Reverend Ernest Chalmers Mitchell and his wife Lena, worked for the Covenanter Church, North America and, early last century, served in India, along with colleagues Dr Kate McBurney and Dr Ida Scott.
As the society’s missionary work in Tak Hing, China, flourished, the society transferred Dr McBurney to the South China Mission there in 1903 and Rev. Mitchell and Dr Scott in 1907.
At that time Mitchell’s two colleagues purchased a house on Cheung Chau, House #2, which they used for holiday purposes in the summer and retreats when life became troublesome on the mission field. It was just too expensive to return on vacation to America each summer.
During the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, Reverend and Mrs. Mitchell, along with Dr McBurney, took refuge in her villa on Cheung Chau for several weeks. In addition, key members of the South China missionary team also temporarily relocated to Cheung Chau in early 1912. Meetings, intelligence gathering, and planning were carried out there. They also held regional missionary meetings and prepared annual reports for submission to the Society. They returned to the Xijiang River to continue their ministry.
In 1916, Rev. Mitchell began to develop the gospel ministry in nearby Lo Ting.
On September 18, 1925 Reverend and Lena Mitchell became the owners of House #2, using it as a sanctuary for rest, hospitality, and family care for missionaries. Their name appears on the list of European Owners of houses on Cheung Chau in 1938.
The outbreak of war with Japan in 1937 brought fresh challenges. As Japanese forces advanced in 1938, the Xijiang region endured relentless bombing. Missionaries were forced to flee, and Mrs. Mitchell and her companion Mrs. Boyle, who had just given birth, retreated to safety on Cheung Chau, while Pastor Mitchell continued working.
That year the Mitchells sold the house on Cheung Chau to a Dr Frank Woodard Scott, a Baptist missionary serving in China, and returned to America.
After his return Pastor Mitchell served as a coordinator to the General Assembly of the Society.
He died in 1943.
Source: Bradbury Retreat Centre