pen name
A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...
, Mrs. S. L. Baldwin; November 8, 1840 – February 26, 1910) was an American missionary, teacher, translator, writer, and editor of the
long nineteenth century
The long nineteenth century is a term for the 125-year period beginning with the onset of the French Revolution in 1789, and ending with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It was coined by Soviet writer Ilya Ehrenburg and later popularized ...
. Known as "Chinese Champion", she understood the religious and political problems of China, and the Chinese people, as perhaps no other woman in this country did at that time. She labored constantly to bring about a better understanding between the two nations. Baldwin served as president of the New York Woman's Missionary Society for two decades.
Early life and education
Esther E. Jerman was born in
Marlton, New Jersey
Marlton is a census-designated place (CDP) located within Evesham Township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...
. In her youth, Esther was frail, sensitive and studious. She became a Christian at the age of ten, and united with the church of her parents.
Her first schooling was received at home. She also received instruction in public schools and at a private school in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. She was graduated from that institution in 1859, or 1860, taking the highest honors.
Career
In 1860, she became a teacher of higher mathematics, Latin and French in a seminary in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. At the beginning of the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
her sympathies were with the
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
, and she resigned her position and returned home.
In the summer of 1861, she met the Rev.
Stephen Livingstone Baldwin
Rev. Stephen Livingstone Baldwin (; Pinyin: ''Bǎolíng''; Foochow Romanized: ''Bō̤-lìng''; January 11, 1835 – July 28, 1902) was an American missionary to China by the Methodist Episcopal Church. His ministerial life covered a period of fo ...
, of the
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian, China. The city lies between the Min River (Fujian), Min River estuary to the south and the city of Ningde to the north. Together, Fuzhou and Ningde make up the Eastern Min, Mindong linguistic and cultural regi ...
Mission, then at home on
furlough
A furlough (; from , "leave of absence") is a temporary cessation of paid employment that is intended to address the special needs of a company or employer; these needs may be due to economic conditions that affect a specific employer, or to thos ...
, and in April, 1862, they were married, and sailed for China the following June, arriving in November, after five months at sea. Besides her domestic responsibilities, she was soon entrusted with the supervision of several day schools and of a class of Bible women who were sent out to read the Bible to their country-women. In her thoughtful survey of the condition of woman and childhood in China, quickened by her personal observation and experience, she became deeply impressed with the need of educated Christian woman physicians. She saw that through this means, access and confidence could be gained and the way opened for missionary work. She was the first to ask for a medical woman to be sent to China. When the hospital for women and children was opened in Fuzhou, the first for such a purpose founded in that empire, she gave it her attention. For several years, she translated the Berean Lessons into the Chinese language for the use of the Methodist Mission and of the American Board. For two years, she edited in the same language the ''Youth's Illustrated Paper''. She saw the missions grow from small beginnings into strong churches.
After eighteen years of this work, she became gravely ill, and her physician declared that a change of climate and entire rest were essential to recovery. The American pulpit was freely open to Dr. Baldwin, and his pastonal services were eagerly sought. For some years, he was the recording secretary of the Board of Missions of the M. E. Church. Mrs. Baldwin's health was largely restored since her return to the U.S. where she was extensively employed in the interests of the
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church (acronym WFMS of the MEC) was one of three Methodism, Methodist organizations in the United States focused on women's foreign missionary services; the two others were the WFMS of ...
, being president for two decades of the New York branch of that society in the Methodist Episcopal Church; of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far ...
; in lectures on various subjects; and in many charities. She was an ardent advocate of the equality of women with men, both in the State and in the Church.
The "Chinese question" in all its aspects had her sympathies. The misrepresentation and abuse of the Chinese kindled her indignation. She was called to speak before large audiences in many places on the "Chinese question" and contributed numerous articles on the subject to various city papers. She carefully collected and forcibly stated both the laws and the facts bearing on the subject, and published them in a volume entitled ''Must the Chinese Go?'' which had three editions. She won the distinction of being the "Chinese Champion."
Baldwin was one of the ablest debaters of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She spoke at
Chautauqua
Chautauqua ( ) is an adult education and social movement in the United States that peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Cha ...
in the early 1880s.
Personal life
Baldwin was the mother of seven children, six of whom were born in Fuzhou, and two of whom died there. She died suddenly at the family home in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York, February 26, 1910.
Selected works
* ''The Chinese Question: By the One Who Has Found a Home in China for Nearly 20 Years, and Claims to Know the People'', 1882
* ''Must the Chinese Go?: An Examination of the Chinese Question'', 1886