After the introduction of Protestant Christianity into China in modern times, some people with insight into the Chinese church, in order to better spread the gospel in China and eliminate misunderstanding among Chinese people, attempted to contextualize the gospel in the areas of theology and church organization.
There were two approaches used in the independence movement of the Chinese church. One was led by Western missionaries, who handed over the management of the church to Chinese leaders and encouraged their autonomy in leading the church. An example of this was the Zhangquan Conference in Southern Fujian. Another movement was launched by Chinese Christians, and the pioneer of this movement was Chen Mengnan from Guangdong Province.
Chen Mengnan was also known as a lay Buddhist named Meng Jue. Born in 1841 in Waihai of Xinhui, Guangdong, Chen had been an excellent student since he was a child, and had been praised by many people for his character and knowledge. At the age of 30, Chen Mengnan accidentally entered a Baptist church in Guangzhou. After listening to a sermon there, he felt that what he had heard was quite novel. He sat alone in his chair, brooding over the Gospel he had heard.
The pastor of the church, Huang Mei, talked with Chen, helping him to understand better what was causing him confusion, and gave him the book Evidences of Christianity, written by W. A. P. Martin, an American missionary. After returning home, Chen Mengnan repeatedly read this book, which greatly shocked him. After that, he went to talk to Pastor Huang many times and the two became good teachers and helpful friends for each other. Chen acquired a wealth of useful books on faith. With a growing understanding of the truth of the Christian faith, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit and was baptized. Before long, Chen Mengnan was hired as a teacher at the school affiliated with the church, where he taught children from poor families. In addition, Chen also preached the Gospel and introduced advanced Western culture to his family. His nephew, Chen Shaobai, believed in God because of this witness. Under his influence, Chen Shaobai became patriotic and developed revolutionary ideas, becoming Sun Yat-sen's right-hand man.
The late Qing Dynasty suffered from bullying by foreign powers, cultural estrangement, and the negative influence of the Movement of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Many scholars regarded Christianity as a foreign religion and rejected it. They also often incited people to oppose Christianity, which was one of the important reasons for the frequent occurrence of modern anti-missionary riots in China. Of course, some Chinese just joined the church with the mentality of making a living under the name of religion, and some even took advantage of the special relationship between the church and Westerners and bullied people in the countryside. Therefore, in addition to the cultural conflicts, the special situation of the church, and the bad behavior of some non-believers, many Chinese people have a very negative view of the Christian faith. This was very distressing to someone like Chen Mengnan who was directly involved in the work of the church.
Chen Mengnan believed that it was necessary to establish independent churches for Chinese people in order to eliminate some people's prejudice against foreign religions and promote the spread of the Gospel. Then he prayed with his brothers and sought the guidance of the Lord. It wasn't long before they got a grant, rented a house on the south bank of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, and set up their own business. To better manage the ministry, Chen quit his job as a teacher at the Baptist free school to focus on evangelism.
In 1873, with the support of overseas Chinese believers, Chen Mengnan bought a house in Chaoyin Street, Changdi. After fixing up the building, it became a church and the "Chinese Alliance Church" was established, which was the first time for Chinese people to independently establish a church. This was an epic event with great significance for the history of the Chinese church.
Chen also engaged in writing, translating various Christian and Western cultural books with other missionaries. Some of these books have influenced people by giving them lofty ideals, including Chen Shaobai, and contributed to the development of Chinese society.
In 1882, when Chen Mengnan was only 41 years old, he fell ill due to overwork. Soon he rested peacefully in the Lord's embrace.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
在近代基督新教传入中国后，中国教会内的一些有识之士，为了福音在华更好地传播，以消除国人的误会，在神学思想以及教会组织进行了中国化事工。
而在中国教会自立运动中，主要有两种模式，一个是西方传教士主导的，将教会管理权交给中国牧者，让他们实现自治、自传，比如闽南的漳泉大会。还有一种是中国基督徒自发建立的，而这场运动的先驱者是来自广东的陈梦南。
陈梦南，号梦觉居士。1841年生于广东新会的外海。他从小就是学霸，在人品和学识上得到了不少人的赞誉。30岁那年，陈梦南在广州偶然进入了浸信会的教堂，在此听了一场道后，感到颇为新奇。他独自坐在椅子上沉思，反复琢磨着听到的福音。
主持堂务的黄梅牧师见状，主动上前与他交流，告诉陈梦南一些信仰上的困惑，并送给他美国传教士丁韪良撰写的《天道溯源》一书。陈梦南回家后，反复阅读《天道溯源》，心灵得到了极大震撼。此后他多次去找黄牧师论道，两人成为良师益友。陈获得了大量有用的信仰书籍。而他对基督信仰的真理日益理解，在圣灵的感动下，受洗加入了教会。不久，陈梦南就被聘为教会义学的老师，教授贫苦孩子各种学问。此外，陈梦南还向家人传福音，介绍西方先进文化。他的侄子陈少白就是因此信主的，并在他的影响下萌发了爱国热情与革命思想，成为孙中山的得力干将。
