The Murder of John and Betty Stam

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John Stam and Elizabeth Alden Scott "Betty" Stam (18 January 1907 - 1934 and 22 February 1906-1934) were American Christian missionaries to China with the China Inland Mission during the Chinese Civil War. They were murdered by communist soldiers in 1934.

Contents 1 Background of Incident 2 Held for Ransom 3 Martyrdom at Miaosheo 4 Helen Stam's Rescue and Aftermath 5 Further Reading 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Background of Incident

John and Betty Stam were a young couple working in a small town called Jingde near the eastern coast of China. In 1934, the magistrate of the town warned them that the communists were coming for them. John decided to check to see if this was true, which it was, so they prepared to leave.

[edit] Held for Ransom

The communists demanded all the money the Stams had, and it was handed over. They then arrested John and took him to their headquarters. The communists left Betty, their baby Helen, the maid and the cook in the Stam’s house. The soldiers later came back and took Betty and Helen. The maid and cook begged to go along, but they were threatened to be shot if they did. Betty and Helen were taken to be with John.

That night, John wrote a letter to mission authorities, but it was never delivered – it was found later bundled up in some of Helen’s clothes. The letter stated that they were being held by the communists with a ransom of $20,000. He also told them of how they had been captured, then wrote Philippians 1:20: "May Christ be glorified whether by life or death."

John, Betty, and Helen were then taken to the local prison where some of the prisoners were released to make room for the Stams. In the midst of it, Helen started crying, and a soldier suggested that they kill her, since she was only "in their way." Then one of the prisoners who had just been released asked why they should kill the innocent baby. The soldiers turned to him asked if he was willing to die for the foreign baby. The man was hacked to pieces for Helen in front of the Stams' eyes. Thus, Helen was allowed to live.

[edit] Martyrdom at Miaosheo

The next morning, they were forced to march 12 miles to the town of Miaosheo. They stopped for a night, and Betty was allowed to tend to Helen, but in fact hid her in the room inside of a sleeping bag. The very next morning, John and Betty were being marched down the streets of Miaosheo to meet their death. Crowds lined both sides of the street. A Chinese shopkeeper stepped out of the crowd and talked to the communists, trying to persuade them not to kill the Stams. They ordered the man back into the crowd, but he wouldn't step back. The soldiers then invaded his house where they found a Bible and hymnbook. He was then led alongside the Stams to be killed as well for being a Christian. After marching for a short while longer, John was ordered to kneel, and he was beheaded. Betty and the shopkeeper were killed moments later.

[edit] Helen Stam's Rescue and Aftermath

The baby, Helen was found two days later by a Chinese pastor who took her home and took care of her. The Rev. Lo Ke-chou and his wife and took her to her grandparents, the Rev. Charles Ernest Scott and his wife, Clara (who were also missionaries in China) by Chinese mothers who nursed her along the way. She later came to the United States and was raised by her aunt and uncle, George and Helen Mahy. As for Helen's parents, a small group of Christians found their bodies and buried them on a hillside. On their gravestones it reads:

John Cornelius Stam, January 18, 1907 "That Christ may be glorified whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20

Elizabeth Scott Stam, February 22, 1906 "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

December 8, 1934 Miaosheo, Anhui "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." Revelation 2:10

[edit] Further Reading

• Historical Bibliography of the China Inland Mission

[edit] References

• The Triumph of John and Betty Stam; Mary Geraldine Taylor 1935
• gospelcom.net
• www.carlstam.org
• Overseas Missionary Fellowship
• Hudson Taylor & China’s Open Century Volume Seven: It Is Not Death To Die; Alfred James Broomhall; Hodder and Stoughton and Overseas Missionary Fellowship, 1989

[edit] External links

• OMF USA website has full story
• Information about Helen Priscilla Stam

Persondata
NAME	Stam, John Cornelius
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	missionary in China
DATE OF BIRTH	January 18, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH	USA
DATE OF DEATH	December 8, 1934
PLACE OF DEATH	Miaosheo, Anhui, China

Persondata
NAME	Scott, Elizabeth Alden
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Stam, Elizabeth Alden; Betty Stam; Stam, Elizabeth Scott
SHORT DESCRIPTION	missionary in China
DATE OF BIRTH	22 February 1906
PLACE OF BIRTH	USA
DATE OF DEATH	December 8, 1934
PLACE OF DEATH	Miaosheo, Anhui, China