“Missionary, Sino-Japanese War Hero, Will Speak Here” and “To Lecture on Missions” from the 1951 and 1957 Door County Advocate
[from April 19, 1951]
Missionary, Sino-Japanese War Hero, Will Speak Here
The annual spring convention of the Green Bay Circuit, Women’s Missionary federation, will be held in Bay View Lutheran church here Thursday, Apr. 26, in two sessions opening at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. with the Rev. Myron Medin as host pastor. Speakers will be the Rev. John Skeptstad, missionary to China, and Mrs. Louis Larsen of Chicago, district president of the Women’s Missionary federation. The opening sermon will be given by the Rev. Roland Schwandt of Manitowoc.
Missionary Skepstad (who went to China in 1922) will speak on “The Church in China Today.” He has been engaged in evangelistics work during his whole period of service in the China field. During the Communist revolution of 1927 when Chiang Kai-shek marched his victorious trop north from Canton, all missionaries had to evacuate the field. At that time, he served as pastor in Stephen, Minn., until the end of 1936.
Escaped From Enemy
He went back to China in the spring of 1937, just before the beginning of the war between China and Japan. His whole second term coincided with that bloody conflict when Japanese bombs and armies spread death and destruction over all of China. He was at his station in Suiping when that city was occupied by the Japanese, and was instrumental in saving 200 Chinese refugees from enemy fury.
In a two-week overland trip he made in the company of two of our lady missionaries, their party was held up by armed Chinese bandits. The whole party was robbed, and Rv. Skepstad was led away to be shot. Intercession by his Chinese fellow travellers saved his life. He returned to the States with his family in the summer of 1941.
Communists Take China
In the spring of 1946 he was again called to return to China, but in the following year the Communist armies rolled victoriously over China and took possession of the mission field. After a year’s stay in the British colony of Hongkong, the family returned to the States in July 1949.
Mrs. Louis Larsen’s subject will be “The Objective of the Women’s Missionary Federation.”
The department secretaries are presenting the departmental work in a playlet entitled “The Five Branches.”
Officers of Green Bay Circuit are Mrs. L. J. Lycan, DePere; Mrs. Harold Blom, Pulaski; Mrs. E. J. Christianson, Green Bay and Mrs. H. Erickson, Oconto Falls.
The Ladies Aid will serve luncheon at noon and the Hainesville ladies will serve after refreshments.
[from August 1, 1957]
To Lecture On Missions
Paul Martinson
David Ide
In 1902 Rev. Andrew Martinson pioneered Lutheran mission work in China. There Rev. Martinson died while serving. His son, Rev. Harold Martinson, has lived in China the greater portion of his life. He has just published a book entitled, “Red Dragon Over China,” dealing with the communist rule there.
This summer his son, Paul Martinson, who left Hongkong in 1952, and Dave Ide, who recently served two and a half years as a G. I. in Japan, are travelling about to many Lutheran churches presenting an illustrated lecture on mission work in Southeast Asia.
They will give a slide talk, “Christ Among the Chinese of Southeast Asia.” We shall become acquainted with the scenery, life, people [and] mission work centering in Hongkong.
Paul Martinson just graduated from St. Olaf college and looks forward to the seminary and mission field as does Dave Ide, a second semester freshman.
We wish to emphasize that all are welcome.
Bethany Lutheran church, Ephraim, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 8 p.m.
St. Paul’s Lutheran church, Juddville, Aug. 8, 8 p.m.—(Story contributed).
Articles courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
[The opening pictures from “Red Dragon Over China” are at https://archive.org/details/reddragonoverchi0000mart/mode/2up, and the rest of the book can be read by creating a free account and checking the book out on an hourly basis. ]
Articles about missionaries
https://doorcounty.substack.com/t/missionaries