Jonathan Goforth- His Last Breath

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1936

Jonathan Goforth 77 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind, and I are missionaries in Manchuria. I will always say that whether I happen to be whether China, in Canada or another country.

In all the years I have been in Asia, I have never wanted to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China and, as it turns out, Manchuria, about the living God who loves them. 

My 77 years and Rosalind's 70's tattle on us with health problems. Dear Rosalind was so ill we had to return to Canada for intensive medical treatment. 

I am not a sit around kind of person and was anxious to speak at meetings while we were in Canada. If I spoke honestly, I hoped we would return to Manchuria.

A speaking schedule was set up for me. I went to ten meetings a week on average sharing the work in Manchuria and encouraging anyone to go and share the message of the living God who loves the world.

Thousands attended those meetings. One night after a meeting went especially late, I went straight to bed. Rosalind had recovered from her illness by this time. She helped me get comfortable. Before I close my eyes, I am going to give my pen to Rosalind. I'm tired. So very tired.


~~~
Hi. My name is Rosalind Goforth. I am finishing these words that my husband started. During the night he went to be with Jesus. He had a smile on his face even with being tired. Jonathan truly loved his work in China and I couldn't have been any happier being by his side.

We had a funeral for him at Knox Church in Toronto, the same place where he once said he would give his life to work for Christ in China. 

The service lasted a long time with many speakers wanting to step up to the podium and tell of Jonathan's work. 

They spoke about Jonathan's love and kindness. His determined spirit even after going blind. Everyone who spoke seemed to feel Jonathan Goforth was China's greatest evangelist who raised up many thousands of Chinese Christians now believing in The Living God.

Our lives have been blessed, even in the hardships, by a living God who truly loved us and took care of us. Both Jonathan and I hope you know Him too.





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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-The Great Depression Stopped Funds But Not the Work

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1934

Jonathan Goforth 75 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

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

In all the years I have been in Asia, I have never wanted to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China and as it turns out, Manchuria, about the living God who loves them. 

It is June. A letter came in the mail. One I was very sad to read. Even with all the news we've sent about the good happening here in Manchuria, the mission board had decided to slash funds supporting the pastors, missionaries, and churches here in Manchuria.

The Great Depression hit America and Europe. Funds were at an all time low. There just wasn't the money to send.

I have to admit, the news concerned me deeply. I thought I would have to tell all the pastors they would have to leave their churches and the doors closed. We wouldn't be able to support them any longer. Just thinking about what would happen to the forty churches we'd set up broke my heart.

But I had to tell the churches.

I went to the first church and during a service explained to the people that money would not be sent to pay for their pastor any longer. I honestly didn't know how they would respond. I was ready for the worst, whatever that would be.

Instead the people from the first church and the other 39 churches said they would pay for their pastor and the other expenses for their church. It was a huge responsibility for them with their limited income. By the end of 1934, not one pastor had to leave or go hungry, in fact, 966 new believers joined the churches. 

I hadn't realized it at the time. But thinking back, I feel God wanted to test the faith of these Chinese people. Would they be willing to give some of what they had to support the church. The answer was an amazing yes.


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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-The Girl Who Conquered Twenty Bandits

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1933

Jonathan Goforth 74 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

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

In all the years I have been in Asia, I have never wanted to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China and as it turns out, Manchuria, about the living God who loves them. 

I have so many stories to tell about what God has done for the people here. How He has shown people, even in hardship that He is present and will care for them.

The Japanese have taken rule of Manchuria. The man in charge only does what the Japanese tell him to do. Many Japanese bandits have come here to rob the people.

These bandits have said they hated anything foreign. They've murdered Chinese Christians and burned churches to the ground. What brings tears of joy is seeing Christians standing firm in their belief. 

I visited a church in Fanchiatun which is north of Szepingkai. Two girls, cousins, one age fourteen the other twelve, told me what happened to them.

