God’s Deliverance from the Boxer Uprising

Alexander R. Saunders, A God of Deliverances. The Story of the Marvellous Deliverances Through the Sovereign Power of God of a Party of Missionaries, When Compelled by the Boxer Rising to Flee From Shan-Si, North China The Boxer Uprising (a.k.a. the Yihequan Movement) of 1899-1901 was one to the darkest hours for missionaries in China. This little book recounts how some of the China Inland Mission workers were able to escape the hands of the Boxers. My thanks to OMF International-UK for their kind permission to place this book on-line and to Redcliffe College for providing a copy to scan. This title is copyright OMF International-UK.

Alexander R. Saunders, A God of Deliverances. The Story of the Marvellous Deliverances Through the Sovereign Power of God of a Party of Missionaries, When Compelled by the Boxer Rising to Flee From Shan-Si, North China. London: China Inland Mission, [1901]. Hbk. pp.88. [Click to download complete book in PDF]

Preface by Rev J. Hudson Taylor, M.R.C.S., F.R.G.S.

Before the Riot
The Flight to the Yamen
Within a Step of Death
Our Second Riot
A Spectacle to Men and to Angels
Prisoners of the Lord
Two Martyrs
Wonders at the Yellow River
Sorrow Upon Sorrow
Safe Home at Last

Chapter 1 0 – Before the riot

”Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you.”-1 Peter iv. 12.

The city of P’ing-yao was opened as a station by the China Inland Mission in 1888. Being the banking centre for China, its position is important, and it subsequently became the business centre for the C.I.M. in Central Shan-si. During the twelve years of missionary work in this station, 133 persons have been baptized. With these Christians organised under eight separate congregations, all paying their own expenses, and in two cases with chapels mort-gaged by native contributions, and with nearly 100 candidates waiting for baptism, the Lord’s work had never seemed more encouraging than just prior to the Boxer rising.

In consequence of information received concerning the Boxer troubles in Shan-tong, I was led, during the earlier part of the year, to speak much to the Christians on the subject of persecution and affliction for Christ’s sake, and one cannot but praise God for having been led so to do. [Continue reading]