初谈宋尚节
（接上文）
 |
| 厦门鼓浪屿三一堂 Trinity Church in Gulangyu |
 |
| 美国归正教厦门差会传教士一览表 List of The Reformed Church Xiamen Missionaries |
- 我的厦门之旅
2025年6月8日，带着一颗谦卑寻索的心，我与乔治牧师踏上了追寻早期传教士与宋尚节属灵足迹的旅程。结束草湖教堂的参观与学习后，我们于下午三点半自莆田启程，驱车前往那座古老与现代交织的城市——厦门。
- 潘维廉
傍晚五点多，我们如约见到了厦门大学的潘维廉教授（Dr. William N. Brown）[1]。此时的厦门车水马龙、人潮如织，连停车位都成了奢侈的期待。潘教授是一位美国的“中国通”，笑容温和，语气亲切，谈吐间充满幽默与智慧。虽是初次谋面，却有一种久别重逢的亲切感。我笑着问他：“厦门这么拥挤，你怎么会喜欢这里？”我之所以这样问，是因为与我居住的美国小石城相比，这里显得热闹喧嚣得多，几乎让人透不过气。
他幽默地回答：“我从来没有喜欢过这里，但上帝却让我在这里生活了三十七年。”
这句风趣却饱含深意的话，让我们都会心一笑。
潘教授确实深爱这片土地。他是1992年福建省第一位获得外国人永久居留证的人，多年来积极投入地方文化、教育与社会发展的研究与交流。他被誉为“中国通”，并于2019年获评央视“感动中国年度人物”之一。2024年央视元旦晚会上，我们甚至还在YouTube上看到他熟悉的身影。
晚餐时，潘教授带我们到一家素食餐馆。那一晚，整个餐馆只有我们三人。短短两个小时，我们畅谈信仰与人生——从他与妻子在中国的生活点滴，到我在美国牧会、研究福建传教史及宋尚节的经验。他提到自己曾经历两次癌症手术，如今仍蒙主保守，使他依然可以在中国工作和生活。他给我的印象是：他这个美国人，比我这个中国人更了解中国；而我这个在美国生活多年的中国人，却未必真正了解美国。
他语重心长地说：“我们不能只透过西方媒体了解中国，就像不能只透过中国媒体了解美国一样。若想真正认识一个地方，就必须亲自走进去，否则我们没有资格评论。”的确，眼见为实、耳听则虚。
谈到信仰生活，他分享自己在中国参加登记教会的聚会。对于家庭教会与三自教会之间的关系，他则以更广阔的神国眼光去看待和理解。那种包容与洞察的胸襟，对我极有启发。
夜色渐浓，我们还要前往拜访另一位牧者，只得与潘教授依依惜别。临别时，他送给我三本著作：《我不见外：老潘的中国来信》（Off the Wall—How We Fell for China）、《老外看老鼓浪屿》（Old Gulangyu in Foreigners’ Eyes）、《从泉州出发：老潘说海上丝绸之路》（From Quanzhou: Old Pan Talking about the Maritime Silk Road）。这些书成为我旅途中最珍贵的纪念——它们不仅帮助我更深入了解福建与海上丝绸之路的历史，也让我看到古代外国人眼中的福建人形象，以及传教士初入福建时留下的珍贵史料。
那天晚上，我们又去了厦门东屿堂，拜访一对牧师夫妇。尽管夜色已深，两位牧师和几位同工仍热情接待我们，向我们介绍了当地教会的基本情况。那晚，牧师安排一对基督徒夫妇刘弟兄和钟姐接待我们，住在他们家开的家庭旅馆。钟姐是教会的女执事。他们非常淳朴热情，我们在主里交通至深夜。我们觉得住在他们家给他们添麻烦了，但他们笑着说：“在主里我们都是一家人，能相聚就是缘分，能接待神的仆人实在是神的祝福。”
与他们分享时，刘弟兄特别提到：“在别的地方，人会问你家几个人信主；但在福建，人们通常会问，‘你们家几代人信主？’” 从这个简单的问题，就可见福建基督教有深厚的历史与信仰根基。
第二天早晨，我们在钟姐家享用了她亲手准备的爱心早餐后，便赶往码头乘船去鼓浪屿。从厦门到鼓浪屿的一河之隔，正是当年宋尚节举行布道会时，人们经过的路线。
- 鼓浪屿人民小学
我们乘坐邮轮约二十分钟后抵达鼓浪屿。这座岛上没有车辆，所有人都徒步而行。从码头走十分钟的弯曲小路，我们便来到三一堂。由于时间尚早，接待人员尚未到，我们就在周围随意走走。岛上随处可见传教士历史的印记。靠近教堂的是鼓浪屿人民小学，孩子们正在操场上做早操。围墙上记载着学校的历史：
“鼓浪屿人民小学前身是英、美教会十九世纪中期创办的鼓浪屿怀仁女校和毓德女
校。两校从小学办起，发展为包括小学、中学、师范部在内的女子学校。1938年
学校开始招收男生……1967年学校更名为鼓浪屿人民小学。
怀仁女学为闽南女子学校（乌埭dài女学）1877年由美国长老会倪为霖牧师
娘（Mrs. Macgregor）与吴罗宾牧师娘募资建校于鼓浪屿。当时的主理是“仁历西
姑娘”（Jessie Johnston，1861-1907）。乌埭女学开办之初，仍以传教、教读《圣
经》为主，兼学如地理、算术、缝纫、家务经济等。
毓德女校则是在1870年美国归正教会（R.C.A.）打马字牧师娘玛丽·（Mrs.
