Mary Andrews was an Australian Anglican missionary who came to China. She taught in Linhai, Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province and other places for more than ten years, promoting the spread of the gospel.
Mary Andrews was born in Australia in 1915. Her mother was a devout Christian believer. In 1890, James Hudson Taylor went to Australia to share with believers there the spiritual needs of China. Mary’s mother wanted to go to China to spread the gospel, but she was stopped by her family. So she often prayed to the Lord and promised that she would dedicate her first child to Chinese gospel ministry.
Mary Andrews was her first child. At the age of 16, Mary Andrews heard the Lord's call to go to China. After her mother learned of Mary’s call, she was very excited and strongly supported her daughter's decision. Mary Andrews joined the Anglican Mission and received training in theology and nursing.
On September 14, 1938, the 23-year-old Mary Andrews set out from Sydney to China alone. She landed in Shanghai when the Anti-Japanese War was in full swing. According to her recollection, “At that time, more than 300,000 people were homeless in Shanghai; food was scarce, and an average of 100 people died on the streets every day.” She went to Beijing to learn Chinese language and Chinese culture. At this time, Beijing was controlled by Japanese invaders. Although Westerners were able to move freely, they were always under the surveillance of the Japanese, and the living environment was also very bad. It was common for food to be cut off, and she suffered from hunger with the Chinese people. There she made many Chinese friends. Her Chinese name, which means “quiet and beautiful jasper,” was given to her by a friend in Beijing.
After initially learning Chinese, Mary Andrews was sent to Linhai, Zhejiang to serve. She learned the local dialect so she could serve the community better and soon was able to communicate with the locals.
War makes many people feel that life is short, leading to people thinking more the meaning of life, so the gospel spread quickly, and the number of believers increased. In addition to preaching, Mary Andrews also taught school. She was responsible for teaching English and the Bible, and introducing the gospel of Christ through her contact with students.
In 1945, the Japanese invaders made their last stubborn attack. They invaded Linhai, and following the instructions of the mission, Mary Andrews and her colleagues left the area. They walked or took a sedan chair, or took a military vehicle or a truck, and traveled for more than 3,000 miles from the east coast of China to Kunming in the southwest. She then took a U.S. military aircraft to Kolkata, India, where they sailed to Australia by ship.
After the Anti-Japanese War, Mary Andrews returned to China to teach in a middle school in Shaoxing. She preached the gospel to students, led many young people to believe in the Lord, and many of them also felt called to serve the church. In 1951, due to the political situation at that time, Mary Andrews returned to Australia and left this beloved land.
Soon after returning to Australia, she became a clerk (deacon) in the Anglican Church in Sydney and served as the dean of the Anglican Church’s Deacon Training Institute. She trained a lot of ministers for the church and who helped spread the gospel around the world. In recognition of her contribution, the church named the school "Mary Andrews College."
After she retired from the college in 1975, she still did not stop serving. She served on several church committees. Of course, she never forgot the Chinese church and often prayed for people who were suffering.
In 1985 and 1986, Mary Andrews, who was more than 70 years old, once again came to this land. She came to visit churches in Fujian, Zhejiang and other places. Every time she saw a crowded chapel, she was excited.
In 1991, Mary Andrews came to China for the last time. She was pleased to see the renaissance of the gospel in China. Many young people have grown up and shouldered the heavy responsibility of the church. At the end of 1996, Mary Andrews rested in the arms of God. She was 81 years old.
- Translated by Kevin Feng
安美瑞传丨圣公会来华女宣教士，中国教会复兴的见证人
安美瑞（Mary Andrews）为澳大利亚圣公会来华女宣教士，她在浙江临海、绍兴等地宣教、教育十多年，促进了福音在当地的传播。
1915年，安美瑞生于澳大利亚，她母亲是位虔诚的信徒，1890年戴德生到澳洲宣传中国的属灵需求，她很想前往中国传福音，但遭到家人拦阻而作罢。于是她经常向主祷告，愿将自己第一个儿女献给中国福音事工。
安美瑞是她第一个孩子。16岁那年，安美瑞听到主的呼召要她去中国宣教，母亲知道后非常兴奋，大力支持女儿决定。安美瑞加入圣公会的差会，她先后接受了神学装备以及护理训练。
1938年9月14日，23岁的安美瑞独自一人从悉尼启程前往中国。她从上海登陆，那时抗战正酣，据她回忆“当时仅在上海就有三十多万人无家可归；粮食奇缺，每日平均有百人死于街头。”她前往北京学习汉语、中国文化。此时北京被日寇占据，西方人虽然可以自由活动，但时刻都在日本人的监视下，而且生活环境也非常恶劣，断粮是常有的事，但她仍和广大中国人一道忍饥挨饿。在此她结识了很多中国朋友，她的中文名字，就是一位北京的好友取的，意思是“安静、美丽的碧玉”。
初步学会汉语后，安美瑞被派往浙江临海侍奉。她为服侍需要学习了当地方言，很快就能与当地人沟通。
战争让很多人感到生命无常，对生命有了更多的思考，于是福音传播很快，信主的人与日俱增。安美瑞除讲道外还在学校任教，她负责教授英文和圣经，藉着与学生接触将基督福音介绍给他们。
