Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 (NRSV)
Robert Jermain Thomas (1866)
Brave Bible Distributor
Welshman Robert went to Korea as a missionary following the sudden death of his wife Caroline, having previously served the Lord in China. At this time Korea was a very isolated and dangerous country, but Robert bravely distributed Bibles to the Koreans he met on two separate missionary journeys.
He negotiated his first trip with two Korean traders in 1865 and spent two and a half months there giving out Bibles. A year later he got a job as an interpreter on an American trading ship, which set sail for Korea. The country had, however, banned trade with foreigners and was actively persecuting its own national church at this time. Despite this threatening climate, Robert gave out Bibles to the Koreans he met throughout the trip up river to the city of Pyongyang. But the ship did not have permission for its journey and was attacked by Korean forces. The crew were killed and Robert was reportedly beheaded while giving a Bible to his executioner, aged just 27.
Eternal God, who are the light of the minds that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you; grant us so to know you, that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Augustine of Hippo (354-430)