By Michelle Adserias
Charlotte Digges Moon, better known as Lottie Moon, broke the mold for upper class Southern women when she became one of the first to receive her master’s degree in 1861. She stayed near her home in Virginia until the end of the Civil War then moved on to the greater things God had called her to.
Born in Virginia in 1840, she wanted nothing to do with God until she was 18 years old and attending college. As she grew in her faith, she developed a passionate concern for the Chinese people her sister, Edmonia, were already serving. After turning down a marriage proposal and leaving her affluent lifestyle behind, she joined her sister’s established mission in China.
Initially, people feared and rejected her. To narrow the cultural gap, she learned to speak their language and began wearing traditional Chinese clothing. Luring people in with the scent of freshly-baked cookies didn’t hurt either! Lottie taught and carried the Gospel not only to her own community, but to more remote, interior areas.
Throughout her lifetime, Lottie wrote letters begging the church to send more workers and money to support their work. In them, she detailed Chinese culture and a missionary’s life and the unending needs she witnessed. By 1888, the Southern Baptist women had collected over $3000 to support the work in China.
Initially, the people were just hungry for truth. Their lives were filled with turmoil and disease often threatened. Toward the end of Lottie’s 39-year-ministry, all this was complicated by a great famine that left everyone just plain hungry. Lottie gave everything she had to save as many Chinese souls as possible; her energy, her resources and her food – laying down her own life for the cause of Christ. She weighed only 50 pounds when she and her faithful nurse attempted to return to the United States. She did not survive the journey.
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
The Southern Baptist churches take an annual offering for international missions, named in honor of Lottie Moon’s great sacrifices, which were driven by her deep love for Christ and the unreached people of China. Her work there was instrumental in establishing the Gospel. The Chinese church continues to grow despite (or maybe because of) ongoing persecution. Jesus promised the gates of hell would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18) and this has certainly proven true in the land Lottie Moon loved well.
“Why should we not, instead of the paltry offerings we make, do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of Him who, though He was rich, for our sake became poor?” – Lottie Moon
