Gladys Aylward: Her Story by Konstantin O
The story of Gladys Aylward is truly amazing and has served as an inspiration to many women who feel God’s call for missions. With burning passion for telling people about Jesus but lacking accepted theological education, she ran against a wall when trying to go as a missionary to China through conventional channels. However, no lack of education or refusal of acceptance on the part of a mission society were able to stop her from fulfilling God’s calling on her life and quench her love for China.
Gladys was born on February 24, 1902 in Edmonton in the north of London. She grew up in a Christian home and went to Sunday school as a child. As she got older she became dissatisfied with religion. She came to like acting and wanted to be an actress. However, at a religious gathering many years later, she realized that her life belonged to God and accepted Christ as her Savior. She joined the Young Life Campaign and read in one of their magazines about millions of Chinese living and dying without knowledge of Jesus Christ. This article impressed her so much that she felt something ought to be done about it. She felt called to be a missionary to China and began looking for a way to go there.
At that time, England had certain established channels of becoming a missionary overseas. One had to be trained and sent out by a mission agency. The mission agency would then support the missionary financially and in prayer. Gladys was hoping that a mission agency would be able to accept her – someone who did not have any special skills like nursing or teaching and left school at the age of fourteen. Gladys decided to apply to China Inland Mission and undergo a training program at their college. At the time of application she was 27 years of age. The initial excitement of acceptance to college wore off when later she discovered that she wasn’t capable of learning much. The classes were too difficult; her mind wouldn’t absorb the knowledge. She recalls, “it just won’t go in” (Thompson 1971, 20). Upon completion of the probationary term three months later, the committee decided that Gladys’ qualifications were not sufficient to continue the training program and rejected her as a candidate for joining the mission in China. The Chairman of the Committee gently pointed out that to serve in China one needs to speak Chinese – one of the most difficult languages in the world – which requires years of hard studies. It seemed like learning was not coming easily to Gladys, and it would be especially difficult to learn the language at her age. Looking back, Gladys notes that even though she wasn’t able to learn much at the college, she nevertheless learned how to pray, something she had never known and something that she remained forever thankful for (Latham 1950, 6; Aylward&Hunter 1970, 9).
Despite the failure, Gladys continued to feel in her heart a burning desire for China. After finding out that she could not be sent to China, she tried getting involved in local outreach ministries, but the strong desire for China persisted. She writes, “… still the thought of China tormented me. Always it was China!” (Aylward&Hunter 1970, 10) Gladys decided not to give up on her dream and continued to look for other ways to go to China. She thought that perhaps she could join a missionary family going to China as a children’s nurse. Everyone she asked for advice was against Gladys’ idea of being a missionary in China. She would hear that she should stay in Britain where there was a lot of good work to do and forget about going to China. While exploring options, she began going to slums of Bristol, visiting poor families and later serving as a rescue sister in South Wales saving adventurous but foolish girls whom sailors made drunk (Aylward&Hunter 1970,10; Swift 1984, 12). As there was no other way she could think of to get to China, Gladys felt depressed. She opened her Bible and started reading from the beginning. When she came to the story of Abraham, she was amazed by the idea that a man would leave his homeland and follow God. Next she marveled at the story of Moses and a certain message began to appear. She realized that if she wanted to go to China then God would take her there, but she needs to take the first step (Aylward&Hunter 1970,10; Thompson 1971, 22). She decides to find a job and start saving for the ticket. One day an acquaintance of Gladys informs her that he has a friend who has a friend by the name of Mrs. Lawson - a 73-year old missionary serving alone in China - who is praying for a young person to come and join her in her ministry in China. Gladys realizes that this is the direction God is providing.
“That’s me,” she says without thinking twise (Thompson 1971, 24).
Shortly after getting her job as a parlourmaid, she sat in her room on the edge of a narrow bed. She took her Bible, Daily Light and a few coppers – all the money she possessed in the world – put them together, placed her hand on them and closed her eyes in heartfelt prayer: “Oh, God! Here’s me. Here’s my Bible, here’s my money! Use us, God! Use us!” (Thompson 1971, 23; Burgess 1957, 20) Immediately after, she heard the voice of another maid calling her to come downstairs. It turned out that in accordance with the practice, the mistress decided to refund Gladys’ transportation fare. She returned to her room with the amount ten times bigger than she had placed on her Bible. She was convinced God began providing her with money towards her ticket to China.