Eliza Deventer Talmage），汲澧澜牧师娘海伦(Mrs. Helen Culbertson Kip)、戴维斯牧
师娘埃玛（Mrs. Emma C. W. Davis）在厦门创办女学，中文校名为“培德学校”
（Character-Developing School），1921年称毓德女子中学”。[2]
- 三一堂
我们再次回到三一堂。教堂外墙上有一副乳白色石雕壁画《主是好牧人》：青山绿水之间，耶稣左手持杖、右手抱着一只小羊，身后跟随着许多羊。壁画中耶稣慈祥的目光深情注视着怀中的小羊，流露出他无微不至的爱。
“三一堂奠基石：中鐫“蓋所置之基，即耶穌基督也”（林前3：11），中上刻有發
光之十字架；連十架而下有向左右伸出心狀形之棕樹枝。三一堂會：要建造在基
督的基礎上。要永遠以十字架夸勝。會友們的心要備為聖神駐蹕[2]之所（摘自
1935年刊印的三一堂会宗旨及奠基石铭”。[3]
我们走进教堂的二楼。墙上张贴着“美国归正教厦门差会传教士一览表”（见上图）。正如希伯来书所说：“从前引导你们、传神之道给你们的人，你们要想念他们，效法他们的信心，留心看他们为人的结局”（来13：7）。
雷远焱长老热情接待我们，并简要介绍了三一堂的历史。他说，“三一堂”的名字本身就是合一的见证：它包含三位一体的真神；新街、竹树、厦港三堂会友合一成一教会；三个堂会合建三一教堂；美国归正教、英国伦敦会、英国长老会三公会联合资助建造三一教堂等多重意义。
上帝赐给三一堂的地址是在岛的正中心，四面八方都能听到教堂的钟声。教堂于1927年筹建，1934年10月24日破土动工。一位荷兰工程师为三一堂义务设计了一座先进无梁钢结构屋顶，并自费到香港督造，解经建筑中最大的技术难题。[4] 这位荷兰工程师说：“我母亲叫我读神学，做传道，我没有照母亲的话读神学，所以，我在各地为教会做什么工作，都是奉献的。”[5]
1936年7月，屋顶吊装及室内粗装修完成。同年7月10日，由宋尚节博士主持，为期一个月，共一千六百人参加的第二届全国基督徒查经会如期在三一堂举行，以此为标志，本堂第一阶段建筑工程宣告完成。[6]
雷长老还介绍说：原来教堂的邻居是不信主的，但多年以后主做了奇妙的工作，感动他和家人信主。终于在“1997年，上帝感动旅居加拿大李金燕姐妹将邻接三一堂东边的施恩房产全部献给三一堂。” [7] 至此，三一堂曲折的六十六年建筑史终于圆满。
- 蔡丽霞
雷长老听说我研究宋尚节，便立即带我们去探访一位蔡丽霞老人，并说她曾亲身接触过宋博士。我们早上九点多抵达她家，由儿媳接待。老人亲自弹奏《每想到你》（Lord Jesus, When I Think of Thee）。[8]
老人今年93岁，不到一岁时双目失明。本来她的眼睛不该失明，却因医生误用药物而致盲。她一岁多时，阿姨抱她去见宋博士，还没开口，宋博士就说：“上帝有旨意，你盲眼比眼睛看到更好。” 从此，她外在看不见，却一生看见了上帝的光明。
我问她：“您学过弹琴吗？”
她答：“二十岁时在家里请老师教过，但没上过正规学校。”
她的儿媳补充说：“她小时候六七岁到福州盲校学习，十多岁到上海盲校。她能识字，连英文都会讲。五十多岁才学英语，能读英文盲文圣经，也会用盲文写。” 尽管看不见光明，她的心灵却极其丰富。
我又问：“她什么时候结婚？”
