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Gladys Aylward: Missionary in China
As a missionary in China, Gladys Aylward's life was characterized by a humble dependence upon God in a steady stream of extreme circumstances.
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1998
2 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Sam Wellman
88 books17 followersSam Wellman, PhD, is a writer of numerous biographies. He has traveled to Germany many times and twice stayed for several months (in Berlin and Wittenberg). He blogs and tweets on Martin Luther and Frederick the Wise. He lives near Wichita, Kansas.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 4, 2019
First sentence: Gladys Aylward sat in a hard, high-backed chair across from a square desk.
I first heard of Gladys Aylward in the 1958 movie, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. After reading this biography, I've learned that she really did not approve of the movie...at all. I'm not sure I'll stop liking the movie, but it's given me food for thought. WHO is telling your story and WHY can definitely influence the outcome. It makes a weird kind of sense that Hollywood would be more interested in DRAMA and ROMANCE and even COMEDY rather than highlighting a humble woman who was all about serving and glorifying the Lord above all else. That doesn't necessarily make it right.
When Aylward first returned to England--after the second World War--she did not come seeking glory or fame for herself. She did not see herself as a hero. She did not see her story as being worth telling or sharing. Her story was coaxed out of her and shared with the world via Alan Burgess.
Her story is worth telling because it is a TESTIMONY of the Lord's working wonders in her life. Gladys Aylward was a woman who felt called by the Lord to service. She was confident the Lord was calling her to China. Not everyone shared her confidence. In fact--few did. She was rejected by the China Inland Mission--because she was "too old" to learn the Chinese language. She didn't feel 'too old' however. She would continue to serve the Lord where she was--London--and save up money to send herself to China. Perhaps she could be an assistant to an older--established--missionary. She would end up going to China and serving alongside Jeannie Lawson--a missionary who was becoming increasingly senile though no less stubborn.
The book tells of her years in China--as an innkeeper, as a foot inspector, guardian of orphans--in the 1930s and 40s. She was unable to stay in China after the Communists took over; but she settled in Taiwan and continued serving the Lord.
Quotes:
When Gladys reflected on her new job she realized it was a gift from God. To think she had resisted. She had the opportunity to travel all over the Mandarin's district and meet every woman and girl of the many thousands in the district. It really was miraculous now that she accepted it. Why had she ever hesitated? Probably because she was single-minded and she could think of nothing but spreading the gospel to the male guests at the inn. But here is yet another way to spread the gospel and to women. (99)
I first heard of Gladys Aylward in the 1958 movie, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. After reading this biography, I've learned that she really did not approve of the movie...at all. I'm not sure I'll stop liking the movie, but it's given me food for thought. WHO is telling your story and WHY can definitely influence the outcome. It makes a weird kind of sense that Hollywood would be more interested in DRAMA and ROMANCE and even COMEDY rather than highlighting a humble woman who was all about serving and glorifying the Lord above all else. That doesn't necessarily make it right.
When Aylward first returned to England--after the second World War--she did not come seeking glory or fame for herself. She did not see herself as a hero. She did not see her story as being worth telling or sharing. Her story was coaxed out of her and shared with the world via Alan Burgess.
Her story is worth telling because it is a TESTIMONY of the Lord's working wonders in her life. Gladys Aylward was a woman who felt called by the Lord to service. She was confident the Lord was calling her to China. Not everyone shared her confidence. In fact--few did. She was rejected by the China Inland Mission--because she was "too old" to learn the Chinese language. She didn't feel 'too old' however. She would continue to serve the Lord where she was--London--and save up money to send herself to China. Perhaps she could be an assistant to an older--established--missionary. She would end up going to China and serving alongside Jeannie Lawson--a missionary who was becoming increasingly senile though no less stubborn.
The book tells of her years in China--as an innkeeper, as a foot inspector, guardian of orphans--in the 1930s and 40s. She was unable to stay in China after the Communists took over; but she settled in Taiwan and continued serving the Lord.
Quotes:
When Gladys reflected on her new job she realized it was a gift from God. To think she had resisted. She had the opportunity to travel all over the Mandarin's district and meet every woman and girl of the many thousands in the district. It really was miraculous now that she accepted it. Why had she ever hesitated? Probably because she was single-minded and she could think of nothing but spreading the gospel to the male guests at the inn. But here is yet another way to spread the gospel and to women. (99)
March 29, 2025
Great example of a woman who gave everything she could and her ministry impacted everyone she came across. Not sure how I feel about pieces of the story that are a bit slower, but the real parts that worked for me were when she was travelling and learning about the history of China.
