Wilhelmina (Minnie) Vautrin was an American missionary, diarist, educator and president of Ginling College.She was a missionary in China for 28 years. Her mother died when she was only 6 and for 3 years was fostered before her father was allowed to look after her. She went to University, having to work to pay for the fees. She came out top of her class. A request was made by the Foreign Missionary Society for her to replace a teacher in China. She accepted the request and established in Hofei the San Ching Girl’s Middle School. In 1918 returned to USA to pursue a master’s degree in education. Ginling College, in China, approached her to serve as president for 1 year. She stayed for many years, with furlongs home, until 1940. During the time of the Nanking Massacre the college was a place of refuge for 1000s of refugees. In 1941, a year after returning to the USA , she committed suicide due to the extreme stress and trauma from the massacre. Minnie was postumously awarded the Emblem of the Blue jade by the Chinese government for her humanitarian work during the massacre.

Marshall, at an early age, suffered poor eye sight - he was ‘blind’ in one eye, but was still able to write many books. He was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China with the China Inland Missions (CIM). He authored many books on the subject of Chinese missionary work . He is related to James Hudson Taylor -his mother was Amelia Hudson Taylor- the daughter of Taylor. In 1890 he was accepted as a missionary by CIM London Council. October 1890 he sailed to China. Florence Corderoy, his future wife, joined him in 1894. In 1900 the Boxer Rebellion broke out in China. The CIM had the greatest loss of life- 79 people were massacred including children… Marshall diligently sought out information to send home. He later wrote 2 memorable books documenting the harrowing stories of both the martyrs and the survivors. In 1900 he was appointed Editorial Secretary for the mission in London. In 1910 he took part in the Edinburgh Missionary Conference, In 1911/12 , after the founding of the Republic of China, he visited China and travelled extensively to obtain first hand, up to date information. This resulted in The Chinese Empire: A General and Missionary Survey being written. This book was constantly referred to by the commission to Carrying the Gospel to all ythe Non-Christian World, of which he was a member. In 1927, after 27 years, aged 61, he stopped being the Editorial Secretary but continued with his literary work. He became an expert at writing biographies. He also gave preliminary Chinese language lessons to CIM candidates. In 1936 he briefly edited the** China’s Millions** but ill health forced him to stop. On the 27th October 1937, aged 71 he died. His wife Florence died in 1957.

George- Antoine Bellecourt was a French Canadian, Roman Catholic diocesan priest and missionary. H e was ordained in 1827 and established missions in areas of Quebec and Manitoba… H e was assigned to Pembina, North Dekota where he established two missions in the 1840s to convert the local Ojibwe (also called Chippewa) and Metis to Catholicism. He left Pembina In 1859 for Quebec where he was quickly redeployed to North Rustico, Prince Edward Island. There he established the Farmer’s Bank of Rustico. He ’ retired’ in 1869 to New Brunswick but was recalled in 1871 to go to the Magdalen islands. May 1874 he became ill and retired and he died on 31st May 1872 in New Brunswick. The town of Belcourt , North Dakota, was named after him in honour of his efforts in the region. 1959 George was designated a National Historic Person by the Government of Canada. Source Wikipedia

