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Goodness and Mercy Followed

Posted in Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Protection, Heroes of the Faith, Obedience, Service, Suffering, Uncategorized, Waiting on God, tagged China Inland Mission, Isaiah 41:10, Isobel Kuhn, J. O. Fraser, Jeremiah 29:13, John Kuhn, Lisu People of China, Missionaries in China, Psalm 23:6, Yunnan Province China on April 11, 2024| 40 Comments »

She was very popular at the University of British Columbia: effervescent, attractive, and intelligent. Yet Isobel (Belle) Miller found herself standing at the medicine cabinet in her parents’ home, ready to swallow poison.

Life had become meaningless, her spirit restless. To make matters worse, her fiancé was seeing another girl. Belle didn’t turn to God, having brushed aside her Christian upbringing when a professor insisted Christianity was for the superstitious.

She heard her father’s snuffling snore from the next room. If he found her dead, Belle knew it would break his heart. She returned to her room.

Suddenly, a line from Dante came to mind: “In His will is our peace.”

Belle prayed, “God, if you prove to me that you are, and if you will give me peace, I will give you my whole life”[1]. She began a passionate search for God, truth, and purpose.

Following graduation in 1922, Belle taught school. During this time she heard J. O. Fraser speak about his ministry in China and the need for more missionaries. Belle wondered, Is this what you want me to do, God?

Fraser was staying with Belle’s family. She asked questions about missionary life and the China Inland Mission he represented. Belle learned they required two years of Bible school and Fraser recommended Moody Bible Institute. With funds from a friend, she enrolled.

While at Moody, Belle met John Kuhn who also felt called to serve in China. Friendship developed into romance, but Belle wasn’t sure God wanted her to marry him. John sailed for China in 1926.

After graduation, Belle attended the China Inland Mission training school in Toronto. She and John corresponded frequently. In one of his letters he proposed and Belle said yes. They prayed to be assigned in the Yunnan province, hoping to work under Fraser. God answered their prayer affirmatively.

After Belle completed a year of language study, she and John finally married in 1929. Belle moved to Cheng Chiang where he lived.

Yunnan Province in southwest corner

The first time she hosted a few women in their home, a baby soiled the Kuhn’s new rug. Worse yet, Belle found more “guests” after the humans left: bed bugs, fleas, and lice.

“Lord, make these souls more important to me than anything else,” she prayed. And soon genuine love superseded concerns about vermin or stains.

Over the next twenty years, the Kuhns served in five locations. For the most part, John preached in the villages and Belle taught women’s Bible classes. Their first child Kathryn arrived in 1931.

A terrible flood occurred in 1933, during Belle’s second pregnancy. John was away preaching, so she dragged belongings upstairs, some very heavy. Belle miscarried the baby.

There was little time to grieve as a new directive arrived from Fraser the next day: You’re needed in the Salween Valley to work with the Lisu people.

In 1936 Communist soldiers threatened the valley and missionaries were instructed to evacuate. For eight days they trekked northward, but so did the enemy.

“It seemed as if the Communists were after us,” she wrote, “but in real fact, our pursuers were those faithful watch dogs of Jehovah . . . ‘Goodness and Mercy followed us all our days ‘”[2].

In 1937, as the war with Japan escalated, they were told Kathryn needed to attend a far-distant CIM school out of harm’s way, causing a heartbreaking separation.

Belle fought her distress with a new form of ministry to train church leaders: Rainy Season Bible School, taking advantage of the free time inclement weather provided. Many men attended.

In 1938 their dear friend Fraser died. John’s ministry broadened to include travel throughout Lisu territory. At home, Belle continued to teach, but she also found time to write, completing four books during those twenty years of ministry.

Several times the Kuhns had to escape the Communists and then the Japanese. Each time the Kuhns returned when the danger had passed.

Yangtze River, Yunnan Province

Daniel Kuhn was born in 1942. When he was six, Belle and her son had to evacuate again. This time they traveled to America where Kathryn was attending college. John followed a short time later. They were never allowed to return to China.

Did the Kuhns wonder if the Lisu Christians would lose heart and give up their faith?

Author Wright Doyle wrote: “Of the 18,000 Lisu who lived in Fugong, Yunnan in 1950, 3,400 professed faith in Christ. As of 2007, it is estimated that 80-90% of the 70,000 population make the same profession. In Yunnan, it is estimated that there are between 100,00-200,000 Lisu Christians”[3].

A church in Fugong today

For three years the Kuhns worked in Thailand, but then Belle was diagnosed with cancer. She died in 1957 at age fifty-five. Yet even while battling disease, Belle completed five more books.

To this day, the legacy of Isobel Miller Kuhn lives on, among her beloved Lisu people and through her writing.

[1] https://bdcconline.net/en/stories/kuhn-isobel-miller

[2] https://fromthevault.wheaton.edu/2021/03/01/letters-from-lisuland-the-ministry-of-isobel-kuhn/

[3] https://g1.fieldpartner.org/isobelkuhn/

Other sources:

https://www.evangelical-times.org/isobel-kuhn

https://www.thetravelingteam.org/articles/isobel-kuhn

Photo credits: http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.picryl.com; http://www.flickr.com; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.flickr.com; http://www.enwikipedia.org.

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A LIVING Legacy

Posted in Courage, Dreams, Generosity, God-Given Abilities, Heroes of the Faith, Perseverance, Service, Success, Uncategorized, tagged Ken Taylor, Kenneth N. Taylor, The Living Bible, The New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishing on January 25, 2024| 43 Comments »

Ken looked up from his Bible into the faces of his children, gathered for their family devotions [1]. He’d been reading to them from a puzzling passage, and the circle of glassy eyes betrayed their lack of understanding.

Ken knew the problem; he’d dealt with it himself growing up in the 1920s. The King James Version of 1611, used by most Protestant churches at the time, was difficult for modern generations to comprehend—much less Ken’s children growing up in the 1940s and ‘50s.

He stopped reading and explained the meaning of the confusing verse.

“But Daddy,” said one of his daughters, “if that’s what it means, why doesn’t it say so” [2]?

