First Presbyterian Church, Samray
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The First Presbyterian Church, Samray is the oldest Protestant church in the Thai capital
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 estim ...
. Originally founded in 1849, the church was built in its current location on the western bank of the
Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya River is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Etymology Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...
in 1857. The present building dates to 1910.


History

The first
American Presbyterian missionaries American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...
, William P. Buell and his wife, arrived in Bangkok in 1840, but left in 1844 after Mrs Buell became paralysed from illness. The next group of missionaries,
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 a translator for Townsend ...
and his wife and
Samuel Reynolds House Samuel is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition from Saul to David. He is venerated a ...
, arrived in 1847. They settled near the area of
Kudi Chin 250px, Santa Cruz Church and Kudi Chin community as seen from opposite side ( Pak Khlong Talat) Kudi Chin (, ) or Kadi Chin (, ), also spelled "Kudee Jeen", etc. is a historic neighbourhood in Bangkok. It is in Wat Kanlaya Sub-district, Thon Bur ...
, where earlier Protestant missionaries, including
Dan Beach Bradley Dan Beach Bradley (July 18, 1804 – June 23, 1873) was an American Protestant missionary to Siam from 1835 until his death. He is credited with numerous firsts, including, bringing the first Thai-script printing press to Siam, publishing the fir ...
, were already living. They were joined in 1849 by Stephen Bush and his wife. The same year, the missionaries met to establish a congregation, naming it the First Presbyterian Church, Bangkok. Without a dedicated church building, they continued to worship in their homes. In 1852, they built a school, which is considered the first formal school in the country and is now
Bangkok Christian College Bangkok Christian College (abbreviated as BCC; ) is a private boys' school in the financial district of Si Lom, Bangkok. The school has a longstanding reputation as one of the most prestigious and highly selective schools in Thailand. Bangkok Chri ...
. In 1857, the missionaries relocated to a plot of land in the Samre (or Samray, ) area further down the river (now Samre Subdistrict of
Thonburi District Thon Buri (, ) is one of the List of districts of Bangkok, 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. On the west bank of Chao Phraya River, it was once part of Thonburi, Thon Buri province. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Ban ...
). Mattoon had previously acquired the land, then a faraway wilderness, on behalf of David O. King, an American merchant based in Shanghai. King's business subsequently went bankrupt, leaving Mattoon with the land. A church building was built from 1860 to 1862, with donations from foreign merchants, sailors and missionaries, as well as funds from the American government (construction was delayed by the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
). The original church building was consecrated on 25 May 1862. By the turn of the century, the congregation had outgrown the building, and the church was rebuilt to the original style in 1910. The bell tower was built in 1912. The church has since been in continued use, with periodical restorations.


Architecture

The church is a single-storey structure, built of masonry with load-bearing walls. It has a rectangular floor plan, three column-spans wide and six spans long. The façade, which faces the river to the east, features flower-patterned stucco work on the gable, which is above a portico recessed behind three arches. The simple gable roof is supported by a wooden structure. The building received the
ASA Architectural Conservation Award The Architectural Conservation Award () is given by the in recognition of architectural conservation efforts by both the public and private sectors in Thailand. The awards, first given in 1982 and held annually since 2004, are presented to multipl ...
in 2004.


References

{{Coord, 13, 42, 19, N, 100, 29, 39, E, type:landmark, display=title Churches in Bangkok Presbyterianism in Thailand Thon Buri district Buildings and structures on the Chao Phraya River Churches completed in 1910