History and Ecclesiastical Relations of the Churches of the Presbyterial Order at Amoy, China | Page 4

AND
ECCLESIASTICAL RELATIONS
OF
THE CHURCHES OF THE PRESBYTERIAL ORDER,
AT
AMOY, CHINA.
The first Protestant Missionaries at Amoy arrived there in the year
1842. They were Dr. Abeel of the American Reformed Dutch Church,
and Bishop Boone of the American Episcopal Church. After these there
arrived Missionaries of the London Missionary Society, of the
American Presbyterian Church, of the English Presbyterian Church,
and others of the American Reformed Dutch Church.
Bishop Boone soon left Amoy, and no others of his Church have since
then been stationed there. The American Presbyterian Mission was
removed to other parts of China. At the present time there are three

Missions at Amoy, viz.: the Missions of the American Reformed Dutch
Church, of the London Missionary Society, and of the English
Presbyterian Church.
The Missionaries of the London Missionary Society are Independents
or Congregationalists, and have organized their churches after the
Congregational order. Thus their churches form a distinct
Denomination, and nothing further need be said of them in this paper.
The first Missionary of the English Presbyterian Church at Amoy was
Dr. Jas. Young. He arrived in May, 1850. At that time there were two
Missionaries connected with our (R.D.C.) Mission, viz.: Rev. E. Doty,
on the ground, and Rev. J.V.N. Talmage, absent on a visit to the United
States. There were then under our care six native church members. Five
of them had been baptized by our Missionaries at Amoy. The other had
been baptized in Siam, by a Congregationalist or Presbyterian Minister
of the A.B.C.F.M.
Dr. Young, being a physician, and not an ordained Minister, instead of
commencing an independent work, inasmuch as our doctrines and order
of church government did not essentially differ from those of his own
Church, very naturally became more especially associated with us in
our work. A school under the care of our Mission, of which Mr. Doty
did not feel able to continue the charge, was passed over to his care. He
also rendered medical assistance to the Missionaries, and to the
Chinese, both in Amoy, and by occasional tours in the country. In his
labors he was usually assisted by native Christians under our care.
The first ordained Missionary of the English Presbyterian Church, at
Amoy, was Rev. William C. Burns. He joined Dr. Young in July, 1851.
While he rendered considerable assistance to the brethren of the
London Missionary Society, being ready to preach the gospel at every
opportunity, providentially he became especially associated with us,
and with the native Christians under our care. A remarkable outpouring
of the Spirit of God had accompanied the labors of Rev. Mr. Burns, in
his native land. So the remarkable outpouring of that same Spirit in
Amoy, and vicinity, occurred sometime after his arrival, and much of
this good work was manifestly connected with his labors. The

permanent work in the country around Amoy commenced through his
instrumentality, in connection with native members of the church under
our care. We desired him to take the charge of that work, and gather a
church at Peh-chui-ia, under the care of the English Presbyterian
Church. But, at his urgent request, we took the pastoral oversight of the
work in that region, administering the sacraments to the native
converts.
Rev. James Johnstone, of the same Mission, arrived in December, 1853.
He undertook the care of the church being gathered at Peh-chui-ia,
assuming, in behalf of the English Presbyterian Church, all the
expenses thereof, we continuing the pastoral oversight until such time
as his knowledge of the language should be sufficient to enable him to
relieve us.
In consequence of the ill-health of Dr. Young, he and Mr. Burns left
Amoy, in August, 1854. Mr. Johnstone, in consequence of ill-health,
left in May, 1855, before he was able to relieve us fully from the
pastoral care of the church at Peh-chui-ia.
Rev. Carstairs Douglas, of the same Mission, arrived at Amoy in July,
1855, and immediately entered on the work of Mr. Johnstone, we
continuing the pastoral oversight of the church at Peh-chui-ia, until his
knowledge of the language enabled him to assume it.
Before the brethren of the English Presbyterian Church were able to
assume pastoral responsibility, the work spread from Peh-chui-ia to
Chioh-be. It was thought best that we take the charge of that station.
After the departure of Dr. Young, all the Missionaries of the English
Presbyterian Church, for several years, were unmarried men. Therefore,
they resolved to devote themselves more especially to work in the
country, leaving to our especial care the church in the city of Amoy,
and the one out-station at Chioh-be. Amoy was still necessarily their
place of residence. All their work at Amoy was in connection with the
church under our care. In the country we assisted them as we had
opportunity, and as