History of the Churches of
Christ in China and Hong Kong (1925-1997)
-Eric Yip
ewhyip@gmail.com
I. Introduction
A. 1997- Hong Kong under Chinese rule again
B. Brief history of the church from the Apostolic time to the Reformation
C. Restoration Movement
D. Brief history of Christianity in China: Nestorians, Jesuits, Protestants
II. The Golden Era (1925-1936)
A. Before the Americans: Dr. Jew Hawk and the Shumshuipo Chinese Church of Christ
1. Dr. Jew Hawk-an American trained medical doctor, probably converted in the US, one time chairman of the Medical Association in HK
2. April 1926-beginning of the Shumshuipo Chinese Church of Christ
Chinese preachers employed from Australia-Au Kwong-hon
probably Disciples of Christ-organ was used and woman preacher allowed
3. George Benson met Dr. Jew and successfully removed the organ and woman preacher.
4. E. L. Broaddus joined Benson.
B. The worst of time
1. Anti-Christians movement in China
2. Anti-foreign sentiments: May 30th Incident, Guangdong-Hong Kong strike...
C. George Benson
1. preparation for mission
2. Hong Kong 1925
3. Kwei Hsien, Kwangsi
4. Hong Kong 1926
5. Philipines 1927
6. Canton 1928-1930
7. University of Chicago 1931
8. Canton
D. Work in Canton-preaching, education, publication
1. Canton Bible School and Canton English Finishing School
Lewis Oldham, Roy and Ruth Whitfield, Lowell B. and Odessa Davis, Ethel Mattley, Leung Hoi-kit, So Tin-wong
2. Literature
Canton Christian (1929-1931), Oriental Christian (1931-?), translation of McGarvey's Commentary on Acts
3. Congregations
1930 Man Fok Road, Tung Shan Fong
1933 Kau Yuk Road (preacher: Lau Po-wing)
E. Hong Kong Church
1. Shumshuipo (1926)
a. Fuk Wah Street. Moved to 37 Fuk Wah Street in 1934.
b. Missionaries lived in the church building: Broaddus, Mattley, Odessa White, Elizabeth Bernard
2. Hunghom (1927)
a. 42, Wu Hu Street
b. Oldham, Mattley
3. Wanchai (1931)
a. Broaddus, Mr. Lum
b. Biography of E.L. Broaddus (
i. once taught in Munsang College,worked under Mr. Wong whose son later became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong; one student who was later trained in Canton Bible School and preached in Canton
ii.1929-1930 preached in Kwangsi
iii.1930 returned to Hong Kong. Wife Margaret died. Remarried.
iv.1940 sent sons and wife to Philipines because of war.
v.1942 died and buried in Hong Kong
F. Work in Peking
1. Don Carlos Jane
2. N.B. Wright, Charles Gruver
III. Wars (1937-1949)
1. Sino-Japanese War-Benson left to become president of Harding; US missionaries left when Japan invaded Canton; 1940 Canton Bible
School reopened in Macau
2. Hong Kong fell into Japanese hands
Broaddus died; Mattley went to concentration camp; Bernard fled to Kweilin
3. another war began
1946 Canton Bible School reopened; 1949 Davies went to US, Bernard came to Hong Kong
4. Christians under the Communists reign
IV. Hong Kong after 1949
1. The only missionary-Elizabeth Bernard
2. The other sheep
-pre-mill. church: Victor Broaddus, Dennis Allen
-instrumental church: Reese
3. New man force: Guss Eoff, Harbison, Robison
4. New Era
a.Evangelism (*=still existing)
-Prince Edward Road 311A: Guss Eoff
-Waterloo Road: John Chan, Stephen Chan, Johnny Liu, Luke Lau, Robert Wong
-Kowloon City: Paul Hui
-Prince Edward Road 238 (1967): Kent Martin, William Reeves, John Chan,Melvin Chan, Paul Ng, Joseph Pang, Stephen Ma, Stephen Chan
-Wah Fu (1968)*: Wan, Li, Kao, Peter Cheung, Tony Yeung, Yau Wai
-To Dei Wan (1968): Tom Tune, Paul Cheung
-Mei Foo (1973, later moved to Tsuen Wan, now at Argyle Street)*: Stephen Chan, Bill Chappel, Peter Cheung, Chuck Forsythe
-Kwuntong: Melvin Chan
-Sanpokong: Stehpen Chan, Shum Hing Wai (merged with MeiFoo 1978)
-Tsuen Wan: Pamplin, Chiu, Shum (merged with MeiFoo 1977)
-To Kwa Wan: Chu, Paul Cheung
-Yuen Long: Joseph Pang, Paul Cheung
-Sheung Shui: Joseph Pang
-North Point: Tom Tune, Henry Yip, Pamplin, Li
-Wanchai*: Stephen Chan, Pamplin, Martin, Peter Cheung, Li, Tam Chung-kao, Tony Yeung, Siu Ka-ming, Jack McGhee, M.H. Tucker, Chuck Forsythe
-Tong Tau Estate: Daniel Hung
-Tsuen Wan: Shum
-Tsz Wan Shan: Wilson Cheung
-Tai O: Daniel Wong, Stephen Chan
-Castle Peak: Kao
-Taipo: Shahan, Sammy Wu
-Tsimshatsui: Jim Waldron
-Yuen Long*: McVey, Don Thorton, Hui
b. Education
i. Hong Kong Christian College-never materialized.
ii. Asia Preaching School
teachers: Scott, Martin, Shahan, Paul Ng
iii. China Preaching School-Melvin Chan, Shahan
iv. China-Asia Preaching School: Tai Po
preachers produced: Peter Cheung, Tam Chung Kao, Chu, Wu, Ho Man-kwong, Hui
v. Hong Kong Bible Institute in Wanchai
vi. sent aboard to International Bible College, Florence, Alabama: Eric Yip, Thomas Tam, Siu Ka-ming, Dora Chan, Debbie Chan
c. Publications
i. Spiritual Song
ii. tracts, teaching material...
5. New Shepherd
a. Hong Kong Church of Christ (Boston, ICC)
b. Non-institutional church
V. Conclusion
Appendix I: list of missionaries
China
George S. Benson 1925-1937
Sallie Benson 1925-1937
Ethel Mattley 1926-?
Margaret Broaddus 1926-d.1930
Lewis J. Oldham 1927-1939 (d.1985)
Grace Oldham 1927-1939
E.L. Broaddus 1927-d.1942
Noble B. Wright 1928-?
Charles E. Grover 1929-1937
Alice Broaddus 1932-1940
Lowell Davis 1932-1940
Roy Whitefield 1932-?
Estella Bernard 1932-d.1950
Elizabeth Bernard 1932-d.1971
Odessa Davis 1933-?
Ruth Whitefield 1934-?
Frank Curtis
Hong Kong
Dennis Allen 1957-?
Melvin Harbison 1959-?
Guss Eoff 1959-?
Douglas Robison 1959-?
Lynn Yocum ?-?
Tom Tune 1962-?
Clarence E. King 1964-?
William Reeves 1966-?
Leonard Pamplin 1966-1971
Kent Martin 1968-1973
Denton (Leonard) Scott 1970-1972
James Shahan 1971-1978
Harold Price 1976-
Don Iverson 1978-1981
Jim Waldron 1979-1982
Bob Frazier 1981-1983
Billy McVey 1982-?
Jack McGhee 1979-89
M.H. Tucker 1984-?
Don Thorton 1984-
Chuck Forsythe 1987-?
Appendix II: short history of each congregation