Contextualizing John Sung Protestant Christian Revival and Chinese

Contextualizing John Sung: Protestant Christian Revival and Chinese Evangelistic Resources Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference, Seattle, April 2, 2016 Panel: Chinese Christianity Revisited: The John Sung Papers and Chinese Evangelistic Materials Xian Wu 吴 宪 Asian Studies Bibliographer Michigan State University Libraries

Protestant Mission Work in China before, during and after John Sung 2

Pioneer Foreign Missionaries Robert Morrison 马礼逊 (1782 -1834 ), LMS, Early Protestant Missionary to China, arrived in China in 1807, translated the bible, compiled “A Dictionary of Chinese Language 五车韵府”, and died in Canton in 1834； Hudson Taylor 戴德生 (1832 -1905), CIM, arrived in China in 1854, founded China Inland Mission in 1865. By 1905, CIM had over 800 missionaries in 18 provinces with 300 stations and 500 Chinese assistants, and 25, 000 Christian converts. Hudson Taylor died in Changsha in 1905. 3

Early Chinese Indigenous Evangelists Liang Fa (Liang A-fa) 梁发 (1789 -1855 ), associated with LMS, assistant to Robert Morrison and William Milne (1785 -1822), accepted Christian faith in 1815, was an ordained preacher, published “Good Word to Admonish the World” 《劝世良言》in 1832. (Mc. Neur, George Hunter. China’s first preacher: Liang A-Fa. Shanghai, 1934) Pastor Hsi 席胜魔 /席子直(1835 -1896), associated with CIM, a Confucian scholar/an opium addict, converted in 1879, set up 45 refuges for treating opium addicts in four provinces. 4

One of China’s Scholars 席胜魔 published by CIM 1900, 1903, 1905, Mary Geraldine Guinness 金樂婷 Mrs. Howard Taylor Chinese Role as Assistants in Early Evangelical Missions 5

Call for an Independent and Unified Chinese Christian Church at the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in 1910 Cheng Jingyi (Cheng Ching-I)诚静怡， 字敬一, 1881 ~ 1939 (LMS) “We hope to see, in the near future, a united Christian Church without any denominational distinctions. …friends, do not forget to view us from our standpoint, and if you fail to do that, the Chinese will remain always as a mysterious people to you. ” -- Report of Commission VIII, p. 196 6

John Sung and Some of His Contemporaries John Sung 宋尚杰 1901 -1944 Wang Mingdao王明道 1900 -1991 Mary Stone 石美玉1873 -1954 7 Photos Courtesy of Leslie T. Lyall “John Sung”

John Sung and His Contemporaries Watchman Nee倪柝声 1901 -1972 Leland Wang王载 1898 -1975 Andrew Gih 计志文 1901 -1985 8 Photos Courtesy of Leslie T. Lyall “John Sung”

Six Indigenous Evangelists Mary Stone 石美玉 (1873 -1954), founder of Bethel Hospital and Bethel School in Shanghai. Andrew Gih 计志文 (1901 -1985) attended Bethel School, set up the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band, founder of Evangelize China Fellowship (ECF). John Sung 宋尚节(1901 -1944), joined and traveled with the Bethel Evangelistic Band with Andrew Gih. Wang Mingdao 王明道 (1900 -1991) being invited to preach by John Sung, conducted John’s funeral service. Watchman (Henry) Nee 倪柝声 (1903 -1972), founder of local church “Little Flock”, started the journal “the Christian”基督徒报. (Complete works of Nee, 33 vols) Leland Wang 王载 (1898 -1975), with Nee, later joined 9 in the Chinese Foreign Mission work in Southeast Asia.

Common Traits of these Evangelists They longed to develop a pattern of Christian life based on the faith in Jesus Christ unique to Chinese culture and society. They preached about sin and repentance, not as highly theoretically as academic theologians would do, but with their own life experiences. They demonstrated that Christian life should be lived out. They considered suffering as the price to be paid for spiritual growth and maturity, and the steps to be taken to follow Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. They collaborated, interacted, differed and separated. Nee in 1931 invited John Sung, Leland Wang and others to a conference in Shanghai, but they failed to 10 reach a common ground.

Currently Available Resources on Early Chinese Christians are mostly contributed by Western Missionaries 11

Types of Early Resources Conference records, reports or proceedings Records of the General Conference of the Protestant Missionaries of China, held at Shanghai, May 10 -24, 1877 Records of the second Shantung Missionary Conference, at Wei-hien, 1898 Addresses, public and devotional, including A. H. Smith's Centennial survey, China Centenary Missionary Conference, Shanghai, Methodist Pub. House, 1907 Christian education in China; the report of the China Educational Commission of 1921 -1922 Accounts of personal experiences or biographies One of China's scholars : the culture & conversion of a Confucianist /by Mrs. Howard Taylor (née Geraldine Guinness) China Inland Mission, 1906(席胜魔) Notable Women of Modern China by Margaret E. Burton 1912 The China martyrs of 1900. A complete roll of the Christian heroes martyred in China in 1900 by Forsyth, Robert Coventry 1904 Translation of Bibles, Compilation of Reference books such as dictionaries or language books for missionaries and Christian tracts and pamphlets 12

One of the Important Reference Documents Compiled by Milton Stauffer 司德敷 Assisted by Tsinforn Wong 王振芳 Gardner Tewksbury 都立华 Shanghai 1922 13

One of the Important Reference Documents 14

The Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journal 教务杂誌 1868 -1941 72 volumes published in Foochow, later in Shanghai 15

Challenges Early resources written in English by foreign missionaries often had English variations of names for the same Chinese persons or places coined by individual writers. Not much information on converted passionate Chinese Christian missionaries. The limited number of books on Chinese pastors/missionaries were also largely written by foreign missionaries. There were little information on women missionaries. Women missionary doctors were far less recorded. Chinese women missionaries were universally 16 addressed as bible woman.

