Anna Sofie Jakobsen
Encyclopedia
Anna Sofie Jakobsen also named Anna Cheng, was a Norwegian missionary to China belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church
and later with the China Inland Mission
.
China Inland Mission
(CIM). Four years after, the Swedish-American evangelist and missionary friend Fredrik Franson
came to the city and held meetings in Rasmussen's home. Anna Jakobsson was one of those who answered the call, and in 1884 she participated in the first evangelist course held by Franson in Christiania
. Later that year she went to England, where she was accepted by the China Inland Mission
. She sailed with Sophie Reuter to China on 18 November 1885 as one of the first Norwegian
missionaries to china. She was placed in the province of Shanxi
, where she worked at the county of Huozhou
.
When Jakobsen announced her intention to marry a Chinese Christian evangelist, Cheng Xiuqi, there was subsequently a fierce campaign against her in the North-China Herald and she was forced to resign from the China Inland Mission. Such marriage were not then accepted by the missionary leadership and Western community. The couple then started an independent mission called "Anna Cheng's Mission" in Zezhou (泽州) (now Jincheng
) in Shanxi Province. Jakobsen was very disappointed with the welcome her husband received by some christians in Kristiansand
when they were on vacation there in 1900.
Their Mission nevertheless received financial support from Norway, which persisted even after Jakobsen's death.
was unveiled on the wall of Jakobsen's house in Kristiansand
where both she and Sophie Reuter worked before they left for China.
Lutheran Free Church
The Lutheran Free Church was a Lutheran denomination that existed in the United States from 1897 to 1963 mainly in Minnesota and North Dakota...
and later with the 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:...
.
Life
Jakobsen was a maid for a businessman named Christian Rasmussen, and in 1879 both of them established contact with the EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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:...
(CIM). Four years after, the Swedish-American evangelist and missionary friend Fredrik Franson
Fredrik Franson
Fredrik Franson , founder of The Evangelical Alliance Mission, of Chicago, Illinois, was born in Pershyttan, Västmanland, Sweden. In 1869 he came to America to join two brothers, Frans and Eric. He was accompanied by his parents, a brother August, and a half-sister Anna...
came to the city and held meetings in Rasmussen's home. Anna Jakobsson was one of those who answered the call, and in 1884 she participated in the first evangelist course held by Franson in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Later that year she went to England, where she was accepted by the 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:...
. She sailed with Sophie Reuter to China on 18 November 1885 as one of the first Norwegian
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
missionaries to china. She was placed in the province of Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, where she worked at the county of Huozhou
Huozhou
Huozhou is a county-level city between the cities of Lingshi and Linfen in the prefecture of Linfen 临汾市 in the Shanxi province of the People's Republic of China....
.
When Jakobsen announced her intention to marry a Chinese Christian evangelist, Cheng Xiuqi, there was subsequently a fierce campaign against her in the North-China Herald and she was forced to resign from the China Inland Mission. Such marriage were not then accepted by the missionary leadership and Western community. The couple then started an independent mission called "Anna Cheng's Mission" in Zezhou (泽州) (now Jincheng
Jincheng
Jincheng is a prefecture-level city in the southeast of Shanxi province of north China. It is an industrial city in an area where coal mining is an important industry. It has a population of 2.2 million....
) in Shanxi Province. Jakobsen was very disappointed with the welcome her husband received by some christians in Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
when they were on vacation there in 1900.
Their Mission nevertheless received financial support from Norway, which persisted even after Jakobsen's death.
Memory
In the Autumn of 2010, a plaquePlaque
Plaque or placque may refer to:* Commemorative plaque, a flat ornamental plate or tablet fixed to a wall, used to mark a significant event, person, etc.* Memorial Plaque, issued to next-of-kin of dead British military personnel after World War I...
was unveiled on the wall of Jakobsen's house in Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
where both she and Sophie Reuter worked before they left for China.