124
D.L. MICHALK
their work, but owing to intense persecution they either left peacefully or gave their lives in martyrdom (Dehergne, 1940). Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Chinese priests were sent by the Bishop of Macao to rekindle the Catholic influence and in 1849 these priests were replaced by French missionaries (Swinhoe, 1872a). The reception of the foreigners was not friendly, the first who arrived was so badly beaten by the people that he died of his wounds (Henry, 1886). The mission never regained its former size, and in 1919, consisted of little more than an orphanage near Haikou run by several nuns and a few priests scattered throughout the island (Moninger, 1919).
In spite of their long association with Hainan, Catholic priests proved to be a poor source of intelligence concerning the island and its inhabitants, and it was not until Hainan was opened to foreign trade that thorough exploration was undertaken by Europeans. Although James Purefoy (1825), a British sea-captain, described parts of the east and north coasts through which he passed when shipwrecked in 1804, it was the British Consuls, Robert Swinhoe and Frederick Mayers, who unmasked much of the mystery of Hainan by their authoritative writings on its zoology, geography, history and ethnology based on their extensive excursions through the island in 1871 and 72.
These pioneering observations paved the way for more extensive reconnaissance of the unknown interior of Hainan by the Protestant missionaries, B.C. Henry and Carl Jeremiassen in 1883 (Henry, 1886), which in turn, led to the birth of the American Presbyterian Mission on the island in 1885 (LaTourette, 1929). Like their Catholic contemporaries, however, the Protestant missionaries were viewed with suspicion by the local inhabitants who frustrated all attempts by the Americans to purchase land or secure suitable lodgings.
It was the medical work of the mission which provided the catalyst for acceptance, and by 1919 there were 32 American missionaries on Hainan, including five qualified doctors. In that year, membership in the 29 churches exceeded 5,000, while 1,500 pupils attended mission schools and 3,000 patients sought treatment at the Presbyterian Hospitals in Haikou and Nada (Moninger, 1919).
124
D.L. MICHALK
their work, but owing to intense persecution they either left peace- fully or gave their lives in martyrdom (Dehergne, 1940). Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Chinese priests were sent by the Bishop of Macao to rekindle the Catholic influence and in 1849 these priests were replaced by French missionaries (Swinhoe, 1872a). The reception of the foreigners was not friendly, the first who arrived was so badly beaten by the people that he died of his wounds (Henry, 1886). The mission never regained its former size, and in 1919, consisted of little more than an orphange near Haikou run by several nuns and a few priests scattered throughout the island (Moninger, 1919).
In spite of their long association with Hainan, Catholic priests proved to be a poor source of intelligence concerning the island and its inhabitants, and it was not until Hainan was opened to foreign trade that thorough exploration was undertaken by Euro- peans. Although James Purefoy (1825), a British sea-captain, de- scribed parts of the east and north coasts through which he passed when shipwrecked in 1804, it was the British Consuls, Robert Swinhoe and Frederick Mayers, who unmasked much of the mys- tery of Hainan by their authoritative writings on its zoology, geo- graphy, history and enthnology based on their extensive excur- sions through the island in 1871 and 72.
These pioneering observations paved the way for more exten- sive reconnaissance of the unknown interior of Hainan by the Protestant missionaries, B.C. Henry and Carl Jeremiassen in 1883 (Henry, 1886), which in turn, led to the birth of the American Presbyterian Mission on the island in 1885 (LaTourette, 1929). Like their Catholic contemporaries, however, the Protestant mis- sionaries were viewed with suspicion by the local inhabitants who frustrated all attempts by the Americans to purchase land or se- cure suitable lodgings.
It was the medical work of the mission which provided the catalyst for acceptance, and by 1919 there were 32 American mis- sionaries on Hainan, including five qualified doctors. In that year, membership in the 29 churches exceeded 5,000, while 1,500 pupils attended mission schools and 3,000 patients sought treatment at the Presbyterian Hosptials in Haikou and Nada (Moninger, 1919).
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.