Jonathan was a North American revivalist preacher, philosopher and Congregationalist theologian. he is regarded as one the USA’s most important and original philosophical theologians. He played a critical role in shaping the First Great Awakening (1735-7), (1740-4). His theological work gave rise to a distinct school of theology known as the New England theology. Jonathan was the fifth of 11 children - the other 10 were all girls. His father, Timothy, was a pastor at East Windsor, Connecticut. He grew up in an atmosphere of Puritan piety, affection and learning. Following rigorous home schooling he entered Yale College in New Haven aged 13. He was converted at the age of 17 as he read 1 Timothy 1 v17 All honour and glory to God for ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies;he alone is God. Following this he had a delightful conviction of divine sovereignty to a new sense of God’s glory revealed in Scripture and in nature. He graduated in 1720 from Yale and stayed a further 2 years to study Divinity. Briefly he was a pastor in New York (1722-3) and received a MA degree. !724-6 he was a tutor at Yale. In 1727 he became his grandfather’s colleague at Northampton and married Sarah Pierrepont (they had 11 children). On his grandfather’s death in 1729 he became the sole occupant of the pulpit. He stayed at Northampton until his dismissal concerning a dispute who should take Holy Communion. He was there for over 20 years. On July 1st 1750 he preached his dignified and restrained ’ Farewell- sermon’. This was followed by 2 books explaining his position. On his termination at Northampton he began missionary work in Stockbridge, Massachusetts working with Indians. Although hampered by language difficulties, illness , Indian wars and conflicts with personal enemies he discharged his pastoral duties. This is where he wrote his most famous book The Freedom of the Will (1754). In 1757 he was invited to be president of the College of New Jersey-now Princeton University. He had hardly assumed duties when he contracted smallpox and died aged 55. (He was inoculated against smallpox and 5 weeks later caught the disease from the vaccine.) So ended the life of the man who was arguably USA’s greatest theologian. His writings, expounding and defending the evangelical and Reformed faith are of lasting value to the Christian church. American historian , Perry Miller said that Jonathan is the * greatest philosopher-theologian yet to grace the American scene.* His entire corpus of Jonathan’s works are available on line. Sarah Edwards His wife raised their 11 children largely by herself. Jonathan focused on sermons and books. She was a hands-on parent who raised the children and ran the household, providing an agreeable and pleasant life for the family. Sources Gold from Dark Mines Irene Howat ch5 p109-p140 wikipedia Britannica Online Encyclopedia Great Leaders of the Christian Church Woodbridge

Selina Shirley was born into a ‘distinguished’ dysfunctional family. Troubles had followed the Shirley family for generations. her grandfather, Sir Robert had died in the Tower of London. Her father, a second Robert, was born shortly before his father was imprisoned. In 1671, aged 20, he married Elizabeth Washington. They had at least 11 children in 22 years of marriage. Elizabeth died in 1693 leaving 9 motherless children. Robert quarreled with all his children. In 1699 he married again and had 6 more children who survived childhood. The first girl in this second marriage, Elizabeth, had Queen Anne as her godmother. Selina was born in 1707. Aged 10 she learned her father had been left a derisory £20 in her grandfather’s will (others in the family had £5,000). In 1728, aged 20, she married Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, who was 12 years older than Selina. In the first 10 years of their 18 years of happy married life they had 7 children, 6 survived. Theophilus died in 1746. On 21st April 1730 she one of the 21 aristocratic women who supported Thomas Coran in establishing the Founding Hospital. In 1739 she joined the first Methodist society in Fetters Lane, London. In July she was converted. From her bed, she lifted up her heart to the Saviour with this important prayer and immediately all her distress and fears were removed, and she was filled with peace and joy believing. Gold from Dark Mines p98. From 1746 she became a financial supporter for the Methodist movement led by John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. George became her chaplain. She was responsible for founding 64 chapels and contributed to the funding of others. She also founded Trevecca ministers’ college near Talgarth in Mid Wales ( since 1972 the United Reformed Church). She played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales. Selina was a woman who allegedly suffered from poor health. She visited Bath to ‘take the waters’ on a number of occasions. After her conversion in 1739 her health improved dramatically, Sources Gold from Dark Mines by Irene Howat ch2 pages 77-108 Wikipedia

