During my participation in the compilation of Pinghe Christianity Gazetteer and Shima Town Christian Church History, I found a servant who once served in Pinghe and Shima - Pastor Lin Wenqu.
On April 9, 1848, Lin Wenqu was born in Pantu community, Tongan District, Xiamen, Fujian Province, as a "gifted and clever, honest and frank" child. At the age of 17, he "collected state taxes in Hongtang town on behalf of his father", attending Sunday services in Hongtang Church. Although obstructed and opposed by his clansmen, Lin was still determined to become a Christian. Rev. Ye Hanzhang of Zhushu Church, Xiamen, the first pastor employed and supported solely by the Chinese church, baptized him into Christ. Also, the church in Xiamen recommended Lin to study in Southern Fujian Holy Word School.
After graduation, Lin worked as a pastor in Xiamen Xinjie Church for many years. In 1873, he went to Zhangzhou, Pinghe, and other places to preach with his seminary classmate Huang Hecheng. Walking through different towns such as Dahu, Banzai, Nansheng, and Xiaoxi to spread the gospel, he bought land in Xiaoxi Town to build the Xiaoxi Church, the pastor’s building, and Huihe Girls' School buildings.
In 1886, he took the Chinese Christianity Zhangzhou-Quanzhou Conference exam, qualified as a pastor. On June 22nd, 1887, he was ordained as a pastor.
Three years later, Rev. Lin was transferred by the Reformed church from Pinghe County to Shima Church as the second pastor.
In 1883, the three missionary stations in Wuzhai Jingziwei, Qianban and Nansheng Gongye merged to form Jingnan Church. A decade later, when Nansheng Church was completed, he served as a pastor in the newly established church. Until 1903, he left Pinghe County and was employed as a pastor at the Shancheng Church in Nanjing County. Lin spent 26 years serving in Pinghe churches, where he stayed the longest in his life.
After his departure from the Shancheng Church in Nanjing, Lin was appointed by Jinmen Church as a pastor from 1908 to 1917 until his retirement.
In 1917, aged 70, he returned to Tongan to rent a place for church service. He turned a "deserted land" into a gathering sit, continuing to preach for five years, which was well received by the villagers.
The servant of God died in Tongan on Sunday, March 28th, 1923, at the age of 76.
References:
1. Annals of the Chinese Christian Southern Fujian Conference of Chinese Christianity
2. Construction-Inheritance and Growth-Special Issue of the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of Jinmen Christian Church (1924-2004)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
本人在参与《平和县基督教志》和《石码基督教会史》编写中，发现有一位在平和、石码两地待奉的神朴，他就是林文曲牧师。
林文曲，1848年4月9日出生，福建省厦门同安区潘塗人，自幼“天资颖敏，贼性耿直”，十七岁“代父往洪塘征收国家税收”，主日里经常到洪塘礼拜堂听道，虽受族人阻挠反对，仍决意信主，在厦门竹树堂的叶汉章牧师（平和人芦溪双丰人）为他施洗入教，厦门基督教会将他推荐到闽南圣道学校学习。
毕业后，林文曲在厦门新街礼拜堂任教员多年，1873年与同学黄和成一同到漳州、平和等地传教。林文曲穿走于大湖、坂仔、南胜和小溪等处，广传福音，在小溪购地兴建小溪礼拜堂、牧师楼、惠和女子校舍等。
1886年参加中华基督教漳泉大会考试，“获得牧师”资格，并于1887年6月22日按立为牧师。
1889年归正公会决定调在平和的林文曲牧师为石码堂会第二任牧师。
1883年平和五寨井仔尾、前坂和南胜功业的三个传教站合并成立井南教会，1893年南胜礼拜堂也已建成，林文曲牧师又到新建立的井南堂任牧师，直至1903年离开平和受聘南靖县山城基督教堂任牧师。林文曲牧师在平和牧会26年，是他一生从牧最长的地方。
林文曲牧师在南靖山城教会离任后，于1908年至1917年期间受聘金门教会任牧师，直到年老退休。
1917年林文曲“年届古稀，回同安租一处为礼拜堂，把一处“荒废之墟，变为讲经之室，继续传道五年，深受乡民欢迎。
林文曲牧师于1923年3月28主日在同安逝世，安息主怀，享年76岁。
参考资料：
1、《中华基督教闽南大会年录》
2、《建造 — 传承与增长》—金门基督教会建堂八十周年纪念特刊（1924—2004）
忠勇有为，开疆拓土的林文曲牧师
During my participation in the compilation of Pinghe Christianity Gazetteer and Shima Town Christian Church History, I found a servant who once served in Pinghe and Shima - Pastor Lin Wenqu.
On April 9, 1848, Lin Wenqu was born in Pantu community, Tongan District, Xiamen, Fujian Province, as a "gifted and clever, honest and frank" child. At the age of 17, he "collected state taxes in Hongtang town on behalf of his father", attending Sunday services in Hongtang Church. Although obstructed and opposed by his clansmen, Lin was still determined to become a Christian. Rev. Ye Hanzhang of Zhushu Church, Xiamen, the first pastor employed and supported solely by the Chinese church, baptized him into Christ. Also, the church in Xiamen recommended Lin to study in Southern Fujian Holy Word School.
After graduation, Lin worked as a pastor in Xiamen Xinjie Church for many years. In 1873, he went to Zhangzhou, Pinghe, and other places to preach with his seminary classmate Huang Hecheng. Walking through different towns such as Dahu, Banzai, Nansheng, and Xiaoxi to spread the gospel, he bought land in Xiaoxi Town to build the Xiaoxi Church, the pastor’s building, and Huihe Girls' School buildings.
In 1886, he took the Chinese Christianity Zhangzhou-Quanzhou Conference exam, qualified as a pastor. On June 22nd, 1887, he was ordained as a pastor.
Three years later, Rev. Lin was transferred by the Reformed church from Pinghe County to Shima Church as the second pastor.
In 1883, the three missionary stations in Wuzhai Jingziwei, Qianban and Nansheng Gongye merged to form Jingnan Church. A decade later, when Nansheng Church was completed, he served as a pastor in the newly established church. Until 1903, he left Pinghe County and was employed as a pastor at the Shancheng Church in Nanjing County. Lin spent 26 years serving in Pinghe churches, where he stayed the longest in his life.
After his departure from the Shancheng Church in Nanjing, Lin was appointed by Jinmen Church as a pastor from 1908 to 1917 until his retirement.
In 1917, aged 70, he returned to Tongan to rent a place for church service. He turned a "deserted land" into a gathering sit, continuing to preach for five years, which was well received by the villagers.
The servant of God died in Tongan on Sunday, March 28th, 1923, at the age of 76.
References:
1. Annals of the Chinese Christian Southern Fujian Conference of Chinese Christianity
2. Construction-Inheritance and Growth-Special Issue of the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of Jinmen Christian Church (1924-2004)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
Pastor Lin Wenqu, a Brave, Promising Pioneer in Fujian
