215 – August 03 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

First Missionaries from North Carolina

 

1846 – Matthew and Eliza Yates were appointed as missionaries to China by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.  They were the first missionaries to go to the foreign field from North Carolina.  Yates died on March 17, 1888 and was buried in China after a blessed and fruitful ministry.  (Walter Sinclair Stewart, Early Baptist Missionaries and Pioneers – Philadelphia: Judson Press, 1926. 2:176)

 

Prepared by Dr. Greg Dixon

 

 

358 – Dec. 24 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

December 24, 1912 – Death came to the frail servant of Christ, Lottie Moon, on Christmas Eve aboard ship in the harbor of Kobe, Japan. A simple monument is to be found in the cemetery of her home church near Crewe, Virginia. This little woman who stood barely above 4’ stands as tall as any missionary ever sent out by the Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, and to this day is their most famous missionary, having served in China for nearly 40 years. She was born in Albermarle County, Virginia, on Dec. 12, 1840 and had a broad educational background. She was also trained in the Female Seminary and the Albermarle Female Institute. She proved to be adept in several languages. She had no interest in the things of God until her conversion under the ministry of John Albert Broadus, pastor at Charlottesville, VA in 1859. In  1873 Lottie heard a challenge from the text, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” Miss Moon volunteered for service in China. She was appointed by the Foreign Mission Board on July 7, 1873. She had also considered marriage to Crawford H. Foy. Years later she explained that she had passed up the love of her life because of “doctrinal conflicts”, and that “God had first claim on her life.” Miss Moon is best remembered because of her suggestion in 1887 that Southern Baptist Women institute a week of prayer and sacrificial offering for foreign missions in connection with Christmas. This money was to assist in sending reinforcements for the work. In 1918 the annual offering was named the “Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions.” The Boxer Rebellion took a heavy toll on Lottie as she sacrificed her own food during the time of famine. No doubt all of this hastened her death.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 537-39.