1933

"The morning: There was unrest all night. We had the impression that it was from the Japanese man's house (our neighboring house) that there still was firing. It did not seem to be answered from the North. The gray were still up at Main Street behind sandbags. After breakfast, [Rev.] and Mrs. Bjergaarde came with binoculars. We had barely gone upstairs before a battle commenced here in our street. We had to hurry downstairs again. That lasted about 3/4 of an hour. There was violent shooting. The Manchukuo soldiers had come down from the river behind the others. From inside the Japanese man's house there was strong resistance. Shells whistled over our houses. How many times I asked the Lord to preserve our good new houses. Then the old gray was once again forced to flee southward.

"If the proverb: 'Good things come in threes' applied here in Siuyen, we would now be finished. Little Hans Bjergaarde was also sick last night. Today he is better. From our gable window, we saw how the victors with their sun-flags*** marched through town. They stopped by a fallen soldier who lay at his post behind the sandbags. I then saw how a beggar came and stole the shoes from his feet, and the dogs licked his blood. There are fallen in several places in both the large and small cross-streets and now reports are steaming in of bandit attacks in the homes. At Mrs. Hsu's, one reads, they took almost everything. She said: 'We cannot get by.' As far as we know, all the Christians are at peace. At Leo-Tang-An's they took a padded cotton coat and from the neighbors the same. At Lao Shi Chia's, they found one of the old [gray?] dead.

"The Japanese man's house was the center this morning, but the Lord kept his hand over us all. The women lay on the floor and prayed when it was the worst. Now all the refugees have been sent back home again and we will rest a bit in the afternoon. There were 15 on the dining room kang last night. In the big room there were 30 or more. Merely getting them inside makes them happy. We had a beautiful snowfall - 1 / 2 foot - a magnificent snowfall again today. This evening a suspicious soldier came into the yard. Fortunately, [Rev.] Bjergaarde spoke to him forcefully. Then he made an excuse and disappeared.

February 27, 1933

"How people are suffering. I cannot but suffer with them. At dusk, they come with their bundles and babies. They dare not be at home. Ez. 21:4.**** This time, they are nearly all pagans. The shops are all closed. Yesterday about 100 Manchukuo troops arrived. It is worse with the bandits than ever before."

Sources:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Uddrag af private Breve fra Frk. Bøg Madsen", Dansk Missionsblad; April 26, 1933; Vol. 100, Nr. 17, pp. 245-246. Translation by Marie-Jacqueline. The parenthetical comments are in the original. Our own explanatory comments are in brackets or footnotes.
All D.M.S. materials used with permission.
Mitchell, Janet; The Spoils of Opportunity (Methuen & Co.; London, 1938), pp. 34-35.)

Image:
Weapons of Manchurian bandits, from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.
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* Jer. 33:3: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
** Here the word "angels" is a metaphor. Faith, hope, and charity are the theological virtues.
*** The word Anna Bøg uses here -- "solflaget" -- can be translated as sun-flag or sun-colors. She might be referring to the Manchukuo flag, which is predominantly golden. More likely, however, she is referring to the Japanese flag with its big red sun in the center.
****Ez. 21:4: "Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north[.]"

Privacy Invaded, Propaganda Initiated (New Year's, 1932-1933)

Our last post was of letters from Anna Bøg describing the arrival of the Japanese in Siuyen in mid-December, 1932, and their bombing of the immediate vicinity of the mission station on Christmas Eve, 1932. As the Japanese consolidated their control of Siuyen and the surrounding area, Anna Bøg continued to write private letters home to Denmark, and excerpts from the letters continued to be published in the missionary newspaper. Here are the excerpts for December 31, 1932 through January 16, 1933:

"December 31, 1932

"When I look back over the past year, I see that the Lord's grace has been great, and His help and kind hand can be seen throughout. The difficulties have been many, but the Lord has delivered us from all of them, so I can say with all my heart, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits". [Ps. 103:2.] I am happy in the new house. Not a day goes by when I am not thankful for it. The Japanese only billeted here for three days. On the morning of the fourth day, they moved out to locate the bandit gangs. Yesterday, some of the old soldiers surrendered themselves. Last night it was said that Cheng T'ieh Mei, the chieftain of the bandit gang from last summer, would come and burn down the town. We are still not entirely finished. The streets are nearly devoid of people and commerce is at a standstill.

