Birth: 27-11-1866
Home Calling: 03-07-1941
Native Place : Östergötland
Country: Sweden
Place of Vision : China
Johan Alfred Rinell was a Swedish Baptist missionary to China. He was born in 1866 and started to preach at the age of nineteen. Later, he attended Stockholm’s Bethel Seminary where he was inspired to become a missionary by the speech of the British missionary Hudson Taylor.
Leaving the seminary, he served as a pastor in Fredrikshald, Norway, and married Hedvig who also had a desire to become a missionary. Nevertheless, when they had received an unexpected invitation to go to China as missionaries, they worried about the future of their church and wondered if they should leave their home and about what their parents would say. After much struggle and prayer, they reminded themselves of the desire that once they had and surrendered to God.
The couple arrived in China in 1894 and settled in Kiaohsien (now Jiaozhou) in Shantung province. With great difficulty, they learned the Chinese language. During their missionary work for over 45 years, along with fellow missionaries they established medical clinics, schools, and churches in and around Kiaohsien. Johan Alfred is also credited for establishing the first post office in Kioshsien and aiding in disaster relief.
While in China the couple experienced many hardships: wartime, natural disasters, fleeing for their lives, losing their loved ones back in their homeland in their absence, sickness, above all, persecution of Christians was at its peak during that time. “Boxer Rebellion” (1899-1901), an anti-foreign and anti-Christian movement in China, resulted in the slaughter of countless missionaries and Chinese Christians. Despite many struggles, sufferings, and dangers, the missionary couple served the Lord faithfully.
After spending most of his life in China, Alfred was fondly called by his Chinese congregants as ‘The Old Pastor’. He also authored several books including a book about the Boxer Rebellion and persecution of the Christians in China. After his death in 1941, the Chinese Christians erected a memorial stone to Johan Alfred.
