Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1822-1917 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
7 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born in York, England, 1840; trained at the theological college, Richmond; ordained as a Wesleyan Methodist minister; posted to the Central China mission field, based in Wuchang, Hupeh (Hubei) province; sailed to China, 1864; visited Japan for health reasons, but returned to missionary work in China; his single status made him more mobile than most Protestant missionaries; with a few other missionaries, including the Baptist Timothy Richard, engaged in famine relief work in Shansi (Shanxi) province, 1878-c1880; the experience expanded Hill's ministry in terms of social vision and ecumenism; instrumental in the conversion of Hsi Sheng-mo (Xi Shengmo, d 1896), who was to become an important independent pastor, 1879; visited England, 1881-1882; influential in recruiting other missionaries to China; established a hospital and homes for the aged, the blind, and orphans; helped to found the Central China Religious Tract Society; his evangelistic work extended outside the boundaries of existing Methodist circuits in China, resulting in the formation of the Central China Lay Mission, of which he became superintendent; chairman of the Central China Lay Mission, 1885; elected a member of the Legal Conference, 1888; played a central role in the Shanghai missionary conference as English president, 1891; appointed deputy to the British consul in the investigation into a riot at Wusueh, 1891; attended the Ecumenical Conference in Washington, 1891; visited England, 1891-1893; died of typhus fever at Hankow, 1896. Publication: Mission Work in Central China: a letter to Methodist young men (1882).
Archival history
The papers were deposited with the Methodist Missionary Society and form part of the special series of biographical papers of individual missionaries.
GB 0102 MMS/Special Series/Biographical/China/FBN 24-29 (Boxes 630-636) 1822-1917 Collection (fonds) 7 boxes Hill , David , 1840-1896 , Methodist missionary in China
Born in York, England, 1840; trained at the theological college, Richmond; ordained as a Wesleyan Methodist minister; posted to the Central China mission field, based in Wuchang, Hupeh (Hubei) province; sailed to China, 1864; visited Japan for health reasons, but returned to missionary work in China; his single status made him more mobile than most Protestant missionaries; with a few other missionaries, including the Baptist Timothy Richard, engaged in famine relief work in Shansi (Shanxi) province, 1878-c1880; the experience expanded Hill's ministry in terms of social vision and ecumenism; instrumental in the conversion of Hsi Sheng-mo (Xi Shengmo, d 1896), who was to become an important independent pastor, 1879; visited England, 1881-1882; influential in recruiting other missionaries to China; established a hospital and homes for the aged, the blind, and orphans; helped to found the Central China Religious Tract Society; his evangelistic work extended outside the boundaries of existing Methodist circuits in China, resulting in the formation of the Central China Lay Mission, of which he became superintendent; chairman of the Central China Lay Mission, 1885; elected a member of the Legal Conference, 1888; played a central role in the Shanghai missionary conference as English president, 1891; appointed deputy to the British consul in the investigation into a riot at Wusueh, 1891; attended the Ecumenical Conference in Washington, 1891; visited England, 1891-1893; died of typhus fever at Hankow, 1896. Publication: Mission Work in Central China: a letter to Methodist young men (1882).
The papers were deposited with the Methodist Missionary Society and form part of the special series of biographical papers of individual missionaries.
Deposited on permanent loan with the records of the Methodist Missionary Society from 1978.
Papers, 1822-1917, of and relating to the Rev David Hill, including journals, 1865-1889 (some gaps); Hill's notes, sermons and addresses, 1863-1875 and undated, including some lantern slides, the subjects including the Old Testament, missionary work, China, including the opium trade and Chinese literature, and Hill's visit to America; letters from Hill to various members of his family, 1847-1896, and other correspondents, 1873-1895; various letters, 1847-1917, some to Hill, but including miscellaneous others; photographs of Hill and other subjects, including Chinese costumes; books belonging to Hill, 1857-1895, such as Bibles, a prayerbook, and hymnbooks; woodcut for visiting card; correspondence and papers, 1858-1897 and undated, some printed, relating to missionary work and other affairs in China, including anti-foreign riots, 1891; papers, 1877-1881 and undated, relating to the opium trade; Central China Lay Mission cash book, 1894-1899; printed papers, 1822-1917, including material relating to missionary work in China and to Methodism, including Methodism in York.