In a few months, and not a couple of years as she expected initially, she was able to save enough for a train ticket. Her journey would take her through Europe, Russia, Manchuria and into Tianjin. Due to a military conflict between Russia and Japan this route was full of danger and unpredictability, but since she couldn’t afford to travel by ship, Gladys decided to take it. She sets off from Liverpool Street Station at 9:30 am, on Saturday 15th October 1932. After a long and adventurous train ride she arrived to Tianjin on Thursday, November 10 at 4:30 am. Gladys notes in her diary, “the joy of arrival was almost too much for me” (Latham 1950, 30). Thus began her period of seventeen long years of ministry in China.
Through Gladys’ submission God was able to use her in remarkable ways. She began her ministry in Yang Cheng with Mrs. Lawson who opened an inn for the muleteers called the Inn of the Sixth Happiness (original name the “Inn of the Eight Happinesses”)(Stevens 2004, 118). They provided shelter, food and told Bible stories to the muleteers. Gladys realized that she needed to study the Chinese language and began her learning. Soon afterwards Mrs. Lawson dies and Gladys was left on her own.
The following years were very hard. Gladys ran out of money and had to live in poverty. The income from running the inn was insignificant. This was a very difficult time for Gladys. She prayed for God’s support and guidance. God answered her prayers in an unexpected way through the local mandarin (a type of district administrator) who came to see Gladys with a peculiar request. The recent orders from the new government of China command that the ancient practice of binding women’s feet must be stopped. The mandarin is to enforce this new law in his district. But it was improper for a man to inspect women’s feet. Since Gladys was the only woman in the area with “big,” unbound feet she was suitable to become government foot inspector and travel to villages in the district, visit homes and see that girls’ and women’s feet are unbound. She was provided with a small ration of food and two solders for protection (Burgess 1957, 79). Gladys warns the mandarin that she is a Christian and if she is to take this job, she will be telling people about Jesus to which mandarin readily agrees. Gladys praised God for the way he answered her prayers.
There were many outstanding episodes in her ministry in China like quieting a violent riot in a prison, gathering orphans, spying for the Chinese army, taking over a hundred children across the mountains to Xian for safety; all these are outside of the scope of this paper. However, I’d like to focus on several things we can learn from her. Her ministry and life were full of hardships and trials so that many times she wanted to die (Thompson 1971, 99). Her only desire was to tell people that if they believed in Christ and put their trust in Him they would be saved and get to Heaven. Often she struggled with loneliness. She would write about how lonely she was on the margins of her Bible (Thompson 1971, 105). She missed speaking in English and really hoped to have a chance to talk with another English speaker. Her sacrifice spoke great message to the Chinese to whom she became known as Ai Wei De (艾偉德) which means “the virtuous one”. Her devotion to China and Chinese people reflected in her decision to become a Chinese citizen.
The story of Gladys is very unique and truly inspirational. She was a woman in her late twenties without solid theological educational background when she decided to go to China. She failed to finish the program at the mission’s college and seemed not to be able to learn enough to be an effective missionary. Gladys did not have the skills that are so valid in the mission field such as nursing, teaching or even deeper knowledge of the Bible. She was a simple woman with skills and experience of a maid. But what made her successful was the foundational desire to share the love of Christ. She had a great heart of compassion for the Chinese in remote places who had never heard about Christ. Today we can object and insist that a missionary must be prepared in theology and deep knowledge of the Bible before he or she goes to the mission field. I fully agree with this position. Later Gladys realized the need of deeper Bible knowledge and she read and memorized her Bible diligently. Theological education can make one prepared for missionary work, but theological education by itself is not enough to be a successful missionary. We have seen many cases of missionaries receiving theological training but failing in the mission field when meeting with difficulties and mundane day in and day out work. What set Gladys apart was her servant’s heart and a desire to do anything in order to have an opportunity to share Jesus. She did not consider any position or work too low for her to engage in. In our age of material prosperity and comforts of life – that existed in Gladys’ time as well but to somewhat lesser degree - may make some of us going to the mission field unwilling to live and serve in situations that lack things we are used to. How many of us are willing to sacrifice our lifestyles for the sake of Christ, be it short-term or long-term service?
