Doctor Andrew Bonthius in Amoy, China

Ahoy from Amoy (historic Xiamen, China)!

Great news! It looks pretty certain that Gulangyu (Kolongsoo) Islet will in 2017 be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site! And, happily, more and more people are contacting me to ask for (or sometimes share) materials about their Chinese or foreign ancestors in Amoy and Kolongsoo.

The grandson of missionary doctor Andrew Bonthius contacted me in 2011, and even six years later, I've found almost nothing about him, except for a few brief notes about his work in Dr. John Otte's letters.  If you have any information (written, photos, etc.), please share them with us! We need as much material as possible (if possible, originals) to bolster our final claim for UNESCO World Heritage status, at which point we hope to be able to do even more to protect our very unique history.

Update! I've just learned part of the reason I can find nothing about Bonthius is that the Reformed Church of America's records misspell his name! De Jong's "The Reformed Church in China 1842-1951," the definitive book on the Amoy Mission, spells it Andrew Bontius and Andrew Benthius, but  not the correct Andrew Bonthius!

Page 236 of De Jong's book records,

"Legacies, too, were an important source of funds. Thus, a generous legacy provided by Elizabeth Cappon, who served in China from 1891 to 1909, was designated for the reconstruction of Neerbosch [first hospital built by John Otte]. Similarly, as a memorial to the mother of Dr. Andrew Bontius, who served the mission from 1909 to 1914, the family made provisions for a new chapel to serve the Kulangsu hospitals. Like the building it replaced, it served the three-fold purpose of chapel, reading room, and hall for lectures. The former chapel was then converted into a large hospital ward."

Below is the letter from Dr. Andrew Bonthius' grandson (though I delete, of course, his email; if you'd like to contact him, please send me your email address and I'll forward it to him).

Enjoy Amoy!

Dr. Bill

Andrew Bonthius II's 2011 Email about his Grandfather

Hello Mr. Brown.

My name is Andrew Bonthius II.  I am the grandson and namesake of Dr. Andrew Bonthius who was a missionary doctor of the Dutch Reformed Church in Xiamen (Amoy), China from 1909 to 1913.  Mr. John de Velder suggested I contact you in my search for the chapel my grandfather sponsored while he was there.

Photo by Amdrew Bonthius II

Dr. Bonthius II was a surgical doctor  who performed many hundreds, if not thousands, of operations for indigent Chinese and taught medicine while there as well as his main task of missionary work. He was an assistant to Dr. Otte who fell ill and died of the pneumonic plague while in Xiamen.  After tending to Dr. Otte during his illness, my grandfather was forced to return home in 1913 due to his own ill health, ending his missionary career.  He did bring with him, however,a wonderful photo album of those years which I have in my possession--handed down to me by my father Reverend Robert Harold Bonthius, Ph D.

My understanding is that my grandfather made provisions for a Christian chapel to serve the Kulangsu hospitals for the three-fold purpose of worship, reading room, and lecture hall.  I wonder if you know either of my grandfather's missionary work there or whether or not the chapel is still standing.  He was accompanied by his wife Nellie de Young Bonthius and they had two daughters born during their time in Amoy.

  I hope to hear from you soon.  Thank you very much.

 

Andrew Bonthius

My June 20, 2011 Reply

My sincere apologies for the delayed reply.  I was in Geneva when you sent your email, and my hard drive crashed completely, irrecoverably, and I also lost the emails from that period.  After returning to Xiamen, I put in a new hard drive—and just now saw your email on my other computer. 

I attach a couple of documents that have very brief references to Dr. Bonthius, and also part of a page in “In and About Amoy,” by Rev. Pitcher, which shows him in his three positions.

Regarding the chapel—it still stands.  In fact, the two hospitals, as well as the chapel between them, were recently beautifully renovated by the Gulangyu and Xiamen governments.  It was in terrible condition, and they considered razing the place, but fortunately, they’ve become more and more interested in their heritage.   I attach a photo of the newly renovated hospital complex (which will be a museum), and the chapel is the small white building between Hope Hospital (on the left) and Wilhelmina Hospital (on the right).

I regret that I have no other information about your grandfather (I did not even know he sponsored the chapel!).  If you have information I could upload on the site about Dr. Bonthius (and especially old photos), I would appreciate your sharing them.  The government has much interest in this heritage now—though when I first started writing about it ten years ago, there was almost no interest).  In fact, only last Saturday I gave a lecture from the pulpit of the Union Church (built in the 1860s), which the government spent over 4 million yuan helping to renovate, and will now be used for various Christian and social functions.