January 20, 2022
这本传记的文笔不算好，有些词语使用得很偏，叙述也有不通畅之处。但这丝毫不影响艾伟德的伟大。
1902年2月24日，艾伟德生于英国伦敦以北米德尔塞克斯郡埃德蒙顿的一个工人阶级家庭，父亲是一名邮差。早年未受太多教育，做过侍女，后决心去中国传教，但是没有通过内地会的考试。1930年10月18日，她自英国只身出发，花费了所有的积蓄，乘船和火车，穿越苏联、途中几乎被拘留，后又取道日本，最终到达中国天津、北京，然后又长途跋涉到达山西阳城县，接替年老的卫理会传教士珍妮·劳森。
在阳城，艾伟德创立了八福客栈用于传教。她曾接受当地道尹的请求，帮助妇女放脚，还曾帮助平息当地监狱的骚乱，她还收养了很多孤儿。1936年艾伟德加入中国籍。
抗日战争爆发后，该地区被日军侵占，宣教团体保持中立，艾伟德厌恶日军暴行，帮助救治中国难民和伤员，并将日军行踪通知中国方面。1940年艾伟德率领94名儿童经过数十天艰苦的步行，安全转移到西安。后在陕西、甘肃、四川等地传教。
1949年回到英国家乡。1958年艾伟德曾在香港创办希望传道会（Hope Mission，后更名笃志传道会），建立伯利恒堂（至今有三间堂会）。1958年她决定重新回到中国大陆，但被拒绝入境，于是前往台湾，于北投（后迁木栅）创立了艾伟德儿童之家。1970年1月3日，因流感并发肺炎，在台湾病逝，后葬于美国基督教效力会基督书院。她真是一个非常值得敬佩的人。
1902年2月24日，艾伟德生于英国伦敦以北米德尔塞克斯郡埃德蒙顿的一个工人阶级家庭，父亲是一名邮差。早年未受太多教育，做过侍女，后决心去中国传教，但是没有通过内地会的考试。1930年10月18日，她自英国只身出发，花费了所有的积蓄，乘船和火车，穿越苏联、途中几乎被拘留，后又取道日本，最终到达中国天津、北京，然后又长途跋涉到达山西阳城县，接替年老的卫理会传教士珍妮·劳森。
在阳城，艾伟德创立了八福客栈用于传教。她曾接受当地道尹的请求，帮助妇女放脚，还曾帮助平息当地监狱的骚乱，她还收养了很多孤儿。1936年艾伟德加入中国籍。
抗日战争爆发后，该地区被日军侵占，宣教团体保持中立，艾伟德厌恶日军暴行，帮助救治中国难民和伤员，并将日军行踪通知中国方面。1940年艾伟德率领94名儿童经过数十天艰苦的步行，安全转移到西安。后在陕西、甘肃、四川等地传教。
1949年回到英国家乡。1958年艾伟德曾在香港创办希望传道会（Hope Mission，后更名笃志传道会），建立伯利恒堂（至今有三间堂会）。1958年她决定重新回到中国大陆，但被拒绝入境，于是前往台湾，于北投（后迁木栅）创立了艾伟德儿童之家。1970年1月3日，因流感并发肺炎，在台湾病逝，后葬于美国基督教效力会基督书院。她真是一个非常值得敬佩的人。
December 6, 2018
I bought this book since I like a biography. As someone pointed out, the book seems to be written for middle school children.
This book, Gladys Ayward, is informative and sounds accurate with the historical details about China.
Aylward was a parlor maid before feeling a calling to go to China. Her experiences as a maid might have worked well when she founded and took care of The Inn of Eighth Happiness.
It was touching to know about Aylward's dedicated life for the needy, especially one hundred orphans, during the second world war and the war between the Chinese communists and Nationalists. She never married for their sake even though she fell in love with a Chinese colonel.
There is no doubt that Gladys Ayward is a holy woman devouted to God. She would be considered to be canonized if she had been a Catholic.
This book is not written interestingly, so I had to push myself to keep on reading. It looks like a report about somebody's life. Her life is compared to Corrie ten Boom, but the book about Corrie ten Boom was a lot more interesting, touching, and memorable. I would rate the writing three, but since the book is written about God's loving person, I compromised rating it four.
This book, Gladys Ayward, is informative and sounds accurate with the historical details about China.
Aylward was a parlor maid before feeling a calling to go to China. Her experiences as a maid might have worked well when she founded and took care of The Inn of Eighth Happiness.
It was touching to know about Aylward's dedicated life for the needy, especially one hundred orphans, during the second world war and the war between the Chinese communists and Nationalists. She never married for their sake even though she fell in love with a Chinese colonel.