由于晚清饱受列强欺负、加上文化隔阂以及洪杨之乱的消极影响。不少文人将基督信仰视为洋教，对其非常排斥。他们还经常煽动民众反教，是近代教案频发的重要原因之一。当然有些国人只是以吃教的心态加入教会,甚至有人利用教会与西方人的特殊关系，而在乡里横行不法。因此除了文化冲突，教会特殊的处境以及部分稗子的不良行为，让不少国人对基督信仰产生了极为负面的看法。而陈梦南作为教会的同工，对此痛心疾首。
陈梦南认为，必须建立中国人自立的教会，才能消除某些国人对于洋教的偏见，以促进福音的传播。于是他与几位弟兄一同祷告，寻求上主的引领。不久他们就获得了一笔资金，在广州的珠江南岸，租了一间房子，开始了自立事业。为了更好地管理教务，陈梦南辞去了浸信会义学的工作，以传福音作为事工重点。
1873年，在海外华侨信徒的资助下，陈梦南在长堤潮音街购买了一间房子，经过简单装修后，成为一座教堂，成立了“华人宣道堂”，此为中国人自主建立教会的先河，其在中国教会史上具有划时代意义。
陈还从事文字事工，他与传教士一起翻译各种基督教和西方文化书籍。其中有些书影响了包括陈少白在内的仁人志士，为中国社会发展做出了贡献。
1882年，年仅41岁的陈梦南因为过度劳累而病倒，不久安息主怀。
陈梦南建立了第一座中国人自主管理的教堂
After the introduction of Protestant Christianity into China in modern times, some people with insight into the Chinese church, in order to better spread the gospel in China and eliminate misunderstanding among Chinese people, attempted to contextualize the gospel in the areas of theology and church organization.
There were two approaches used in the independence movement of the Chinese church. One was led by Western missionaries, who handed over the management of the church to Chinese leaders and encouraged their autonomy in leading the church. An example of this was the Zhangquan Conference in Southern Fujian. Another movement was launched by Chinese Christians, and the pioneer of this movement was Chen Mengnan from Guangdong Province.
Chen Mengnan was also known as a lay Buddhist named Meng Jue. Born in 1841 in Waihai of Xinhui, Guangdong, Chen had been an excellent student since he was a child, and had been praised by many people for his character and knowledge. At the age of 30, Chen Mengnan accidentally entered a Baptist church in Guangzhou. After listening to a sermon there, he felt that what he had heard was quite novel. He sat alone in his chair, brooding over the Gospel he had heard.
The pastor of the church, Huang Mei, talked with Chen, helping him to understand better what was causing him confusion, and gave him the book Evidences of Christianity, written by W. A. P. Martin, an American missionary. After returning home, Chen Mengnan repeatedly read this book, which greatly shocked him. After that, he went to talk to Pastor Huang many times and the two became good teachers and helpful friends for each other. Chen acquired a wealth of useful books on faith. With a growing understanding of the truth of the Christian faith, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit and was baptized. Before long, Chen Mengnan was hired as a teacher at the school affiliated with the church, where he taught children from poor families. In addition, Chen also preached the Gospel and introduced advanced Western culture to his family. His nephew, Chen Shaobai, believed in God because of this witness. Under his influence, Chen Shaobai became patriotic and developed revolutionary ideas, becoming Sun Yat-sen's right-hand man.
The late Qing Dynasty suffered from bullying by foreign powers, cultural estrangement, and the negative influence of the Movement of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Many scholars regarded Christianity as a foreign religion and rejected it. They also often incited people to oppose Christianity, which was one of the important reasons for the frequent occurrence of modern anti-missionary riots in China. Of course, some Chinese just joined the church with the mentality of making a living under the name of religion, and some even took advantage of the special relationship between the church and Westerners and bullied people in the countryside. Therefore, in addition to the cultural conflicts, the special situation of the church, and the bad behavior of some non-believers, many Chinese people have a very negative view of the Christian faith. This was very distressing to someone like Chen Mengnan who was directly involved in the work of the church.
Chen Mengnan believed that it was necessary to establish independent churches for Chinese people in order to eliminate some people's prejudice against foreign religions and promote the spread of the Gospel. Then he prayed with his brothers and sought the guidance of the Lord. It wasn't long before they got a grant, rented a house on the south bank of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, and set up their own business. To better manage the ministry, Chen quit his job as a teacher at the Baptist free school to focus on evangelism.
In 1873, with the support of overseas Chinese believers, Chen Mengnan bought a house in Chaoyin Street, Changdi. After fixing up the building, it became a church and the "Chinese Alliance Church" was established, which was the first time for Chinese people to independently establish a church. This was an epic event with great significance for the history of the Chinese church.
Chen also engaged in writing, translating various Christian and Western cultural books with other missionaries. Some of these books have influenced people by giving them lofty ideals, including Chen Shaobai, and contributed to the development of Chinese society.
In 1882, when Chen Mengnan was only 41 years old, he fell ill due to overwork. Soon he rested peacefully in the Lord's embrace.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
First Chinese Self-governing Church Founded by Chen Mengnan
