In 1916, Dr. Nelson Bell and his wife Virginia, parents of Ruth Bell Graham, left the familiarity of their home and family in the United States and sailed to China—at the time a land of mystery where only a handful of missionaries dared to go. When the Bells arrived in Tsing Kiang in December, they were met with a frigid land and people. The fields were dank and gray, and the superstitious Chinese eyed them with distrust. Likewise, the political situation in China was fraught with tension. In 1911, the Chinese had attempted to become a democracy following the end of the Manchu dynasty, but that attempt had fallen into chaos as one leader allowed provincial control and warlords were allowed to rape, pillage and murder the citizens. Shortly thereafter, the communist party formed in China with help from the Bolsheviks.

While Dr. Bell recognized the great need of the medical concerns of the Chinese who came to the hospital, he knew their souls were of greater significance. He believed that the mission hospital existed “primarily for the preaching of the Gospel,” and patients who were able were expected to attend a daily chapel service.

Dr. Bell believed that spiritual gifts were more important than any other talent. Under glass on his desk, he placed a note where he had listed the fruits of the Spirit: “Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meekness, and Self-Control” and daily tried to exude these gifts among those he served. Another missionary said of Dr. Bell, “I never knew a man whose life so beautifully manifested those characteristics.”

After his daughter Ruth married Billy Graham, Dr. Bell became a valued friend and mentor to Billy. In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Billy says “Ruth was the woman of my dreams, but the delightful in-laws I would gain in the process would make our eventual marriage all the better.”