Sallie and Landrum Holmes
When all hope seemed lost, would Sallie find the strength to stay in China?
When all hope seemed lost, would Sallie find the strength to stay in China?
Sallie Holmes and her husband, Landrum, arrived in China in 1859, ready to dedicate their lives to sharing the gospel. Less than three years later, Landrum was murdered by Taiping rebels. Just a few weeks before this tragedy, Sallie and Landrum had lost their little daughter, Annie. Shortly after Landrum’s murder, Sallie discovered she was expecting another child. She welcomed little Landrum into the world, but the world she now knew was much different from the one she expected when she first sailed to China.
Despite strong encouragement from family and friends to return to the U.S., Sallie made the decision to stay and continue the work in China. She and missionary Martha Crawford were tireless in visiting Chinese homes and sharing the good news. It was estimated that Sallie and Martha shared the gospel in hundreds of villages and thousands of homes. The two women also became strong mentors to Lottie Moon, who arrived in China in 1873. Together the three missionaries were leaders in bringing the gospel into Chinese homes, especially through relationships with women and children.
Sallie Holmes from IMB on Vimeo.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Chamblee.