JourneyOnline
Monarch Books
RRP $34.95
Prior to the Introduction the view of Biblical persecution is introduced and addressed. The book itself provides specific details about the lives and martyrdom of Christian missionaries and Chinese Christians who were martyred between 845 to 2006.
Although there have been other books available detailing the lives of martyrs such as John and Betty Stam this is a very comprehensive book bringing both Catholic and Protestant missionaries as well as Chinese Christians into focus.
China’s Christian Martyrs is not easily readable in a sitting as the details of martyrdom challenge the dedicated believer. Persecution on such a scale has never been experienced in Australia.
This book has been sourced from several places and includes many photos of both individual martyrs and martyred families.
China’s Christian Martyrs is well set out for those who may wish to research a particular era and it reveals how the church has grown, especially in the areas where the most people were killed.
The final Chapter encourages all Christians to see the worth of the martyrdom of so many believers, these being the seed that has encouraged the Chinese Church to grow into its present day form.
There were numerous wonderful testimonies in the midst of suffering and imminent death but the words of Don Lianming ring in our ears, “Though you can destroy the bodies of the Christians you can never destroy our souls. Hereafter we shall live eternally in our Saviour’s presence.”
Paul Hattaway has a continuing ministry in China and other details are listed at the end of this book.
China’s Christian Martyrs was reviewed by Suzanne Driver
