A man and his wife were led by the Communists through the streets of Miaosheo, a town on the eastern coast of China. The sides of the street were lined with people watching the procession. They were watching John and Betty Stam, as they made their way to a small hill. Were they afraid? No, they showed no signs of fear. What were they to be afraid of? As John had earlier quoted to his father: "To feel the Spirit's glad release? To pass from pain to perfect peace? The strife and strain of life to cease? Afraid-of that? No, they were not afraid. You might wonder why. Many would, but perhaps that is what makes their story so extraordinary.

John and Betty had met at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. John had been raised in America, but Betty had grown up in China as the daughter of missionaries. Both of then felt called to go to China as missionaries. Threats in China were alarming but they did not fear them. The Red Army, led by the Communists, grew in number daily. Many missionaries had already evacuated from regions where the threat was too great. Despite these trials which they knew would face them, their faith in God was strong. In his speech to the class of 1932 at Moody, John gave the following challenge:

Shall we beat a retreat, and turn back from our high calling in Christ Jesus, or dare we advance at God's command in the face of the impossible?...Let us remind ourselves that the Great Commission was never qualified by clauses calling for advance only if funds were plentiful and no hardship or self denial was involved. On the contrary, we are told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with it victory in Christ.

John and Betty were married in China, and their daughter Helen was born in the following year. Shortly after her birth, the Stams moved to the town of Jingde to begin mission work there. Not long after they arrived and settled in their new home, rumors began to spread over the area, speaking of the Communists imminent arrival. Early one morning, the Reds showed up at their door, demanding all the money that the Stams had. After John gave it to them, he tried to inform them of their peaceful intentions. This was to no avail, for as soon as the Reds had finished their tea, they insisted that John come with them. Later, they returned to get Betty and Helen.

While at a prison in Jingde, John was forced to write a letter to the China Inland Mission headquarters, outlining the ransom amount that was due for his family's release. This letter was never sent, however, and was later found among the Stam's belongings. John's letter shows that he was trusting God completely, even though he was aware of the likely outcome of his life. He closes with this:

The Lord bless you and guide you- and as for us- may God be glorified whether by life or death.

Their faith was tested to an even greater extent that afternoon, as they overheard the Reds discussing what to do with Helen. She was no good to them, and was a bother if anything because of her constant crying. But, then the unexpected happened. A Chinese prisoner who had just been released to make room for the Stams stepped forward and questioned the guards, asking why they would kill a baby when she had done no wrong. The Reds threw out an angry retort, but the mysterious prisoner persisted. "Then it's your life for hers!" The Reds finally concluded. "I am willing," came the unexpected reply, and the man was hacked to pieces in front of the Stams eyes. So, three month old Helen's life was saved by the sacrifice of a man, whose name, to this day, remains unknown.

The next day, John was forced to write yet another letter to the mission. When he handed it to the postmaster, he recognized John. The postmaster asked, "Where are you going?" John replied. "We don't know where they are going, but we are going to heaven."

That night the Stams were taken to a large house, where they were carefully guarded throughout the night. Betty, however, was able to tend to Helen. During this time, Betty hid Helen inside a small sleeping bag, putting only a few dollar bills and clothing items in with her baby.

The next morning, John and Betty were summoned out to die. They were bound with ropes and stripped of their outer clothing before being paraded through the streets of Miaosheo. Their destination was the hill up ahead. As they came into a clump of pine trees, another crowd gathered. In it, was a Chinese Christian and friend of the Stams. He pleaded for the life of his friends, but instead of releasing their prisoners, the Reds decided that the Chinese man would be killed with them.

A biographer recounts the events that followed:
"A huge sword was in the hands of one of the young Communists. John spoke only a few words as he knelt on one knee. Probably only his wife understood what he was saying. Without a doubt, she was reaffirming him, even if it meant giving up his life. While he was talking, he was struck to the ground, his throat having been so cut completely that the head fell beside the slain body..." Betty was also killed as she fell beside the body of her husband.

The next day, Evangelist Lo, a Chinese missionary, found their bodies and held their funeral service. Then he began to search for Helen. He searched through all of Miaosheo until he came upon a woman who pointed him in the direction of the house where the Stams had spent their final night. Baby Helen was still alive, even after twenty four hours of neglect. In fact, she seemed to be no worse for her long stay. Helen was taken to her grandparents, the Scotts, who were still in China, before being sent to live with her aunt and uncle in America.

Dr. Scott, Betty's father, summed up John and Betty's martyrdom this way:

...[they] have not died in vain. The blood of the martyrs is still the seed of the church. If we could hear our beloved children speak, we know from their convictions that they would praise God because he counted them worthy for the sake of Christ.

After the death of John and Betty, it seemed like the end of the work in Jingde. However, seven years after their murder, a new believer was baptized. Soon after, five were baptized in a small church. But the Stam's impact was not limited to China. One wrote, "I personally know hundreds of volunteers of all ages who gave their lives to the Lord for missionary service because of the death of John and Betty Stam." Another wrote, "A life which had the longest span of years might not have been able to do one hundredth of the work for Christ which they have done in a day."

Indeed Dr. Scott's words are true. John and Betty Stam's deaths were not in vain. They have challenged and inspired thousands of believers, and have shown what it really means to "take up your cross daily." Truly, they are examples of Mark 8:35, "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it."

~Gracie

Sources:
To Die Is Gain. . .by Mrs. Howard Taylor
"Asia Harvest" magazine. May 2005, Newsletter #78