"January 1, 1933

"Today is peaceful. At the beginning of the morning worship service there was next to no one, but then a few came along. Chou-Shu-Chen was baptized. She was so happy. Her response could be heard throughout the church. We could feel that it came from the heart. There have been three Japanese in our houses. They searched them from cellar to attic. When old Liu did not get the back door open fast enough, one pulled something out of his pocket that caused old Liu to make haste. Otherwise, there was nothing. They come here often and search, but what good does it do them?

"January 6, 1933

"Today, there are lots of people in the streets again, carts of firewood and small merchants. It is delightful to see people smile again. Everyone greets us so lovingly. May there again be a new and good time with doors and ears open for the Gospel.

"January 16, 1933

"Yesterday, on the fifteenth, there was a huge celebration in town. The streets were full of the new flag. The schools marched past in procession. Today, there was a meeting to which everyone was invited. The speakers came by airplane from Mukden. Even the governor came and spoke to the people. The congregation sent representatives. Then there were stilt-walkers and New Year's jesters in the street, all to encourage and comfort the populace. Yesterday, little Chou-Shu-Chen had to leave. Her No. 2 brother came after her. . . . But she was grateful because yesterday she had been along to Communion. Now she is surrounded on all sides by heathens."

Source:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Uddrag af Privatbreve fra Frøken Bøg-Madsen," Dansk Missionsblad, March 15, 1933; Vol. 100, Nr. 11, p. 161. Translation by Betty Christensen.
D.M.S. materials used with permission.

Image:
Manchukuo propaganda poster from the Hoover Institution Archives Collection via Wikimedia Commons. May be copyright-protected. Fair use claimed here as it is not used for profit but to provide critical commentary on the event in question.
The caption reads, "With the cooperation of Japan, China, and Manchukuo, the world can be at peace."

Bombs Falling, Soldiers Occupying (Christmas, 1932)

As seen in our previous post, the last building for the women's mission station in Siuyen -- the home for the women missionaries -- was finally constructed in mid-1932. Although the Japanese had invaded Manchuria after the Mukden incident on September 18, 1931, and had established the puppet state of Manchukuo* on February 18, 1932, it took some time for the Japanese to extend their actual rule to the outlying areas, and they were met with varying degrees of resistance.

About the same time as the last building for the women's station was being constructed, the Chinese soldiers in Siuyen were organizing a resistance to the new regime. In mid-December 1932, the Japanese arrived in Siuyen. As it turned out, the mission station was just about the most dangerous place to be in all of Siuyen, since the Chinese soldiers of the resistance chose as their base an abandoned house right next to the station and the area became the focal point of Japanese bombing.

Anna Bøg, with her characteristic alertness to the importance of recording events, wrote a series of private letters home to Denmark describing all that occurred. Excerpts from these letters were later published in the missionary newspaper and we present them here.

We should explain that when Anna Bøg refers to the "old soldiers" she is speaking of the Chinese soldiers resisting the Japanese takeover. Also, when she refers to "the Japanese man's empty house", we know from our research that she is speaking of a house illegally built by a Japanese man during the autumn of 1931 on property adjacent to the mission station that he had only rented for a year. He situated the house right up against the property line of the mission station. Apparently, by winter, 1932, he had either been ejected by the landlord or abandoned the house, as it was by then vacant.

Here are Anna Bøg's letters for the latter part of December, 1932:

"December 13, 1932

"Yesterday and today Japanese airplanes visited us twice. Yesterday, they threw down leaflets in English and Chinese. On the English ones, it said it would be best if foreigners would leave, but if not to go together to a place and raise our own flag. Then they would try to protect us. They said they were only looking for bandits, and that their soldiers were on the way. So, all day long, we have waited for them, but at 6:30 p.m. it is still calm.

"The station has again been full of refugees. Some went home last night but nevertheless the kang is full. They are so anxious, the poor people. The Bible Women have been busy taking care of them. They read and sing with them. They cannot go outside. Some come to me in my room. Some have come who do not normally come here.

"December 15, 1932

"Before I came downstairs this morning, people had already started streaming in. All night, people were fleeing the town. During the morning, the aircraft returned twice, and the sound of cannon fire reached us. It is said that there is fighting out at Tap'ien-ling. All the [old] soldiers have fled the town. The waiting room of the clinic was packed full of women and small children. Even so, the day was calm and quiet here in town. It is said that the hostile forces have been driven back.