Gladys did not have enough money to pay for her fair to China by ship. This was the reason she chose the dangerous route by train because it twice as cheap. In today’s world, with the increase of economic prosperity especially in the West, many missionaries are able to afford international travel using the fastest way of transportation, namely air travel. Short-term missions are very popular and increase in number. Missionaries travel to other countries on mission trips as short as one week. Short-term mission trips may yield positive as well as negative fruit. During the time Gladys went to China, short-term mission was considered at least 2-3 years. Often it took many weeks for a missionary to arrive to the mission field. Life and the way we serve in missions have undergone drastic change, but has our devotion to Christ’s commission remained the same?
Every time I see missionaries going to different countries just for the sake of “checking it out,” I remember Gladys’ story and her struggle and devotion to China. When I have the temptation to spend money on international travel or merchandise that I consider not necessarily important, I remember Gladys. It brings a healthier perspective to my decision-making process and helps me to be a better steward of the money God entrusted me with. I wish for all missionaries to remember Gladys’ hardships and devotion.
May Gladys serve as an inspiration to those who is passionate about going as a missionary but is not able to get education or training. Gladys did not start a great movement like Methodism or Pietism, establish many churches like Jesuits, monasteries like Patrick, or theological schools like Dominicans, but her love and passion for Christ had a great impact on lives of many people she came in contact with in China and Taiwan as well as those touched through hearing life story. I must note, however, that after the communist revolution of 1949 Gladys did start a small mission in the refugee area of Hong Kong and an orphanage near Tai Pei in Taiwan.
Those who met Gladys say that, “she talked to people about God, and it was evident she knew Who she was taking about. She was, in fact, as transparent as water, and her theology was the same, clear and uncomplicated (Thompson 1971, 116; 117). She was “shy and very modest” (Burgess 1957, 255). Speaking of herself, Gladys says, “My heart is full of praise that one so insignificant, uneducated and ordinary in every way could be used to His glory and for the blessing of His people in poor persecuted China” (Aylward&Hunter 1970, 153). Gladys Aylward will always live in the hearts and minds of the people whose lives she touched. She is a great example of a follower of Christ seeking to love God and people.
Bibliography
Aylward, G., & Hunter, C. (1970). The small woman of the inn of the sixth happiness. Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
Burgess, A. (1957). The small woman. New York, NY: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.
Latham, R. O. (1950). Gladys aylward. London, England: Edinburgh House Press.
Stevens, K. (2004). GLADYS AYLWARD (1902-1970) WITH THE MULETEERS OF SHANXI AND SPYING FOR THE CHINESE. Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 44, 115-128.
Swift, C. (1984). Gladys aylward. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
Thompson, P. (1971). A transparent woman. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
Gladys was born on February 24, 1902 in Edmonton in the north of London. She grew up in a Christian home and went to Sunday school as a child. As she got older she became dissatisfied with religion. She came to like acting and wanted to be an actress. However, at a religious gathering many years later, she realized that her life belonged to God and accepted Christ as her Savior. She joined the Young Life Campaign and read in one of their magazines about millions of Chinese living and dying without knowledge of Jesus Christ. This article impressed her so much that she felt something ought to be done about it. She felt called to be a missionary to China and began looking for a way to go there.
At that time, England had certain established channels of becoming a missionary overseas. One had to be trained and sent out by a mission agency. The mission agency would then support the missionary financially and in prayer. Gladys was hoping that a mission agency would be able to accept her – someone who did not have any special skills like nursing or teaching and left school at the age of fourteen. Gladys decided to apply to China Inland Mission and undergo a training program at their college. At the time of application she was 27 years of age. The initial excitement of acceptance to college wore off when later she discovered that she wasn’t capable of learning much. The classes were too difficult; her mind wouldn’t absorb the knowledge. She recalls, “it just won’t go in” (Thompson 1971, 20). Upon completion of the probationary term three months later, the committee decided that Gladys’ qualifications were not sufficient to continue the training program and rejected her as a candidate for joining the mission in China. The Chairman of the Committee gently pointed out that to serve in China one needs to speak Chinese – one of the most difficult languages in the world – which requires years of hard studies. It seemed like learning was not coming easily to Gladys, and it would be especially difficult to learn the language at her age. Looking back, Gladys notes that even though she wasn’t able to learn much at the college, she nevertheless learned how to pray, something she had never known and something that she remained forever thankful for (Latham 1950, 6; Aylward&Hunter 1970, 9).
