American Presbyterian Mission
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Presbyterian Mission Agency is the ministry and mission agency of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and ...
. Founded as the Western Foreign Missionary Society by the
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) was the first national Presbyterian denomination in the United States, existing from 1789 to 1958. In that year, the PCUSA merged with the United Presbyterian Church of North Americ ...
in 1837, it was involved in sending workers to countries such as
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
during the late
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
and to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in nineteenth century. Also known as the Foreign Missions Board in China, its name was changed by the Old School body during the
Old School–New School Controversy Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, ...
to the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions.


American Presbyterian Mission in Cairo

Notable for bringing up
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who was a latter day "
Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
" marrying the
Black Prince of Perthshire Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh, Order of the Star of India, GCSI (4 September 1838 – 22 October 1893), or Sir Dalip Singh, and later in life nicknamed the "Black Prince of Perthshire", was the last ''Maharaja'' of the Sikh Empire. He was Maharaja R ...
.


American Presbyterian Board in China

The Presbyterian Board of America transferred two of their missionaries from
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
to China in 1843. It had four great centers.
Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
was entered in 1845, but it was sixteen years before they were able to baptise the first convert to
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
. A medical hospital was a very important factor in the work of the Mission. Missions in
Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
and
Hainan Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
were sustained from this center. Hospital work had been a prominent feature in this Mission. Dr. Peter Parker commenced a hospital in 1835, which was transferred to this society in 1854, and placed under the care of Dr. John G. Kerr. The Central Mission had five main centers which branched out in many directions. These included
Ningbo Ningbo (; Ningbonese: ''gnin² poq⁷'' , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly romanized as Ningpo, is a major sub-provincial city in northeast Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. It comprises 6 urban districts, 2 sate ...
,
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
,
Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, whi ...
,
Fuzhou Fuzhou (; , Fuzhounese: Hokchew, ''Hók-ciŭ''), alternately romanized as Foochow, is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian province, China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute t ...
, and
Anqing Anqing (, also Nganking, formerly Hwaining, now the name of Huaining County) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Anhui province, People's Republic of China. Its population was 4,165,284 as of the 2020 census, with 804,493 living in the ...
. At Shanghai the extensive printing operations of the Society were carried on. These comprised not only several presses which were constantly at work, but a foundry where seven sizes of Chinese type, besides
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
,
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,
Manchu The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and ...
,
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,
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,
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and others, were cast. There was also complete apparatus for
electrotyping Electrotyping (also galvanoplasty) is a chemical method for forming metal parts that exactly reproduce a model. The method was invented by Moritz von Jacobi Moritz Hermann or Boris Semyonovich (von) Jacobi (russian: Борис Семёнови ...
and
engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a Burin (engraving), burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or Glass engraving, glass ...
. Much translation work had been done by this Society, and hand books of Christian history and doctrine prepared by it were in use on most of the
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
missions in China.
Hunter Corbett Hunter Corbett D.D. (; December 8, 1835 – January 7, 1920) was a pioneer American missionary to Chefoo (Zhifu芝罘区, in Yantai), Shandong China, he served with the American Presbyterian Mission. He was a fervent advocate of the missionary ent ...
was a Pioneer of an American missionary to
Yantai Yantai, Postal Map Romanization, formerly romanization of Chinese, known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of ...
,
Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, he served with the American Presbyterian Mission. He was a powerful advocate of the missionary enterprise. He founded the Yi Wen School (Boy's Academy/ Hunter Corbett Academy) known as
Cheeloo University Cheeloo University (, alternatively known as ''Shantung Christian College'') was a university in China, established by Hunter Corbett American Presbyterian, and other English Baptist, Anglican, and Canadian Presbyterian mission agencies in early ...
, The first university in China. Hunter Corbett ministered in China for 56 years. Chester Holcombe was among the missionaries who went on to join the American diplomatic service, following
S. Wells Williams Samuel Wells Williams (22 September 1812 – 16 February 1884) was a linguist, official, missionary and Sinologist from the United States in the early 19th century. Early life Williams was born in Utica, New York, son of William Williams (1787 ...
as secretary to the American legation in 1884. The Shantung (Shandong) Mission extends from the capital city, Chi-nan-foo
Jinan Jinan (), Postal Map Romanization, alternately romanization of Chinese, romanized as Tsinan, is the Capital (political), capital of Shandong province in East China, Eastern China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is the second-largest city i ...
, northwards to
Yantai Yantai, Postal Map Romanization, formerly romanization of Chinese, known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of ...
, and had many stations which reported about three thousand members in 1890. The Peking Mission was of latest date, and was doing much work in diffusing throughout a wide district a knowledge of the
Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
by its proclamation to the vast numbers who crowded from all the surrounding regions to the imperial city. The totals of the mission in 1890 were, forty-eight missionaries, eighteen lady agents, twenty-three ordained native pastors, eighty-four unordained native helpers, and nearly four thousand communicants.