"December 16, 1932

"It has been a very eventful day. I awoke this morning to the sound of cannon-fire from not far away. The cook heard shooting throughout nearly the entire night. People streamed into both yards [of the mission station]. During the forenoon, the aircraft returned four times. In the middle of the morning, we heard cannon-fire very close by. But then it became quiet, and it was said that seventeen Japanese soldiers had come and had taken over the town. Later, it was said that 300 soldiers of the new empire had arrived. The Japanese have billeted themselves in and around homes. A group is at Lin Tang In's house. They are comporting themselves nicely. For a time, we had peace of mind. But this evening, refugees started arriving again. We are expecting an assault on the town by our old soldiers. It is said that all the gates to the streets, both large and small, stand open.

"Now we go to rest, in God's name.

"December 17, 1932

"The confrontation that we had known would happen ever since last summer happened yesterday on the 16th without a big battle. It is expected that the old [soldiers] will regroup and attack again.

"December 20, 1932

"What a change has occurred in our dear Siuyen. It has suddenly become a new world. While walking in the street, one can breathe freely. All the old soldiers have left without a trace. It is said, however, that there is fighting by Kuan-men-shan and other places. Now there is an airfield just northwest of town. Today the aircraft have been up several times, but people no longer come running out. One gets used to it. Still, the Chinese believe the town will be assaulted by the old soldiers.

"December 24, 1932

"I had hardly sent the letter with the good news before misfortune struck us. On the morning of the 22nd, we awoke to loud shooting. During the night, a number of our old soldiers had come in to the town. All day long, we heard cannon-fire and gunfire by the East Mountains.

"December 25, 1932

"The night between Dec. 22-23 was relatively quiet, but with constant shooting. Dec. 23 was almost identical to Dec. 22 but it seemed as if the old soldiers became braver. They built a bulwark on the main street and ventured out onto the main street. There was shooting the entire day and no one could go out. Our refugees were in distress with no food and no firewood. . . . The old soldiers remained strong around here and took refuge in the Japanese man's empty house. They could be heard throughout the night. The night between Dec. 23-24 we again heard steady shooting in the street. We all retired early and slept tolerably.

"Dec. 24th Christmas Eve was the worst of all. We had aircraft hovering over us. They dropped sixteen bombs. Since the old soldiers were gathered around here, most of the bombs were dropped right here. Our house shook, dust flew all around, iron fragments from the bombs were everywhere, and a window was shattered in the Bjergaardes' guest room. It is terrible when the bombs fall. . . . One fell on the house where Tung T'ui Han (a young 17 year old Christian girl) lives -- not in their [main] room, but in two rooms on the other side of their kitchen. The large beams were split. The chest against the wall was shattered. The windows were broken. There was a huge hole in the ground and so forth. Fortunately, the family had gone out to San Ch'i, a village south of Siuyen. Tung T'ui Han had lain on the floor and prayed. Her mother said, 'Pray my daughter, but it might wake up the ancestors!' We saw the bombs fall in our neighbor's yard, the big yard west of our house, but no one was injured. In the other yard, three were killed, also a dog and pig. It was a terrible Christmas Eve day.

"About 5:00 p.m., it was said that the old soldiers had left town. From the west gable-room in the new house we could follow the progress of events. Then we opened up the gate, and for the first time in days, we were brave enough to stick our heads out. Our neighbors also looked out. Then we felt like a big family again. Our nearest neighbor said, 'You shelter us. The women are always above us.' But we had hardly taken a deep breath, before it was said, 'Now a new group of old soldiers are entering through the south gate'. Everyone's courage sank, and the refugees streamed back in. We then had to say 'Yes,' to all the refugees, both men and women. 'Please, let us stay here, we will just sit on a bench, lay on the floor, or just stay outdoors.' And it was Christmas Eve!

"We Danes gathered for roast goose at the Bjergaardes'. We lighted a Christmas tree for the children. It was a big dry branch from an apricot tree. It was very lovely with the candles lighted. At last, we knelt together, and [Rev.] Bjergaarde reminded us that when the heart is the most uneasy, that is when the harp of joy is heard. All the refugees had a small feast over in the [meeting] hall. It lasted for several hours and the people sat quietly. Then we had to find room on a warm kang for the mothers with the youngest children. At that time, I thought of the words, 'And woe to those who are with child and to those who give suck in those days.' [Matt. 24:19.] There were so many babies that I could not count them all that night, Christmas night.

"At last I had a quiet moment with Psalm 3 from Bishop Olesen's devotional book, 'Life'. He says, 'David took the hand of God, and that gave him confidence. You must first see the Lord, and remember his power and trust him before you start thinking about difficulties. Look at him ten times for every time you look at the enemy. As your days, so shall your strength be [Deut. 33:25], and that will be your shield.'

