Situated in the middle of Liaoning Province, Liaoyang is an ancient city with a history of 2,300 years. It is also an emerging modern petrochemical and textile industrial base, a popular tourist city, and one of the oldest cities in the Northeast. In the courtyard of No. 34 Dongsandao Street, Baita District, Liaoyang, there stands a well-known place of worship -- the Liaoyang Christian Church. Built in 1888, the church tells a moving story of a Scottish missionary.
The Liaoyang Museum keeps a monument called the "Li Gong Martyrdom Church Stele". The 110-word inscription shows the tragic testimony of Pastor James Lee, who was martyred for the Lord.
The inscriptions says, "The monument was originally erected in the Christian Church on Dongsandao Street, Liaoyang, in the 33rd year of Guangxu's Qing Dynasty (1907).
A British pastor whose Chinese name was Li Yage(Jacob), came to Liaoyang to preach in the 14th year of Guangxu’s reign during the Qing Dynasty (1888). In the 20th year of Guangxu’s reign (1894), during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, he was wounded and killed by a soldier of Zuo Baogui’s Army. This monument was erected after his death when his father donated money to build a Christian church to memorialize the loss of his son."
In 1907, the chapel was completed, and the east wall was inlaid with the stele, which is now kept in the Liaoyang Museum.
According to the inscription, the present Liaoyang Christian Church was initially named "Li Gong Martyr Church". The church covers an area of 3,564 square meters (0.88 acre) and a building area of 1,782 square meters (0.44 acre). The church has a large Chinese-style roof. The lobby goes from south to the north, and the overall structure resembles a cross, much like an ancient Roman Catholic church. The front hall is very spacious and the main hall can accommodate 400 people to worship at the same time.
The "Li Gong Martyr Church", later named the Liaoyang Christian Church, was also where the "Liaohai Diocese" was based at that time. It was in charge of the churches in Benxi City, Liaozhong County and other places in Liaoning Province. In addition, the church also built a "Benevolent Mother Hospital" (maternity and infant hospital), elementary schools, and middle schools, including a girls' middle school.
- Translated by Jacqueline Y
在辽宁省的中部，有一座具有2300年悠久历史的古城：辽阳，也是新兴的现代石化轻纺工业基地、中国优秀旅游城市，是东北地区最早的城市之一。在辽阳的白塔区东三道街34号院内，有一座闻名遐迩的上帝的圣殿：辽阳基督教堂。这个教堂始建于1888年，其中有一段可宣教士先哲的动人故事。
辽阳博物馆有一座名为《李公殉道堂碑》，碑文以简单的约110字向后人展示了为主殉道的李雅各牧师的悲壮见证：
“碑原在辽阳东三道街基督教堂，清光绪三十三年（1907年）立。
李雅各，英国牧师，清光绪十四年（1888年）到辽阳传教。光绪二十年（1894年）中日甲午战争中，他被清朝左宝贵的士兵打伤致死。此碑是他死后，其父因丧子而捐资建基督教堂时所立。”
1907年，礼拜堂建成，东墙上镶有李公殉道堂碑以志纪念。也就是现存在辽阳博物馆的那座石碑。
根据碑文，现辽阳基督教堂原名应该是“李公殉道堂”。该堂占地3564平方米，建筑面积1782平方米。教堂具有明显的中国“大屋顶”式建筑特色。大堂坐北朝南，总体为十字形罗马古圣堂结构，前厅宽敞，正厅可容纳400人同时礼拜。
“李公殉道堂”即辽阳基督教堂，也是当时的“辽海教区”所在堂，统管现在的辽宁省本溪市、辽中县等多地的教堂。此外，教堂还建有“仁母院”（妇婴医院）、小学、中学，其中包括女子中学等医疗、教育机构。
百余年的辽阳基督教堂
Situated in the middle of Liaoning Province, Liaoyang is an ancient city with a history of 2,300 years. It is also an emerging modern petrochemical and textile industrial base, a popular tourist city, and one of the oldest cities in the Northeast. In the courtyard of No. 34 Dongsandao Street, Baita District, Liaoyang, there stands a well-known place of worship -- the Liaoyang Christian Church. Built in 1888, the church tells a moving story of a Scottish missionary.
The Liaoyang Museum keeps a monument called the "Li Gong Martyrdom Church Stele". The 110-word inscription shows the tragic testimony of Pastor James Lee, who was martyred for the Lord.
The inscriptions says, "The monument was originally erected in the Christian Church on Dongsandao Street, Liaoyang, in the 33rd year of Guangxu's Qing Dynasty (1907).
A British pastor whose Chinese name was Li Yage(Jacob), came to Liaoyang to preach in the 14th year of Guangxu’s reign during the Qing Dynasty (1888). In the 20th year of Guangxu’s reign (1894), during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, he was wounded and killed by a soldier of Zuo Baogui’s Army. This monument was erected after his death when his father donated money to build a Christian church to memorialize the loss of his son."
In 1907, the chapel was completed, and the east wall was inlaid with the stele, which is now kept in the Liaoyang Museum.
According to the inscription, the present Liaoyang Christian Church was initially named "Li Gong Martyr Church". The church covers an area of 3,564 square meters (0.88 acre) and a building area of 1,782 square meters (0.44 acre). The church has a large Chinese-style roof. The lobby goes from south to the north, and the overall structure resembles a cross, much like an ancient Roman Catholic church. The front hall is very spacious and the main hall can accommodate 400 people to worship at the same time.
The "Li Gong Martyr Church", later named the Liaoyang Christian Church, was also where the "Liaohai Diocese" was based at that time. It was in charge of the churches in Benxi City, Liaozhong County and other places in Liaoning Province. In addition, the church also built a "Benevolent Mother Hospital" (maternity and infant hospital), elementary schools, and middle schools, including a girls' middle school.
- Translated by Jacqueline Y
Century-Old Liaoyang Church, Liaoning
