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| George Leslie Mackay |
Here is an excellent article recounting Mackay's jouney, "...It was in Tamsui that George L. Mackay arrived on the last day of 1871 escorted by Hugh Ritchie, a Presbyterian worker in South Taiwan. "Mackay, this is your parish," Ritchie declared on arrival. After a brief tour and advice Ritchie returned to the south, leaving Mackay alone. He was a solitary foreigner in an alien land, but George Mackay knew why he was there: "My commission is clear; I hold it from the King and Head of the church: ...To get the gospel of the grace of God into the minds and hearts of the heathen, and when converted to build them up in their faith - that was my purpose in going to Formosa." (Mackay p. 135) Shortly after arriving he wrote: "I am shut out from fellowship with Christian brethren, yet I am not lonely nor alone. I feel my weakness, my sinfulness, my unfaithfulness. I feel sad when I look around and see nothing but idolatry ... I can as yet tell little about Jesus, and with stammering tongue. What can I do? Nothing; But, blessed thought, the Lord Jesus can do all things. .. Jehovah is my refuge and strength." (Mackay p 18-19) Mackay was to labour there for the next 30 years, returning to Canada only twice. "Mackay had given himself to the cause of Christ in Taiwan and there would be no looking back." (MacLeod)..."
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| Landing site now under re-construction |
After the job is done, this under the water scene will recede into memory:
"I feel sad when I look around and see nothing but idolatry ... "
回覆刪除This quote speaks to the complexity of the man. On the one hand, he learned how to speak Taiwanese, spent most of the rest of his life in Taiwan and married a Taiwanese woman. On the other, by many accounts he was stubborn on even the most petty of events. He was also intolerant, see about quote. Hope you can take this on in a post.
Hi Patrick, how are things?
回覆刪除You must know that James Rohrer in his "The legacy of George Leslie Mackay" has already addressed the points that you have mentioned. Fundamentally, it was Mackay's disagreement with his Canadian mother church on how to build a "proper" mission in Taiwan, so he made the lives of those arriving from Canada, assigned by the church to help him in Tamsui quite unpleasant. For us Tamsui-lang, "The Black-bearded Barbarian" by Mary Esther Miller MacGregor is good enough.
The British consuls one after another take this concept of Mackay's dealings here in Taiwan. To all accounts, he was difficult to get along with due to his temper and stubborn personality. Thus, Mackay waged prolonged, yet unnecessary, battles with the locals over the most petty of issues, even when there was an obvious solution before them.
回覆刪除In other words, it seems a bit of debunking could be in order here.
回覆刪除I see what you mean. Will give it a try at some point. Unlike the Brits, Mackay had led a harsh life. He might have known that his days were numbered (cancer) and got mad when things did not go his way quickly enough.
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