There is no doubt that Gladys Ayward is a holy woman devouted to God. She would be considered to be canonized if she had been a Catholic.
This book is not written interestingly, so I had to push myself to keep on reading. It looks like a report about somebody's life. Her life is compared to Corrie ten Boom, but the book about Corrie ten Boom was a lot more interesting, touching, and memorable. I would rate the writing three, but since the book is written about God's loving person, I compromised rating it four.
May 22, 2024
𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐎 𝐦𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 ~ 𝐍𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟏𝟑:𝟑𝟏
The story of Gladys Aylward, a mousy, timid-natured Englishwoman, has always been a favourite of mine. When I was little, I think it was because her physical features sounded a little like mine. Upon re-reading in my mid-twenties, I understand that it is more her dedication and almost dogged resilience to serving God that has made this story so special to my heart. 𝘖𝘩, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵! By trusting whole-heartededly in God and daily claiming His promises, Gladys defied what man said she could do, and moved to China where she served God in the mountain villages for nearly 40 years.
Gladys Aylward, though perhaps relatively unheard of by most people today, shall certainly be remembered for good throughout Eternity by the One she served faithfully her whole life.
The story of Gladys Aylward, a mousy, timid-natured Englishwoman, has always been a favourite of mine. When I was little, I think it was because her physical features sounded a little like mine. Upon re-reading in my mid-twenties, I understand that it is more her dedication and almost dogged resilience to serving God that has made this story so special to my heart. 𝘖𝘩, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵! By trusting whole-heartededly in God and daily claiming His promises, Gladys defied what man said she could do, and moved to China where she served God in the mountain villages for nearly 40 years.
Gladys Aylward, though perhaps relatively unheard of by most people today, shall certainly be remembered for good throughout Eternity by the One she served faithfully her whole life.
October 17, 2020
I do not recommend this book. Gladys Aylward has an amazing story but I highly recommend you read it by a different author. There were so many times in this book that the writing was stilted or strange. And I was very unhappy with the way the author referred to different types of people. Too many times he used the words "barbaric, simple, urchin, primitive." Very condescending towards other cultures. And I don't think Gladys herself was like that. Amazing person, terrible author.
December 9, 2018
This is a wonderful book about the missionary to China named Gladys Aylward. She was such an inspiring person! Her story was made into an Ingrid Bergman film, The Inn of Sixth Happiness. Gladys did not appreciate the liberties that Hollywood took with her life story, so if you read the book you will get the true story.
June 2, 2024
Truly incredible story. At 200 pages, this was an easy read, yet packed with interesting details.
April 9, 2012
A shaky 4 stars here--overall, I liked this bio of Aylward. I like the pacing of the overall thread and the information included. We get a sense of Aylward the person without too many imagined thoughts (although there are plenty of imagined one-sentence prayers, still they seem in keeping with the character portrayed). My biggest complaint is that the prose feels choppy in places and, if the reader isn't familiar with Chinese history, might be considered incomplete. Still, it's quite readable for the given audience and I enjoyed learning more about this missionary.
March 17, 2012
The story of Gladys Aylward is great, I just didn't enjoy the book so much. I had seen the movie in her life a few months ago and read how she couldn't stand the film's depiction, so I wanted to read the real story, as I soak in missionary books always. At first I did not really like the woman, but you can see how she grew in the Lord over time. Many lives were changed and spared because of Miss Aylward's bravery and love for others. It was nice to learn about.
April 13, 2012
Very good book. Nothing like the movie. Much better. The movie is not a true picture of the lady.
The Inn of called, "The Inn of the Eighth Happiness" not sixth
She never kissed a man
She turned down the proposal of marriga due to him not being a Christian
Yang was not kill in front of her, he became a refuge and was never heard from again.
and many other differnces.
Still see the movie, it's better than must on the arir now.
The Inn of called, "The Inn of the Eighth Happiness" not sixth
She never kissed a man
She turned down the proposal of marriga due to him not being a Christian
Yang was not kill in front of her, he became a refuge and was never heard from again.
and many other differnces.
Still see the movie, it's better than must on the arir now.
February 20, 2008
This book made it sound like Aylward single-handedly brought Christianity to China. While I'm sure that a lot of what she did was really very ground-breaking, I had a hard time believing a lot of the stories in the book.
April 2, 2008
While "The Little Woman..." is the best because it's Gladys' own telling of her life, this is a noteworthy supplement.
May 13, 2011
The low rating is for the writing, not the story -- which is excellent. When it comes to female missionaries, Gladys Aylward rivals Amy Carmichael in both spiritual vigor and sheer awesomeness.
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November 26, 2017Interesting
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