American Presbyterian Mission in Persia (Iran)

In 1838, the Fiske Seminary was founded the American Presbyterian Mission in
Urmia Urmia or Orumiyeh ( fa, ارومیه, Variously transliterated as ''Oroumieh'', ''Oroumiyeh'', ''Orūmīyeh'' and ''Urūmiyeh''.) is the largest city in West Azerbaijan Province of Iran and the capital of Urmia County. It is situated at an alt ...
,
Qajar Persia Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
(now
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
).


American Presbyterian Mission in Siam (Thailand)

The first missionary of the American Presbyterian Mission board was William Buell, who arrived with his wife in Bangkok in 1840. Due to his wife's health problems, the couple returned to the United States in 1844. In 1847, Samuel Reynolds House and
Stephen Mattoon Stephen Mattoon (May 5, 1816 – 1889) was an American Presbyterian missionary who worked in Siam from 1847 to 1864. His works include the translation of the New Testament into the Thai language. Career Mattoon served as translator for Townsend H ...
and their wives arrived in Bangkok to begin mission work. These two couples, together with missionary Stephen Bush, founded Samray Church in 1849, the first Presbyterian church in Thailand. In 1863, missionaries
Daniel McGilvary Daniel McGilvary (1828–1911) was an Presbyterian Church in the United States, American Presbyterian missionary who played an important role in the expansion of Protestantism in Northern Siam. Throughout his life, his colleagues and the general p ...
and Samuel Gamble McFarland opened work in Petchburi province, about 100 km east of Bangkok. In 1867, McGilvary moved to
Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...
in northern Thailand, where he pioneered Christian work in the north. First Church in Chiang Mai was founded in 1868. The work in Northern Thailand was called the Laos Mission, and the work in Bangkok, Central Thailand, and Southern Thailand was called the Siam Mission. In 1879,
Belle Caldwell Culbertson Belle Caldwell Culbertson (, Caldwell; February 23, 1857 – August 4, 1934) was an American author and philanthropist, active in social and religious reforms. She served as president, Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbytery of Washi ...
sailed for
Indo-China Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
as a missionary of the Presbyterian Board of Missions. For two years, she was principal of the Harriet House School for Girls in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
. In January, 1880, in Siam, she married Rev. John Newton Culbertson, who was serving there with the same Board of Missions, and in 1881, they returned to the U.S. In 1913, the Laos Mission counted approximately 6000 Thai Christians converts in the North, and the Siam Mission counted approximately 600 Thai Christian converts in their jurisdiction. Missionaries in both the Siam Mission and Laos Mission founded schools and hospitals, as well as carrying on evangelistic work. American Presbyterian missionaries helped to found the
Church of Christ in Thailand The Church of Christ in Thailand (C.C.T.) (Thai: สภาคริสตจักรในประเทศไทย) is a Protestant Christian association. It is the largest Protestant denomination in Thailand and is considered to be the large ...
in 1934, an indigenous Thai denomination which eventually took over responsibility for both mission and social work when the American Presbyterian Mission in Thailand was dissolved on August 19, 1957.