Why not, indeed, thought Ken. That’s when he decided to rewrite certain Bible stories for his ten children.

Ken’s background provided a strong foundation for such a project. He’d grown up in the home of a pastor father and godly mother, and earned an advanced theology degree.

That training served him well, first as editor for HIS magazine, then at Good News Publishers, and finally as director of Moody Press in Chicago.

Ken’s children loved his stories, and when he shared them with colleagues at Moody, they urged him to publish. (He’d already published two children’s books.) The first collection of scripture-stories, The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes (1956), was followed by several more.

Then came a new God-inspired epiphany. What if he rewrote scripture thought-for-thought instead of word-for-word, but still based on the original Hebrew or Greek? Could he make scripture—even the non-story parts—more understandable for his children?

Ken flipped open his Bible, and his eyes landed on 2 Timothy 2:4.

“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (KJV).

After careful thought, Ken wrote: “As Christ’s soldier do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army [3].”

That night he shared his rewrite with the family. They approved.

Thus began a multi-year commitment of evenings, weekends, and vacations, revising scripture for his family. Ken even worked during the 45-minute commute by train from his home (in Wheaton, Illinois) to Chicago.

Each evening he’d share the results of his efforts with the family.

A few years later another possibility occurred to Ken. Other families might also appreciate a scripture revision in modern-day English. By this time (1962), he’d completed the twenty-one epistles (letters) of the New Testament. He called the book Living Letters.

However, publisher after publisher rejected the manuscript. They doubted people would be interested in a modern version of the epistles so far removed from the familiar King James.

Ken and his wife Margaret decided to finance from their savings a printing of 2000 copies. He then rented half a booth at a Christian book convention and sold 800 copies.

The family helped process the orders at the dining room table. Boxes of books were stored under their beds.

Several months passed before the first orders arrived at their home. Ken dipped into their savings again and printed 5,000 copies. A few months later, 10,000 more.

In 1963 the Billy Graham Association contacted Ken. They wanted to offer Living Letters to anyone who requested a copy. They distributed six hundred thousand copies world-wide.

Considerable proceeds began to accumulate, but Ken and Margaret weren’t interested in upgrading their modest lifestyle. They set up a foundation in order to fund Christian mission projects worldwide [4].

Another prompting from God led Ken to leave Moody Press so he could write full-time and revise more books of the Bible into modern day language.

From 1964 to 1970 Ken added such volumes as The Living Prophecies (1964) and The Living Gospels (1966). Each one included a different portion of the Bible.

By 1965, the dining room no longer sufficed for conducting the business of their company, Tyndale House Publishing [5]. Ken moved the operation to offices nearby. Another move became necessary in 1967 when even more space was required.

By 1972 Ken had completed the revision of the entire scriptures. The Living Bible was released, selling eight million copies by the end of that year.

In 1973, The Living Bible became the best-selling book in America, and Tyndale House Publishing soon became the well-known and highly-respected company it is today.

By the late 1980s Ken had been semi-retired for several years and his son Mark served as CEO. Tyndale House brought together ninety Bible scholars to work on The New Living Translation, which would be “faithful to the ancient texts and eminently readable” [6]. That volume was released in 1996 and has sold more than 50 million copies.

To this day Tyndale House carries on the passion and Living legacy of Kenneth N. Taylor (1917-2005), ministering to “the spiritual needs of people, primarily through literature consistent with biblical principles” [7].

[1] A time of Bible reading and prayer

[2] https://todayschristianliving.org/ken-taylor-making-scripture-clear/

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] William Tyndale translated the Bible into English, and was burned at the stake in 1536 for doing so.

[6] https://www.tyndale.com/about-the-nlt

[7] https://www.tyndale.com/kenneth-n-taylor

Other sources:

https://www.zianet.com/maxey/ver4.htm

https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/6/Tyndale-House-Publishers-Inc.html

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Candles, Prayer, and Song

Posted in Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Goodness, God's Power, God's Protection, Heroes of the Faith, Hope, Perseverance, Prayer, Suffering, Uncategorized, Waiting on God, tagged Berlin Wall, Christian Furher, Church of St. Nicholas Leipzig Germany, East Germany, Fear and Faith, Peaceful Protests, Power of Prayer, Psalm 44:3 on November 9, 2023| 34 Comments »

Christian trudged to the church he pastored as rain drummed on his umbrella. His pant cuffs grew increasingly damp from his splashing boots.

Is this really worth the effort, he wondered. Only a handful of people attended the Monday night prayer meetings, which he’d established several years prior at Church of St. Nicholas.

And yet the faithful few who came demonstrated such hope, Christian always felt uplifted by the end of each gathering.

Encouragement of any kind was in short supply. Times were difficult; everyone was suffering except the government elite and their cronies.

In the third year of the weekly prayer sessions, Christian felt compelled to invite fifty people to his church to discuss the oppressive circumstances of their country. More than six hundred came, and subsequently, attendance at the Monday prayer meetings also grew.

Such a large crowd didn’t slip by the attention of authorities. They discouraged religious gatherings, but assumed that prayer meetings were harmless.

Attendees began bringing family and friends. Over the next few years the church started to fill to overflowing. Eventually eight thousand people gathered every Monday night, praying for peace in their land and throughout the world.

Other churches around the country organized their own prayer meetings. Some attendees would walk the streets afterward, carrying candles and praying or singing as they went.

The authorities finally ran out of patience with the demonstrations. They barricaded the streets around the Church of St. Nicholas to discourage attendees. Instead, the congregation grew.

The next step included peaceful protests. Thousands of people participated. And even though hundreds of demonstrators were beaten and arrested, they weren’t deterred.

Numerous threats were made; some lost their jobs. One woman reported that government officials took custody of her children for a while, due to her participation in what they called an extremist group.

Worse yet, the protesters were threatened with death. And though many admitted to fearing for their lives, they did not back down.

“Our fear was not as big as our faith,” Christian explained later [1].

One night, after an hour-long service at St. Nicholas Church, Christian led the people outside to join a crowd of approximately 70,000, all gathering from various churches. Each one carried a candle and marched through the city chanting “we are the people” and “no violence” [2].