Unrestricted, but only to be viewed on microfiche.
No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
English and Chinese
Unpublished handlist.
Published on microfiche by IDC Publishers.
The School of Oriental and African Studies holds the records of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (Ref: MMS/WMMS), including Hill's official correspondence (Ref: MMS/WMMS China Correspondence).
Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Sources: Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, ed Gerald H Anderson (1998); Alphabetical Arrangement of Wesleyan Methodist Ministers (1892); Wesleyan Methodist Church Minutes of Conference (1896, pp 47-9); British Library OPAC. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Mar 2002 Accounting Ainsty and City of York Ancient religions Asian cultures Asian literature Bibles Central China Lay Mission China Chinese literature Christianity Christians Clergy Crime Cultural conflicts Cultural heritage Cultural interaction Customs and traditions Diaries Documents Drugs Drug traffic East Asia England Europe Evangelistic missionaries Evangelistic missionary work Fashion Finance Financial administration Hill , David , 1840-1896 , Methodist missionary in China Information sources Literary forms and genres Literature Methodism Methodists Missionaries Missionary work Narcotic drugs National cultures National literatures Nonfiction North America Opium Ordained missionaries Pharmacology Photographs Political movements Prayer books Primary documents Prose Protestantism Protestant nonconformists Protestant nonconformity Protestants Religions Religious activities Religious doctrines Religious groups Religious institutions Religious movements Religious practice Religious texts Riots Sermons Theology Travel Travel abroad UK Visual materials Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Western Europe York Yorkshire London Nonconformists Nonconformity
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited on permanent loan with the records of the Methodist Missionary Society from 1978.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers, 1822-1917, of and relating to the Rev David Hill, including journals, 1865-1889 (some gaps); Hill's notes, sermons and addresses, 1863-1875 and undated, including some lantern slides, the subjects including the Old Testament, missionary work, China, including the opium trade and Chinese literature, and Hill's visit to America; letters from Hill to various members of his family, 1847-1896, and other correspondents, 1873-1895; various letters, 1847-1917, some to Hill, but including miscellaneous others; photographs of Hill and other subjects, including Chinese costumes; books belonging to Hill, 1857-1895, such as Bibles, a prayerbook, and hymnbooks; woodcut for visiting card; correspondence and papers, 1858-1897 and undated, some printed, relating to missionary work and other affairs in China, including anti-foreign riots, 1891; papers, 1877-1881 and undated, relating to the opium trade; Central China Lay Mission cash book, 1894-1899; printed papers, 1822-1917, including material relating to missionary work in China and to Methodism, including Methodism in York.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted, but only to be viewed on microfiche.
Conditions governing reproduction
No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English and Chinese
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The School of Oriental and African Studies holds the records of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (Ref: MMS/WMMS), including Hill's official correspondence (Ref: MMS/WMMS China Correspondence).
Finding aids
Unpublished handlist.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Published on microfiche by IDC Publishers.
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Finance » Financial administration » Accounting
- Religions » Ancient religions
- National cultures » Asian cultures
- National literatures » Asian literature
- Religions » Ancient religions » Christianity
- Religious groups » Christians
- Religious groups » Clergy
- Crime
- Cultural interaction » Cultural conflicts
- Cultural heritage
- Cultural interaction
- Intangible cultural heritage » Customs and traditions
- Documents
- Pharmacology » Drugs
- Crime » Drug traffic
- Intangible cultural heritage » Customs and traditions » Fashion
- Finance
- Finance » Financial administration
- Information sources
- Literary forms and genres
- Literature
- Religious activities » Missionary work
- Pharmacology » Drugs » Narcotic drugs
- National cultures
- National literatures
- Pharmacology
- Visual materials » Photographs
- Political movements
- Documents » Primary documents
- Literary forms and genres » Prose
- Religions » Ancient religions » Christianity » Protestantism
- Religions
- Religious activities
- Theology » Religious doctrines
- Religious groups
- Religious institutions
- Religious institutions » Religious movements
- Religious activities » Religious practice
- Political movements » Riots
- Theology
- Travel
- Travel » Travel abroad
- Visual materials
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English