AFTER THAT THERE ARE not many more letters.
We do praise the Lord for the privilege of being here [John wrote to Mr. Gibb from Tsingteh]. The district seems quite peaceful now, though there are rumors of rice-stealing in country places.... As to our work, we are praying that the Lord will help us to build wisely and truly here. We certainly do start from just about scratch.
They were living in a large old Chinese house that had been adapted for a missionary Their cook and woman servant were friends, and when a couple of stoves had been installed they suffered less from the cold of winter. It was the end of November when they reached Tsingteh, and having but little with them in the way of belongings it did not take long to settle in. And what a joy was to be in a home of their own, where witnesses for Christ were so much needed!
While still a girl in college, Betty had written to one of her young brothers:
Nobody can force a single soul, Christian (so-called) or heathen, to turn to Christ. All that the followers of Jesus have to do, all they can do, is to lift up Christ before the world, bring Him into dingy corners and dark places of the earth where He is unknown, introduce Him to strangers, talk about Him to everybody, and live so closely with and in Him that others may see that there really is such a Person as Jesus, because some human being proves it by being like Him. That is positively all the Lord asks us to do for Him, because He Himself does all the rest.
Jesus isn’t dead, you see. He is still on earth and in Heaven all the time. He’s perfectly able to talk with people, and He is more powerful and more perfect even than He was on earth long ago. He is still watching and working for the salvation of the whole world. Only He can’t get in touch with any human being until that person asks Him in to talk with him. And no one can ask Him in, if he has never heard of Him. That is where our work comes in—to introduce strangers to Christ; only, on His side, no one is a stranger, for Jesus knows and loves everybody.
“To introduce people to Christ,” and to let Him live that others cannot help seeing Jesus—this was Betty’s ambition, even more than formerly. On a piece of trampled paper, in that home in Tsingteh that had been so happy, where Christ had so truly lived, the following lines were found a little later. They were signed with her girlhood name, Elisabeth A. Scott.
Open my eyes, that I may see
This one and that one needing Thee,
Hearts that are dumb, unsatisfied,
Lives that are dead, for whom Christ died.
Open my eyes in sympathy,
Clear into man’s deep soul to see;
Wise with Thy wisdom to discern,
And with Thy heart of love to yearn.
Open my eyes in faith, I pray;
Give me the strength to speak today,
Someone to bring, dear Lord, to Thee:
Use me, O Lord, use even me.
And so the end drew near—utterly unexpected, and yet prepared for in God’s own wonderful way. On the last day of their home life together (December 5) John was writing friends in Paterson:
Things are always happening otherwise than one expects.... The Lord help us to be quite satisfied, whatever He sends our way this day. Whether our hopes for study or work are realized or not, may He help us to be satisfied with His plan for the day, as He unfolds it to us. Talk about being a “spectacle”! The Chinese has it (and rightly so from the original) that we are made to be like a theatrical play, at which others come to look. If ever you get to the foreign field you will know what that means. All that you wear and eat, all that you do and say comes in for the closest scrutiny and not a little comment. Hence, the special need for prayer that God will help His missionaries to shine for Him every hour.
Sometime previously John had written for the Easter magazine compiled by the students at Anking a brief meditation on a passage that was often in his mind, John 12:24-2824Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. 27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. (John 12:24‑28). He dwelt on the historical connection of the word.;: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit,” and then came to the great utterance: “Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.” Much comfort and strengthening had come to John himself through the implication of those words: “For this cause came I unto this hour.”
In our own lives [he wrote] it is well to remember that God’s supervision is so blessedly true that at any given moment we may stop, and whether we face suffering or joy, times of intense activity and responsibility or times of rest and leisure, whatever we may face we may say, “For this cause came I unto this hour.” All of our social, church, and family background, all of our training, conscious and unconscious, has been to prepare us to meet the present circumstances, and to meet them to the glory of His name. This will bring us to our tasks relieved of a shrinking that would unnerve us, conscious of the fact that He who uses “a worm to thresh mountains” can use us too. “For this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.”
So it was not unprepared that John and Betty met the sudden, unexpected attack of the Red forces that captured the city of Tsingteh on December 6. Crossing the mountains by unfrequented paths, they came in behind the government army, sixty miles to the south. With scarcely any warning, their advance guard scaled the city wall and threw open the gates. It was early morning. Betty was bathing little Helen when the first messenger came, telling them of danger. Another and another quickly followed. The District magistrate, after a short, ineffectual resistance, had fled. Chairs and coolies were obtained as quickly as possible, but before an escape could be made, firing was heard on the streets—the looting of the city had begun.
Then John and Betty knelt with their faithful servants in prayer. They were perfectly composed, and even when the Reds thundered at the door, they opened to them with quiet courtesy. While John was talking with the leaders, trying to satisfy their demands for goods and money, Betty actually served them with tea and cakes. But courtesy was as useless as resistance would have been. John was bound and carried off to the communist headquarters, and before long they returned for Betty and the baby. The cook and maid pleaded to go with them, and were only deterred when the Reds would have shot them down. “It is better that you stay here,” whispered Betty. “If anything happens to us, look out for the baby.”
A few hours later, John managed to write the following letter amid all the carnage me horror: Tsingteh, An.
December 6,1934
China Inland Mission, Shanghai.
DEAR BRETHREN, My wife, baby and myself are today in the hands of the communists, in the city of Tsingteh. Their demand is twenty thousand dollars for our release.
All our possessions and stores are in their hands, but we praise God for peace in our hearts and a meal tonight. God grant you wisdom in what you do, and us fortitude, courage, and peace of heart. He is able—and a wonderful Friend in such a time.
Things happened so quickly this A.M. They were in the city just a few hours after the ever-persistent rumors really became alarming, so that we could not prepare to leave in time. We were just too late.
The Lord bless and guide you, and as for us, may God be glorified whether by life or by death.
In Him,
JOHN C. STAM.