Hamilton, E. H.

I am not afraid! The story of John W. Vinson, Christian martyr in China [cover title]

Nashville: Board of World Missions, [ca. 1949-50]. 7½" x 5¼", pp. 20; printed paper self-wrappers; light abrasions to wrappers, text clean and sound, very good. Six in OCLC, but three of vthese appear to be digital. "In November 1931, during a time of great lawlessness and anarchy in China, Vinson was captured by bandits while visiting one of his favourite churches at Yangjiaji village ... northern Jiangsu Province. The missionaries considered the village safe as it was surrounded by a high wall and protected by a garrison of 100 government troops. One Saturday night more than 600 bandits overwhelmed the soldiers, looted everything they could lay their hands on, raped young women and girls, and took about 150 people hostage, including Jack Vinson who was still dressed in his pyjamas. By the next day, November 4th, government militia were in hot pursuit of the bandits. When they caught up with the group, the bandits, scared of their impending fate, offered Vinson his freedom if he would talk to the troops and persuade them to withdraw. Before agreeing to this, Vinson demanded the release of all Chinese captives. The bandits “refused and tried to shoot their way out. In the melee many bandits were killed, and the survivors fled with Vinson. "The daughter of a Chinese pastor was one of the captives resucued by the Chinese troops. She recalled hearing a bandit threaten to kill Vinson. The man shouted, “I’m going to kill you. Aren’t you afraid?” The missionary calmly replied, “Kill me, if you wish. I will go straight to God.” They reached a stream with muddy banks that made it difficult to cross. Vinson was struggling to keep up because of a recent appendectomy, and he “fell on his face in exhaustion. The head bandit called back to his men to leave him there, but instead they shot him and brutally beheaded him. "Jack Vinson was the first Southern Presbyterian martyr in China. His decapitated body was found by missionary Edward Currie, who buried his colleague in a small cemetery at Liangyungang. The bullet that ended the 50-year-old Vinson’s life did not end his ministry. Vinson’s three children-who completed their education in America under the care of an aunt-all later became missionaries. The twin boys, Chal and Jack, served in China, while daughter Jean and her husband Bob Urquhart were a missionaries in Korea" (asianharvewst.org). Item #68370

Price: $125.00