Samuel Reynolds House of Siam, pioneer medical missionary, 1847-1876Feltus, George Haws
History
Samuel Reynolds House of Siam, pioneer medical missionary, 1847-1876
Feltus, George Haws
House, Samuel Reynolds, 1817-1899
The enrollment of the first year was forty boys, of whom twenty-six
were boarders. The average attendance for that year was ninety-five
per cent. In the competitive examinations later the boys of this
school gained the highest standing over the boys of the government
public school and the Royal Survey school. One of the notable
features of his work was the influence he exerted over the young
men personally. No doubt that influence in a measure was due to
the manner of his religious teaching. He himself has described his
method:
“As I have men who study Christianity I have to spend a good
deal of time formulating what are the fundamental doctrines
of Christianity. We can use phrases in the States and be
understood.... Here it is _de novo_. I use no text-book. I
do not know of any. I endeavour to analyse as honestly as I
know how myself and use my experience as a guide—not as an
infallible guide, but only as a working basis.”
This plan which he adopted was essentially the apostolic method.
In our emphasis on the inspiration of the letters written by
the apostles we are likely to overlook the fact that they are
discussing spiritual truths out of their own lives; their epistles
are “text books” written out of experience under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit. Boon Itt was following the same method so far as
he could.
In addition to being superintendent of the school, he regularly
conducted the Sabbath preaching service, worked in the Sunday
school, and made a tour of exploration as far north as the Lao
border. His wife had charge of a girls’ school which she had
organised. Pitsanuloke was formally organised and recognised as a
regular station in 1899.
TRANSFER TO BANGKOK
In 1901, Boon Itt was given a six-months leave of absence for
recuperation. He had planned to spend his furlough in Japan; but
yielding to family interests he got no farther than his old home in
Bangkok. Just before returning to his field, in January, 1902, the
Bangkok Christian community presented an earnest petition to have
Mr. Boon Itt remain in Bangkok and take charge of a new work which
it was proposed to open.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account