All along the way, long rows of armed police watched their every move. More soldiers manned tanks, waiting for the order to disperse the crowd with murderous force.

But the order never came. Afterward it was revealed that government officials persuaded their leader to leave the protesters alone.

One of the demonstrators gave a soldier a lighted candle. He put down his weapon and accepted it. Others followed suit. “Soon all the soldiers had lowered their weapons and joined with the protestors” [3].

In the following weeks, the prayerful, candle-carrying crowd grew to 120,000, then 300,000, and finally 700,000.

A crowd such as this must have gathered.

The country’s leader resigned, knowing that without the army to back him, he had become powerless. Soon the whole regime resigned, unable to fight against the power of prayer and Light.

One month after the tide-changing protest, a government spokesperson mistakenly announced in a public broadcast that a monumental change was about to take place. Citizens would be allowed to travel freely, effective immediately [4].

News spread rapidly, reported across the world. Thousands of people soon gathered at the symbol of their thirty-year oppression, a barrier that had divided them into east and west: the Berlin Wall.

Harald Jager, commanding officer of the border guards that night, called his superiors to find out how to deal with the gathering crowd. He received no orders.

“People could have been injured or killed . . . if there had been panic among the thousands gathered at the border crossing,” he declared afterward. “That’s why I gave the order: Open the barrier” [5].

And so, on November 9,1989, thousands flowed through, celebrating and crying. Others climbed over the barrier, chipping away at the wall with hammers and pickaxes. Bulldozers and cranes soon made quick work of dismantling the entire structure [6].

Thirty-four years ago today, that menacing wall became rubble, and a tyrannical regime miraculously toppled with it.

And it all began with Pastor Christian Furher and a handful of praying saints.

Christian Furher (1943-2014)

[1] https://contemporarychurchhistory.org/2014/09/reflection-on-pastor-christian-fuhrer-of-the-nikolai-church-in-leipzig/

[2] https://embracingbrokenness.org/2020/10/prayer-and-the-berlin-wall-by-charles-buttigieg/

[3] http://storage.cloversites.com/worldhistoryinstitute/documents/WHI_03Mar014_Journal_4.pdf

[4] https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/this-day-history-nov-9-1989-berlin-wall-falls-cold-war-victory-us-allies

[5] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50013048

[6] https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall

Additional Source: http://www.godgossip.org/article/did-a-prayer-meeting-really-bring-down-the-berlin-wall

Photo credits: http://www.commons.wikimedia.org; http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.rawpixel.net; http://www.picryl.com; http://www.commons.wikimedia.org; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.nara.getarchive.net; http://www.picryl.com; http://www.commons.wikimedia.org.

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Standing Strong

Posted in Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Power, God's Presence, God's Promises, God's Strength, Heroes of the Faith, Uncategorized, tagged 33, Civil War Heroes, God's strength in our lives, Isaiah 40:29, Philippians 1:21, Psalm 73:26, William Carney on July 27, 2023| 37 Comments »

Gunfire blasts and booming cannons surrounded Union Army Private, William Carney. His regiment’s objective: to capture Fort Wagner near Charleston, South, Carolina.

The 54th Regiment of Massachusetts at the Civil War battle for Ft. Wagner, July 18, 1863.

Jerking movement nearby caught Carney’s eye. The color guard had been shot. As the dying man fell, the U.S. flag he carried began billowing toward the ground. Carney scrambled to rescue the flag from desecration and took a bullet himself.

Carney continued to crawl toward the fort, holding the flag high and calling encouragement for his fellow soldiers to follow. He was hit at least three more times, but made it to the walls of Fort Wagner, planting the flag into the sandy soil and holding it upright “until his near-lifeless body was rescued” [1] .

Even then Carney refused to let go of the flag until he was returned to his regiment’s camp. His heroism that day inspired a vital victory for the Union Army.

W. H. Carney with the flag he carried that day.

Years later Carney explained his motivation for joining the Union cause: “I had a strong inclination to prepare myself for the ministry; but when the country called for all persons, I could best serve my God by serving my country and my oppressed brothers. The sequel is short – I enlisted for the war” [2] .

Yes, Carney had been an oppressed brother himself, born into slavery in 1840. But during the 1850s he arrived in Massachusetts, either through the Underground Railroad, or perhaps his father—already a freed slave—was able to purchase his son.

Either way, Carney began to enjoy the freedoms that Blacks of the South were denied—freedoms like traveling, assembling, learning to read and write, and receiving pay for work. He passionately desired other slaves to experience the same.

That God-given passion for his fellow man surely inspired Carney that day at Fort Wagner, to give the fight his all no matter what duty fell to him. And for his tenacity and courage, William Carney received the Medal of Honor in 1900. He was the first Black soldier to do so.

Someone might ask, how was William Carney able to stay so strong?

Undoubtedly his firm stance was the result of:

Strong attention toward his God
Strong determination to live by God’s ways
Strong faith in God’s promises, confident that whether he lived or died, all would be well

We too can stand firm in what we face by applying the same.

Strong attention toward God includes not allowing our emotions to control us. For example, sorrow, fear, and exhaustion will insist we can’t go on, but God tells us he gives strength to the weary and increases power for the weak [3] .

Strong attention toward God includes being in relationship with him, through prayer, Bible reading, worship, and more. We can’t expect to sense his peace and strengthening presence if we never spend time with him.

Security is not the absence of danger

but the presence of God

no matter what the danger.
Unknown

Strong determination to follow God means choosing to live by his truth. Scripture is full of examples of men and women shaped by their faith and obedience in God, becoming as strong as steel: Huldah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Mary (Mother of Jesus), Peter, and Paul are among them.

We see such Bible heroes as extraordinary, but I’m sure they’d tell us they were just ordinary people who trusted in their extra-ordinary God.

Strong faith in God’s promises means we can hold on to hope with confidence and courage.

I wonder if scripture-promises echoed in William Carney’s mind as he held that flag high and emboldened his comrades–promises such as these?

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11).

