论美国传教士支持退款兴学的原因

On the Reasons Behind the American Missionaries' Support for the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program

在近代中美关系史上,传教士是一支很重要的力量,他们在两国的相互交往中起了重要的作用。20世纪初美国政府实施对华退款兴学计划,传教士起了重要的推动作用,很多学者对此过程都有论述。但对于传教士为何要极力促成退款用于兴学则鲜有人提。传教士极力促成退款用于兴学,除了因为它符合美国的长远利益外,它也符合美国传教士在华办学的利益。美国人的天赋使命观是其思想基础,借教育之舟载福音之道的宗教理想是其内在动力,摆脱在华教育的困境是其现实动因。

Historically, the American missionaries played a very important role in Sino-Ameriean relations. It is well documented that in early 20^th century, US missionaries helped persuade US government to return part of the Boxer indemnity money and to use it for the education of Chinese students. But not many efforts have been made to investigate the reasons behind their support for such programs. The author of this article argues that the program is not only in the long-term interests of the United States, but also in the interests of the missionaries to promote Christian schools in China. It was motivated by their concept of Heaven＇s mandate to evangelize the world, and was driven by their practical needs to overcome obstacles preventing them from doing SO.