During the war between China and Japan the town of Yangcheng changed hands four times. Each time the Japanese were in power, the missionaries would flee to the mountains and live in caves having very little to eat. Each army in turn looted the city until there was scarcely anything left.
I was attempting to care for the sick and wounded; and only one of my orphan boys, Tim, was with me. One day I was in the middle of the courtyard telling some poor women of God’s wonderful love.
“We are all sinners,” I said, pointing unthinkingly at a crowd in the doorway. I gave them the simple gospel. The women drifted away, but soon Tim came hurrying in and exclaimed, “The general is coming for you.”
Two hours later there was a great commotion in the courtyard, and there was the Chinese general. He glared fiercely at me and said, “You are under arrest.”
“But why?”
“Who told you about me?” “Nobody. I only know what everyone else in the city knows.”
“Oh yes, someone did. Tell me who it was and I will take my men away.”
Again and again I declared that I knew nothing of his private life. But he continued to rave and curse and finally left leaving his soldiers on guard.
Two days later the general came back again threatening me. “How did you know I was a sinner?” he asked.
“I only know that the Bible says so,” I said, and handed him my Bible.
Pulling off his hat he began to read. Then I recall that I had caught a glimpse of a man in my doorway the day I talked to the Chinese women. For an hour he read on from verse to verse.
“What was this Bible? What was this gospel? Who was Jesus Christ?” Gradually he quieted and quit swearing; then a note of longing came into his voice.
“Is it possible for me to be saved?” he said at length.
“With God nothing is impossible,” I replied.
“I am too wicked.”
“No one is too wicked. Why don’t you kneel down and confess to God that you have sinned but want to take Jesus Christ as your Saviour?”
Still the battle raged. “What do I get if I believe?” he demanded.
For two hours the battle went on in this man’s soul, the Spirit of God striving against the power of Satan who fought to keep him under his power. Finally he knelt down, humbly confessed his sins, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord. When he arose from his knees, he ordered his men to bring me something to eat. He stood by while I ate and then finally burst out, “If I have taken this God, then I have to tell my men about it, don’t I?”
“Yes, to show them that you are a real Christian.”
After a long pause he said, “I will talk to my men tomorrow.”
The next day, standing before his men, he said: “Up to this time we have been a bandit troop. Now we will become honorable soldiers as last night I took Jesus Christ as my God. I find that this Book” — and he held up my Bible — “is against dishonesty and wickedness.”
He asked me for a Bible which I got for him, and he left saying he would come again soon. However, two years went by. Then one day a dirty beggar hobbled in. He sat down on a stone. He looked desperately ill and starved.
“Don’t you know me?” he asked, as I gave him something to eat.
“No, I don’t.”
“I belong to Jesus.”
“Where are you going?” I asked him.
“Here.”
“But surely you do not belong to Yangcheng.”
“I belong to Jesus,” seemed to be the only sensible remark he could make.
Then Tim pulled me aside and said, “He is the general.”
“What is your name?” I asked gently.
“No name. I belong to Jesus.”
Tim and I cared for him, and very slowly his health improved. Then I learned his story. On the day he bravely confessed his faith to his men, they arrested him, took his clothes, tied him to a mule and left the city. They continued looting, dragging the general with them. They tried hard to break his faith. He was tortured, kicked and beaten, but fixed in his mind was the knowledge that he belonged to Jesus. Finally one night one man said to him, “We want you back. Will you lead us?”
“No, because I belong to Jesus.”
They left him alone, but the man brought him some peasant clothes and sent him on his way. He begged in the villages, telling everyone he belonged to Jesus. Weary and sick after fifteen months, he made his way back to us. As his health improved, his mind cleared. In the villages he was loved by all the Christians, especially the children. He never grew strong again, and a year after his return the Lord took him home. All the Christians mourned, for to them he had been “Big Brother.”
ML-03/13/1977