“With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect” (2 Samuel 22:30, 33).

“If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more.” (Philippians 1:21 CEV).

You and I may never fight in battle, but these same promises can echo in our minds as we confront such enemies of our souls as discouragement, anxiety, stress, guilt, and temptation.

Like William Carney WE can stand steadfast and strong [4] .

What helps you to stand strong? Please share your experience in the comment section!

[1]https://www.army.mil/article/181896/meet_sgt_william_carney_the_first_african_american_medal_of_honor_recipient

[2] https://www.nps.gov/articles/william-h-carney.htm

[3] Isaiah 40:29

[4] 1 Corinthians 15:58

Photo credits: http://www.picryl.com (2); http://www.nypl.getarchive.net; http://www.dir.es/album/hiking-in-wales-2019; http://www.wallpaperflare.com.

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Beyond Imagination

Posted in Courage, Excellence, God's Power, God's Provision, Godly Character, Heroes of the Faith, Service, Uncategorized, tagged Amazima Ministries, Ephesians 3:20, Katie Davis Majors, Poverty in Africa, Uganda on June 15, 2023| 34 Comments »

“I’m sorry, but we cannot treat those who cannot pay,” the doctor explained.

Katie Davis blinked in shock. How could a physician turn away an injured child, even if she was an orphan? Then again, this was Uganda, not Brentwood, Tennessee where she grew up. Fifty percent of the population here lived in poverty, and the under-resourced hospital couldn’t handle all the overwhelming needs.

People waiting in Ugandan hospital

But Katie, a kindergarten teacher, couldn’t accept the doctor’s pronouncement. This child was a student in her school, living in a shack down the street. She was the oldest of three and caretaker of the younger two; their parents had died of AIDS.

The orphanage was already full to capacity; Katie feared for the girls’ future. That very day she managed to secure custody papers, and single Katie became a mother of three—at age nineteen.[1]

What will Mom and Dad say about THIS? she must have thought.

They’d already been hesitant about Katie’s first three-week trip to Uganda, to work at a Christian orphanage her senior year of high school, 2006. Almost as soon as she arrived, Katie fell in love with the staff and students.

Upon returning to the States, Katie couldn’t wait to get back to Uganda after graduation, to take the kindergarten position offered her. The Davises had agreed, with the understanding she’d begin college the following year.

Katie returned home as promised, but her heart remained in Uganda. After one semester, her parents acquiesced and Katie flew back to the people and country she loved.

Uganda–a small land-locked country of East Africa

It was January 2008 when Katie’s adopted daughters moved into her small living quarters, but God soon provided a house to rent.

Over the next eighteen months, more orphans were brought to Katie—girls who’d been abandoned, abused, or whose parents had died of AIDS. One baby was given to Katie by an HIV-positive mother, just twelve years old herself. Child-by-child, Katie’s family grew to thirteen.

Of course, her teacher-salary couldn’t cover all the expenses. But Katie had already researched how to start a nonprofit organization, to aid Uganda’s children. Amazima International Ministries was established in 2008, based in Katie’s hometown of Brentwood.[2]

Soon 150 children were receiving assistance that included school supplies, basic medical care, and two hot meals a day—things their families couldn’t afford.

Two years passed. Katie’s life brimmed with all the responsibilities that thirteen children entail. In addition, numerous houseguests came and went—people in dire circumstances needing temporary lodging.

As with any household, disagreements and frustrations flared. But the word Katie chose to describe the atmosphere was elation—for the laughter, singing, happy noise and gratitude that filled her home.[3]

Then tragedy unfolded. A dear friend and mother of five, died. And the biological mother of one of Katie’s adoptees returned to claim her daughter—a mother unfit for parenting—but Katie had to let the child go. Grief beyond words gripped her heart as she turned to her Heavenly Father for solace.

Early in 2014, twenty-something Benji Majors arrived in Uganda on a mission trip. He soon recognized the need for young men to be mentored. So Benji decided to stay and come alongside those wanting to become God’s men of integrity.

When Benji asked Katie out–twice, she said no both times, not sure if marriage was part of God’s plan. Besides, what man would commit himself to a woman with thirteen children? Better not to get involved, she thought.

But Katie found herself attracted to Benji’s passionate heart for God and for people. She finally invited him for coffee—the first of many dates.

The following year Benji proposed over a picnic. When Katie said yes, her thirteen daughters jumped out of the bushes and tossed flowers at the couple. Benji had included them as part of the plan. He and Katie were married in late 2015.

The couple still lives in Uganda, running Amazima Ministries. They provide education for hundreds of children in their own Amazima School, food and health services for thousands of families, as well as job opportunities.

Who could have imagined such a far-reaching outcome when young Katie left for Uganda?

GOD could.

P.S. Ben and Katie no longer parent 13 children; the number has grown to 15 with their two biological sons.

[1] Though Ugandan law specifies an adoptive parent must be at least twenty-one, a judge can override the law in the best interest of the child(ren).

[2] Amazima means “truth” in Lugandan.

[3] https://youngadults.lifeway.com/2012/01/no-ordinary-life-katie-davis-story-of-serving-children-in-uganda/

Sources:

https://amazima.org/about/ . Visit here for numerous photos and information about Amazima Ministries.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/katie-davis-majors-young-adoptive-mother-of-13-ugandans-where-is-god-in-suffering-interview.html

Katie Davis Majors Became An Adoptive Mother To 13 Daughters At 23

https://justbetweenus.org/magazine/exclusive-interviews/extraordinary-love/

https://myhero.com/katie-davis-a-serving-heart-2

https://toptwentyfiveinterviews.transistor.fm/episodes/7-daring-to-hope-part-1-katie-davis-majors

No Ordinary Life: Katie Davis’ Story of Serving Children in Uganda

Photo credits: http://www.commons.wikimedia.org (Toshihiro Horii); http://www.wikimedia.org; http://www.flickr.com; sni.no/Skole_og_utdanning_i_Uganda (Richard Lord); http://www.publicdomainpictures.com (Michael Spisak).