Augustine of Hippo is one of the 4 Doctors of the church. He was one of the most intelligent men who ever lived He was born in Numidi (now Algeria) in 354. His parents were Saint Monica and Patricius, a pagan. His father, on his death bed became a Christian and died in 373 when Augustine was just 19. Augustine was rebellious and his mother prayed for 17 years before he became converted. He was educated in Cathage, then went to Rome, followed by moving to Milan where he taught rhetoric. For 10 years he was interested in Manichaeism (see notes). In Milan he listened to the sermons of Saint Ambrose. To his mother’s joy he was converted and baptised. He was 33. He and Saint Ambrose probably composed the * Te Deum.* The year was 387 when Saint Monica died. She had spent many years praying for her son before he was converted. In her last two years she saw her prayers wonderfully answered. Saint Monica died in Ostia as she and her son gazed at the sea and discoursed about the joys of the blessed. He returned to Africa. H e spent several years in communal living, teaching, meditating, fasting and praying. He ended up becoming a priest and went to Hippo as an assistant to bishop Valerius and established a monastic community. On the bishop’s death he became bishop - Augustine of Hippo. He began to write. Many of his books, all in Latin, are still available to read. Confessions and City of God are his most famous books. Confessions looks at his childhood and conversion. (See list of books) He died in 430 ,aged 76, when his city was being besieged by Vandals who had invaded the Roman Empire. Saint Augustine is considered by many to be the greatest teacher of Christian Truth after Saint Paul - writer of the epistles in the New Testament. I have included a list of his books his ideas, plus definitions for Manichaeism and Filique Gold from Dark Mines by Irene Howart ch1 pages 7-44 Sources Wikipedia and The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander Encyclopedia of Saints by Howard Loxton

St. Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow. His proper name is Saint Kentigern but he is is better known by his nickname. Saint Serf, who became his foster father, is responsible for the name of Mungo. Mungo means ‘my dear one’. His mother was a princess: his father became a king!

Henrietta Mears had a significant impact on evangelical Christianity in the 20th century. She was one of the founders of the National Sunday school Association. .Within two years Sunday school attendance at Hollywood ‘Pres’ was averaging 4,200. She founded a publishing company and wrote and published a number of books- see list She had profound impact on the ministries of Billy Graham and Richard C. Halverson. She also believed by many theologians to have directly shaped Bill Bright’s Four Spiritual Laws, which defined modern evangelism in the 20th century. She was a gifted educator and was known as ‘Teacher’ by those in her programme. Wikipedia have done an excellent biography. I have also included Richard C. Halverson 's visit to Miss Henrietta Mears cabin.

Bill Bright was an American evangelist. With his wife, Vonette, he set out to help bring students to Christ. Bill and his male colleagues concentrated on the male students: Vonette concentrated on the female intake. In 1951 at the University of California , Los Angeles he founded Campus Crusade for Christ as a ministry for university students. He worked with the great American evangelist Billy Graham. Campus Crusade expanded and in 2011 had 25,000 missionaries in 191 countries… He was influenced by Henrietta Mears who probably helped in the forming of Bill Bright’s Four Spiritual Laws. He wrote over 100 books and booklets. His articles and pamphlets have been translated into many languages and distributed in their millions! I have included Wikipedia’s biography of Bill Bright plus the Four Spiritual Laws.

Adoniram Judson Gordon He is known as the father of Baptist Missionaries. He was a scholar, preacher , author, Bible teacher and translator who left us with a rich heritage of faith and good works in the books he wrote and the Bible college he founded. He spent 34 years in Burma as a missionary and translated the whole of the Bible into the Burmese language. Initially he was not successful in bringing converts to the Christian faith -it took six long years to get his first convert. Shortly after his death, 34 years plus later, a government survey recored 210,000 Christians in Burma. Aye, a mighty man of faith, prayer, purpose, patience and perseverance for the son of God and for souls, was Adoniram Judson. From Profiles of Evangelism by Fred Barlow I have included the profile written by Fred Barlow, and the Legacy of his work from Wikipedia. The name missing from the blank space is Eames

