Talk:Seventh-day Adventist Church in China

Regarding revert
Regarding this, why is this particular church more notable than the hundreds (I would assume thousands) of other churches located in China? Also, the source is a dead link. BelloWello (talk) 17:49, 29 April 2011 (UTC)
 * What happened is important and arguably an example of what is happening. Sarcelles (talk) 17:54, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
 * I would argue that these stories are much more important:  . Frankly, I don't know the context of the story (since it is a deadlink) but it seems out of place. The adventist church gets along with the Chinese government quite well, so to find a single instance where something happened, that may or not be representative isn't exactly a very full picture.  BelloWello (talk) 20:10, 30 April 2011 (UTC)
 * This article ought not be considered competitive with other articles or other denomination's stories. All stories are important. The Adventist story is significant, as are other stories. They all are. If a story can be told with adequate sourcing, it is in the service of Wikipedia to tell the story. drs (talk) 15:15, 27 February 2012 (UTC)

Chronology for Adventism in China
This section is for the rendering of a chronology for Adventism in China. DonaldRichardSands (talk) 02:56, 21 January 2012 (UTC)

Results for "China" in Adventist World archive search

1888

The Adventist message came to China in 1888 with Abraham LaRue, a 66-year-old lay member. He began selling publications to people in Shanghai and Hong Kong. He also arranged to have the first Adventist tracts to be published in Chinese.

1894

While China was wracked by continuous war, Meiji Japan succeeded in rapidly modernizing its military and set its sights on Korea and Manchuria. At the request of the Korean emperor, the Chinese government sent troops to aid in suppressing the Tonghak Rebellion in 1894. However, Japan also sent troops to Korea, leading to the First Sino-Japanese War, which resulted in Qing China's loss of influence in the Korean Peninsula as well as the cession of Taiwan to Japan. 1898

Following this series of defeats, a reform plan for the empire to become a modern Meiji-style constitutional monarchy was drafted by the Guangxu Emperor in 1898, but was opposed and stopped by the Empress Dowager Cixi, who placed Emperor Guangxu under house arrest in a coup d'état.

1900

Further destruction followed the ill-fated 1900 Boxer Rebellion against westerners in Beijing.

1902 In 1902, Jacob N. Anderson (1867–1958) and his wife were sent to Hong Kong in Southern China. where they opened a school for Chinese children. When the Andersons arrived in Hong Kong they found Abram La Rue still selling church publications. They ministered to him in his last illness.

1903 Edwin H. Wilbur arrived in Canton and eight people were baptised in 1903.

1905 In 1905, Dr. Harry Willis Miller began publishing The Gospel Herald and later established four large hospitals.

1908

By the early 20th century, mass civil disorder had begun, and calls for reform and revolution were heard across the country. The 38-year-old Emperor Guangxu died under house arrest on 14 November 1908, suspiciously just a day before Cixi's own death. With the throne empty, he was succeeded by Cixi's handpicked heir, his two year old nephew Puyi, who became the Xuantong Emperor. Guangxu's consort became the Empress Dowager Longyu.

1912

In another coup de'tat, Yuan Shikai overthrew the last Qing emperor, and forced empress Dowager Longyu to sign the abdication decree as regent in 1912, ending two thousand years of imperial rule in China. She died, childless, in 1913.

The Qing Dynasty lasted until 1912, was the last dynasty in China.

Republic of China (1912–1949)
1937 The Japanese forces take over the Adventist property north of Shanghai.

1945 By the end of the Second World War, there were twenty-three thousand Seventh-day Adventist members in China with two hundred and sixty one churches.

1951

By 1951 the Seventh-day Adventist Church had 21,000 members among 276 churches, while fewer than 1 million Protestants lived among a population of 450 million.

1966-1976
Over the next 25 years(1951-1976), particularly during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), religions of all kinds were diminished; not a single public place of worship survived.

1980s In the northeastern province of Jilin, female pastor, Zu Xiu Hua, is in charge of a district of 20,000 members. When restrictions on religion were loosened in the 1980s, the church in that area experienced major growth for more than a decade.

