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Afraid? Of What?
- 05/02/09
- 9
Last week I read a short biography of John and Betty Stam, missionary martyrs to China. Stay tuned for a review. In that book, written by Vance Christie, was a poem and the story that inspired it. I thought I'd share that today.
*****
The poem, entitled "Afraid?" was written by Presbyterian missionary E.H. Hamilton following the recent martyrdom of one of his colleagues, J.W. Vinson, at the hands of rebel soldiers in northern China. A small Chinese girl who escaped from the bandits related the incident that provided the inspiration for Hamilton's poem.
"Are you afraid?" the bandits asked Vinson as they menacingly waved a gun in front of him.
"No," he replied with complete assurance. "If you shoot, I go straight to heaven."
His decapitated body was found later.
Afraid? Of what?
To feel the spirit's glad release?
To pass from pain to perfect peace,
The strife and strain of life to cease?
Afraid? Of that?
Afraid? Of what?
Afraid to see the Saviour's face,
To hear His welcome, and to trace,
The glory gleam from wounds of grace,
Afraid? Of that?
Afraid? Of what?
A flash - a crash - a pierced heart;
Brief darkness - Light - O Heaven's art!
A wound of His a counterpart!
Afraid? Of that?
Afraid? Of what?
To enter into Heaven's rest,
And yet to serve the Master blessed?
From service good to service best?
Afraid? Of that?
Afraid? Of what?
To do by death what life could not -
Baptize with blood a stony plot,
Till souls shall blossom from the spot?
Afraid? Of that?
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Comments (9)
I loved this poem as a teenager, and nearly memorized it then. This post brought back a lot of memories.
It would do Christians well to remember this poem, when the reality of heaven and our savior fades away through condemning thoughts of fear. Thanks Tim for this post, very helpful for many, including myself.
Wow, what a beautiful poem; it brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing...
That wonderful poem is on the following tape:
http://www.charityministries.org/msg_detail.a5w?vlast_index=GH16
entitled "Poems, Verses, and Songs " By the Denny Kenaston Family. I highly recommend it for all the bretheren.
One of the books that I read shortly after I became a Christian was a biography of Hudson Taylor whose call was to China and that inspired me greatly and gave me a love for the Chinese people. There is just such an openness to the Gospel from so many from China.
I am also reminded of the film Chariots of Fire and the runner in it, Eric Liddle whom you may recall made the following comment in the film.
"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."
He was a devout Scottish missionary. I understand he returned to China, the place of his birth after the Olympics. China was invaded by Japan, and his Canadian wife returned home and he was imprisoned in a Japanese concentration camp south of Beijing. Six months before the Allies recovered China in 1945 aged 43, he died suddenly. I am told that the Chinese do not erect monuments to foreigners on their soil, but they made an exception for him who called two countries his home. I am not sure what was erected or whether it still survives but it had on it a Cross was in English and honoured him for his good work in China. I saw a television programme not that long ago that went around a school where he had taught that had a plaque remembering his work. This could be what was meant or this was something further.
It is good to be reminded of the love that Christians had and have for China and their people.
I hope I wouldn't be afraid. To be threatened with a painful death would be difficult to simply accept. Though by His grace, which is always sufficient, I hope I would be able to. Not so much so I could brag in my valor, but in His grace and Spirit.
That is a teriffic poem. I always admire, adn am inspired by, the martyrs God has allowed to die for His name's sake.
That poem sums up a description of someone who has enough Christ to trust him with all. Dying just releases us to glory!
To die is gain as the Apostle Paul put it. To live is to bide our time waiting to be with our Savior.
www.mlordi.wordpress.com
I've loved that poem since I was small. I long for a martyr's faith.
Thanks, Tim.
David
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Thanks for today's blog. Not sure which version of the Stamm story you are reading (would love to know) but wanted you to know that Betty surrendered her life to Christ as a teenager while attending a conference at America's KESWICK. It was during this time that she wrote the following prayer that we have used at our closing conferences for many years:
Lord, I give up
my own purposes and plans,
all my own desires,
hopes, and ambitions,
and accept thy will for my life.
I give myself, my life, my all,
utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever.
I hand over to Thy keeping
all of my friendships.
All the people whom I love
are to take second place in my heart.
Fill me now,
and seal me with Thy Spirit.
Work out Thy whole will in my life,
at any cost, now and forever.
For to me to live is Christ.
Amen.