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150 years ago, on 16th June 1865, a British missionary opened Taiwan’s first Western medicine clinic, simultaneously beginning work to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. This pioneer mission worker was James Maxwell, a medical doctor. Though his time in Taiwan lasted only 7 years, nevertheless he established the pattern of medical evangelism in this land. His influence runs deep, wide and long.
Maxwell was born in Scotland in 1836. He graduated from Edinburgh’s medical school with honors in the field of surgery. Later, while working at a hospital in Birmingham, England, some of his patients prayed for the quickening of his faith. He committed his way to the Lord. Later, while serving as an elder at a local church, he offered his life to service as a medical missionary.
Though already engaged to be married, for the sake of the mission he was willing to endure a long separation from his fiancée, Mary Anne Goodall. In 1864 he sailed off to Xiamen, in China, where British and American missionaries had established comprehensive mission work. (During the next four years, until his intended arrived in Hong Kong, where they were wed in April of 1868, the Love of the Lord sustained him.)
After several months of acclimatization and language training in Xiamen, Maxwell, accompanied by Carstairs Douglas, Ng Ka-ti , Ngo Bun-chui and Tan Chu-lo arrived in Kaohsiung on 28th May,1865. Three days later they boarded a coaster to Anping port in Taiwanfu (today’s Tainan City). This was the location where they had determined to establish the “Formosa Medical Mission Station.” Dr. Maxwell first made acquaintance with the British consul William Maxwell, and on 16th June rented a house. This location (currently #43, Jin-Ai Street) was the beginnings of today’s Sin-Lau Hospital. The space was arranged to allow for a chapel, dispensary and examination room. This model was standardized at the beginning of British missionary service in Taiwan. June 16th is regarded as the foundation day of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, the 150th anniversary of which we celebrate in 2015.
Soon after opening the station, Maxwell’s medical skill won favor in the eyes of local people. Within a very few weeks he was seeing up to 50 people a day. They came for medical help, staying to listen with curiosity about the faith proclaimed in the chapel. News spread far and wide. People with eye problems, childbirth difficulties, hand and foot infections and myriad other problems came from all corners of the city to seek Maxwell’s care. His success soon drew the ire of traditional medicine practitioners. A rumor that “the red haired doctor gouges out local peoples’ eyes and harvests their internal organs to make his medicines” was spread. Xenophobia led to the mission station being besieged with Maxwell inside. The doors and windows were smashed. After only 23 days in active service, the station was forced to close.
Maxwell took refuge near the British Consulate at Kaohsiung in July. He rented a house to use as a chapel and clinic, continuing his struggle to establish a viable mission station. Within 14 months he had opened an 8-bed infirmary, which can be regarded as the beginning of Western-style hospital care in this land.
Development at Kaohsiung progressed smoothly. From that location, medical and evangelistic ministry was launched into the low mountains of the Kaohsiung region, particularly among the Siraya aboriginal peoples, whose territory stretched into the foothills inland of Tainan. People from these areas began coming one by one for medical treatment. New believers were steadily added to church rolls. Nevertheless, religious persecution and obstruction of the spreading of the gospel was not uncommon.
The Taiwanese convert and evangelist Chng Chheng-hong was murdered in Tso-ying. Another Taiwanese evangelist, Ko-tiong, was imprisoned for 50 days. Though evangelism was not an easy life, persecution was not sufficient to extinguish the zeal of those called to heal the diseases of Taiwan’s people and spread the good news of Jesus Christ among them. Maxwell, himself, purposed to return to Tainan.
In December of 1868, accompanied by Ngo Bun-chui, Maxwell returned to Tainan. He rented a house from the Kho family and opened a mission center which included a chapel and a clinic. His presence was affirmed by the local people. This was aided in no small part by the fact that during the three previous years, Maxwell’s facility with the local language had progressed. His ease with patients who suffered bone, skin and joint diseases and with those at death’s door brought him fame and approval. The numbers of people who came to him for help increased daily. Patients came from rural areas around Tainan and from as far away as the low mountains of central Taiwan.
These patients became believers, and the gospel mission began to spread as local preaching points, chapels and churches were established where others were brought to faith in Christ. Eventually the idea that Western medicine could be efficacious also took root in and around the region.
A series of persecutions and opposition to Maxwell emerged from a new situation that challenged the spread of the gospel. At that time many nations cooperated in aggression against the Chinese Ching Dynasty. Popular feeling about foreigners was negative. Maxwell went to great lengths to show himself worthy in the eyes of the population. His loving heart and patient spirit were on display, offering the opportunities for many of Taiwan’s people to draw near to God.
Maxwell gave the best part of his life to Taiwan. His work in medical evangelism began a new chapter in the life of this nation. He exemplified the Biblical image of a grain of wheat which must fall to the earth and die in order to produce a harvest of many grains. From his time until this day, his influence upon Taiwan continues throughout this land.
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