A Study on the Expanding and Development of the Presbyterian Church in Houlong (1872-1995)

• Main Authors: Mei-Ling Peng, 彭美玲
• Other Authors: Chang-Shing Wu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/627z68

碩士 === 中原大學 === 宗教研究所 === 105 === In northern Taiwan''s Miao-Li county, the two oldest Presbyterian Church established by George Leslie Mackay were the Xin-Gang Church setup on Apr. 3rd 1873 and the Houlong Church on Oct. 1st 1879. After 41 years of service, the Xin-Gang Church vanished, 13 years after Mackay''s death, while Houlong Church continues in service till present days surviving ups and downs of historical tide. The main purpose of this thesis is to study the local geographical history of the above two Presbyterian Churches by focusing on each individual church history. The time span of this study is over 122 years starting from 1873, at the time Xin-Gang Church was established, to 1995 at the completion of the 2nd church hall of Houlong Church. Study extended to cover the historical trace about the transformation of Houlong Church surviving from a shut down ruling consideration by the Hsinchu Presbytery. A transformation team was formed and brought the church together. Later became a branch and finally up to a independent church in Oct. 2009. Based on the understanding of the works that Christianity has done in the Houlong region in the past, including the works done by all the pastors, preachers and the Christians, we can be enlightened by their spirits and wisdom to find out what the future can be and shall be.