David Abeel-- Medical Missionary in Amoy?

 A Prof. in Zhejiang has posed an interesting question.  Did David Abeel, father of the Amoy Mission, personally engaged in medical work.  I post my reply on the blog, in the hopes that someone more knowledgeable than I will have more insights.

The answer, I think, should be yes--though we cannot infer this directly, as far as I can tell, from David Abeel's memoirs.  But given Abeel's two years of medical training, and his appreciation of medical work, it is likely that not only was the Amoy medical work the first in China, but Abeel assisted in Amoy's medical work.  Consider the passage below, in which the medical work was said to have been undertaken by Cumming, Hepburn and Abeel.  (Source: "The Missionary Review of the World," Vol. V., January to December, 1892, p. 215 (Pierson, Arthur T., Editor-in-, Chief, Funk & Wagnalls, NY).

"Medical Work--When our mission was first founded the medical department was the strongest factor for a short time.  In 1843 there were two regularly certified physicians--Drs. Cumming and J.C. Hepburn--connected with the mission, and Dr. Abeel had studied medicine for the greater part of two years.  Dr. Abeel left Amoy in 1844, Dr. Hepburn in 1845, Dr. Cumming in 1847.  This work was not taken up again until Dr. T. May Kiog, an educated Chinese lady-physician, came to Amoy in 1889, and Dr. J.A. Otte, a few months after in January, 1888."

The Ricci Institute's brief biography of Abeel notes that he "merged his medical studies with Christian ministry."  It is unlikely that Abeel did not use his medical talents in Amoy, given that he had "commented upon the desperate need for medical services by  the persons living in the Amoy area" (Hoff, Marvin D., "The Reformed Church in America: Structures for Mission, Issues 14-16. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., MI, 1985, p. 39

Abeel's Memoirs may be silent on his involvement in the medical work simply because of a bias of many Western supporters of missions, who objected to "wasting" funds on any work but that of saving the soul--a bias against the "social gospel" that exists to this day.  Abeel alluded to this bias himself when he wrote of his moving experience at Dr. Parker's Canton medical clinic in 1838 (Abeel's Memoir, p. 178):

""If those who have questioned the propriety of medical practice among the heathen were to pass a day in this hospital, they would be impressed with the mercy of God in opening so wide a door of usefulness to this guarded empire." (Williamson, Rev. G.R., "Memoir of the Rev. David Abeel," D.D., Robert Carter, NY, 1848).

In summary, given Dr. Abeel's training, and his appreciation of medical work, it is unlikely that this resourceful mission pioneer did not use his medical skills to aid Doctors Cumming and Hepburn with their work in Amoy.  If anyone has other information on Abeel's medical work in Amoy, we'd be glad to hear of it!
 
Bill Brown               Xiamen University           
www.amoymagic.com