1900 - Meng Du & Children

June 28, 1900

Baoding, Hebei

Meng Du was the sister of Pastor Meng Zhangzhun. The first ‘Bible woman’ of Baoding, she never tired in sharing the good news with as many people as possible. It was said of Meng Du, “In the dispensary, in the village and city homes, thousands of women had heard from her earnest, eloquent lips the story of Jesus.”[1]

Just a few weeks before the Boxer attack, Meng Du and Mrs. Kao had been appointed the first deaconesses of the Baoding Church. Despite having to care for her three children, Meng Du still found the strength to also complete all her spiritual responsibilities. On the eve of the Boxer slaughter, Meng Du and her children went to the mission compound so they could be with their beloved missionary friends Mary Morrill and Annie Gould. On the afternoon of June 28th, news was received that the Boxers had killed Meng Zhangzhun. Meng Du put on a brave face. When asked if she was afraid, she replied, “‘No. Death is certain, but I do not fear it, and I shall stay with the missionaries whom I love.”[2]

Inside the compound with the women and children were some young students from a Bible school. They were considered the future leaders of the Baoding church. Meng Du told them:

“At most it will only be two or three days before the end. We women and children are not strong enough to escape by running away. There is no hope for the missionaries either. But why should you young men who are educated for the service of the Lord throw away your lives? You can protect no one by staying here. If all die, who will lay the foundations of the Church again after the storm has passed?”[3]

On Saturday night, June 30th, the flames from the mission compound in the north of the city lit up the skyline. Meng Du and the others knew their time would soon come. The next morning the faithful and loving Bible woman, along with her three children, was among the group of believers beheaded and tossed into a shallow grave by the merciless Boxers.