Amy Carmichael was a girl from Belfast. She , with her two brothers, helped an elderly lady carry a heavy bundle. Aged 18 she, not her brothers, had a revelation, similar to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. ‘That day she talked to God, and settled once and for all the pattern of her future life.’ *They found the Secret *by V. Raymond Edman. She was the first missionary appointed under the Keswick .convention. She went initially to Japan, then Ceylon and then spent 55 consecutive years in Southern India. In Japan she learnt the importance of simple dress sense and appearance. In India she always dressed in saris never in western clothing. She felt the calling to save both girls and boys being used in the temples.The children were being sold to ‘marry’ the Brahmin temple priest. She first took girls then boys. The refuge was called DOHNAVUR. With other Indian women she created a hostel and hospital for children. Through her tireless effort laws were put in place to protect the children After an accident, when she broke her leg and ankle, she was confined to bed as an invalid for 20 years. She then began to write - 37 books in total Thing as they are, Meal in a barrel, Gold Cord, Though the Mountains Shake - to name just four. Amy also wrote a great deal of Christian poetry. In 2017 , 150 years after her birth, Roger Carswell, a member of the Association of Evangelists, wrote the article I have photocopied.

Eva was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Her parents were both majors in the Salvation Army. Evangeline Evelyn Burrows was named after the daughter of William Booth , the founder of the Salvation Army. When she was born her father lifted her up and declared * I dedicate this child to the glory of God and the salvation of the world.* General Eva was the second woman to lead the international Salvation Army. She carried the banner back to Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism. During her 7 year tenure she rekindled the 150 year old organisation original goal of evangelising. insisting We don’t use social services as a bait to fish for converts. She was well known for her quotes. The salvation Army seeks by god’s grace to save people from the mess they make of their lives. Wikipedia.org have created a very good resume of her life. This I have included plus a couple of her quotes.

Percy gave his life to Christ under the preaching of William P. Nicholson -(see account of his conversion) Percy was an evangelist who especially emphasized youth ministry . With his wife, Ruth, a gifted musician, and a quartet often travelled 40-50,000miles a year. In 1949 Percy began the first coast-to -coast religeous programme, Youth on the March Percy Crawford during the late 1950’s saw the potential of FM radio and UHF television and built the first successful Christian broadcasting network. He also founded King’s college and Pinebrook, a Bible conference centre in the Pocono Mountains. I have used Wikepedia for his biography, Percy’s own account of his conversion , and the cover page covers his main interest of reaching the youth.

'In the Salvation Army, and in every place where he was known, Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle was loved. No name is more revered among Salvationists than his, for there has been no soldier more saintly nor officer more spiritually effective than this quiet-spoken prophet of god.' They Found the Secret by V. Raymond Edman Samuel was brought up by his mother. He became a Methodist minister. He decided to join the Salvation Army in his thirtiesand came over to the UK… He met General Booth on June 1st 1887 who thought he belonged to the dangerous classes. He started him at the bottom cleaning boots! he remembered that Jesus washed the disciples feet. He returned to the USA and was assaulted in Boston - he was hit by a brick. It took him a year and a half to recover - in this time he started writing for the War Cry. The result became a little volume called Helps for Holiness -128 pages. 'Well, if there had been no brick, there would have been no little book.' He was in the Salvation Army for 30 years. Aged 76 he found that the life of God continued to flow through a cleansed heart. I have included Wikipedia’s information about Samuel, plus pages for the book The Brick and the Book (The story of Samuel Logan Brengle) written by Eric Coward.

Andrew Murray was born in South Africa, educated in Scotland, and returned to South Africa. he spent 60 years as a minister in the Dutch reformed Church of South Africa. He wrote over 200 books on Christian spirituality and ministry. May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence. He had real charisma - read the observation enclosed. I have included a brief biography of his life plus the observation. The observation can be found in V. Raymond Edman’s book They Found the Secret - 20 Transformed lives p144.

