July 26, 2009
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma

Academia Historica and Taiwan Public Television Service recently worked together on documenting the lives of foreigners who made significant contributions to Taiwan by creating a digital archive for safekeeping purposes. Both organizations also held a press conference on July 14th at National Theatre and Concert Hall.

One of the three foreigners chosen recently for making significant contributions to Taiwan was James Laidlaw Maxwell (1836-1921) who came from England as a medical missionary and served in southern Taiwan.

Sin Lau Hospital CEO Dung Tsung-lin and Superintendent Huang Tsuu-Yuan were invited to attend the press conference as Maxwell was instrumental in the founding of Sin Lau Hospital, the first Western-style hospital in Taiwan.

According to National Theatre and Concert Hall leaders, July 15th is the 140th anniversary of Matsunosuke Moriyama, the architect who designed Taiwan's Presidential Palace. Matsunosuke Moriyama began a new era of architecture and design for public buildings in Taiwan and his legacy will also be documented in the digital archives.

National Theatre leaders and Taiwan Public Television leaders thought it was fitting to use Matsunosuke Moriyama's anniversary to honor all foreigners who made exceptional contributions to Taiwan.

The other foreigner honored recently with a digital archive is Isonaga Yoshi, who developed Taiwan's Penglai Rice.

Dung said during his speech that, as one of the founders of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Maxwell used Western medicine to serve Taiwanese people before and during the Japanese colonization of Taiwan. What set Maxwell apart was that he not only treated people's physical ailments, but also tended to their hearts so they could be healed physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Maxwell fused medicine with evangelism and that is why PCT ministries have always emphasized medicine, evangelism, education, and service.

In the past, people in Taiwan had to endure epidemics such as malaria without hope or treatment, but thanks to the work medical missionaries, the outbreak of malaria and other diseases slowed down significantly as remedies were found. Maxwell's contribution not only benefited Taiwan, but also contributed to the advancement of medical technology in the world.

Taiwan Church News