Fifty Years in China with Griffith John

This is R. Wardlaw Thompson’s [1842-1916] detailed account of Griffith John’s fifty years of service in China with the London Missionary Society. My thanks to Redcliffe College for providing a copy of the book for digitisation. This title is in the public domain.

R. Wardlaw Thompson [1842-1916], Griffith John. The Story of Fifty Years in China. London: The Religious Tract Society, 1908. Hbk. pp.552. [Download complete book in PDF]

This book contains a superb contemporary map of China. Click on the map below for a larger image.

Contents

• Preface

1. Early Life and Training for Ministry
2. The Great Decision and the Open Door
3. Shanghai
4. In Journeyings Oft
5. The T’Ai-P-ing Rebels
6. Hankow at Last
7. The Power of the Preacher
8. Development and Extension
9. Yet Further Afield
10. In Defence of Missions
11. The First Furlough
12. Growing Work and Widening Influence
13. Evangelising by the Pen – Colportage
14. Hiau-Kan
15. Home Again
16. Sorrow – Anxiety – Honour
17. Translating the Scriptures
18. Years of Excitement and Change
19. Hunan
20. New Movements and the Old Missionary

• Index

Chapter 1. Early Life and Training For the Ministry

The life of a great missionary, who has spent many years and endured many perils in the prosecution of his great enterprise, who has become known and honoured in many circles beyond the Society with which he is most immediately connected, whose voice has been listened to and whose judgment has been respected by native leaders and British officials, cannot fail to present abundant material for interesting and profitable study. The story of his work, the expression of his opinions, the observation of his character, and the principles which have ruled his life are all of value.

To this has to be added, in the case of Griffith John, all the interest arising from the fact that he has spent the past fifty years in China. [Continue reading]