Page 54 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat
P. 54
GFA – A Different Drumbeat 54
RETURN TO CHEFOO
During the “momentous” year of 1921, GFA had heard his drumbeat loud and clear. God
had called him for a special ministry, and surely this was it. With all the accolades ringing in
his ear, he must have felt so. So many things had come together to prepare him for that
year. Looking back over his life, the first thing that strikes you is his heritage. He came from
hardworking, honest, middle class, Methodist family with strong principles and deep and
personal Christian faith. His father, George Snr., was an exceptional man. After he retired,
he lived in Chefoo and gave a lot of his time to the school. Dorothy Toop, one of the
students at the time said,
"Old Mr. Andrew took school prayers every Wednesday morning, and usually spoke
on a verse in Proverbs. He was such a saintly man of God with beautiful white hair
and so gentle. Everybody loved him at Chefoo. We lived right next door to the
Andrew family at Chefoo and saw him often. He always had sweets in his pocket!
He made a tremendous impression on me as a school girl."
The General Director of the CIM, Dr. D.E. Hoste, in a personal letter, wrote:
I know how deeply valued the ministry of both your honoured Father and Mother was.
His bright faith, true kindliness and Christian love, combined with sound sense, made
his ministry especially helpful to workers often run down and sorely tried in their
lonely, difficult service.
Also after finishing school, GFA was an apprentice in the firm of Henry Bannerman & Sons
in Manchester for three years, during which time he did a short course at Manchester
Technical College. He worked under Charles Macara who was the manager of
Bannermans and a highly respected businessman and author. From this experience he
would have absorbed business skills and the importance of relationships with people with
whom he worked.
His life was never dull. Even now, when he was leaving behind the activity, stress, and
excitement of earthquake relief, and was making his way back to the eastern side of China
to be with his family, he attracted more drama.
As they left Kansu, his party included two high officials who shared an inn room with him
each night. They reached Pingliang on November 30 and booked in at an inn. But Gustav
Tornvall, whom he had stayed with previously in Pingliang, prevailed upon him to move
over to their home and enjoy a bit of comfort.
With his knowledge of local custom, he called at the Yamen to report their arrival, where he
learnt that there was a large brigand army on the road ahead and the local Defense
Commissioner refused to approve their travel arrangements. As GFA was mounting his
horse in the courtyard of the Yamen surrounded as always by a crowd of onlookers, a
RETURN TO CHEFOO
During the “momentous” year of 1921, GFA had heard his drumbeat loud and clear. God
had called him for a special ministry, and surely this was it. With all the accolades ringing in
his ear, he must have felt so. So many things had come together to prepare him for that
year. Looking back over his life, the first thing that strikes you is his heritage. He came from
hardworking, honest, middle class, Methodist family with strong principles and deep and
personal Christian faith. His father, George Snr., was an exceptional man. After he retired,
he lived in Chefoo and gave a lot of his time to the school. Dorothy Toop, one of the
students at the time said,
"Old Mr. Andrew took school prayers every Wednesday morning, and usually spoke
on a verse in Proverbs. He was such a saintly man of God with beautiful white hair
and so gentle. Everybody loved him at Chefoo. We lived right next door to the
Andrew family at Chefoo and saw him often. He always had sweets in his pocket!
He made a tremendous impression on me as a school girl."
The General Director of the CIM, Dr. D.E. Hoste, in a personal letter, wrote:
I know how deeply valued the ministry of both your honoured Father and Mother was.
His bright faith, true kindliness and Christian love, combined with sound sense, made
his ministry especially helpful to workers often run down and sorely tried in their
lonely, difficult service.
Also after finishing school, GFA was an apprentice in the firm of Henry Bannerman & Sons
in Manchester for three years, during which time he did a short course at Manchester
Technical College. He worked under Charles Macara who was the manager of
Bannermans and a highly respected businessman and author. From this experience he
would have absorbed business skills and the importance of relationships with people with
whom he worked.
His life was never dull. Even now, when he was leaving behind the activity, stress, and
excitement of earthquake relief, and was making his way back to the eastern side of China
to be with his family, he attracted more drama.
As they left Kansu, his party included two high officials who shared an inn room with him
each night. They reached Pingliang on November 30 and booked in at an inn. But Gustav
Tornvall, whom he had stayed with previously in Pingliang, prevailed upon him to move
over to their home and enjoy a bit of comfort.
With his knowledge of local custom, he called at the Yamen to report their arrival, where he
learnt that there was a large brigand army on the road ahead and the local Defense
Commissioner refused to approve their travel arrangements. As GFA was mounting his
horse in the courtyard of the Yamen surrounded as always by a crowd of onlookers, a
