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OUR
STORY
Summary
Taiwan Church
Press was established on May
24, 1884, in Tainan by Dr. T.
Thomas Barclay, a missionary of the Presbyterian Church of England (now the
United Reformed Church of England and Wales).
In May 1880, Dr.
James L. Maxwell, also a missionary in Taiwan, donated a small printing
machine with eleven boxes of type and some working facilities for printing
Taiwanese in Roman letters. In 1881, Tainan Mission Council decided to ask
Dr. Barclay to learn printing techniques from a Glasgow printing shop during his sabbatical
leave. After returning to Tainan, he sent Mr.
Su Sa to Swatow to take apprenticeship in
printing techniques. In June 1885 a
workshop was built at the original site of the Taiwan Church Press with contributions
from the Presbyterian Church of England.
On May 24, 1884, the
newly-installed facilities began operations, setting the first milestone for
the printing business in Taiwan.
Dr. Barclay named it 嚙踝蕭Treasure Hall嚙踝蕭. However, Taiwanese Christians normally
call it 嚙踝蕭Hsin-Lao Bookstore嚙踝蕭 (New Mansion Bookstore).
On June 12, 1885, Dr.
Barclay produced the first issue of the Tainan Church News in Taiwan, the beginning of mass media in Taiwan,
which is still published weekly to this day. For over 100 years, it has
survived several turbulent periods and is still serving this beautiful island
promoting evangelical mission and social concern.
Timeline
1881: Presbyterian
Church of England
donates one printing machine to Tainan Mission Council. It becomes Taiwan嚙踝蕭s
first printing machine.
1884: 嚙踝蕭Chu-Tin Tng嚙踝蕭 (Treasure
Hall) begins on the east wing of Tainan
Theological College and
Seminary. It would later become Taiwan Church Press.
1885: Rev. Thomas Barclay
founds Taiwan Church Press. Distribution of 嚙踝蕭Hu
Sian
Kao Hoe Po嚙踝蕭, Taiwan嚙踝蕭s
first newspaper, follows shortly after. The
newspaper is the
predecessor of Taiwan Church News.
1937:
As the Pacific War
escalates, the Japanese government in Taiwan expels all
missionaries
from Taiwan
and suspends Taiwan Church Press.
1945: Taiwan
Church News resumes operation after Japan
is defeated at the end
of World War
II.
1969: The Nationalist
government (KMT) prohibits Taiwan Church News from
using
Romanized Taiwanese when publishing.
1977:
Taiwan Church News reports on the
Declaration of Human Rights issued
by the
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan.
The entire edition is seized by the
Nationalist
government.
1987:
Taiwan Church News reports on
historical evidence related to 嚙踝蕭February
28 Incident嚙踝蕭. The entire
edition is confiscated by the Nationalist government.
1983: Taiwan Church
Press moves to a new building on Youth Road. New
additions:
Publishing department and bookstore.
1996: Publication of 嚙踝蕭Keng
Sim嚙踝蕭 (Heart Farmer Weekly) evangelical brochure.
Weekly
distribution: 120,000 copies.
1998: Publication of 嚙踝蕭Reading
the Bible with New Eyes嚙踝蕭devotional booklet.
Quarterly
distribution of the devotional: 45,000
copies.
Taiwan Church News adds color pages to its layout.
2000:
Building on Youth Road
is renovated to make room for a wider range of
mass media
& communications ministry.
2006: Publication of嚙踝蕭Siong-im Chip嚙踝蕭 series.
The magazine is a compilation of
Taiwanese
church songs and hymns. Quarterly distribution: 10,000 copies.
2007: Publication of 嚙踝蕭Little
Peter嚙踝蕭 series, a teaching guide for Vacation
Bible
School. The
guide is distributed to 300 churches every season.
2007: Taiwan Church News changes from paid
to free subscription for the purpose of mass distribution. Weekly
distribution: 16,000 copies.
2008: Taiwan Church Press adds 嚙踝蕭Christian Arts and Literature Center嚙踝蕭
to its headquarter office in Tainan
with the goal of introducing Christian culture to Taiwanese society. Printing
machines in the basement of the building are removed to make room for a
gallery exhibiting Christian artists嚙踝蕭 works and discussion forums.
 
First Edition of Taiwan Church
News
Recent Edition of Taiwan
Church News
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