Despite the failure, Gladys continued to feel in her heart a burning desire for China. After finding out that she could not be sent to China, she tried getting involved in local outreach ministries, but the strong desire for China persisted. She writes, “… still the thought of China tormented me. Always it was China!” (Aylward&Hunter 1970, 10) Gladys decided not to give up on her dream and continued to look for other ways to go to China. She thought that perhaps she could join a missionary family going to China as a children’s nurse. Everyone she asked for advice was against Gladys’ idea of being a missionary in China. She would hear that she should stay in Britain where there was a lot of good work to do and forget about going to China. While exploring options, she began going to slums of Bristol, visiting poor families and later serving as a rescue sister in South Wales saving adventurous but foolish girls whom sailors made drunk (Aylward&Hunter 1970,10; Swift 1984, 12). As there was no other way she could think of to get to China, Gladys felt depressed. She opened her Bible and started reading from the beginning. When she came to the story of Abraham, she was amazed by the idea that a man would leave his homeland and follow God. Next she marveled at the story of Moses and a certain message began to appear. She realized that if she wanted to go to China then God would take her there, but she needs to take the first step (Aylward&Hunter 1970,10; Thompson 1971, 22). She decides to find a job and start saving for the ticket. One day an acquaintance of Gladys informs her that he has a friend who has a friend by the name of Mrs. Lawson - a 73-year old missionary serving alone in China - who is praying for a young person to come and join her in her ministry in China. Gladys realizes that this is the direction God is providing.
“That’s me,” she says without thinking twise (Thompson 1971, 24).
Shortly after getting her job as a parlourmaid, she sat in her room on the edge of a narrow bed. She took her Bible, Daily Light and a few coppers – all the money she possessed in the world – put them together, placed her hand on them and closed her eyes in heartfelt prayer: “Oh, God! Here’s me. Here’s my Bible, here’s my money! Use us, God! Use us!” (Thompson 1971, 23; Burgess 1957, 20) Immediately after, she heard the voice of another maid calling her to come downstairs. It turned out that in accordance with the practice, the mistress decided to refund Gladys’ transportation fare. She returned to her room with the amount ten times bigger than she had placed on her Bible. She was convinced God began providing her with money towards her ticket to China.
In a few months, and not a couple of years as she expected initially, she was able to save enough for a train ticket. Her journey would take her through Europe, Russia, Manchuria and into Tianjin. Due to a military conflict between Russia and Japan this route was full of danger and unpredictability, but since she couldn’t afford to travel by ship, Gladys decided to take it. She sets off from Liverpool Street Station at 9:30 am, on Saturday 15th October 1932. After a long and adventurous train ride she arrived to Tianjin on Thursday, November 10 at 4:30 am. Gladys notes in her diary, “the joy of arrival was almost too much for me” (Latham 1950, 30). Thus began her period of seventeen long years of ministry in China.
Through Gladys’ submission God was able to use her in remarkable ways. She began her ministry in Yang Cheng with Mrs. Lawson who opened an inn for the muleteers called the Inn of the Sixth Happiness (original name the “Inn of the Eight Happinesses”)(Stevens 2004, 118). They provided shelter, food and told Bible stories to the muleteers. Gladys realized that she needed to study the Chinese language and began her learning. Soon afterwards Mrs. Lawson dies and Gladys was left on her own.
The following years were very hard. Gladys ran out of money and had to live in poverty. The income from running the inn was insignificant. This was a very difficult time for Gladys. She prayed for God’s support and guidance. God answered her prayers in an unexpected way through the local mandarin (a type of district administrator) who came to see Gladys with a peculiar request. The recent orders from the new government of China command that the ancient practice of binding women’s feet must be stopped. The mandarin is to enforce this new law in his district. But it was improper for a man to inspect women’s feet. Since Gladys was the only woman in the area with “big,” unbound feet she was suitable to become government foot inspector and travel to villages in the district, visit homes and see that girls’ and women’s feet are unbound. She was provided with a small ration of food and two solders for protection (Burgess 1957, 79). Gladys warns the mandarin that she is a Christian and if she is to take this job, she will be telling people about Jesus to which mandarin readily agrees. Gladys praised God for the way he answered her prayers.
There were many outstanding episodes in her ministry in China like quieting a violent riot in a prison, gathering orphans, spying for the Chinese army, taking over a hundred children across the mountains to Xian for safety; all these are outside of the scope of this paper. However, I’d like to focus on several things we can learn from her. Her ministry and life were full of hardships and trials so that many times she wanted to die (Thompson 1971, 99). Her only desire was to tell people that if they believed in Christ and put their trust in Him they would be saved and get to Heaven. Often she struggled with loneliness. She would write about how lonely she was on the margins of her Bible (Thompson 1971, 105). She missed speaking in English and really hoped to have a chance to talk with another English speaker. Her sacrifice spoke great message to the Chinese to whom she became known as Ai Wei De (艾偉德) which means “the virtuous one”. Her devotion to China and Chinese people reflected in her decision to become a Chinese citizen.