Protestant Bible Women Adele M. Fielde (1839 -1916) American Missionary to China Pagoda Shadows: Studies from Life in China 1885 (To American Women) Speed’s Story “Bible Woman Snow” Gold Getter’s Story Aunt Luck Keepsake 17

No Chinese names were available in the photos “China’s Book of Martyrs” published in 1903 The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church 18

China today: Great Mission Field for planting and harvesting China, the most populous country, attracts foreigners as well as many native Chinese for mission work Protestant Christian mission work is global as well as local. Christianity becomes increasingly acceptable and popular in China in some areas. Mission work is multicultural, reaching people of all backgrounds--men and women, poor and rich, old and young, educated and illiterate. What’s happening in PRC now is unprecedented: the 9 th National Chinese Christian Congress (Sept. 8, 2013) reports: by 2012 in last 5 years 2. 4 million baptized; 5000 churches newly built; average of 3. 5 million bible copies were distributed annually. 19

Latest Revival Wave after 1970 s The recent revival wave is wider and stronger in scope and depth The revival wave is shaking and shaping Chinese communities across continents, in China, as well as among many Chinese living in other countries. 20

《游子吟》 里 程 1996年 8月11日 Song of a Wanderer by Milestone Feng Bingcheng 冯秉诚, graduated from Peking U. majoring in biology, came to US in 1982，got Ph. D. at MSU in 1987, did researches at Ohio University, Case Western Reserve University and Wisconsin Medical School. In 1992 Feng was converted into a Christian, became a fulltime evangelist in 1997, graduated from a seminary in California, and became an ordained pastor at the Chinese Christian Church of Milwaukee. Feng is a pastor who is also a prolific writer. http: //cclw. net/gospel/explore/youziyin/main. htm * The book was collected by 17 academic libraries, including Tsinghua U. Library in China. 21

Characteristics of Chinese Missionaries Today A large number of them are scholars who were converted into Christians in the west after a painful internal struggle and conflicts. Most of them received their theological education in the west, and helped train local pastors/missionaries in China. Their personal life experiences and their awakening to Christianity have shaped their philosophy in mission work. They preach, teach and publish simultaneously 22

Published Resources and Formats Printed books, journals and pamphlets Websites, blogs, Wei_Chats, Facebooks Videos, music files, e-books Categories: Bibles, exegesis, missiology, sermons, Christian retreat recordings, Chinese hymns, personal testimonies, and biographies 23

Samples of Bibles Published in Chinese by Chinese Christians 24

Books of multiple categories Exegesis What does Jesus die for? Hudson Taylor’s biography Deeply experiencing Jesus Christ Book of John Strangers, but fellow travelers 25

Serials on Faith and life, Sin and repentance, True love 26

A Kernel of Wheat Ministries a Publishing House for Translations of Western Scholarly Books 27

DVD Teachings 28

Hymns and Music Conferences Video recordings created by China Soul for Christ Foundation and China Soul Evangelical Foundation 29

Personal Testimonies: California Conference 30

Mission Work among Migrant Workers 31

Some Books in English on Chinese Missionaries Back to Jerusalem April 2012 Graduates of North Korea Mission China’s Christian Martyrs (Paul Hattaway) China’s Christian Millions (Tony Lambert) Jesus in Beijing (David Aikman) History of Christianity in Socialist China, 19491979; China Mission Handbook (Jonathan Chao) 32

Back to Jerusalem House Churches in China and North Korea 90 million Christians in China (Harvest Asia) “When China is moved it will change the face of the globe” China’s Millions April 1902 Paul Hattaway (2003) ISBN: 1884543898 Luther Martin, Eugene Bach and Brother Zhu (2010) ISBN: 9781936533107 China Inland Mission Hudson Taylor Napoleon’s comment

Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity http: //www. bdcconline. net/ 34

Asian Christianity Books A Dictionary of Asian Christianity edited by Scott W. Sunquist, associate editors: David Wu C. Sing & John Chew H. Chea, 2001 The Church in Asia edited by Donald E. Hoke, 1975 Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions edited by Gerald H. Anderson, 1998 Asian Christian Theologies (three volumes) edited by John C. England, Jose Kuttianimattathil, ISPCK/Claretian Publishers 2002 ISBN 1 -57075 -481 -0 35

Internet Resources: Stories from a Prison Cell by Xu Guoyong 许国永 Xu was an active member of the Beijing Shouwang Church. He was twice imprisoned for his faith in Christ. 36

Xu Guoyong 许国永：God’s Faithful Servant and Evangelist Chief editor of Oak Tree Publishing House in Beijing 37

Value of the Resources Protestant evangelistic resources yesterday and today are records of history and social change. They provide primary source materials for scholars for research in many subject areas. Those booming Christian publications in Chinese are indispensable for researchers to understand the changes and developments in Chinese culture and society, and how the Gospel is used to change the country and its people. 38

It is high time for visionary librarians and scholars to work together to systematically collect and archive these resources The daunting and challenging project is of far-reaching significance 39

Liang A-Fa (1789 -1855) 中国基督教第一宣教师梁发公 Good News for the Ages 劝世良言 Liang as China’s first preacher, confessor, ordained leader, evangelist, the polemicist, theologian, George Hunter Mc. Neur (1934) edited by Jonathan A. Seitz (2013) 40