2000-Present
2006

In September 2006 Benjamin and Esther Lau helped train the staff at the Adventist Mei Hwa Sanitarium in Gulangyu in Adventist medical concepts and practices. The island of Gulangyu is located in Fukien Province, on the southeast coast of China near the island of Taiwan. Church leaders from various regions of the country also came to receive training. Benjamin Lau, M.D., Ph.D., is emeritus professor, Loma Linda University Medical School; and Esther Lau, R.D., is a registered dietitian and nutritionist. The couple returned to the United States in January 2007.

2009

There are about 400,000 Seventh-day Adventists in The People's Republic of China. Many of the Adventist pastors in China are women. There are, or used to be, more than 350 SDA congregations in Jilin Province. Pastor Jan Paulsen, the Adventist world church president, visited China in 2009. There he said "so many things have changed in China over the last two decades, and while freedom -- the increase of freedom -- is difficult to compare, I am very, very grateful for the fact that so many changes have taken place in this country."

1889, La Rue describes his church work in China.
Review and Herald, February 5, 1889, p. 6

MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA.

IT is well known to many of the readers of the REVIEW that a little more than a year ago Bro. A. La Rue sailed from San Francisco to Hono- lulu, on his way to China, for the purpose of ex- tending a knowledge of the third angel's message to that distant land. We understand that through the kindness of sea-faring men whose ac- quaintance Bro. La Rue had previously formed while engaged in ship missionary labor, this voy- age was made with little or no cost for passage. Although not in vigorous health, and well ad- vanced in years, he undertook this long and dan- gerous voyage alone, to meet at his destination not the warm welcome of co-laborers and friends, but the cold reception of strangers in a far dis- tant, foreign, and to him unknown country. But God, who is ever mindful of the wants of those who trustingly devote, themselves and all that they have to his service, through his mer- ciful providence raised him up a companion and assistant. While on the passage, through his in- fluence one of the ship's company embraced the truth, and although not expecting to receive any remuneration, he has devoted his entire time since their arrival, to the missionary work, laboring in company with Bro. La Rue. Knowing that every one interested in the cause of present truth will be glad to hear from Bro. La Rue, we will give the following extract from a private letter from him. We also greatly desire that others may be inspired with the spirit to go and do likewise. The Glenshiel steamer has arrived, and 1 received tlie package of reading-matter, which was very acceptable. No doubt I shall be entirely out before I can get any more, as it takes so much, to supply the people here. Bro. Olsen and I went on board a vessel that came in from Australia two or three weeks ago, and we liad a long talk with the captain. Isold him "Thoughts on Daniel and the Bevelation," the " Great Controversy," and "Man's Nature and Destiny." At the second visit I sold him "Synopsis of Present Truth," and supplied him with an assortment of tracts. He tells me that he has already begun to keep the Sabbath. An American "bark has lately come in. The captain and his wife and daughter are reading, and I have strong hopes that they will accept the truth. They seem to be an excellent family. Many others are also reading our publications.  I have found three vessels here from New York, which have "Thoughts on Daniel and the Bevelation" on board. I sold "Man's Nature and Destiny" and " Great Controversy " to one of the captains. He is interested in our publications. I think I have spoken of Captain ————'s family before. I am in greatly in hopes that Mrs. ———— will accept the true teaching of God's word.  They live about a mile from here, on the mountain. I have sold her "Thoughts on Daniel and the Bevelation" and the "Great Controversy." I have talked with her, and shown her how near we are to Christ's coming. I would like to see the thousands of dollars that this family throw away simply to please the eye, go to forward the blessed cause of truth. If she should take her stand with us, it would open the way to get the truth before her friends, which at present is very difficult. Day before yesterday I had a visit from Eld. —:——, a Sabbath- keeper, and a very learned man. I talked with him about four hours, and learned some things that I am glad to know. Yesterday he took dinner with us. He dresses in the Chinese costume, and has traveled all over these heathen countries. To-morrow he leaves for Northern China. This is a very wicked country,(apologies) but I know that the Lord has some honest ones even here, who will accept this last message, and go through to the kingdom. The Rev. Mr. ————, one of the leading men here, preacher in the Union church, met me on the street and talked roughly to me, He acknowledged that he was tearing up and destroying our publications, and gave me to un- derstand that the whole thing would be stopped. But when we parted, he had mellowed down amazingly, and I have had no more trouble. They have found that threatening, coaxing, persuading, and hiring will not move me. They see that we have come to stay with them, and so it is now all right, at least with the major- ity. I have many friends, some even among the Catho- lics. I am greatly encouraged in the work here, and am trying to do it well and faithfully, leaving the results with the Lord. I know that he will take good care of every effort that is made. May he bless the work, and cause it to bring forth fruit, that his name may be glorified.

