1900 - Mary Duval

July 9, 1900

Taiyuan, Shanxi

Mary Duval.

From the time she was a young lady Mary Duval longed to serve her Lord and Master as a missionary. Her desires were placed on hold for many years while she cared for her widowed mother and younger sisters. When the way for her finally cleared, Duval’s first desire was to go to India, but she was already 42-years-old and no mission would have her. This devastated Mary, but she chose not to give up. After reading a book about the 1895 Gutian massacre in China she felt a strong desire to give her life as a sacrifice for God’s kingdom there. A short time later she received an invitation to join the Shouyang Mission in Shanxi Province.

Duval departed England in January 1899. During the long ship journey she wrote, “God holds the key of all unknown, and I am glad.” After arriving at her new home she was full of joy. The final letter Mary wrote was dated Wednesday June 27, 1900, less than two weeks before her death. She wrote,

“These are not nice times we are living in…. The meetings are still going on, and our dear Chinese brothers and sisters are bright and trusting. It is like passing through the ‘refiner’s fire’…. Rumour says [the governor] is going to ask permission to kill the foreigners. This amuses us, for that being the case he would hardly let it be known…. There are horrid rumours, but God is keeping us trusting; and looking up to Him, away from all else, gives peace.”[1]

Duval’s close friend and co-worker Edith Coombs was burned to death on June 27th. It wasn’t until the other missionaries made their way to the house of Thomas Pigott that they noticed Coombs was not with them. When Mary and the others heard what had happened they were horrified. After consulting one another, it was decided the best chance of survival was to flee into the mountains near Shouyang. After their hiding place was discovered, the missionaries decided to give themselves up to the local magistrate and ask for protection. The magistrate sent them to the provincial capital, Taiyuan, where on July 9th Boxers and soldiers loyal to the Governor Yu Xian slaughtered them. Mary Duval was among those slain. Her sister later wrote,

“In the midst of our grief, not only for the terrible loss we have sustained, but also for the awful suffering she was called upon to go through, we can but be glad that God gave her the desire of her heart. We can rejoice in her present joy, and that she was ‘counted worthy to suffer for Him.’”[2]