Thomas Barclay

An Early Dedication

Thomas Barclay was born on November 21, 1849, in Glasgow, Scotland, into a devout Presbyterian family. Shaped from childhood by the Calvinist faith, he was bright and eager to learn. He attended the University of Glasgow, then trained at the Free Church College, and went on to further study in Leipzig, Germany. It is said that at only 16 he wrote out with his own hand a "covenant of dedication" giving his whole life to God, which he renewed year after year and kept faithfully all his life.

Arriving in Taiwan and Founding a School

In 1874 he was ordained and sent out by the Presbyterian Church of England. The following year he first went to Xiamen (Amoy) to study the Southern Min language, and in 1875 he arrived in southern Taiwan. From then on he made Tainan his home, beginning a missionary career that lasted a full sixty years. Knowing that faith must take root in writing that ordinary people could read and understand, he vigorously promoted Pe̍h-ōe-jī (romanized vernacular script). In 1876 he founded Tainan Theological College, laying the foundation of theological education in southern Taiwan and training local preachers.

A Newspaper in Romanized Script

In 1885 Barclay brought in modern movable-type printing, set up the Ju Zhen Tang press, and began publishing the Taiwan Hu-sia Kau-hoe Po (Taiwan Prefectural City Church News) in romanized script. It was the first newspaper in Taiwan's history, and it pioneered the use of writing in the mother tongue to spread faith and new knowledge, with far-reaching influence.

The Peaceful Surrender of the City

In 1895 (the Yiwei year), when Taiwan was ceded to Japan, Japanese troops reached the walls of Tainan; the situation was perilous and the whole city was in fear. To spare the people from slaughter, Barclay stepped forward: on behalf of the city's residents he went out of the city by night to negotiate with the Japanese commander, and led the Japanese army into Tainan peacefully, so that the old city escaped the carnage of war. This act saved countless lives, and the Japanese afterwards awarded him a decoration in recognition.

Retranslating the Bible

In his later years he devoted most of his energy to Bible translation. He led the revision of the Amoy romanized vernacular Bible: the New Testament was published in 1916 and the Old Testament in 1932. Accurate, elegant and fluent, the two translations became classics read for generations in the Southern Min-speaking churches, and were his most precious gift to the church in Taiwan.

At Rest in Tainan

Barclay died at Sin-lau Hospital in Tainan on October 5, 1935, at the age of 85, and was laid to rest in the land he loved. He served in Taiwan for nearly sixty years, founding a school, running a newspaper, translating Scripture and protecting the people, pouring all his talent and life into the gospel and the people. The foundation of the church in southern Taiwan was laid through him, and the heritage of romanized vernacular writing spread widely because of him; his name is still deeply remembered and respected by the people of Taiwan.