儿媳说：“大约1960年结婚。她先生也是盲人，两人因工作相识。那时鼓浪屿成立了教会办的盲人学校，她在那里任教，教盲人写字和生活技能。后来学生减少，盲校改成聋哑学校，她便被分配到残疾人印刷厂工作，不久后退休。”
她从上海回来后，尚未结婚就已在教会司琴。她服事主七八十年，用生命见证了神的大能。直到今年，她才停止在教会司琴。
乔治牧师感叹道：“宋博士告诉你的话，影响你一生的路。上帝告诉你他有旨意，也告诉你他所预备的更好。为上帝而活，太宝贵了！”
他又说：“我真的觉得这样的圣诗太好了！它本身就是信仰。现在年轻人或许技巧很好，但少了那份灵性。”
老人微笑着补充：“他们不能把意思弹出来。”
由于赶飞机，我们匆匆离开。雷长老带我们走一条隧道直达码头。路上我好奇地问：“这个地方为什么叫鼓浪屿？”
雷长老解释：“因为岛上岩石受海浪撞击，声若击鼓，因此得名。”更具体地说，“岛南部有一岩礁，其洞穴受浪拍击，远听如擂鼓，故名鼓浪屿。” [9]
鼓浪屿真是人杰地灵，许多历史名人在此留下足迹，成为这座小岛无形的财富与不可取代的魅力。穿过隧道，墙上镌刻着许多名人介绍，包括中国第一位专业声乐教育家、第一位合唱女指挥家、第一位女作曲家周淑安（1894–1974），病毒学家、中国科学院院士黄祯祥（1910–1987），中国近代体育先驱马约翰（1882–1966），[10] 著名作家林语堂（1895–1976；他于年老时皈依基督），以及厦门第一所正规医院小溪和鼓浪屿救市医院、闽南近代第一所医学专科学校创办人、妇女医院与护士组织创办者、医学博士兼传教士郁约翰（John Abraham Otte，1861–1910）等。
结语：
读万卷书，行万里路。短短一个晚上与一个下午的行程，匆匆掠过这座历史与文明交汇的古城厦门，虽觉意犹未尽，却在所见所遇之间，心灵深受触动。从拜访潘教授，到漫步鼓浪屿、参观三一堂、探访蔡丽霞老人，每一处都让我学到宝贵的属灵功课，也为我对宋尚节的研究开启了新的视野。
厦门三一堂的戴弟兄曾意味深长地说：“教会历史需要时间的沉淀与深入的思考，才能更好地领悟神的旨意。” [11] 这句话宛如回响，提醒我：凡属上帝的工作，都在时间中被炼净，被显明。
回眸之间，在上帝那里，千年如一日，一日如千年。人间的一夜，在永恒中不过是光中的一瞬。然而，那一夜与一晨的厦门之行，仿佛在基督的光照下，让我得以窥见永恒的一隅。愿上帝那不息的荣光，继续照耀这片曾蒙眷顾的土地，也照亮每一个仍在寻找家园、渴望遇见主的心田。（全文完）
[1] 李春海：“初谈宋尚节”，10/19/25 牧者之言，浏览于2025年11月12日，https://lricbc.org/?p=1762。
[2] 当时传教士夫人创办女子学校具有重大的时代意义：首先，它打破性别封闭，铲除中国旧社会妇女缠足的陋习，推动了男女共同拥有受教育的权利；第二，引入西式教育理念，奠定中国女子教育制度基础；第三，以教育为桥梁，推进福音在华落地生根。
[3] 三一堂始建于1934年，2006年入选全国重点文保单位, 2025-05-10 08:12 发布于：福建省, 浏览于2025年11月11日，https://www.sohu.com/a/889146709_100199564。
[2] 蹕读bì，指古代帝王出行时清道戒严的意思。更进一步说，当圣灵在信徒里面内住时，任何人或事物都无权打扰或侵犯。
[4]《三一堂八十年》（Trinity Church, 1934-2014）（厦门：厦门市基督教三一堂，2014），4.