"It was three weeks ago," Sun Wen's story started. "My mother, she yelled to us to run out of the house. Japanese bandits came to our home. We all ran toward the backyard. I looked for my cousin, Sun Guang and didn't see her. I sneaked back to the house and looked for her when I heard a loud noise at the door. The Japanese shouted, wanting the door to be opened. 

"I called for my cousin from the kitchen until she answered. She was hiding in the storage room. It was too late for me to run to her. I didn't know what to do. I knelt on the floor and prayed.

"The door burst opened. I counted twenty men pushing to get inside our home. The leader saw me. He grabbed my hair and yelled, 'where is your father?' When I didn't answer he put his hands around my throat and shouted, 'where is your father. Tell me now or I will kill you.' I said, 'I don't know.' And I didn't because I wasn't sure which way my family ran."

Her eyes closed tightly for a moment. She wiped a tear then said, "My answer made the bandit angry." She touched her neck. "He squeezed my throat and yelled, 'You're lying. Tell me the truth.' 

"It was so hard to speak but I managed to say, 'I am not lying. I am a Christian.' I don't know how or why but the idea came for me to sing to him. 'You would like to hear me sing.' These words confused him. He stood back and looked strangely at me. I sang 'Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.' Even as they threw our things into a pile, opened cupboards and grabbed my family's things, I kept singing. I thought no one was listening.

"When I finished the song, though, several of the bandits said, 'Sing more.' I remembered Sun Guang in the storage room and said, 'I love singing. My cousin who is in the other room can sing even better.' I called her to come out. 

"We sang the second verse of Jesus loves me and the chorus together in harmony. When we finished the song, the leader said, 'We have to stop. Put everything back where you found it.' The men looked at him like he was crazy, but they obeyed. After they put everything back, the leader took money from his pocket and gave it to us."

I said, "Weren't you afraid of them or what they would do?"

A beautiful smile came and she said, "Why no. I knew Jesus was with me no matter what happened."

You see? These are the stories that give me the life and breath to want to tell everyone I see about the living God who loves them.

I could never tire of hearing them. 

This doesn't mean that God always brings these happy endings. Bad things happen even to those who believe in God. That is part of life here on earth. But if we endure to the end with a love for God, we will be with Him in heaven where there will be no more evil.


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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-Bliindness Wouldn't Stop Him

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1933

Jonathan Goforth 74 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

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

In all the years I have been in Asia, I have never wanted to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China and as it turns out, Manchuria, about the living God who loves them. 

It is 1933, I am 74 years old and want to do so much more for God.

Rosalind and I were happily doing God's work in China. We took more vacations. My kind of vacation. We returned to our first mission station in Changte and saw our friends. I spoke at 4 meetings every day. More than 800 people showed on average. 

Each day was a blessing. Then one March day I felt this terrible sensation in my left eye, the only good eye I had. Everything became blurry. I called my wife Rosalind, who happened to be a nurse. She saw the problem was serious enough to go to a big city for help.

The doctor in Peking said I had a detached retina in my left eye. He operated several times, none of them helped. I soon realized that I was permanently blind in both eyes. 

Going blind is a dramatic shock. A person no longer sees the daylight, or the moonlight. Time has to be thought of in a completely different way. I talked with God for several days looking for comfort. He reminded me I had read through the entire Bible over 70 times and memorized large passages.

Visitors came to see me. They ended up telling me about their troubles. Because I knew the Bible passages for memory I was able to tell each one a verse of comfort or advise. 

I soon saw that I was not useless. I could still tell people about the God who loves them.

I saw that blindness could not rob me of my work for God.

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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-The Manchurian Harsh Plague

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1929

Jonathan Goforth 70 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. 

We live in Manchuria at this time. A place where many Chinese have fled, hoping for a peaceful life. So many people longed to hear about the living God who loves them. The need is very great for workers and we couldn't be any happier about a Bible college in northern China who sent sixty graduates.

We didn't have the space or funds to care for their needs, but we knew God would provide. Somehow.

Days later we received a lot of mail. Many had checks inside from people we'd never told about the sixty missionaries. The money was enough to take care of all the new Chinese missionaries coming to help us. 

A month later the sixty arrived. We put them to work right away. There was so much to do, and they lightened the load. 

More people came to hear about the God who loved them. We needed even more workers. So we prayed. 

