Blood

By Mary Vee
Year: December 1900

Jonathan Goforth-41 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind and I are missionaries in China. 

We had set up a strong compound in the northern sections of China and offered teaching to locals. Many men and women came daily. Some walked from far distances to hear the stories.

Unfortunately, a rebellion broke out in China called the Boxer Rebellion. The Chinese people banded together, searching for foreigners and rather than chasing them out of the country, they murdered them. So many foreigners didn't have a chance to leave.

We'd packed our belongings and set out for Shanghai. It would take several days walk to reach the city. After walking a few days, we found a village with an inn. We were tired and the women begged for us to rest.

We paid for the rooms. Then, before we could settle in, a crowd gathered and threw rocks at us. We hurried inside the inn. The owner wasn't happy to have the rocks hitting his inn. He changed his mind and asked us to leave. 

I tried to get the twelve people in our group together and to get out of the city, but no matter what I did, I was stopped by a storm of rocks.

Rosalind and the children had climbed onto the wagon. She held a pillow like a shield to protect the children the best she could.

A villager ran close to me and drew his sword. He stabbed my arm over and over. I shouted, "We only want to leave!" 

But the blood from my injuries only encouraged the mob. One picked up a large rock and threw it at the back of my neck. I tried to hold my balance. My legs wobbled. I didn't know what to do to save my family.

A horse reared and whinnied. The rider fell to the ground. The man rolled himself to a stand and drew his sword.

With anger burning in his eyes he rushed toward me. My legs collapsed. All I could see turned black.

I think I was knocked out for only a moment because when I opened my eyes, the horses front hoofs still flailed in the air, keeping attackers away from me.

I pushed myself up, and flopped back to the ground. I tried again to stand. A Chinese man came close to me, his sword drawn. He whispered, "Get you family out of here."

He wanted to help? I could barely think. My eyes struggled to focus. I looked up at the cart and called, "Rosalind, get the children and follow me. Now."

The mob, lead by the swordsman ran to the carts. They ripped our belongings out and overturned some of the other carts. "Hurry, Rosalind."


There is more to this story. Come back next time.

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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