[5] 《三一堂八十年》（Trinity Church, 1934-2014），18。
[6] 《三一堂八十年》（Trinity Church, 1934-2014），34。
[7]《三一堂八十年》（Trinity Church, 1934-2014），ii, 18。
[8] 《三一堂八十年》（Trinity Church, 1934-2014），ii-iii。
[9] “盲人基督徒司琴师93岁蔡丽霞 1- 93 Blind Christian Pianist Sister Cailixia 1,” 浏览于2025年11月13日， https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm0zHqqAf2A&list=RDGm0zHqqAf2A&start_radio=1。
[10] 潘维廉（William N. Brown）：《老外看老鼓浪屿》(Old Gulangyu in Foreigners’ Eyes)，潘文功、钟太福译（厦门：厦门大学出版社，2010），29。
[11] 马约翰说：“我是基督徒，是浸信会的成员”。袁 帆：“春田学院官网马约翰史料介绍与评析”，清华大学校史馆，浏览于2025年11月12日，https://xsg.tsinghua.edu.cn/info/1003/2798.htm。
[12] 《三一堂八十年》（Trinity Church, 1934-2014），297。
An Initiative Reflection on John Sung
(continued from the above)
- My Journey to Xiamen
On June 8, 2025, with a humble and seeking heart, Pastor George and I set out to trace the spiritual footsteps of early missionaries and John Sung. After visiting and studying at Caohu Church, we departed Putian at 3:30 p.m., driving toward Xiamen, a city where ancient history and modern life intertwine.
Dr. William N. Brown
Around 5 p.m., we met with Professor William N. Brown of Xiamen University [1] as planned. At that time, Xiamen was bustling with traffic and throngs of people; even finding a parking space felt like a luxury. Professor Brown, an American well-versed in Chinese culture, greeted us with a gentle smile and warm demeanor. His conversation was full of humor and wisdom. Although it was our first meeting, there was a sense of familiarity, as if we were old friends reunited. I jokingly asked him, “Xiamen is so crowded—how do you manage to like living here?” I asked this because, compared with Little Rock, where I live in the U.S., Xiamen seemed far livelier and noisier, almost overwhelming.
He replied with a humorous yet profound remark: “I’ve never really liked living here, but God has allowed me to live here for thirty-seven years.” This witty statement brought knowing smiles to both our faces.
Professor Brown clearly loves this land deeply. In 1992, he became the first foreigner in Fujian Province to receive permanent residency. Over the years, he has been actively involved in the study and exchange of local culture, education, and social development. He is regarded as a “China expert” and was recognized as one of CCTV’s “Touching China” figures in 2019. We even saw his familiar presence on YouTube during the 2024 CCTV New Year’s Gala.
That evening, Professor Brown took us to a vegetarian restaurant, where we were the only three guests. During those two short hours, we talked extensively about faith and life—from his daily experiences in China with his wife to my ministry in the U.S. and research on the history of missions in Fujian and John Sung. He shared that he had undergone two cancer surgeries, yet God had preserved him, allowing him to continue working and living in China. I was struck by the irony: he, as an American, knows China better than I do as a Chinese; yet I, a Chinese who has lived in the United States for many years, may not truly understand America.
He earnestly said, “We cannot understand China only through Western media, just as we cannot understand the U.S. only through Chinese media. To truly know a place, you must go there yourself; otherwise, you have no right to comment.” Indeed, seeing with one’s own eyes is far more reliable than secondhand information.
On the topic of faith, he shared about attending registered church gatherings in China. Regarding the relationship between house churches and Three-Self churches, he looked with a broader perspective of God’s kingdom, demonstrating a spirit of humility and insight that deeply inspired me.
As night fell, we had to visit another pastor, so we reluctantly parted with Professor Brown. Before leaving, he gifted me three of his books: Off the Wall—How We Fell for China, Old Gulangyu in Foreigners’ Eyes, and From Quanzhou: Old Pan Talking about the Maritime Silk Road. These became cherished mementos of my journey, helping me gain deeper insights into Fujian’s history, the Maritime Silk Road, and the early missionaries’ impressions of the region.
That night, we visited Dongyu Church in Xiamen and met a pastor couple. Despite the late hour, they and several church coworkers warmly welcomed us, introducing the local church situation. The pastor arranged for Brother Liu and Sister Zhong, a Christian couple, to host us at their family-run guesthouse. Sister Zhong serves as a deacon in the church. They were incredibly kind and hospitable. Although we worried about causing them trouble, they said with smiles, “In the Lord, we are all one family. Meeting together is a blessing, and hosting God’s servants is truly God’s favor.”