"Never was it more threatening than it was on Christmas Eve. Leaflets were thrown down saying that the next day many airplanes would come and drop bombs over the entire town because Siuyen was in league with the bandits. On the outskirts of Siuyen, bandits were besieging the nearby area. It was said there were several thousand. When we sang, 'Secretly among us they walk,' about the angels in 'Glæde Jul' [Merry Christmas], ** we felt it as a reality.

"The first part of the night, we heard a lot of shooting. The later hours were quieter. Thus, we came through Christmas night. The next morning, we awoke to the sound of children's chatter down in the yard. When I looked out, the adults were standing in small groups.

"Suddenly about 9:00 a.m. there was loud knocking at the gate. 'Who is it,' we asked. 'Japanese.' We opened the gate . . . and a pleasant young man accompanied by four armed soldiers asked us in Chinese, 'How is everything here? Was anyone injured yesterday? You can now breathe more easily. The bandits have been routed.' Then he said, 'Merry Christmas [In English]. I too am a Christian.' The merchants were ordered to open their shops, and in the street we saw the flag of the new country everywhere.

"Over in the meeting hall, we held a Christmas service for a packed congregation. Many of our neighbors were there, and also several of the lukewarm Christians.

"December 26, 1932

"This morning, when we arrived at the church, we were the only ones there. At the time, there was also an airplane. That probably kept more people from coming out. But before the service was over, several more people arrived, and there was also Communion. Just at that time, the Japanese cavalry arrived and a little later the infantry came too. They are now billeted everywhere. The big room is packed. Ten are lodged in the Bjergaardes' two bedrooms. They have been doing their own cooking in the Bjergaardes' washhouse. They run back and forth between the neighbors and us. One stands guard with a sharp bayonet. It was a big relief in town when they came in. All the men ventured out in the streets and helped get the troops settled. They would not have dared do that when their own troops arrived. Then there was no one in the street. Old Liu, our houseman, has been very quiet and without fear during all that has taken place, accepting it all as a good Christian. I have not felt the least bit of fear . . . . however, I do not like to hear the sound of bombs dropping. I believe that sound will always be with me every time I hear an airplane. The Chinese say this is the worst of the wars that they have experienced."

Source:
Bøg-Madsen, Anna; "Siuyen - Uddrag af Privatbreve fra Frøken Bøg-Madsen”, Dansk Missionsblad; March 8, 1933; Vol. 100, Nr. 10, pp. 144-146. Translation by Betty Christensen.
All D.M.S. materials used with permission.

Image:
Japanese invading Mukden in 1931, from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.
----------------
*In an earlier post, we mistakenly stated that Manchukuo was based in Mukden. Although the Japanese took over Mukden first and initially operated from there, the puppet state of Manchukuo was based in Changchun, which was renamed Hsinking. The earlier post has been corrected.
**This is a reference to the lyrics of a Danish Christmas hymn by A.G. Risskov, "Glæde Jul".

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.

Assignment in Manchuria

We continue here the story of Anna Bog Madsen as she took up her assignment at the small town of Siuyen in Manchuria where she served as a missionary from 1920 continuously until 1946. Siuyen is about 250 km. northeast of Port Arthur and 180 km. south of Mukden [Shenyang]. It lies between a wooded mountain range and the 2 km. Tajang River.

The image above is a sketch map of Manchuria in 1937 published by the Danish Missionary Society. It refers to Manchuria as "Manchuokuo" because by 1937 the Japanese had taken over Manchuria. The long lines of alternating black and white mark the railroads. Siuyen is found north of Takushan and west of Antung.

Although Siuyen is now called Xuiyan and Manchuria is now called Dong Bei, we refer to these and other Manchurian place names by those in use during Anna Bog's tenure, sometimes providing in brackets the current usage.

In later describing the early days of her missionary labor, Anna Bog wrote:

"The three northern provinces in China were not as over-populated as the southern provinces are; but it is a rich country with very fertile soil. There are also mines here and there. Not far from us, where we live, is a silver mine. The people are quite well situated. Far up in the old walled city of Siuyen, a two-days ride from the nearest railway station, and across mountain passes, rivers, plains, and through many villages, in an old walled-in Mission Compound is where I was stationed. Here you found only Chinese houses. Pioneer missionaries had labored for 20 years already. There was a small congregation here, a Boy's and Girl's School, a Hospital, a Street Chapel, and there were some dear Christians here.

