略论近代以来基督教在华北兴办的社会事业——以直隶省为中心进行考察

Discussion on the Establishment of Social Undertakings of Christianity in North China since Modern Times:Taking the Zhili Province as the Center for Investigation

基督教在近代中国大地上迅速而广泛的传播,社会事业作为传教士的传教手段,开始在全国范围内大量兴办。直隶省地处华北平原,京畿重地,是传教士活动频繁的区域,基督教的社会事业在这一地区有着特殊的意义。基督教会积极开办医院、学校、儿童教养所,大力开展社会公益活动,辅助政府进行赈灾、战地救济。这些社会公益活动不仅弥补了政府和民间机构在社会管理方面的漏洞与不足,而且为直隶带来新的机构设置、新的慈善理念、新的管理方式。对当时直隶的社会服务体系起到了一定的示范和改良作用,一定程度上加快了直隶近代化的进程。

In modern Chinese society,the Christianity in China spread rapidly and widely.Social undertaking,as the means of preachment,started its establishment nationwide.Zhili Province,located in the North China Plain and near to the capital,was the area where preachers carried on more missions,and social undertaking of Christianity had special significance for this area.The Christian actively ran hospitals,schools,child refuge,and vigorously carried out social public welfare activities,assisting the government in disaster relief and battlefield relief.These public welfare activities not only made up for the government and civil society organizations in social management loopholes and shortcomings,but also brought new institutions,new charity concept and new management mode,which played a certain role of demonstration and amelioration in the social service system of Zhili Province,and speeded up the process of its modernization.