Year: December 1900
Jonathan Goforth-41 years old
Jonathan Goforth's Journal
I am tired. Completely exhausted.
Twelve other missionaries and my family have been on the run for days. We can't seem to escape the violence started by the Boxer Rebellion. Even the queen ordered all foreigners to be killed in the southern areas.
We had no place to hide.
On every corner, around each bend, and over every hill villagers threw rocks and sticks at us, stabbed knives and swords at us. I could barely walk. My one arm couldn't be used and I had a gaping wound on the back of my head. Our group had suffered terrible injuries. Some of our missionaries were critically injured.
We left our compound in northern China before the violence got out of control. The only port large enough to dock a boat able to sail far enough to get us out of the country was in Shanghai, which was located in southern China.
Between our compound and Shanghai, there was a river where we could hire a boat to take us to Shanghai. The river, though was many days journey away by ox and cart.
The last several posts I've told about the beatings we've endured. During one attack my son and a man from our group were separated from us. I don't know where they are. Those who helped us said we should keep going. They would look for my son and help him meet with us later.
There were many stories to tell about the journey to the river. Basically all the same. Villagers attacked. One or two had compassion and rescued us. We continued the journey in pain until attacked again. At last we reached the river. The Chinese who said they would help find my son did as they said. I couldn't believe my eyes when he and the man from our group met us shortly before we reached the river.
A captain agreed to take us part of the way to Shanghai. I paid him his fee. He order us to go below deck and stay hidden down there. He guided the ship down the center of the water lane. The Chinese along the river banks didn't know he had us on board. He was left alone.
We reached the destination the captain had promised. The harbor people would let him dock the boat, though. They yelled at him to keep going.
He had no choice. He ordered the deck hands to steer toward the center of the river and kept sailing. Although it wasn't in his plan, he ended up taking us all the way to Shanghai. God clearly had a plan to see us safely to Shanghai.
I paid the captain more money for the extra distance.
At last, we were in Shanghai. I and the others had been missionaries in the villages in the north for twelve years. My my. Shanghai had changed a lot since I was there. But that was another story.
Praise God, I am alive and have another story to tell.
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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