W. Ian Thomas was an evangelist, Christian evangelical writer, theological teacher and founder of the Torchbearers Bible school. He gave his life to Christ as a teenager but he had approached things in the wrong way relying on his own energy. One November night, in despair, having tried to do it his way for seven years, he knelt in prayer. He needed to realise that God wanted to live through him. This changed his whole philosophy. I got up the next morning to an entirely different Christian life. I have used Wikipedia for information about his life and the founding of Torchbearers

John Hyde (1865-1912) became known as Praying Hyde - he gave great emphasis to prayer. He went as a missionary to India. He was partially deaf and he had problems initially in learning the native languages. He struggled initially to find converts but through prayer he began leading his fellow missionaries in intercession for India. He formed the Punjab Prayer Union. He put forward five pointers to help other leaders to pray At one of his meetings where he was supposed to be leading the talk he spent more time in prayer than in speaking. I thank God, He has given me no message for you today Thereupon the chairman added, The Holy Spirit is the leader of this meeting. Towards the end of his life he visited England. He took up the burden o prayer to help John Wilbur Chapman to succeed in Shrewsbury. My sources are Wikipedia, Ambassadors for Christ, The Christian Broadcasting Network and They Found the Secret by V. Raymond Edman.

Billy Sunday (1892-1935) was a baseball player who became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist at the beginning of the 20th century. In either the 1886 or 1887 baseball season, while in Chicago, he went with several of his team mates into town. They listened to a gospel preaching team from the Pacific Garden Mission. He started to attend services and after a struggle decided to become a Christian. After his conversion he changed his behaviour and shortly afterwards began speaking in churches. In 1893 he became the full-time assistant to John Wibur Chapman, a well known evangelist. When Chapman unexpectedly returned to the pastorate in 1896 Billy struck on his own. For 12 years he preached in 70 communities. Taking advantage of his reputation as a baseball player he generated advertising for his meetings. He became the nation’s most famous evangelist with his colloquial sermons and frenetic delivery. Sunday was a supporter of Prohibition and played a significant role in the adoption of the 18th amendment. Wikipedia main source for this information

John Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) was one of the best known evangelists in the USA . Chapman was well educated and was a meticulous dresser. He took on several pastorates before shifting to the evangelist circuit . He began preaching with the legendary D.L. Moody in 1893. In the same year Billy Sunday, a former baseball player, became his full-time assistant. In 1904 he began work on an evangelistic campaign to maximize the efforts of his 51 evangelists. In 1907 he launched the Chapman-Alexander Simultaneous Campaign with the gospel singer Charles McCallon Alexander. In 1909 the world wide campaign include Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China and Japan. These campaigns continued until 1918. In his life time he wrote at least 25 books (see list). Wikipedia was main source for this information

Victor Raymond Edman was an American minister and author who served as the fourth President of Wheaton College in Illinois from 1941 to 1965. H e spoke in various countries around the world and wrote 19 books. In his book They Found a Secret , under the title of A Personal Epilogue, he wrote about three crisis in his personal life. Crisis one happened after the Armistic on Novemer 11th, 1918. He was ill and exhausted but he had been assigned the task of taking 4 men of the B Company of the 28th Infantry to C. Company. He found a quiet place and prayed for guidance .He became aware of a presence beside him who said I will go with you.When he arrived at his destination he was well cared for. (pages177/8). The second crisis happened 5 years later when he was stricken down with typhus fever in the Andes of Ecuador… He knew he was dying. His new wife dyed her wedding dress black and a native coffin ordered. But there were others praying, with urgency in their petitions thirty-five hundred miles away, in Newton, Massachusetts on his behalf (p 178/180). The third crisis happened one August morning of 1928. He was on board a freighter bound for New York City. Once again he was ill - 'my physical condition kept me confined to the stateroom, except for brief occasions.' He was perplexed -and uncertain what to do. Quoting from the book. ‘The answer to his prayer was startling. By the small voice of the Holy Spirit there came the question Are you willing to go any where for me?’ (p 182). I have included Wikipedia’s information about V. Raymond Edman and the last four pages of his Personal Epilogue.