Brother Liu remarked, “In other places, people ask how many in your family are Christians; in Fujian, they ask, ‘How many generations in your family are believers?’” This simple question reveals the deep roots of Christianity in Fujian.
The next morning, after enjoying a lovely breakfast prepared by Sister Zhong, we hurried to the pier to take a boat to Gulangyu Island. The river separating Xiamen from Gulangyu was the very route people took when attending John Sung’s revival meetings.
Gulangyu People’s Primary School
After about twenty minutes by ferry, we arrived at Gulangyu. There are no vehicles on the island; everyone travels on foot. A ten-minute walk along a winding path from the pier brought us to Trinity Church. Since it was still early, the reception staff had not yet arrived, so we wandered the area. Everywhere on the island bore the marks of missionary history. Near the church stood Gulangyu People’s Primary School, where children were doing morning exercises. The wall displayed the school’s history:
“The predecessor of Gulangyu People’s Primary School was the Huairen Girls’ School
and Yude Girls’ School, founded in the mid-19th century by British and American
churches. These schools started as primary schools and eventually developed to include
middle schools and teacher training departments. In 1938, the school began admitting
boys, and in 1967 it was renamed Gulangyu People’s Primary School.
Huairen Girls’ School was established in 1877 in Gulangyu by Mrs. Macgregor, the
wife of Presbyterian pastor Ni Weilin, and Mrs. Wu Luobin(吴罗宾牧师娘?), funded by
donations. Jessie Johnston (1861–1907) served as the head. The school initially focused
on Christian teaching and Bible reading, alongside geography, arithmetic, sewing, and
household economy.
Yude Girls’ School was founded in 1870 in Xiamen by Mrs. Eliza Deventer
Talmage, Mrs. Helen Culbertson Kip, and Mrs. Emma C. W. Davis of the Reformed
Church in America. The Chinese name was “Character-Developing School,” later
renamed Yude Girls’ Middle School in 1921.”[2]
Trinity Church in Gulangyu [3]
We returned to Trinity Church. On the outer wall, a cream-colored stone relief depicted The Good Shepherd: amidst green hills and flowing water, Jesus held a staff in his left hand and a lamb in his right, followed by many sheep. His tender gaze conveyed the depth of His love.
The foundation stone of Trinity Church reads:
“The foundation that has been laid is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11), with a radiant cross
engraved above, and palm branches extending sideways in heart-shaped forms. Trinity
Church must be built upon the foundation of Christ, forever glorifying the cross, and the
hearts of the congregation prepared as dwelling places of the Holy Spirit. (From the 1935
Trinity Church Constitution and Foundation Stone Inscription) [4]
Inside, we saw the “List of The Reformed Church Xiamen Missionaries” posted on the second floor. As Hebrews 13:7 reminds: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
Elder Lei Yuanyan warmly welcomed us and briefly introduced Trinity Church’s history. He explained the meaning of its name, which signifies unity: the Trinity, the unification of congregations from Xinjie, Zhushu, and Xiagang, and the joint funding by three missionary societies—the Reformed Church in America, the London Missionary Society, and the Presbyterian Church in England.
God placed Trinity Church at the island’s center, where its bell can be heard from all directions. Construction began in October 1934, with a Dutch engineer volunteering an advanced beamless steel roof design, supervising its construction in Hong Kong at his own expense. [5] The Dutch engineer said, “My mother wanted me to study theology and become a preacher. I did not follow her wish to study theology, so whatever work I do for the church anywhere is my volunteer offering to God.”[6]
The roof and rough interior were completed in July 1936. On July 10, 1936, Dr. John Sung presided over the second Nationwide Christian Bible Conference with 1,600 participants, marking the completion of Trinity Church’s first phase. [7]
Elder Lei shared that initially, the church’s neighbors were non-believers, but over the years, God moved them and their families to faith. Eventually, in 1997, Sister Li Jinyan, residing in Canada, donated the adjacent Shien property to Trinity Church,[8] completing its sixty-six-year building history.
Cai Lixia
Learning that I study John Sung, Elder Lei took us to meet a Senior Sister, Cai Lixia, who had personally met Dr. Sung. We arrived around 9 a.m., greeted by her daughter-in-law. Cai played Lord Jesus, When I Think of Thee herself.[9]
At 93, she has been blind since infancy due to a medical mishap. When she was just over one year old, her aunt took her to meet John Sung. Before her aunt started to talk, Sung said, “God has a plan. Your blindness is better than sight.” Though she could not see physically, she spent her life seeing God’s light.