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Simpson’s Great Discovery

Posted in Courage, God's Salvation, Heroes of the Faith, Salvation, Uncategorized, tagged chloroform, James Young Simpson, Lyon Playfair on May 4, 2023| 37 Comments »

Dr. Matthew Keith lifted the tumbler to his nose and sniffed its contents.

“Oh—that smells quite good,” Keith announced, placing the glass of chloroform back on the dining table. “How long before it takes effect?”

“Just a minute or two, I expect,” replied his friend, Dr. James Simpson.

Sure enough, Keith soon slumped to the floor, dead asleep.

“I’m next!” exclaimed Simpson to another friend, Dr. George Duncan, while grabbing the tumbler and taking a whiff of the chloroform.

Duncan followed suit and soon all three were fast asleep.

Such experiments were common in the Simpson home. Currently he and his friends were looking for a drug that could safely ease the pain of surgery, medical procedures, and childbirth.

At the time (1847), Simpson not only practiced obstetrics (called midwifery in those days), he was also Professor of Midwifery at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

No one would have expected such a respectable position for the seventh son of a baker. But the family somehow found the resources to send the whip-smart, fourteen-year-old James to university. By age 21, he’d graduated with honors and become a member of the Royal College of Surgeons at Edinburgh.

James Young Simpson, 1848

Success as an obstetrician came quickly, and Simpson married his sweetheart. He should have been happy and fulfilled; he was not. Simpson later explained: “I was living without God in the world.” He well knew about God and Jesus, because his mother had been a devout Christian.

One night he saw himself “standing on the brink of ruin, deserving nothing but hell’s destruction” because of his many sins. But he also saw Jesus his Substitute, dying on a cross for him. Simpson wept and claimed Jesus as his Savior [1].

The night of the chloroform experiment, Simpson had been practicing obstetrics for fifteen years. He desperately desired to find a drug capable of reducing his patients’ pain.

This new compound had come from the famous chemist, Lyon Playfair. His assistant had been conducting experiments with acetone and chlorine that showed great promise as a superior anesthetic to ether. Chloroform took effect more quickly, was affordable, easy to store and transport. It wasn’t noxious or flammable.

Lyon Playfair

Simpson wanted to try the new compound right there in Playfair’s shop. But the chemist insisted they administer doses to two rabbits first. The animals quickly fell asleep and awoke a while later, seemingly unharmed. The next morning, however, they were dead.

Undeterred, Simpson purchased the compound so he and his colleagues, Keith and Duncan, could try the chloroform for themselves—just small doses that surely couldn’t cause harm to a grown man. At least that must be what they told themselves.

Thankfully the experiment succeeded. In addition, none of them experienced nausea or a headache—common side-effects of ether. They knew then that chloroform would transform the care that doctors could provide.

Simpson was soon using it as a general anesthetic for his obstetric patients. That same year, 1847, he published a paper, “Account of a New Anesthetic Agent.”

Doctors all over Europe began alleviating their patients’ pain with chloroform, especially after Dr. John Snow gave controlled doses to Queen Victoria for the birth of Leopold in 1853. She described its effect as “soothing, quieting, and delightful beyond measure [2] .”

Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and children, ca. 1855

Dr. Simpson’s research procured him a place in medical history. He was knighted and his coat of arms read, Victo dolore, “Pain conquered.”

But he had more conquests to pursue. Simpson turned his attention to the problem of infection, rampant in hospitals. He argued that if medical personnel washed their hands in chlorine before every examination, and instruments were sterilized, the spread of infection could be reduced [3].

Simpson also conducted research on the impacts of overcrowding and other practices in hospitals which raised mortality rates. He proposed improved hospital design, increased ventilation, and better management strategies. His suggestions met with opposition, but over time many of Simpson’s ideas were adopted. [4]

Victoria Hospital, 1899

Throughout the decades of his career, Simpson’s faith in Christ remained a life-changing influence.

In 1866, he wrote to his dear friend, Dr. Joseph Robertson: “Jesus has suffered all for us and done all, if we only trust Him in all . . . I know that you and I place all hopes and certainties indeed upon the same immutable foundation [5].

Simpson was once asked, “What do you consider your greatest discovery?”

His reply undoubtedly surprised many:

“My greatest discovery, which I made one Christmas Day, is that Christ is able to save to the uttermost any man who implicitly trusts Him [6].”

__________________________

[1] https://gospelhallaudio.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sir-James-Simpson.pdf

[2] https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/the-right-chemistry-the-history-of-chloroform

[3] https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/college-history/james-young-simpson

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

Other sources:

https://fn.bmj.com/content/86/3/F207

https://electricscotland.com/history/other/simpson_james.htm

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-history-science-science-everywhere/joe-schwarcz-james-simpson-chloroform-pioneer-took-pain-away

James Simpson

https://www.discover.hubpages/com/education/Famous-Doctors-in-History-Sir-James-Young-Simpson

Photo credits: 1. http://www.commons.wikimedia.org. 2. James Young Simpson, 1848 (http:11//creative commons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 3. Lyon Playfair (V0027024 Lyon Playfair. Photograph by Lock & Whitfield, Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@http://wellcomeimages.org. 4 & 5. http://www.lookandlearn.com. 6. http://www.picryl.com. 7. rawpixel.com

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A New Path

Posted in Courage, Excellence, Faith, God-Given Abilities, Heroes of the Faith, Hope, Perseverance, Service, Uncategorized, Waiting on God, tagged Hope, John Ruskin, Lilias Trotter on March 23, 2023| 48 Comments »

“Forgive me, Mr. Ruskin, but I cannot give myself to painting the way you desire and continue to keep God at the center of my life.” Lilias Trotter looked imploringly into her tutor’s eyes.

After three years of instruction from John Ruskin, the well-known artist, author, and art critic, twenty-five-year-old Lilias had prayerfully made the difficult choice. She would forego the opportunity to become “the greatest living painter in England” (as Ruskin predicted she would be) [1], and devote more time to her mission work.

