Taiwan Church News

3320 Edition

October 12 - 18, 2015

Church Ministry

PCT Pays Tribute To Rev. John Whitehorn's Pioneering Ministry For The Aboriginal In Taiwan At His 90-Years-Old Birthday

Reportd by Tsai Yi-san at Cambridge, UK

On October 10, on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan(PCT), Rev. Fang Lang-ting - President of TaiwanChurch Press - flies to UK visiting the retired missionary Rev. John Whitehorn and celebrates his 90-years-old birthday at Cambridge. Together with two PCT youth, Ms Tsai Yi-san and Ms Chen Hong-yu, Rev. Fang presents Rev. Whitehorn three gifts from Taiwan: the high mountain tea, a key-ring with the emblem of "Bush in the Fire" commemorative of PCT150 and a birthday card signed by many pastors from PCT Pai-wan presbytery.

As a missionary, Rev. John Whitehorn was assigned to Taiwan from 1951 to 1970. In his 19 years' service, most ofthe time he devoted his energy in translating the Bible and the hymnal into the aboriginal Pai-wan language. At times, he also served as an English secretary in PCT General Assembly Office and once acted as the Deputy President for the Yushan Theological College and Seminary - a PCT seminary especially established for the indigenous peoples in Taiwan. His many colleagues and students still miss him very much and feel indebted to his pioneering ministry of translating the bible for the aboriginal.

Three visitors from Taiwan, including Rev. Fang, are well received with hospitality by Rev. Whitehorn and his wife -Mrs Elizabeth Whitehorn. With an age of 90-years-old, though, Rev. Whitehorn still has a very vivid memory about his ministry in Taiwan and frequently asks Elizabeth to fetch some archives to tell the story further. When our talks turns to how the Bible was translated into the Pai-wan language, Rev. Whitehorn stands up excitedly, walks slowly to his desk and takes up one Pai-wan Bible to share his stories with us. Elizabeth told us, up to now, John still keeps a regular habit of reading the Pai-wan Bible.

To appreciate the historical contributions of Rev. John Whitehorn's ministry for the aborigiinal in Taiwan, together with a purpose of calling more evangelical workers to join Missio Dei, Taiwan Church Press plans to publish his autobiography at the 70th anniversary of the indigenous mission at Pai-wan presbytery in 2016.

Translated by Peter Wolfe