July 14, 1857 - Ting Ang Converts to Christianity

"Church of Heavenly Peace (Tian'an Church), Fuzhou, China" (historic image), via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/ (search: Church of Heavenly Peace Fuzhou). 

When American Methodist missionaries first arrived in the Chinese port city of Fuzhou (then commonly spelled Foochow), they faced years of discouragement. Language barriers, cultural differences, and deep-rooted traditional religious practices meant that few Chinese were willing to consider the Christian faith. Nearly a decade passed before they witnessed the first public fruit of their ministry.

That changed on July 14, 1857, when a 47-year-old tradesman named Ting Ang became the first Chinese believer baptized by the Methodist Episcopal Mission in China. Missionary Robert Samuel Maclay had spent years learning the local dialect and patiently building relationships before Ting Ang embraced Christianity. His conversion marked an important milestone in the growth of Methodism in China, where the movement would eventually spread to thousands of believers.

According to missionary accounts, Ting Ang was asked why he had abandoned the traditional gods of his ancestors. He reportedly answered, “These images are not real gods. I have just learned of the true God. He is invisible and not made by human hands.” His statement reflected the biblical teaching that the Creator cannot be fashioned by human craftsmanship but is the living God who revealed Himself through Scripture.

While one conversion may have seemed insignificant at the time, Ting Ang's baptism demonstrated the value of patient, faithful missionary work. The Methodist mission in Fuzhou would continue to grow throughout the nineteenth century, establishing churches, schools, and hospitals that influenced generations of Chinese Christians.

Why It Matters

Ting Ang's story reminds us that lasting ministry often begins with quiet faithfulness rather than immediate success. After years with no converts, the first baptism became the foundation for a thriving Christian witness in southeastern China and illustrated how a single changed life can influence an entire community.