The story of Gladys is very unique and truly inspirational. She was a woman in her late twenties without solid theological educational background when she decided to go to China. She failed to finish the program at the mission’s college and seemed not to be able to learn enough to be an effective missionary. Gladys did not have the skills that are so valid in the mission field such as nursing, teaching or even deeper knowledge of the Bible. She was a simple woman with skills and experience of a maid. But what made her successful was the foundational desire to share the love of Christ. She had a great heart of compassion for the Chinese in remote places who had never heard about Christ. Today we can object and insist that a missionary must be prepared in theology and deep knowledge of the Bible before he or she goes to the mission field. I fully agree with this position. Later Gladys realized the need of deeper Bible knowledge and she read and memorized her Bible diligently. Theological education can make one prepared for missionary work, but theological education by itself is not enough to be a successful missionary. We have seen many cases of missionaries receiving theological training but failing in the mission field when meeting with difficulties and mundane day in and day out work. What set Gladys apart was her servant’s heart and a desire to do anything in order to have an opportunity to share Jesus. She did not consider any position or work too low for her to engage in. In our age of material prosperity and comforts of life – that existed in Gladys’ time as well but to somewhat lesser degree - may make some of us going to the mission field unwilling to live and serve in situations that lack things we are used to. How many of us are willing to sacrifice our lifestyles for the sake of Christ, be it short-term or long-term service?
Gladys did not have enough money to pay for her fair to China by ship. This was the reason she chose the dangerous route by train because it twice as cheap. In today’s world, with the increase of economic prosperity especially in the West, many missionaries are able to afford international travel using the fastest way of transportation, namely air travel. Short-term missions are very popular and increase in number. Missionaries travel to other countries on mission trips as short as one week. Short-term mission trips may yield positive as well as negative fruit. During the time Gladys went to China, short-term mission was considered at least 2-3 years. Often it took many weeks for a missionary to arrive to the mission field. Life and the way we serve in missions have undergone drastic change, but has our devotion to Christ’s commission remained the same?
Every time I see missionaries going to different countries just for the sake of “checking it out,” I remember Gladys’ story and her struggle and devotion to China. When I have the temptation to spend money on international travel or merchandise that I consider not necessarily important, I remember Gladys. It brings a healthier perspective to my decision-making process and helps me to be a better steward of the money God entrusted me with. I wish for all missionaries to remember Gladys’ hardships and devotion.
May Gladys serve as an inspiration to those who is passionate about going as a missionary but is not able to get education or training. Gladys did not start a great movement like Methodism or Pietism, establish many churches like Jesuits, monasteries like Patrick, or theological schools like Dominicans, but her love and passion for Christ had a great impact on lives of many people she came in contact with in China and Taiwan as well as those touched through hearing life story. I must note, however, that after the communist revolution of 1949 Gladys did start a small mission in the refugee area of Hong Kong and an orphanage near Tai Pei in Taiwan.
Those who met Gladys say that, “she talked to people about God, and it was evident she knew Who she was taking about. She was, in fact, as transparent as water, and her theology was the same, clear and uncomplicated (Thompson 1971, 116; 117). She was “shy and very modest” (Burgess 1957, 255). Speaking of herself, Gladys says, “My heart is full of praise that one so insignificant, uneducated and ordinary in every way could be used to His glory and for the blessing of His people in poor persecuted China” (Aylward&Hunter 1970, 153). Gladys Aylward will always live in the hearts and minds of the people whose lives she touched. She is a great example of a follower of Christ seeking to love God and people.
Bibliography
Aylward, G., & Hunter, C. (1970). The small woman of the inn of the sixth happiness. Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
Burgess, A. (1957). The small woman. New York, NY: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc.
Latham, R. O. (1950). Gladys aylward. London, England: Edinburgh House Press.
Stevens, K. (2004). GLADYS AYLWARD (1902-1970) WITH THE MULETEERS OF SHANXI AND SPYING FOR THE CHINESE. Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 44, 115-128.
Swift, C. (1984). Gladys aylward. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
Thompson, P. (1971). A transparent woman. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.