Year: summer 1888
Jonathan Goforth-29 years old
Jonathan Goforth's Journal
If you remember from last week, our journey here stirred our stomachs to the point of becoming seriously ill. The misfit ship we rode took us to Kobe, Japan where we found a much safer ship to take across the Yellow Sea to Shanghai, China.
Shanghai turned out to be much larger than any city I'd seen before. I had not seen such a busy place, people bustling around, business everywhere, much less one known as the jewel of China. This was the prime shipping area where East met West. A vibrant port like Paris or London or New York City.
Even though the new sights in Shanghai surprised me, I remained firm that I had come to China for a specific reason, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who didn't know the one true God. After all, I had prepared four years for this moment. I couldn't waste time on sightseeing.
Once the ship docked, I looked for a boardinghouse for Rosalind and me to sleep the night. The Canadian mission didn't have an office in Shanghai, and I couldn't speak the language, yet.
The China Inland Mission, you know, Hudson Taylor's mission, anyway I heard they had an office in Shanghai. We found their building, which is pretty amazing since we couldn't speak Chinese. As I expected, the missionaries warmly greeted us. "Goforth, come in. Is this your wife? You must be exhausted from your journey. Come in and have tea."
I let Rosalind walk in first. We were treated like honored guests.
The group of missionaries living in Shanghai came together to meet us that evening. The one in charge introduced us and gave me an opportunity to speak.
"Thank you for greeting us so warmly." I reached in my pocket and pulled out an envelope then handed it to the director. "This is money collected in Canada for the hungry here in China."
The director's eyes widened. "We really didn't expect this. Thank you so much. Please also convey our thanks to the people in Canada."
"We will. Now, where can we be of service? Rosalind and I are anxious to get to work."
The group chattered for a short time then quickly decided where the greatest need was. "We want you to go to the North Honan area. It's a stretch of land surrounded by the Yellow River, The Gobi Desert, and the East China Sea. Before you head there, though, we suggest you go to Chefoo to our mission station. It is four hundred fifty miles north of here on the coast. There you can learn the Mandarin language."
Rosalind and I smiled at each other. We had a plan. Chefoo first to learn Mandarin then on to our assignment in North Honan. I felt better already. Our life ministry finally felt real.
Jonathan has many stories to share. Come back each Monday to find out what happened next.
Resources Used for This Series
Being, Janet, and Geoff Benge. Jonathan Goforth: An Open Door in China. Seattle. WA: YWAM Pub., 2001.Print
Doyle, G. Wright. Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Protestant Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders. Eugene Oregon: Pickwick Pub, 2015. Print.
Goforth, Jonathan, and Rosaline Goforth, Miracle Lives of China, London" Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1931, Print.
Goforth, Jonathan. "By My Spirit" Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1942. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Climbing; Memories of a Missionary's Wife. Chicago: Moody Pub, n.d. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How I Know God Answers Prayers; The Personal Testimony of One Life-time, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1921. Print
Goforth, Rosalind. Jonathan Goforth. Minneapolis, MN: Bethan House, 1986. Print
Goforth, Rosalind, How God Answers Prayer: The Mighty Miracles of God from the Mission Field of Jonathan Goforth. USA: Revival, 2016. Print Original copyright not stated.
Jackson, Dave, and Neta Jackson. Mask of the Wolf Boy: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1999. Print.
McCleary, Walter. An Hour with Jonathan Goforth: A Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1938. Print.
Meloche, Renee Taft., and Bryan Pollard. Jonathan Goforth: Never Give up. Seattle, WA: YWAM, 2004. Print.
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