Jehu Lewis Shuck was born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1812. After his conversion, he attended the Virginia Baptist Seminary, which ultimately became the University of Richmond (the Spiders). In 1835, Bro. Shuck married, Henrietta, the eldest daughter of Pastor Addison hall and a few days later the couple set sail for China. Mrs. Shuck was the first American woman missionary in that country.
Upon arriving in Macao, Shuck found a young man who had been prepared by the Holy Spirit to readily receive Christ as his Lord and Saviour. When he was later baptized, that man became the first Chinese convert – several years before a mission had been established on the mainland. In 1840 the Shucks moved to Hong Kong and soon a church was established with 26 members. When Henrietta passed away, Bro. Shuck and his children, returned to America, taking with a young convert who had been called to preach. That man, Bro. Yong, was well received and used by God to stir up interest in the evangelization of China.
Back in China in 1847 with his new wife, the focus of Bro. Shuck’s work was moved to Shanghai. When the need of a Christian physician became obvious, Dr. & Mrs. Sexton James sailed from Philadelphia. They had a successful, but extremely long voyage until they reached Hong Kong after which a sudden squall capsized their ship and they were lost before they reached Shangahi. Soon after that, despite laws against evangelism outside of China’s port cities, Bro. Shuck established a church in the interior.
After several years, and with a desire to be nearer his children the he moved to California where he worked among the Chinese there. His first American convert, Wong Mui, returned to Canton where he served as a missionary pastor.
After 25 years laboring among the Chinese, J.L. Shuck moved to South Carolina, where, on this day (August 20) in 1863, during the War between the States, he passed into the presence of his Saviour.