Stephen A. Metcalf
Encyclopedia
Stephen Arnold Metcalf is a Protestant missionary to Japan, the son of George Edgar Metcalf
and Elizabeth Mary (Donnelly) Metcalf, China Inland Mission
missionaries to the Eastern Lisu/Lipo minority of Yunnan
Province. He was born in Kunming
, China, on 23 October 1927.
, the China Inland Mission school in Yantai
, Shandong
Province. On 5 November 1942 the school was closed by the Japanese occupying army and the staff and pupils interned in an American Presbyterian mission compound on Temple Hill, Yantai. Metcalf was amongst those interned and had no contact with his parents and his elder sister, Ruth (b. 24 June 1924, d. 18 January 2010), until his release in 1945. While in this POW camp, Metcalf made a Christian commitment.
In September 1943 the Temple Hill civilian internment camp was closed and the internees moved to another camp at Weihsien (Weifang
), Shandong Province. At Weihsien, Metcalf was befriended by Eric Liddell
, the Olympic medallist, and greatly influenced by Liddell’s attitude to the Japanese to pray for his captors. Just prior to his death Liddell gave Metcalf, a keen runner, his running shoes. Metcalf was a coffin bearer at Liddell’s funeral in the camp in February 1945 and at the ceremony committed himself to serve as a missionary in Japan. The Weihsien civilian internment camp was liberated on 17 August 1945.
as a missionary to Japan in 1952. His sister, Ruth, was also accepted as a missionary by OMF International and served in Thailand from 1952 to 1965.
. In 1953 he was designated to work in Aomori Prefecture
, planting new churches. On 3 July 1957 he married Evelyn Robinson, an OMF International missionary from Northern Ireland. They have five children, four boys and one girl. They were responsible for the successful establishing and consolidation of new churches in several towns of Aomori Prefecture, in Otaru (Hokkaido
), Hachinohe (Honshu), Sendai (Honshu) and Urayasu city, Tokyo.
George E. Metcalf
George Edgar ‘Eddie’ Metcalf, Chinese name 王懷仁 Wáng Huáirén, was a British Protestant missionary serving in China with the China Inland Mission and credited with the first translation of the New Testament for the Eastern Lisu/Lipo minority.- UK :...
and Elizabeth Mary (Donnelly) Metcalf, China Inland Mission
China Inland Mission
OMF International is an interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society, founded in Britain by Hudson Taylor on 25 June 1865.-Overview:...
missionaries to the Eastern Lisu/Lipo minority of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
Province. He was born in Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
, China, on 23 October 1927.
China
Metcalf was educated at Chefoo SchoolChefoo School
The Chefoo School a.k.a. Protestant Collegiate School or China Inland Mission School was a Christian boarding school established by the China Inland Mission - under James Hudson Taylor- at Chefoo , in Shandong province in northern China, in 1880...
, the China Inland Mission school in Yantai
Yantai
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively.The largest fishing...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
Province. On 5 November 1942 the school was closed by the Japanese occupying army and the staff and pupils interned in an American Presbyterian mission compound on Temple Hill, Yantai. Metcalf was amongst those interned and had no contact with his parents and his elder sister, Ruth (b. 24 June 1924, d. 18 January 2010), until his release in 1945. While in this POW camp, Metcalf made a Christian commitment.
In September 1943 the Temple Hill civilian internment camp was closed and the internees moved to another camp at Weihsien (Weifang
Weifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
), Shandong Province. At Weihsien, Metcalf was befriended by Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell
Eric Henry Liddell was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international player, and missionary.Liddell was the winner of the men's 400 metres at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris...
, the Olympic medallist, and greatly influenced by Liddell’s attitude to the Japanese to pray for his captors. Just prior to his death Liddell gave Metcalf, a keen runner, his running shoes. Metcalf was a coffin bearer at Liddell’s funeral in the camp in February 1945 and at the ceremony committed himself to serve as a missionary in Japan. The Weihsien civilian internment camp was liberated on 17 August 1945.
Australia
In 1945 Metcalf relocated to Australia in November 1945 and trained at Melbourne Bible College. He was accepted by OMF InternationalOMF International
OMF International is an interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society, founded in Britain by Hudson Taylor on 25 June 1865.-Overview:...
as a missionary to Japan in 1952. His sister, Ruth, was also accepted as a missionary by OMF International and served in Thailand from 1952 to 1965.
Japan
Metcalf arrived in Japan in November 1952 and entered the OMF International language school at Karuizawa, HonshuHonshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
. In 1953 he was designated to work in Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, planting new churches. On 3 July 1957 he married Evelyn Robinson, an OMF International missionary from Northern Ireland. They have five children, four boys and one girl. They were responsible for the successful establishing and consolidation of new churches in several towns of Aomori Prefecture, in Otaru (Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
), Hachinohe (Honshu), Sendai (Honshu) and Urayasu city, Tokyo.