"I started to teach English in the Boys' High School and in the Girls' Normal School. I made many good contacts here. Some of them lasted as long as I was in the field. As a second year language student (Chinese) I started itinerating with a native Bible woman [trained catechist] visiting the out-stations served from Siuyen. One of these stations was a two-day cart ride away. This was real evangelistic work. As I was the first foreign woman they had ever seen, it was quite easy to gather big crowds. My Moody [Bible Institute] lessons on 'How to do personal work' were really put into practice. All my years in the service of the Lord I have loved to do this type of work."

For further context regarding Manchuria at that time, we provide here a summary:

Manchuria is bordered by Mongolia to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, and Korea to the southeast. To the southwest are Beijing and the Great Wall. To the south is the Yellow Sea and beyond it the province of Shantung [Shandong].

Manchuria is divided into three provinces: Heilongjiang, Kirin [Jilin], and Fengtian [Liaoning]. Heilongjiang is the northernmost of the three. One of its principal cities is Harbin. Kirin is the middle province. One of its major cities is Chang Chun. Fengtian is the southernmost province. Its capital is Mukden [Shenyang]. Fengtian province includes the Liaodong Peninsula, near the tip of which lies the port city of Dairen [Dalian] and the ice-free port of Port Arthur. Another important city is Antung [Dandong], a gateway to Korea. The 790 km. long Yalu River marks the border between Manchuria and Korea. Siuyen is in Fengtian province.

Manchuria has many lovely mountains and the woods teamed with bears, wild boars, hares, wolves, foxes, and wild cats. There is abundant fish in the sea to the south. Manchuria is rich in coal, gold, iron, and precious stones, including jade.

Agriculturally, Manchuria has been called the garden of China. The principal crops include cereal grasses (sorghum or millet, "kaoliang" in Chinese), tobacco, corn, cotton, and fruit. Every old book on Manchuria mentions the kaoliang, which grew up to 12 feet high, blocking the view from the road or train. In the 1920s, most of the buildings in Manchuria were thatched half-timbered buildings with mud walls. Most towns had only 10,000 to 15,000 inhabitants and were walled.

The native occupants of Manchuria were the Manchus, a mongoloid people. In 1644, the Manchus invaded China, established a dynasty (the Qing dynasty) and ruled China for nearly 300 years. The Qing rulers prohibited development of Manchuria and also prohibited immigration into Manchuria of Han Chinese -- that is, Chinese not of Mongol, Manchu, Tibetan, or other non-Chinese extraction.

In 1911, Sun Yat-sen and the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) overthrew the Qing rulers. This opened Manchuria to immigration from other parts of China. After the overthrow, there was continuous political struggle in China, including conflicts between rival warlords and civil war between the Communists and the Kuomintang.

By the time of Anna Bog's arrival in 1920, Manchuria was ethnically heterogenous (comprised of Han Chinese, Manchus, Russians, Japanese, and Koreans). At least eighty percent of the population was Han Chinese. After settlement was permitted, many of the immigrants came from Shantung.

A significant feature of Manchurian life in the 1920s was the South Manchuria Railway. It was begun by the Russians who, in the late 1890s, had negotiated an agreement with China to bring the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Manchuria to Port Arthur at the southern tip of Manchuria.

The Russians obtained a long-term lease of the Liaotung peninsula where Port Arthur is located and built a line between Chang Chun and Port Arthur. In 1904, however, the Japanese attacked the Russians (Russo-Japanese War) and as a result Japan acquired the railroad and related leases in 1905. The Japanese then constructed a line connecting Mukden and Antung, built towns, made harbor improvements, mined for coal and iron, developed utilities, and conducted agricultural experiments.

Thus, by the time Anna Bog arrived in the 1920s, there were large numbers of Japanese nationals. Moreover, the Russians had founded the city of Harbin in northern Manchuria in 1900 as a railway center. And, after the Japanese took over the South Manchuria Railway in 1905, the Russians had retained the northern portion of the railway. So, by 1920, Harbin had a large Russian population. Residents included many White Russians who had fled the Russian Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1917.

Referenced sources:

Anna Bog Madsen, "The Old Missionary's Brief Story"; The Messenger; Nazareth Lutheran Church; Cedar Falls, Iowa; 1971. Courtesy of Casey Welch.

Thyra Gullach-Jensen, "Sketch Map of Manchuria"; D.M.S. i Manchuriet, Danish Missionary Society; Cophenhagen, 1937. Used with permission.