Jonathan Goforth-The Unexpected Letter

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1926

Jonathan Goforth-67 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind, and I are missionaries in China. In all the years I have been here, I have never wanted to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China about the living God who loves them. 

The mission board gave me permission to return to China and search for villages and cities that did not have any missionaries present. Rosalind and I traveled throughout the country for two years. We then went to Manchuria and found many new villages. Places built by Chinese who wanted to escape the problems in their country.

Three young missionaries joined us in Manchuria. We were so excited to tell people about Jesus. 

The day we arrived a terrible blizzard came.

We received letters from home right away telling us we were crazy for doing this. They said an old man and his sick wife shouldn't be in such a place. But, deep down, I knew I was in the right place. I couldn't have been happier any where else. 

I might get a terrible illness here, I could get sick back in Canada too. I might fall or get injured. The same could happen in Canada. Why not use these years God has given me to do his will and tell people who might otherwise not hear about a God who truly loves them. No. I am happy to be in Manchuria, even in a blizzard.

Not everyone tried to talk us into going back to Canada. Young Allan from Toronto, Annie from Holland, and Nancy from New Zealand asked to come help us.

May of 1927, we held our first church service in a building we rented. There were rooms for us to sleep, a huge room to hold the church service. Everything we needed all in one building.

The hall filled every night. Word spread about the meetings. We had to hold more services to meet the need On average 12 people per day put their faith in the living God who loves them. By June 1, two hundred people had formed the new church. 

There wer so many opportunities. I knew the mission didn't have money but we needed workers.  I wrote a letter to the board telling them all the great things God had done in Manchuria. The building, the many people who put their faith in God, the church. I was convinced they would change their mind and send missionaries to help. 

They wrote back impressed with the news, but unwilling to send anyone else because of financial problems. The news stunned all of us. When I told Rosalind she said, "Well, God will have to find another way to send help."

The next morning during prayer time, I remembered an old friend, Dr. Hayes who had a Bible college in North China. I wrote to him and asked if any of the graduating class might consider coming to help us.

Something quite funny happened next. The day after I sent the letter I received one from Dr. Hayes. It would have been impossible for him to have received my envelope so soon. His letter said, "The Chinese have closed the doors to all missionary work, even from their own people. Do you have any work for the sixty graduates?" I laughed so hard Rosalind and the others came running to hear what had happened.

"Look what God did!!" I showed them the letter.

Rosalind, my very practical wife said, but we only have room to care for two, maybe three.

I hugged her. "Rosalind, God is sending sixty workers. I think He can find a way to house and feed them."


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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