(Self-portrait of John Ruskin)

“Ah, my dear Lilias, he sighed. “I was afraid our efforts would come to this. Goodness knows how many times I’ve complained that you needed to spend more time with your brushes and less time with the women of ill-repute around Victoria Station. However, I do admire your dedication, and regretfully wish you well.”

From this crossroads, a new path began to open before Lilias Trotter.

For a while she continued her work with women at the lowest rung of society, bringing them to the newly-established YWCA for training in various employable skills and introducing them to Jesus.

But in 1887 Lilias found her heart drawn to Algeria, after hearing a plea for more missionaries to the region. She applied to the North African Mission board but was denied because of her frail health.

(Algiers, Algeria circa 1880)

Undeterred, Lilias and two friends chose to go on their own. A generous endowment from her wealthy father (upon his death in 1865) provided the financial support necessary.

The three women settled in the French Quarter of Algiers and immediately began learning the Arabic language and Muslim culture. Because of the male-dominated society, they chose to engage women and children.

(watercolor sketches from Lilias’ journals)

Lilias put her artistic abilities to work creating leaflets. The charming illustrations drew attention to the spiritual truths she wrote. Her inspiration came from the hours she spent in Bible study, meditation, and prayer.

But inroads into Algerian society didn’t come easily. Nearly everyone was suspicious of them. They were women after all, European and Christian. Opposition came from the French authorities as well as Muslim leaders. Lilias wrote in one of her journals that she and her friends felt like they were knocking their heads against stone walls [2].

In addition, the Muslim women were difficult to reach since they were seldom allowed in public. But after several years one woman accepted Jesus into her life. Sometime later another woman and then another expressed their faith, until they could count their little band of believers on two hands.

Lilias also traveled into Morocco on the west and Tunisia on the west, into the far regions of the Sahara Desert where no European woman had been before. There too she sought out the isolated Arab women as well as the Sufi mystics who resided in the desert.

Lilias shared her pamphlets and booklets that included depictions of Arab life, always praying that her writings and drawings would help these Muslims understand who Jesus is and why he came.

Of course, persecution came to those who chose Jesus. Two of the new Arab Christians were slowly poisoned to death, others were drugged, and still more were punished in additional ways.

After twenty years of struggle, the missionaries still had little to show for their effort. And yet Lilias wrote:

I am full of hope that when God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts, it is to leave Himself room to work out His great ones. And, more and more as time goes on, I feel that the longer He waits the more we can expect, . . . and the greater will be the band of those who will come forth free from their prison walls. When one gets hold of that vision, one can throw back in the devil’s face his taunts over the seemingly wasted years that lie behind us.
Lilias Trotter

Perhaps even more productive than her conversations with people was the impact of her writings. Lilias’ appealing parables, “creatively illustrated in Eastern style” were widely circulated [3].

She felt confident that the Arabs would more seriously consider written material in the privacy of their homes, than in public conversation where opposition was likely. With her knowledge of the culture, language, and arguments of challengers, she was perfectly-suited for the task of producing these materials.

Lilias returned to Europe a number of times because of her health, each time in dire need of rest as well as relief from Africa’s oppressive heat. But Lilias often used these trips to garner interest and support for the organization she founded: the Algerian Mission Band.

A number of people responded, joining Lilias in her work. However she never asked for financial backing. “God’s wealth is boundless,” she said [4].

For forty years Lilias Trotter lived out her passion for the Algerian people. Before her death in 1928, she’d established twelve mission stations. And instead of three workers, a team of thirty had joined them, bringing the joy-filled, abundant life of Christ to the Muslims of Algeria [5].

Notes:

[1] https://ililiastrotter.wordpress.com/about/

[2] https://ishshahsstory.com/2016/08/10/celebrating-lilias-trotter-of-algeria/

[3] https://www.imb.org/2019/06/12/missionaries-you-should-know-lilias-trotter/

[4] https://thiseternalmoment.com/the-life-and-legacy-of-lilias-trotter/

[5] https://pioneers.org/2021/03/15/the-legacy-of-lilias-trotter

Other sources:

https://www.christiantoday.com/article/lilias.trotter.talented.artist.dedicated.missionary/139139.htm

https://liliastrotter.com/about/

Photos of Lilias Trotter and her paintings as well as John Ruskin’s self-portrait, courtesy of Lilias Trotter Legacy at http://www.liliastrotter.com and their Facebook page. Street scene of Algiers: http://www.commons.wikimedia.org.

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Enough Was Enough

Posted in Courage, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Godly Character, Heroes of the Faith, Uncategorized, tagged Boldness, Courage, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks on February 23, 2023| 31 Comments »

“Can I come watch with you, Papa? There’s no school tomorrow.”

Papa nodded and motioned with his left hand for her to join him on the front porch. His right hand remained on the rifle across his lap. “Come on, Sugar. But you sit light, y’hear? Be ready. ‘Member what I told you?”

“Yessir. I’m to run inside but shut the door easy, and tell everybody to skedaddle to the creek, and run.”

“That’s my girl. No KKK Klan is going to mess with us, right? Now, recite for me Psalm 23 soft and slow. Such beautiful words and promises!”

Six-year-old Rosa settled herself in the rocker next to her grandfather, confident he would keep the family safe through the night. She began to recite the favorite psalm.

Violence never came to the McCauley home in Pine Level, Alabama, but throughout her growing up years there and then in Montgomery, Rosa endured the burden of racial injustice against blacks, including different (and deficient) schools and libraries, separate restaurants and water fountains.

One time a white boy shoved Rosa hard from behind. She was expected to endure such abuse without retaliation, but Rosa shoved back. The boy’s mother witnessed the incident and bellowed, “Who do you think you are?”

Rosa courageously replied, “I won’t be pushed around by your son or anyone else.” Then, in spite of her pounding heart, Rosa calmly turned and walked away. The mother let the matter lie.[1]

In 1932 at age nineteen, Rosa married Raymond Parks. He was an activist-member of the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. A decade later, Rosa’s growing frustration with the status quo led her to join also. She eagerly learned about civil disobedience and served as secretary to the local and then state organization.