More workers helped more people to hear who tell others so that more workers were needed. How could anything be better?

Well, as we know things happen in life. The harsh winter brought a plague. People ran out of fuel to warm themselves. I told all of our workers that we must keep a fire roaring in the big hall where we hold services at all times. We invited people in who were freezing in the streets. They came and sat, warming themselves, so grateful. While they sat they listened to what Jesus did for them. They stayed long hours asking questions and wanting us to tell them more. I loved each day.

In time, Rosalind and I suffered physical problems that took us back to Canada for treatment. I really didn't like leaving the work behind. Sometimes it's difficult to understand that God will send others to do the work. We left 30 evangelist and church workers to do the work.

I can't wait until we are better and can return!



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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-Manchurian Railway

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1924

Jonathan Goforth-65 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 desired to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China about the living God who loves them. 

I recently had my 65th birthday. At my age, friends, family, and those who know of me asked if I planned to retire.

I just couldn't see myself sitting in a rocking chair doing nothing with my day. Or golfing, or anything like that because my life had a meaning. I was alive for a reason and I believed God asked me to tell people about Him.

When I asked the mission board to go back to China, I learned they had too many bills to pay and had planned to call several missionaries back home to save money. They wanted to combine stations in China. One station they planned to close was mine.

The news made me very sad. I couldn't give up. I searched for places that didn't have missionaries. Some place I could start a church. Maybe a place that had been overlooked, or where missionaries didn't want to go.

I heard about a new railway stretching across Manchuria. Chinese who wanted to escape their country's political problems were moving there and starting villages along the railroad. 

I told the mission board about this need and asked if I could go. This time I received permission. And to my great surprise three students from the college I'd attended said they wanted to go too. What a team we would make? They wouldn't be able to speak the language well, Rosalind and I could. We wouldn't be able to do some of the physical activity, they could. I was really excited.

Living in Canada gave us a lot of experience with winter storms. We arrived in Manchuria in January. A terrible blizzard arrived the same day. This storm was much worse than we had experienced in Canada. We stopped at an inn and let Alan from our group scout ahead.

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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-Honored Soldiers

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1924

Jonathan Goforth-65 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 desired to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China about the living God who loves them. 

I am 65 years old today. 

I'm going to tell you my birthday wish. I wish I could serve God here in China another 20 years.

Yeah. I don't regret one minute of my service here. I want you to know, things haven't been full of spender. We've had the lion share of illness and tragedy, but, looking back, I would do it all again if I could.

It's letters from General Feng that remind me how God has changed the lives of those who have believed in Him. General Feng inclosed an article from a newspaper. That reporter wrote:

In the past we civilians have suffered at the hands of our own soldiers. While it is expected that we should feed them, Chinese soldiers have seized our houses and public buildings for their own use. They have taken items that are precious and dear to us, they have taken our wives and daughters and mistreated them terribly. 

One general, who used to do and allowed his men to do these same things has changed in a big way. When General Feng and his men march through a city now, they don't disturb buildings or the people. No one is harmed, taunted, harassed, stolen from, or beaten. The men camp outside of town, even the general does! They buy everything that they need and no one is forced to give them what they want. The people are so happy and honored to have these men as their soldiers.

Wow! I am continually amazed at the power of God in people's lives. 


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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth-The Epic Power of One Letter

By Mary Vee
Year: summer 1920

Jonathan Goforth-61 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 desired to do anything else with my life than to tell the people in China about the living God who loves them. 

The year is 1920 and life is prosperous in much of the world, except here in north central China. I'm so sad to say that due to weather there has been a terrible famine here. Between thirty and forty million people are starving.

We don't have the technology that you have in modern days. It hasn't been invented yet. One of the biggest problems we face is letting those who could help know about a need. A letter takes time to get across the ocean. And that is only one letter in one language. Millions of starving people need a lot more help than what one letter could do. 