Review and Herald, February 5, 1889, p. 6

Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital
China Asks SDAs to Operate Hospital

Billionaire Hong Kong resident Sir Run Run Shaw has offered the People's Republic of China $9 million to help build a state-of-the-art hospital in Hangzhou if (and only if) China asks the Seventh-day Adventist Church to man- age and operate it for five years—and the General Confer- ence has received an official request to do so from the Chi- nese Government. Sir Run Run Shaw had been a patient of Dr Harry Miller, the famous Adventist pioneer who be- came known as "China Doctor." He has also seen Adventist-operated hospitals in Hong Kong and throughout the Far East. According to GC president Pastor Neal C. Wilson, acceptance of the proposal would involve the need to raise about $1.25 million annually to finance salaries of key health professionals and staff. Pastor Wilson spoke of the tremendous opportunity to provide such help for China—particularly in an area where a large concentration of Chinese Adventists live. But he also listed the risks, in- cluding the financial challenge, since no money is in hand to undertake such a major commitment.

http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/AAR/AAR19890520-V94-19__C/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=11

1937, China Carries On
China Carries On, 1937, Japanese military in China

LETTERS from our leaders in China bring to us vivid glimpses of Christian cour.age and heroism on the part of our workers, in the midst of the chaos and bloodshed that has engulfed that land. Knowing that our people every- where are deeply interested in the condition of our work and the welfare of our workers in the war area, we are glad to pass along, through the columns of the REVIEW, excerpts from letters which have recently been received.

After the evacuation of our workers from Shanghai, there were left in the city only C. C. Morris, E. L. Longway, Dr. C. L. Dale, and Frederick Griggs. On September 16 we received a letter from Professor Griggs, dated September 3, telling of conditions in Shanghai:

"Yesterday," he writes, "we tried to get into the Clinic to remove more of the equipment, but could not. We have an operating light there worth $ 1,000 Shanghai currency, which we need for the operating room in the building which we have rented in Frenchtown, and there are many other valuable appliances we want to get. The Japanese were occupying the Clinic; had about one hundred soldiers in it. It has been hit by shells, and there are three or four big holes in the building. The front of the Clinic has suffered most. Every door in the building was locked when we left, but every door was broken open. The Japanese have used only beds and mattresses. Many of the beds were destroyed by shells, but there were about one hundred that were usable. They had evidently used some of the mat- tresses to make barricades behind which to fight. All of our one hundred fifty mattresses are about ruined; in fact, they say that the building looks like a shambles throughout. We are trying again today to get in, hoping to find more of our equipment.

"We are also endeavoring to get out to Ningkuo Road. There are valuable papers in the vault that we want to reclaim. We doubt our ability to get into either of these places. Practically every soul save the Japanese has been driven out of the Yangtzepoo district, as well as the whole territory north and east of Soochow Creek; and yet the Chinese are right up against the Settlement. Our men said that when they were at Ningkuo Road the other day, Chi- nese bullets from across Ward Road were whistling over- head. The Japanese soldiers told them that while every building we had in that compound was injured, the office had suffered most. Shells have gone into it, practically ruin- ing the second and third stories on the Ward Road side. It is evident that as soon as we left the place, the Japanese came in— that was three weeks ago today. They evidently entrenched themselves in the office building, from which to fire on the Chinese across Ward Road; so naturally the Chinese shelled their position.