(NAACP Meeting in Montgomery, about 1947)

Along with many blacks in the South, Rosa suffered daily humiliation on the city bus, as she rode to and from work. Black passengers were required to pay their fare at the front, then get off and re-enter the bus through the back to sit in the rear. If the bus became crowded, black people had to give their seats to whites.

But on December 1, 1955, Rosa refused to relinquish her seat—not because she was physically exhausted, as some have said. No, she was tired of mistreatment because of the color of her skin.

Enough was enough.

“When that white driver waved his hand and ordered us up and out of our seats,” she later recalled, “I felt a determination cover my body like a quilt on a winter night.[2]

“God’s peace flooded my soul, and my fear melted away. All people were equal in the eyes of God, and I was going to live like the free person God created me to be. I refused to move.”[3]

Instantly Rosa felt infused with God’s strength. Police arrested her, put her in jail, and charged a $14 fine, but she remained composed through the ordeal. They released Rosa that evening.

As news of her arrest spread, more people—black and white—began to express indignation over the evil of segregation. Leaders in the NAACP decided to establish a boycott of the Montgomery bus company until the law was changed.

Supporters knew they would need God’s wisdom, strength, and perseverance. A prayer meeting was scheduled, and a young minister addressed the crowd: Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We must protest the law of the land because it violates God’s law,” he said. “But violence is not the answer. It is our duty to protest segregation, but we must do so with dignity and Christian love. Join me in praying that the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will soon shine over our great nation.”[4]

Boycott participants (which included blacks and whites) had to find alternate transportation. Many walked up to several miles to work and then home again. Churches helped to find rides for some. Others were given rides by coworkers—again, black and white.

Of course, opposition came quickly. False arrests, harassment, and even bombings occurred, yet the boycott continued. The bus company was losing thousands of dollars and began supporting integrated seating. City commissioners, however, would not back down.

Meanwhile, Rosa’s attorney, Fred D. Gray, took the case from Montgomery all the way to the Supreme Court. A year later, the regulation demanding black people to give up their bus seats to whites was declared unconstitutional.

That decision created a domino effect. If separation was wrong on buses, it was wrong in schools, restaurants, libraries, and elsewhere. Slowly and painfully, one segregation-law after another was abolished.

That pain would impact Raymond and Rosa. They had to leave Montgomery because of harassment and death threats. Rosa responded by spending long hours in prayer, after which “an intense calm swept over her.”[5]

The couple eventually settled in Detroit. From 1965-1988 Rosa worked for Michigan Congressman John Conyers. She remained active in the civil rights movement for sixty years and wrote several books.

Upon her death in 2005, then-Governor Bob Riley of Alabama said, “Rosa Parks will always be remembered as a courageous woman who quietly confronted injustice, and in so doing, changed a nation.”[6]

No doubt Rosa Parks would agree.

[1] https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/church-history-for-kids/rosa-parks-and-the-bus-ride-that-changed-america-11635083.html

[2] https://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20130401JJ.shtml

[3] https://canonjjohn.com/2021/10/23/heroes-of-the-faith-rosa-parks/

[4] https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/church-history-for-kids/rosa-parks-and-the-bus-ride-that-changed-america-11635083.html

[5] https://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20130401JJ.shtml, quoting from Jeanne Theoharis’ biography, The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks

[6] https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/civil-rights-pioneer-rosa-parks-dead-at-92-found-strength-in-scripture-church/

[7] Sinclair Ferguson quote from Grow in Grace, 33-34.

Other sources:

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/rosa-parks-journey-as-a-civil-rights-icon

https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/rosa-parks-martin-luther-king-jr-and-the-montgomery-bus-boycott

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com (Pat Henson); http://www.flickr.com; http://www.picryl.com; http://www.flickr.com; wwwflickr.com (Jim Forest); http://www.flickr.com; http://www.picryl.com; rawpixel.com.

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Truth to Triumph

Posted in Blessings, Courage, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Promises, God's Refuge, Uncategorized, tagged A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Fighting Fear, Martin Luther, Nahum 1:7, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 46:2, Psalm 46:7 on January 26, 2023| 35 Comments »

Martin and Katherine Luther

In 1527, the plague approached Wittenberg, Germany, home of Martin and Katherine Luther. Some say it was this looming calamity that prompted Luther to write one of the great hymns of the church: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” [1]

In fact, our congregation sang the ancient lyrics this past Sunday, although we were accompanied by keyboard, guitar, and drum—not organ. I was struck by the second line of the third verse:

“We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph thro’ us.”

My mind wandered a bit. I wonder how many scriptural truths promise the result of triumph through us—verses like “My God will meet all your needs.”[2] There must be hundreds!

A bit of research revealed that Luther based his hymn on these scriptural truths from Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (v. 1)

We will not fear though the earth give way (v. 2)

The Lord Almighty is with us; God is our fortress (v. 7)

Even though Luther and his family stayed in Wittenberg to care for the sick and dying, he wouldn’t have expected God to spare him or family members from the plague. Luther knew God doesn’t always intervene; he never promised heaven on earth.

But Luther understood: with God as our spiritual refuge, we find the comfort, strength, and support we need through the darkest valleys (Psalm 23).

God will lead us to triumph and provide victory over fear.

Another confidence-building scripture is tucked into the book of Nahum: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (1:7).

If we put our minds to it, every one of us can attest to the truth of those statements, because the Lord is good to all. [3]

Consider a few ways God demonstrates goodness to his people, and see if examples from your own life don’t come to mind.

He draws us to himself, gifting us with eternal life as we believe in his Son Jesus [4]

He provides mentors and experiences that grow our faith as well as blessings that increase our joy [5]

He attentively cares for us and spares us from grave errors in judgment as we obey him [6]

He bestows comfort and security during difficult times and augments the delight of happy times [7]

His Word guides us in perfect wisdom day by day, year after year [8]

He empowers us to accomplish tasks we never could have completed on our own [9]

“It’s important to rehearse the lovely, rich truths and promises that remain when other things change. Keep telling these truths, in all their many-sided glory, and one day, walls already cracked will crumble and fall.”
Jim McGuiggan [10]

Picture your fears cracking, crumbling, and falling in a heap in response to the weight of God’s truths.

