The China Inland Mission in China's Henan (Honan) Province (1875--1950): The Cases of Zhoujiakou (Chowkiakow), Chenzhou (Chenchow), Sheqizhen (Shekichen) and Kaifeng

The China Inland Mission (CIM) is an important international mission in China's modern history. Its founder James Hudson Taylor and other missionaries who belonged to CIM took saving the soul of millions of people as their mission. They founded many churches in inland China. Henan (Honan) province is one of the nine provinces where there wasn't one protestant missionary in 1875. The history of churches in Honan province is influenced by CIM during 1875 to 1950.;This research narrates the different instances of churches which were founded by the missionaries of CIM in Honan province, and explains how CIM put its theological views into practice in one province.;The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part is introduction, including researches on the CIM, research method and the statement of chapters of this thesis.;The second part includes four chapters. They are about four stations which are Zhoujiakou (Chowkiakow), Chenzhou (Chenchow), Sheqizhen (Shekichen) and Kaifeng. These four stations reflect the general characteristics of the CIM's churches, the regional differences in Honan province and the relation between churches and local societies. How did these people live when they became Christians? How did the China Inland Mission practice its theological idea?;Chapter I describes how the CIM's missionaries built churches in the first ten years when they started their work in Honan province. What was the instance of churches both in the towns and villages? The missionaries trained native helpers. They help Honanese refraining from opium addiction. They also relieved flood, and opened schools and hospitals. Through all above of these, we can see most of the characteristics and ministries of the CIM's churches in Honan province.;Taking Chenchow as an example, chapter II introduces how the CIM's missionaries worked in a Fu-city in East Honan. They built a dispensary to heal people. As a result, the local people and the missionaries became friendly. In Boxer Rebellion, someone made an attack on the Chinese Christians and CIM's churches. Then, the local Christians organized some "Societies". The CIM's missionaries and church members payed great attention to the "Tai Ho Ling" Temple in Chenchow. They preached the Gospel in tents near this temple. CIM also opposed footbinding and opium there. The missionaries gave religious books to the schoolers, hoping them can believe in Jesus.;The story of Shekichen is in Chapter III. It reflected the work in towns of Southeast Honan. This chapter will discuss how the CIM establish the town-parish there. How about the women's ministry in this area? Chapter IV focuses on the Kaifeng Hospital. It tells how the missionaries opened Kaifeng city. Many people including the officials and their families heard the Gospel in the hospital, and became Christians. CIM's missionaries had a friendly relationship with them. Honanese knew the Western medicine gradually. The Kaifeng hospital has brought some changes to the medicine culture in modern China. The missionaries also interested in the Jews who lived in Kaifeng. The last part of this thesis deals with the theology and approaches of CIM. It discusses the fundamentalism, evangelicalism and the social concerns of the China Inland Mission. The missionaries taught the Chinese people to live piously. They hoped to use Gospel and the church life to replace some of the local customs which they considered against their faith.;KEY WORDS : The China Inland Mission, Honan province, Church.