"We have made proper representations to the American Consulate of the situation as a basis of claims. We are desirous of getting into the compound, not only to get valu- able papers in the vaults, but valuable material for our publishing work from the Press. While the consul ordered our men out of Ningkuo Road and made them sign the receipt of the order, yet no one believed it would be as serious as it has proved to be, else greater effort would have been made to remove our valuable papers. We all thought that in the course of a few days we would be back. Now we know better."

At the time he was writing, Professor Griggs said that the scene of battle had shifted from the immediate vicinity of the International Settlement to the Yangtze, anywhere from fifteen to twenty-five miles away,. though "every day," he continues, "we hear the roar of guns from the ships and near-by batteries. It is rather astonishing how accustomed we become to the noise of war. Our reading or our talking goes on as if bombs and shells were not being hurled around us. They do wake us at night, and there is a bombardment practically every night; but if it lasts any (Continued on page 20)length of time, we turn over and go to sleep. The most uncomfortable feeling is that unsettled wonderment about how long before, and when and where, it will end, so that we can settle down to normalcy again. Practically all the buildings in the central part of the Settlement are boarded up, though during the last week some, but not many, have had the boards taken down from the windows.

"The food problem is not so serious as we feared, some two weeks ago, that it would be. The Shanghai municipal council is bringing in rice and provisions. Water has been available, but the gas has been shut off for two weeks. It is reported that it will be turned on tomorrow. One serious trouble is with the mails. American ships have taken mail from America down to the Philippines, brought it back, taken it to Japan, and an American gunboat has taken mail for America to Japan to tranship there. But we are all ofgood courage, and are doing our very best to carry on."

Later word tells of a visit C. C. Morris was finally per- mitted to make to the division headquarters compound on Ningkuo Road. He was successful in getting out some rec- ords and some personal effects, but no furniture. The Japa- nese were still occupying the buildings.

Our China Training Institute at Chiao Tou Tseng, near Nanking, and about one hundred miles from Shanghai, was evacuated September 2, leaving only F. A. Landis and P, E. Quimby there to look after the property. Just a week later, these brethren felt it advisable to leave the school, so there are at present no Americans there. Brethren Landis, Quimby, and Blandford, all teachers at the school, are now located, with their families, at Hong Kong. C. L. Woods, also a member of the school staff, is coming home on fur- lough.

Professor Griggs writes that they are doing everything possible to hold the work together. Conditions in East China, of course, make aggressive efforts there impossible. The work in Manchuria is being maintained. In South China, though there is a very unsettled feeling everywhere, the work is going forward. The work in North China is very badly broken up. Dr. C. E. Randolph, who was located at Kalgan, in the north section, got out with his family safely, and is now assisting in the Yencheng Hos- pital, Central China. Miss Josephine Holmes, a Bible worker in North China, is also now in Central China. Very soon after the outbreak of hostilities, W. J. Harris, superintendent of the North China Union, started on a trip to his field, to do what he could to organize and steady the situation. He brought back good news, relayed to us in a letter from S. L. Frost, secretary of the China Division, dated September 22, as follows:

"This morning word comes from Brother Harris, who has returned to Tientsin, having touched at Tsingdao and Tsinan, and is now at the Savoy Hotel at Tientsin. He wires for us to return to North China the Randolph family, the Holly family, and Miss Holmes, as he says Peiping is normal again and our work is intact. This is good news."

The dark picture of our headquarters buildings bombed, much valuable equipment in our medical institutions un- available and probably destroyed, and our school cam- puses in the war area deserted, is offset by the noble efforts of the workers to hold the work together and carry it for- ward, even under most trying conditions. The China Division headquarters has been set up in Hong Kong, in a large rented room, into which desks and typewriters for the office force and the publishing house workers have been moved. Brother Frost, in a letter dated September 8, tells of their present working arrangements:

"O. A. Hall is acting as chairman of this group in Hong Kong. We have seven or eight members of the China Division committee located right here at Hong Kong, and one or two others due to come soon. Brother Griggs also is on the water, headed this way. We have already begun getting copy ready for the Signs of the Times magazine, the Shepherd, the Sabbath school supplies (all these in Chinese), the programs for the home missionary and the Missionary Volunteer Societies, and we will also publish the English Reporter here. We are getting figures today on these papers. We shall do the editorial work in our office here, also proofreading, and probably mailing and ad- dressing, but will have the printing work done by some local firm. We are today trying to get permission to send out this published material, as ordinarily one has to deposit quite a large sum of money to do any publishing work in Hong Kong. Our men are working on this question before we can take steps to print."