That’s a picture of triumph!

“We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph thro’ us.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Thank you, Father, for Your gracious invitation to leave our concerns with you and free ourselves of anxiety. As I affirm your truth, you provide fortitude and peace.

One day, the father of lies who provokes all fears WILL be defeated. As Martin Luther wrote, “One little word shall fell him!”[11] We eagerly look forward to that day.

(1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 16:20; Philippians 3:20)

Addendum: Martin Luther and his family were all spared during the plague of 1527.

[1] No copies of this hymn have been found before this date, but a growing number after, leading various scholars to support this theory (https://www.challies.com/articles/hyms-stories-a-mighty-fortress-is-our-god/).

[2] Philippians 4:19

[3] Psalm 145:9

[4] John 6:44; 3:16

[5] Proverbs 12:15; 18:15; Psalm 4:7

[6] Psalm 27:10 HCSB; 37:23-24

[7] Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 16:11

[8] Psalm 32:8. However, I must confess to not always being receptive.

[9] Philippians 4:13

[10] Quoted by Beth Moore in Praying God’s Word, 138.

[11] From the last line of verse three, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”

Art & Photo Credits: http://www.worldhistory.org; http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.flickr.com; http://www.canva.com.

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Footsteps to the Horizon

Posted in Courage, Excellence, God's Faithfulness, God's Power, God's Protection, God's Provision, Heroes of the Faith, Perseverance, Service, Suffering, Uncategorized, Waiting on God, tagged Bruce Olson, Colombia, missionary, Motilone tribe on January 12, 2023| 42 Comments »

“This is your last chance!” shouted the leader of Columbian guerillas. “Join us, convince the Motilone to join us, and you will live. Otherwise, you are a dead man.”

The surrounding group of rebels aimed their guns at American missionary Bruce Olson. He fully expected to see Jesus in the next moment.

Of course, this was not the first time Bruce faced death during his twenty-seven years with the fierce Motilone tribe.

No sooner had he arrived in 1961, than Bruce was surrounded by tribal warriors who shot him in the leg with an arrow and took him captive. The guides who had led him to their village fled.

Bruce was just nineteen years old and had received no backing from any mission organization, because of his age and lack of training. But he’d seen a picture of the remote Columbian tribe and felt drawn to share with them about Jesus.

His own life had been wonderfully transformed by Christ, and Bruce desired that for others—especially for this people-group who knew nothing about Jesus.

(The Motilone live in northeastern Columbia and western Venezuela.)

Some would say, “Bruce must have misunderstood God’s plan. Otherwise, why would he experience calamity the minute he arrived?”

But look what God did.

First, the Motilone chief forbade the warriors to kill Bruce. Later he and his men would admit there was no reason to spare him; they just did.

The next day the chief’s son, Bobarishora, brought worms for Bruce to eat, which thankfully tasted like liquified bacon and eggs. In spite of the language barrier, Bruce and Bobarishora began to build a friendship.

The leg wound became infected. Bruce escaped and returned to civilization for treatment. But upon regaining strength, the young missionary went back to the tribe—only to contract dysentery and have to seek medical help again. He almost died in the effort.

For his third attempt to settle with the Motilone, Bruce brought medical supplies. The witch doctor took great interest in their healing powers and learned from Bruce how to use them. With Bobarishora and the witch doctor as allies, Bruce began to achieve acceptance in the tribe.

Over the next four years he learned the Motilone language and set about translating the New Testament into their language, putting to use his knowledge of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

Bobarishora, or “Bobby,” became the first to accept Jesus into his life. At a festival not long after, Bobby sang about the jungle trail of life, a metaphor familiar to the Motilone. Bobby explained he’d seen the footprints of God.

“There are many trails in the jungles,” he said. “But there is one trail that goes to the horizon.” (Bobby was referring to heaven.) “Christ came to walk that trail so we can walk in his footsteps.”[1]

It wasn’t long before many tribespeople had become Jesus-followers. They began sending their own missionaries to neighboring tribes to tell them about Christ.

The Motilone wanted to learn how to read and write, so Bruce started a school. He also set up a medical clinic, and led the effort to grow cacao, to help support the tribe.

(Cutting a cacao pod from the tree.)

Over time the proceeds helped finance 48 schools, more than 20 health clinics, 12 farming cooperatives, and numerous scholarships for Motilone students to attend high school and university.[2]

Then came the day in 1988 when 15 Communist guerillas kidnapped Bruce with the plan of forcing his cooperation, and convincing the Motilone to do so also. Bruce spent several months chained to a palm tree and became very ill. Somehow he survived.

One of the leaders asked Bruce to teach them how to read and write. They brought a book to Bruce, not knowing it was a New Testament. Bruce used it to teach the men to read, and many became Jesus followers.

Bruce’s health continued to deteriorate. The guerillas decided to give him a blood transfusion.

“I will give him some of my blood,” one rebel announced.

The next day he told Bruce that when he was a young child, the Motilone had given food to his widowed mother for three years, never asking for anything in return. “You saved my life,” he said, “Now, I save your life.”[3]

Months passed. No amount of mistreatment had convinced Bruce to help their cause.

One day a group stood him against a tree, announced his execution, and aimed their guns at him. But when they fired, Bruce remained unharmed. They’d shot blanks at him, expecting this final test to break him.

Sometime later one of the leaders told Bruce that capturing him had been a mistake. He hoped that Bruce could forgive them.

He promised the rebels would leave the Motilone alone, and Bruce could continue his work. After nine months of captivity, they released him.

As a result of Bruce’s long devotion to the tribe, more than 400 Motilone have graduated from high school, and over 30 from university, trained as physicians, accountants, translators, forest rangers, agriculturalists, and more. Still others have received technical training.

All have returned to their jungle communities to share their expertise within the tribe.

As of 2018, more than 70% of the Motilone tribe are following in Christ’s footsteps to the horizon.[4]

As for Bruce Olson, now 80, you’ll find him still working with the people of 18 different tribes and languages of the jungles.[5]