The Power and the Glory: John Ross and the Evangelisation of Manchuria and Korea

by John Stuart Ross

Publisher:

Christian Focus

, 2022

Overview

Born in the northeast of Scotland, John Ross arrived in Manchuria in 1872 and spent 40 years of his life there. He left behind an amazing legacy of culturally sensitive evangelism, established presbyterian churches, innovative missionary principles, valuable publications, and a rich vein of translations, including the first version of the New Testament in Korean.

John S. Ross’s riveting biography tracks not only his life, but also the social, political and spiritual influences which shaped his life and work. God is still using John Ross’s labours to grow his Kingdom in South and North Korea today.

Key Features

• Analyzes the life of John Ross.
• Rivets the social, political and spiritual influences which shaped John Ross’s life and work.
• Shows how God is still using John Ross’s labours to grow his Kingdom in South and North Korea today.

Contents

• Preface
• 1. William Burns: ‘The Spiritual Father’
• 2. Heir to a Goodly Heritage
• 3. Student and Home Missionary
• 4. Go West, Young Man!
• 5. Opium and Missionaries
• 6. In Chefoo
• 7. The Valley of the Shadow
• 8. Wang Ching-ming: The Chinese Agent
• 9. Advance to Mukden
• 10. Progress in Mukden and Beyond
• 11. Korea: Reconnaissance
• 12. The Trials of Bible Translation and Publishing
• 13. The Korean Valleys
• 14. The First Korean Churches
• 15. Death and Resurrection
• 16. The Blood of Christians is Seed
• 17. The Maturing of the Manchurian Church
• 18. Revival in Korea
• 19. The Manchurian Revival: Characters and Crosscurrents
• 20. The Manchurian Revival: ‘This is the Work of God’
• 21. Peace, Perfect Peace
• 22. The Hope of the Reaper
• Who’s Who?
• Geographical Note and Place Names
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index

Praise for The Power and the Glory

For the first time in the English language, we finally have a comprehensive retelling of the life and work of John Ross, the important Scottish missionary to Manchuria (Northeast China) and Korea (then, the ‘Hermit Kingdom’). This is a meticulously researched and immensely readable book that weaves together the fascinating biography of the man John Ross with the social, religious, and imperial history and context which shaped him and his mission. We are told of the ways he relied on and empowered local Chinese and Korean coworkers in the work of the Gospel, the intellectual contributions he and his collaborators made—not least the first Korean New Testament—and the enduring legacy which has been left behind. This is such a wonderfully captivating read.

—Alexander Chow, Senior Lecturer of Theology and World Christianity, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, and editor of Scottish Missions to China (Brill 2022).

… an inspiring, engaging and realistic portrait of a missionary namesake who left a profound legacy in the Chinese and Korean churches.

—Donald John MacLean, Adjunct Professor of Historical Theology, Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Newcastle

… goes well beyond a simple biographical statement of his life, but thoroughly sets him and his missionary work in the church, social, and cultural context of his time, both in the Scotland, and in China. This is a must read for anyone interested in missions and Christianity in East Asia.

—James H. Grayson , Professor Emeritus, School of East Asian Studies, The University of Sheffield

Product Details

• Title: The Power and the Glory: John Ross and the Evangelisation of Manchuria and Korea
• Author: John Stuart Ross
• Publisher: Christian Focus
• Print Publication Date: 2022
• Logos Release Date: 2025
• Pages: 359
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subjects: 1800-1899; China; China Church history 19th century; China Manchuria; Church history; Korea; Manchuria (China) Church history 19th century; Missions; Missions China; Missions China Manchuria; Missions Korea; Ross, J. Stuart 1874-; Ross, John, 1842-1915
• ISBNs: 9781527108912, 1527108910, 9781527109810, 152710981X
• Resource ID: LLS:PWRGLRYJMNCHRKR
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-12-12T22:01:41Z

About John Stuart Ross

John Stuart Ross has fifty years’ experience in mission (in Nigeria, international Jewish evangelism, and South Africa) and pastoral ministry (Belfast and Scotland). His PhD, from the University of Wales, Lampeter, is on Scottish Missions to the Jews. He has written books and many articles. Married to Elizabeth, they have three children and nine grandchildren.