Educational and medical establishments in Colonial India

The American Presbyterian Mission was opened at
Allahabad Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...
, Uttar Pradesh, in 1836. In 1864,
Forman Christian College Forman Christian College is an private liberal arts university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was founded in 1864 and is administered by the Presbyterian Church. The university follows an American-style curriculum. Founded in 1864 by American ...
was founded in
Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
by a Presbyterian missionary
Charles William Forman Charles William Forman (1821–1894) was an American Presbyterian minister, missionary and the founder of Forman Christian College, a private university in then Lahore, colonial India (now in Pakistan). Early life Charles William Forman was ...
. The Wanless Hospital had its beginning as a small dispensary started in 1890 in the
Miraj Miraj (Pronunciation: iɾəd͡z ) is a city in Sangli District and also in Maharashtra, India, that was founded in the early 10th century. It was an important jagir of the Adil Shahi court of Bijapur. Shivaji Maharaj stayed in Miraj for ...
(Meer’-udge) Bazaar by Dr. William James Wanless pioneer Presbyterian medical missionary. The first of the present buildings was opened in 1894. In 1893, Presbyterian mission established Gordon College in
Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...
and was named after Dr Andrew Gordon who was the head of the mission. The
Ewing Christian College Ewing Christian College (ECC), formerly Allahabad Christian College, is an autonomous constituent college of University of Allahabad, located in Allahabad, India. The college was established in 1902 by Arthur Henry Ewing, a prominent Presbyter ...
, managed by the American Presbyterian Mission was opened in 1902 and had 70 pupils in 1904.Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 5, p. 241 In 1910 John Lawrence Goheen and Jane Goheen accepted an appointment from the American Presbyterian missionaries for missionary service in
Sangli Sangli () is a city and the district headquarters of Sangli District in the state of Maharashtra, in western India. It is known as the Turmeric City of Maharashtra due to its production and trade of the spice. Sangli is situated on the banks o ...
in the state of
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. John Lawrence Goheen and Jane Goheen arrived in India in 1911 and soon after he was placed in charge as the Principal at Sangli Boys School in Sangli. He transformed the school into an Industrial and Agricultural Educational Institute and instituted an extension service as The Sangli Moveable School. This brought improved agricultural techniques to the villages surrounding Sangli. He was appointed as a member of Bombay Literacy mission.


Publications

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


See also

*
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most imp ...
*
American Presbyterian Medical Mission at Weixian, Shandong The growth and development of the American Presbyterian Medical Mission in Weixian, Shandong is an instance of the growth and influence of rural, missionary medicine in China. Moreover, the medical mission at Weixian exemplifies the shift from medic ...
*
Christianity in China Christianity in China has been present since at least the 3rd century, and it has gained a significant amount of influence during the last 200 years. While Christianity may have existed in China before the 3rd century, evidence of its exist ...
* John Lawrence Goheen *
List of Protestant missionaries in China This is a list of notable Protestant missionaries in China by agency. Beginning with the arrival of Robert Morrison in 1807 and ending in 1953 with the departure of Arthur Matthews and Dr. Rupert Clark of the China Inland Mission, thousands of f ...
*
List of Protestant missionary societies in China (1807–1953) This is a list of Protestant missionary societies in China (1807–1953). Protestant missionary societies in China 1807–1953 See also *Historical Bibliography of the China Inland Mission *List of Protestant missionaries in China *List of Ch ...
*
Protestant missions in China In the early 19th century, Western colonial expansion occurred at the same time as an evangelical revival – the Second Great Awakening – throughout the English-speaking world, leading to more overseas missionary activity. The nineteenth centu ...
*
Timeline of Chinese history __NOTOC__ This is a timeline of Chinese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in China and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of China. See also the list ...


Notes


References

*


External links

*
Celebrating 180 years of Presbyterian World Mission
– ''Mission Crossroads'' magazine, Summer 2017
Celebrate 175 years of Presbyterian World Mission
– anniversary feature {{Authority control Presbyterian missionary societies Christian missions in China American Presbyterian Mission Presbyterian Church (USA) Religious organizations established in 1843 1836 establishments in India