James O. Fraser

Lore & Background

Fraser arrived in China in 1908 at age 22 and was stationed in Yunnan Province. He learned the Lisu language from children and lived among the Lisu in their mud floor huts. Initial years were marked by difficulty, but by 1916 he and fellow missionaries saw scores of families convert. By 1918, 600 believers had been baptized. Fraser developed the Fraser alphabet to translate the New Testament and also created a written musical notation for Lisu oral songs. He returned to England on furlough in 1924 and married Roxie Dymond in 1929. The complete New Testament in Lisu was finished in 1936. Fraser died of cerebral malaria in Baoshan in 1938 at age 52.

Reader's Guide

Fraser's significance lies in his creation of the Fraser alphabet, which became the official script of the Lisu language in 1992. His policy of training Lisu converts to be self-supporting—refusing to pay local preachers or fund church buildings—helped the church endure Japanese occupation and the Cultural Revolution. By the 1990s, over 90% of Lisu in China were Christian. The Lisu church has seen explosive growth: in 1950 the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture had 14,800 believers; by 1995 that number exceeded 100,000. Over 75,000 Lisu Bibles have been legally printed in China. Fraser's work is remembered as a model for indigenous church planting, and his grave at Qing Hua church is maintained by the Lisu church, which commemorates him every seven years at Easter.

Did You Know?

• Fraser was an accomplished pianist and held a recital in his twenties before leaving for China.
• He learned the Lisu language from children while living among them.
• The Fraser alphabet was officially recognized by the Chinese government as the official script of the Lisu language in 1992.
• Fraser died of cerebral malaria in Baoshan, Yunnan, in 1938 at age 52.