The Case of William Macklin in Nanking: An Assessment of His Mission Work and Theology of Mission

Abstract

In the late nineteenth century, a young Canadian doctor responded to the call to overseas missionary service, ultimately working in Nanking, China, for over forty years. Dr. William Macklin's primary role was as a doctor and a hospital administrator, though he participated in numerous other ministries over the years, including education, farming, writing and translating, preaching, and social reform. Many of Macklin's efforts were intentionally "'union works," as he and the others in his mission station strove to cooperate with missionaries from other Christian backgrounds. Though duties from his official roles kept Macklin busy over the years, he relished interaction with ordinary people and took a special interest in helping the poor of Chinese society, providing free medical treatment and access to employment.