I asked if she had learned piano. She replied, “At twenty, I had lessons at home, but never in formal school.”
I then asked, “When did she get married?”
Her daughter-in-law replied, “She got married around 1960. Her husband was also blind; they met through their work. At that time, a church-run school for the blind was established on Gulangyu Island, and she taught there, instructing blind students in writing and daily living skills. Later, as the number of students declined, the school for the blind was converted into a school for the deaf and mute. She was then reassigned to work at a printing factory for people with disabilities, where she stayed until her retirement.”
After returning from Shanghai, she was already serving as a church organist even before she got married. She has served the Lord faithfully for seventy to eighty years, bearing witness to God’s mighty power through her life. It was only this year that she finally stopped playing the organ at church.
Pastor George commented, “What Dr. John Sung told you shaped your life. God reveals His will and prepares something even better. Living for God is invaluable!” He added, “Such hymns are wonderful—they embody faith. Today, young people may have skill, but lack that spirituality.” Cai smiled and added, “They cannot express the meaning through the music.”
Due to our flight schedule, we left hurriedly. Elder Lei guided us through a tunnel to the pier. Curious, I asked why the island was called Gulangyu. Elder Lei explained that the rocks are struck by waves, sounding like drums, hence the name. Specifically, a southern reef’s caves echo waves like a drumbeat.
Gulangyu is indeed a place where remarkable people have left their marks, contributing to the island’s irreplaceable charm. Along the tunnel walls were introductions to notable figures, including China’s first professional vocal educator, the first female choral conductor, composer Zhou Shuyan (1894–1974), virologist and CAS academician Huang Zhenxiang (1910–1987), sports pioneer X John Ma (1882–1966), [10] famous writer Lin Yutang (1895–1976, who converted to Christianity in old age), and medical missionary Dr. John Abraham Otte (1861–1910), founder of the first Western medical hospital — Hope Hospital — in Xiaoxi and Gulangyu, as well as the first modern medical college and women’s hospital in Fujian.
Conclusion
As a Chinese saying goes, “Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.”
In a mere evening and morning, we fleetingly passed through Xiamen, a city where history and civilization converge. Though brief, the experiences deeply touched my heart. From visiting Professor Brown, strolling Gulangyu, exploring Trinity Church, to meeting the blind Senior Sister Cai Lixia, each encounter imparted precious spiritual lessons and opened new perspectives for my research on John Sung.
Brother Dai of Trinity Church once said meaningfully, “Church history requires the sedimentation of time and in-depth reflection to better understand God’s will.” This echoes in my heart: all of God’s work is refined and revealed over time.
Looking back, with God, a thousand years is like a day, and a day like a thousand years. One night on earth is but a fleeting instant in eternity. Yet, that evening and morning in Xiamen, under the light of Christ, allowed me a glimpse of eternity. May God’s unceasing glory continue to shine upon this once-favored land and illuminate every heart still seeking a home and yearning to encounter the Lord. (The end)
[1] Li Chunhai , The Initiative of John Sung, 10/19/25 Pastor’s Word，accessed November 11, 2025, https://lricbc.org/?p=1762.
[2] The establishment of girls’ schools by missionary wives at that time carried great historical significance. First, it broke through gender barriers and helped eradicate the old Chinese custom of foot-binding, promoting equal educational opportunities for both men and women. Second, it introduced Western educational concepts, laying the foundation for China’s modern system of female education. Third, it used education as a bridge to help the gospel take root and flourish in China.
[3] Trinity Church was originally built in 1934 and was listed as a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit in 2006, the picture published on: May 10, 2025, 08:12, in Fujian Province, accessed November 11, 2025, https://www.sohu.com/a/889146709_100199564.
[4]Trinity Church, 1934-2014(Xiamen: Xiamen Trinity Church), 4.
[5] Trinity Church, 18.
[6] Trinity Church, 34.
[7] Trinity Church, ii, 18.
[8] Trinity Church, ii-iii.
[9] “93 Blind Christian Pianist Sister Cailixia 1,” accessed November 13, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm0zHqqAf2A&list=RDGm0zHqqAf2A&start_radio=1.
[10] X John Ma said, “I am a Christian, and member of the Baptist church.” Yuan Fan, “Introduction and Analysis of Historical Materials on X John Mo on the Springfield College Official Website,” Tsinghua University History Museum, accessed November 12, 2025, https://xsg.tsinghua.edu.cn/info/1003/2798.htm.