1945年，即将战败的日寇作最后的顽抗，他们进犯临海，安美瑞和同工一起奉差会之命撤退。他（她）们或步行或坐轿子，或乘军车或货车，辗转三千余里，由中国东部沿海到西南内陆昆明，再乘美军飞机到印度的加尔各答，在那里转乘轮船回到澳大利亚。
抗战胜利后，安美瑞重返中国，到绍兴一所中学教书。她广泛向学生传福音，带领很多年轻人信主，甚至不少人立志侍奉。1951年由于时局原因，安美瑞回到澳洲，离开了这块挚爱的土地。
回国不久，她成为圣公会悉尼教区的会吏（执事），并担任圣公会女执事培训学院院长。她为教会培养了很多传道人，在世界各地传扬福音，教会为表彰她的贡献，将学校命名为“安美瑞学院”。
1975年她从学院退休后，仍然没有停止服侍，她在好几个教会机构委员会内担任委员，当然她始终没有忘记中国教会，经常为苦难中的人祷告。
1985年、1986年两年间，年逾古稀的安美瑞重新踏上这片土地，她来到福建、浙江等地的教会访问。每当看到座无虚席的礼拜堂，她都感到兴奋不已。
1991年，安美瑞最后一次来到中国，她欣喜地看到福音在中华大地的复兴，很多年轻人已成长起来，担负教会的重责。1996年底，安美瑞安息主怀，在世81岁。
Mary Andrews was an Australian Anglican missionary who came to China. She taught in Linhai, Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province and other places for more than ten years, promoting the spread of the gospel.
Mary Andrews was born in Australia in 1915. Her mother was a devout Christian believer. In 1890, James Hudson Taylor went to Australia to share with believers there the spiritual needs of China. Mary’s mother wanted to go to China to spread the gospel, but she was stopped by her family. So she often prayed to the Lord and promised that she would dedicate her first child to Chinese gospel ministry.
Mary Andrews was her first child. At the age of 16, Mary Andrews heard the Lord's call to go to China. After her mother learned of Mary’s call, she was very excited and strongly supported her daughter's decision. Mary Andrews joined the Anglican Mission and received training in theology and nursing.
On September 14, 1938, the 23-year-old Mary Andrews set out from Sydney to China alone. She landed in Shanghai when the Anti-Japanese War was in full swing. According to her recollection, “At that time, more than 300,000 people were homeless in Shanghai; food was scarce, and an average of 100 people died on the streets every day.” She went to Beijing to learn Chinese language and Chinese culture. At this time, Beijing was controlled by Japanese invaders. Although Westerners were able to move freely, they were always under the surveillance of the Japanese, and the living environment was also very bad. It was common for food to be cut off, and she suffered from hunger with the Chinese people. There she made many Chinese friends. Her Chinese name, which means “quiet and beautiful jasper,” was given to her by a friend in Beijing.
After initially learning Chinese, Mary Andrews was sent to Linhai, Zhejiang to serve. She learned the local dialect so she could serve the community better and soon was able to communicate with the locals.
War makes many people feel that life is short, leading to people thinking more the meaning of life, so the gospel spread quickly, and the number of believers increased. In addition to preaching, Mary Andrews also taught school. She was responsible for teaching English and the Bible, and introducing the gospel of Christ through her contact with students.
In 1945, the Japanese invaders made their last stubborn attack. They invaded Linhai, and following the instructions of the mission, Mary Andrews and her colleagues left the area. They walked or took a sedan chair, or took a military vehicle or a truck, and traveled for more than 3,000 miles from the east coast of China to Kunming in the southwest. She then took a U.S. military aircraft to Kolkata, India, where they sailed to Australia by ship.
After the Anti-Japanese War, Mary Andrews returned to China to teach in a middle school in Shaoxing. She preached the gospel to students, led many young people to believe in the Lord, and many of them also felt called to serve the church. In 1951, due to the political situation at that time, Mary Andrews returned to Australia and left this beloved land.
Soon after returning to Australia, she became a clerk (deacon) in the Anglican Church in Sydney and served as the dean of the Anglican Church’s Deacon Training Institute. She trained a lot of ministers for the church and who helped spread the gospel around the world. In recognition of her contribution, the church named the school "Mary Andrews College."
After she retired from the college in 1975, she still did not stop serving. She served on several church committees. Of course, she never forgot the Chinese church and often prayed for people who were suffering.
In 1985 and 1986, Mary Andrews, who was more than 70 years old, once again came to this land. She came to visit churches in Fujian, Zhejiang and other places. Every time she saw a crowded chapel, she was excited.
In 1991, Mary Andrews came to China for the last time. She was pleased to see the renaissance of the gospel in China. Many young people have grown up and shouldered the heavy responsibility of the church. At the end of 1996, Mary Andrews rested in the arms of God. She was 81 years old.
- Translated by Kevin Feng
Mary Andrews: Australia Missionary to China, Witness of Chinese Church Revival
