Beyond the Stone Arches: An American Missionary Doctor in China, 1892-1932

By Edward Bliss Jr.

Book Overview

"The words of David Livingstone express my feelings better than any words of my own. 'God had an only son, and He was a missionary and a physician.' A poor, poor imitation of Him I am, or hope to be. In this service I hope to live; in it I wish to die." -Edward Bliss, 1892

In 1892--during the latter days of the Qing Dynasty--a 26-year-old Massachusetts native embarked on a dramatic journey to an outpost in feudal China. The man's name was Edward Bliss, and it was in the impoverished walled city of Shaowu that he fulfilled his dream of becoming a medical missionary and emerged as a true American hero.

In this inspired and riveting read, distinguished journalist Edward Bliss Jr.--the son of this original Peace Corpsman--tells the remarkable story of a courageous pioneer who selflessly risked his life to serve others. With the refreshing intimacy of a memoir and based in large part on letters Bliss wrote home, Beyond the Stone Arches takes us back to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which saw an outpouring of missionaries to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Filled with drama and exhilarating anecdotes, Beyond the Stone Arches imparts the complete story of an American missionary: from Bliss's happy childhood in Newburyport, Massachusetts, to his rigorous days at Yale University, to the remote Chinese city where he battled malaria (which twice nearly killed him), plague, torrential floods, and, finally, the encroaching Communist armies to help make the world a better place in which to live. Bliss continued to heal the sick, toil as a farmer, deliver babies, and work to eradicate the rinderpest virus--all for the "glory of God and dignity of man"--until the early days of Mao Zedong when a Communist army descended on Shaowu.

This intimate glimpse into the life of Edward Bliss also provides a rare impression of the obstacles faced by missionaries in the feudal Chinese culture. A rare tribute, Beyond the Stone Arches is a luminous portrait of an exemplary figure, a man whose extraordinary life story offers us insight into how to face adversity in our own time.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471397598
• ISBN13: 9780471397595
• Release Date: December 2000
• Publisher: Trade Paper Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

beautifully realized

This is a wonderfully written account of a missionary's life in early 20th century China. Both educational and entertaining. Well worth the reader's time. Ed Bliss does the subject exquisite justice.

Great Gift Idea for Father's Day!!

From what I've read of reviews and from what I know of the content of this beautifully written biography of a father by his son.

A pioneer missionary doctor in China: a true adventure tale

"Beyond the Stone Arches" is the gripping story of a pioneer missionary doctor who served for four decades in a mission station deep in the interior of Fujian province. Each chapter could stand alone, for the scene changes from Imperial China to the shaky, new Republic in 1911, to civil wars, banditry, floods, plague and cholera epidemics - but through it all, Edward Bliss, Jr. tells the story of his father's daily work, his love for China and its people, his ventures such as raising milk cows so children could have milk, and his courage in the face of danger from Communist guerrillas, bandit gangs and rampant warlords. The book reads like an autobiography, for the author draws heavily on his own extensive interviews with his father and his father's letters, plus the author's own memories of childhood in pre-modern China. This is not a stereotype "missionary book!"