All the missionaries working in the area stopped their normal work to care for the physical needs of the starving people. I went too. Rosalind couldn't go with me. She was ill.

What I didn't know at the time was what she did while I was gone.

 This is a Mimeograph machine. Photo Courtesy

God gave her the idea to quickly write a letter, not to any one person, but to anyone who could read it. She then took it to a neighbor who had a mimeograph machine. Hah, you don't know what that is, right? Well, in our days we could etch, carve letters into a sheet with a purple substance. That purple sheet was placed on a drum with a handle. We turned the handle causing ink to fill in the carved areas and print the words onto paper. This is what we used before copy machines. 

Any way, Rosalind made 150 copies. Then she took those copies to every foreign missionary in the area that she could find. Those missionaries then translated the letter into other languages. Within 24 hours the letter had been mimeographed, distributed to local missionaries, translated into many languages, and sent out to the world.

In an amazing amount of short time, money arrived from all over the globe to help feed the starving people. Food was bought in areas not affected by the famine and sent to the hungry people.

And because the money came to the missionaries who then bought and delivered food, the Chinese people began to trust them and listen to their messages about the One True Living God who loves them.

Remember Changte is a central big city in this area where the starving people lived. We set up tents for the people to gather. Even with the bitter cold temperatures of winter, the people, thankful because of the help, came to hear about a God who loved them. Over three thousand people placed their believe in the living God during that winter.

All from a letter that God asked Rosalind to write when she was ill.

Wow! I am continually amazed at what God can do. 


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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Jonathan Goforth- 180 from Tyrant

By Mary Vee
Year: August 1915

Jonathan Goforth-56 years old

Jonathan Goforth's Journal

My name is Jonathan Goforth. My wife, Rosalind, and I are missionaries in China and we are having an exciting time telling the people here about a living God who loves them. 

I must admit, that as I get older, the diseases that run rampant here in China catch up to me quicker. I have been ill, but kept working, more than I should have. I became so weak the doctor admitted me to the hospital and said if I returned to the fast-paced work in Changte where the weather was harsh, I would be committing suicide.

I didn't want to do that, of course. So, for a time I agreed to return to my home in Canada with my family. All our supporters told us to retire. They tried to encourage us by saying we had worked hard and had accomplished a lot.

In truth, I just wasn't ready to stop. The fire still blazed inside me to return to China and tell more people about the living God who loved them. 

When I asked to return, the mission board agreed only if I went to a location farther south where the weather would be gentler on my system. They suggested Kikungshan which is located on a high plateau three hundred miles south of Changte. I agree.

At the end of our furlough, we returned to China and wanted to spend time settling into our new home and see what new ministry we could have there.

One morning, I received a message from a General Feng. I knew him from long ago. During the Boxer Rebellion he wanted to show his enthusiasm for the Chinese cause by ridding the country of foreigners. He was a very cruel man who searched for any foreigner. He showed no mercy when burning homes with men, women, and children inside. He laughed when gunning down foreigners. And, his tyrant behavior gained him the position in the army that he wanted. 

He continued his cruel, unforgiving ways into leadership with his men who learned to despise him with fear instead of honoring him with respect for great leadership. As the years passed, though, General Feng couldn't get the memory of one woman out of his mind. Her name was Miss Morrell.

Miss Morrell, a young missionary stood outside the mission compound and pleaded with him to take her life in exchange for the others inside. He killed her--then set all the buildings on fire, trapping all those missionary families, men, women, and children.

No one had given their life for him as she offered for the others with her. No one had given so much for him. 

As far as he knew. 

Her face. Her words. Her voice appeared again and again in his memory. The Boxer Rebellion ended, and General Feng had questions. What drove this woman to do that? He heard about a gathering of Christians and went to get his questions answered. And when he heard those answers, he became a new man. One who believed in the living God who truly loved him and had given His Son to take the punishment for the sins of everyone, including him.

General Feng became an advocate for missionaries. He sent a message to me, asking me to speak to his officers. I spoke with him and was amazed at the 180 he made in his life. Over four thousand soldiers who served under General Feng chose to believe in the living God and were baptized at the meetings he set up for me to speak at.

Wow! I am continually amazed at what God can do. 


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.

.

Let Jonathan hear from you!

Leave a comment below.