Later word received informs us that satisfactory ar- rangements have been made to handle the printing which the brethren are desiring to do, and that work is now going forward.

Under date of September 22, S. L. Frost tells further of their arrangements for carrying forward in Hong Kong the work which was so suddenly interrupted in Shanghai:

"The Far Eastern Academy opens (in Hong Kong) to- morrow, the 22d, on the Kowloon side, in a country loca- tion, where we rented a country estate. Students from various centers are already in. Ten students are due from Manila on the 24th. Another group from Central China is due tomorrow. Others are en route from Singapore. "A language school for the study of the Chinese language is opening officially the 4th of October, but work is al- ready going on. Matriculation of those not of our faith is being made, and it would seem as if there is opportunityof doing a good work for our missionaries who need to study Chinese."

After remaining in Shanghai for some time after trouble had started, Professor Griggs made a trip down to Hong Kong, and then to Manila, planning to return by way of Hong Kong and later go on to Hankow, where the big new Wuhan Sanitarium is now under construction. On September 22 he wrote from Manila:

"I arrived here Sunday morning, and went that after- noon to Baguio, where are fifteen or twenty of our people. I found them very glad to see me, and anxious to talk about our work in China and the possibility of their going back into their field. There is nothing about evacuation that is desirable. The evacuees all have to put up with a lack of home comforts, but I found every one of our people in good spirits, and anxious to return to China. It has taken no effort whatever to bring any of them to the place of being willing to return, even though at Baguio, while they lack home comforts, they do have many en- joyable things, such as the cool weather.

"Dr. L. H. Butka and John Shull are planning to return to Shanghai as quickly as they can. They are both going with me on the 'President Jackson,' sailing tomorrow. They can be used to advantage in the medical work there. From all I learn since I left Shanghai, the medical work is de- veloping in good shape, but Doctor Butka is needed for surgical work and Brother Shull to look after the financial interests. I found both men agreeable to the ' idea of returning to Shanghai. Mrs. John Shull, Mrs. C. E. Randolph, Miss Ethel Porter, and Miss Matilda Follett, all nurses, are also returning for medical service in Shanghai.

"Before I felt Shanghai, consideration was being given to helping to care for the destitute people of that city. Just as I was leaving Hong Kong, we had a letter from Brother Morris, saying that they were undertaking to give two meals a day of rice and vegetables to 300 homeless, helpless children, and to teach them as opportunity would offer. We are endeavoring to secure the money with which to do this."

Every letter received from our workers in China sounds a note of courage, in spite of the many perplexing prob- lems which they are facing. The work is the Lord's, and He will preserve it.

World problems and perplexities which baffle human wisdom and ingenuity are all open and clear before the Lord. He sees the end from the beginning, while we, with our faithful missionaries and people across the seas, must follow on by faith. In order to strengthen that faith, He has given us in His word and through the Spirit of proph- ecy assurances and encouragements that meet the needs of this very hour in which we live. We are reminded of the following statement from the Spirit of prophecy: "In the great closing work we shall meet with perplexities that we know not how to deal with; but let us never forget that the three great powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the wheel, and that God will bring His prom- ises to pass. He will gather from the world a people who will serve Him in righteousness."— "Testimonies," Vol. VIII, p. 254. A. W. CORMACK.

http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH19371028-V114-43__B/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=24

Vol. 114, No. 43 Takoma Park, Washington, D.C., October 28, 1937 One Year, $2.50 Published by the Seventh-day Adventists. Printed every Thursday by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, at Takoma Park, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. Entered as second-class matter, August 14, 1903, at the post office at Washington, D.C., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.