1900 - Margaret Smith

July 12, 1900

Datong, Shanxi

Margaret Smith.

Margaret Elizabeth Smith was born in New Hamburg, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Her father was an English farmer from Durham who had settled in Canada hoping for a prosperous and peaceful life. Four children were born to the Smiths, with Margaret coming into the world in 1858.

Margaret did not receive a high level of education, but those who knew her could not tell, for she applied herself wholeheartedly to everything she put her hand to. At the age of 23 she attended a church service where a message on Ananias and Sapphira was preached. She fell under intense conviction of the Holy Spirit, and for the next few weeks could hardly eat or sleep. She finally surrendered her life to Christ.

In 1891 Margaret’s older sister, Annie, went to China as a missionary. Margaret considered following her, but was undecided until Annie died from fever only a year later. She “could no longer hold herself back from God, but joyfully gave herself to Him to take her sister’s place. The same event led to a younger sister, Eliza, to take the same position.”[1] Margaret Smith went for mission training in Chicago, and finally sailed for China in 1896 as a member of the China Inland Mission. The new missionary was appointed to Datong in northern Shanxi Province, where she assisted Stewart and Kate McKee. Smith became a close friend of another Canadian single missionary, Jessie Thompson from Montreal. Thompson was a trained nurse, while Smith had an effective ministry sharing the gospel with Chinese women. In October 1899 Thompson suddenly died after a short illness.

Margaret Smith was deeply affected by the loss of her friend, but she rededicated herself to God’s service. She was captured and killed by the Boxers on July 12th. She was 42-years-old.