Reverend Hugo Gustaf Rodine was an outstanding missionary with a heart for evangelism, whose American-Swedish mission was based in Canton, China at the beginning of the 20th century. He headed up this mission for 12 years.
Born in Nebraska in 1892, Hugo Rodine was of Swedish descent on his mother's side. He grew up in the Swedish Evangelical Free Church of North America and trained for mission in China.
He married Ruby May Nordin in 1915 and they went out to China in 1917.
They served for 10 years, until 1927, when he came down with typhoid fever. In the days before antibiotics, medical care was marginal; he was put on a ship back to the U.S. with no confidence that he would even survive the long trip.
Thankfully he did survive, and he was able to continue his ministry as pastor in Iowa, Nebraska and California, all while working on the mission’s leadership committee.
Rev Rodine returned to China in 1935, but he left China the following year.
In 1946, he was chosen as the Secretary of Foreign Missions, effectively heading up the society's mission work.
With Rodine leading from 1946 to 1958, the Free Church’s mission grew from 43 missionaries on four fields to 158 on seven fields.
After his retirement, he served several other Free Churches and was chaplain for a hospital in Colorado.
In the 1938 list of European owners of houses on Cheung Chau, Hong Kong, we have a Mr N G Rodine as the owner of House #17A, which we think may be a typo for H G Rodine. Cheung Chau was a favoured spot in the early 20th century for missionaries to have a pied-à-terre for their summer holidays and retreats.
Rev. Rodine took part in activities of the Assembly Hall on Cheung Chau and was a member of its Religious Committee.
He died in Los Angeles, California, in 1971, aged 80.
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