Warm regards, Bill

My June 24, 2011 reply to Andrew Bonthius' 2nd letter:

Dear Andrew,

Again, my apologies for the delayed reply.  I’ve been swamped wrapping up this semester’s classes, grades, and preparing to return to the U.S. for the summer next Tuesday (Fresno area).  

I don’t have photos of the inside [of Hope Hospital and Hope Chapel] because the facilities are closed until the work out the details of making it a museum.  I did take some photos of the interior before they worked on it.  It was a disaster, both inside and out.  The Japanese pretty much destroyed the buildings during their occupation, so to see it in its present condition is a great encouragement.  The government spent a small fortune to restore the hospitals and chapel, as well as the grounds.  I do attach a picture of the Union Church’s interior before the government spent several million renovating it.  The hospital and chapel looked almost exactly like this inside (run down, used for storage).  Last Saturday, the Union Church (1860s) was officially reopened, with many leaders (vice mayor, etc.), TV and newspapers, etc. in attendance, and I was blessed to give the first talk from the pulpit (not a sermon, of course—though I did shock them by suggesting we bow our heads in prayer, since it was a church).

Your grandfather would have attended Union Church, as well as the chapel, so I attach photos of the original building, as it was before restoration, and how it looks now.  

Your grandfather would have known Colin Campbell Brown, who studied Chinese on Gulangyu from about 1893-1895, then served 70 km. north in Quanzhou, starting a hospital, pasturing a church, and starting a homeschool that expanded and is today their best school.   Two weeks ago, CC Brown’s two granddaughters visited and I spent 3 days showing them around Xiamen and Quanzhou.  The Quanzhou Evening News (one of S.E. China’s best papers) had an entire page about their visit.  CC Brown wrote 3 books, and I had two but not the third one, so I was happy they gave me the one I was missing.

Two years ago, a former RCA missionary loaned me 8 photo albums from people here during the 1920s to 1952. I scanned about 600+ photos at high resolution, put them on DVDs, and gave copies to the church leaders, the government, and the RCA archives at Holland, Michigan.  They also now have the photo albums in their archives.  Unfortunately, the time span does not cover your grandfather’s stay here, but I have many Hope Hospital photos if you’re interested.  I attach an excellent old photo of the chapel and hospitals, taken by head nurse Jean Nienhius in 1924.    I also attach a page from one album showing photos taken in Hope Chapel of Dr. Holleman’s farewell gathering, and a very nice 1927 photo of the chapel’s interior. When I return to Xiamen in mid September, I will ask the Gulangyu government to let me in the hospital and chapel for photos, though I doubt the interior has had anything done to it yet.

Regarding your grandfather’s photos, it would be great if you could share them with us, as almost all of my photos are from the 1920s to 1952, and the mid 1850s to 1870s.  I bought a high resolution scanner last year to scan the 8 albums of Jean Nienhuis, and I’d be happy to pay for registered air to Fresno and back to you if I could scan them, and provide you and the archives a DVD of the photos.

And if you’d agree, I could post some on the website, which might stimulate more interest about your grandfather.  Many people have made connections through this and exchanged materials and photos (I have all of Dr. Ottes’ writings, by the way, which might mention your grandfather; I could scan them as well).  I’ve been contacted by the descendants of most of the early missionaries here.

Xiamen is applying for UNESCO World Heritage Status for Gulangyu (will happen in 2017!],one of the reasons they restored Hope Chapel and Hospital), and we could really use the photos for that as well.  And finally, I’ve been helping the local churches compile a history of the Amoy Mission here, and the photos would add a lot.  Of course, all photo scans would be marked to show their source.

In closing (sorry this is so long), I put out a book last year, “Old Gulangyu in Foreigners’ Eyes,” with over 500 photos, paintings, drawings, etc., and excerpts from old books, diaries, journals, letters, etc., describing Gulangyu and Amoy from about the 1570s to 1952.  I’d be happy to send you a copy of that.

Thanks again for contacting me.  It is very encouraging.

Bill Brown

Xiamen University

www.amoymagic.com/main.htm

Bill Brown Xiamen University www.amoymagic.com