Daily Devotion

“Born into a Presbyterian pastor's family, Harriet Newell Noyes arrived in Canton in 1868 and ministered there for some fifty years, most of that time in educational work. Within two months of her arrival she opened a girls' day school near Canton with Chinese Christian women as teachers, and in 1872 she organized what became True Light Seminary and served as its first principal. In the period she was associated with the school it trained 6,000 women to become Bible women, teachers and leaders among the women of China.”

Ralph R. Covell, Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity · BDCC, "Noyes, Harriet Newell" (reprinted from Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions)

Scripture

Romans 8:21 ...that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Reflection

For about half a century missionary Harriet Noyes ran schools for girls and women in Canton, and through them many who would otherwise never have been taught came to know the Gospel. As revealed in Romans 8:21, Christ's salvation is not only the forgiveness of sins, but also the complete liberation of humanity from all meaningless bondage and decay. In the face of life's chains, true freedom is not doing whatever we want, but courageously living out the dignity and glory of God's children within His love and truth.