May 6, 2026
— Arthur Henderson Smith · Source: China in Convulsion (1901), Vol. II, ch. XXXII "Foreigners in the Interior"
Mark 4:26-27 also says: “The kingdom of God is like a man who sows seed on the ground. He sleeps at night and rises in the day, and the seed sprouts and grows, but the man does not know how it works.”
Even after the bloodshed of the Boxer Uprising, Arthur H. Smith still held that "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church," reminding us that the effectiveness of faith often lies not in immediate success, but in taking root in hidden places. Many times, we are like anxious farmers, eager to force growth, forgetting that the sovereignty of life lies in God's hands. Just as seeds sprout silently in the darkness, God's work often takes place in the unseen ordinary moments of waiting. Do not doubt the value of sowing because of the desolation before your eyes; ancient traditions or fortified fortresses cannot stop the penetrating power of life. What we need to do is to have a long-enduring patience, to continuously watch over the dark soil, and to trust in that unknown yet truly existing force of growth.
Loving Heavenly Father, thank you for sowing the seeds of truth in our lives. Lord, when I am weary in the long wait, or discouraged by the lack of change, grant me the foresight and perseverance of Arthur H. Smith. Expand my faith, so that I may understand that the mystery of the seed sprouting lies in Your grace, not in my own calculations. May I have peaceful sleep in the night and diligent labor in the day, not by sight, but by promise. Watch over those who weep and cultivate in the hardened fields of their hearts, so that the seedlings of truth may break through the shackles of tradition and the veil of darkness, ultimately bearing abundant fruit. May my life also become fertile ground, witnessing the expansion of Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!