1932 - Henry Ferguson

November 1932

Anhui

Henry Ferguson.

The 1930s proved to be a tumultuous time in China’s history, as a bitter Civil War raged between the Communists and the Nationalists. Henry Stewart Ferguson had been labouring for God’s kingdom in Anhui Province for many years. In 1897, Ferguson—with John Brock and others—were the first Protestant missionaries in the large city of Fuyang. To start with the work was difficult, but opposition to the foreigners’ presence gradually subsided as the locals witnessed the purity and sincerity of their lives. In 1947 it was reported, “The work has grown by leaps and bounds, until today the church in that city is one of the biggest and strongest in the whole of China.”[1] Today, Fuyang City has a population of approximately 1.8 million people, of which more than 300,000 are Christians.[2]

In 1932 Ferguson found himself working in the small town of Zhengyangguan. He was a member of the China Inland Mission, founded decades earlier by Hudson Taylor. The frontline between the two armies came near the mission centre, but Ferguson refused to leave. His last recorded words came in a letter dated May 11, 1932:

“I am in a position if imminent danger. The Reds are advancing rapidly on this city, and are now only 60 Li, or 20 miles [32 km], distant. I have not yet decided to flee. I am engaged in famine relief work, and have $4,400 in the house for relief purposes. If you have not heard of my falling into Red hands before this reaches you, this need cause you no alarm, for the danger will have passed. If I should fall into Red hands, farewell; for I would not expect to get out alive, except by special dispensation of Providence.”[3]

Just one day later, at six o’clock in the morning of May 12th, Communist bandits entered the city, captured Ferguson, and marched him off to one of their remote mountain hideaways. Such was the respect people had for Ferguson that “two hundred people of the poorer class knelt on the cobblestones of Zhengyangguan’s narrow streets to plead for the release of the only man in the whole district who, during those awful months of famine, had cared whether they lived or died. They pleaded in vain.”[4]

For the rest of the year no news came about the whereabouts or welfare of Henry Ferguson. It was rumoured that he had been taken into the hills along the Anhui-Henan border, which were a stronghold of the Red army. Finally, in November 1932 it was reported that Ferguson had died. The CIM noted, “The report has not been confirmed. There is no statement as to the cause of death–whether by murder, or from exposure or disease–but if indeed he had laid down his life, he has most surely received the martyr’s crown.”[5] Ferguson was never seen again, nor was his body ever recovered.

A deeply touching story emerged during the months of Ferguson’s disappearance. A Chinese Christian named Sen Bingyue, a friend and disciple of Ferguson, could not sleep because of the burden in his heart, so he decided to risk his life by walking into the Communist-held territory to plead for the missionary’s freedom. Without telling anyone of his plans, Sen walked for 90 miles (146 km) before reaching the Communist lines. Holding

“absolutely no credentials, other than the Scriptures and a radiant personality, he announced to a sentry that he was looking for a captive in their camp, a foreigner by the name of Ferguson. The simplicity of the man was mistaken for duplicity. He was roughly handled and commanded to tell a straight story. Beginning with the Gospel story and finishing with his own conversion and a touching reference to Mr. Ferguson’s helpfulness in overcoming habits of wine drinking and gambling, he was amazed to find that his hearers were unconvinced by its genuineness. They strung him up by the wrists. Sen protested that though they kill him he had no other story to tell…. Finally, they became convinced that the man was not a spy and let him down to the ground level. There were deep cuts in his wrists, and with the great heat and infections he still had wounds a month later.”[6]

From that moment on the Communists treated Sen Bingyue better, offering him food and even some cash so he could return home. Sen preached the gospel to the soldiers and even prayed out loud for them when he left, but he never saw the missionary whom he was willing to risk his life in order to save.

1. J. Herbert Kane, Twofold Growth (Philadelphia: China Inland Mission, 1947), 1-2.
2. Lyall, The Phoenix Rises, 136, states there were “200,000 Christians in the countryside surrounding Fuyang.” In addition, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement has stated they have 301 churches and meeting-points in the Fuyang area.
3. Kane, Twofold Growth, 1.
4. Kane, Twofold Growth, 1.
5. China’s Millions (January 1933),  4.
6. China’s Millions (January 1933), 4.