1871年，加拿大總會分派馬偕到中國宣教。馬偕在1871年9月19日告別家鄉多倫多，搭乘火車到美國舊金山，搭乘美利堅號（S. S. America）客輪橫越太平洋，航行約2個月經日本橫濱於12月5日抵達香港。數日後他搭船從香港到汕頭，不久又轉往廈門。12月28日他從廈門搭「金陵號」雙桅帆船到臺灣，29日抵達打狗（高雄）。由於當時臺灣南部已有英國長老會牧師李庥（Ritchie）和馬雅各（Maxwell）等進行宣教工作，馬偕受到鼓勵決定前往還沒有人傳教的北臺灣。1872年3月7日，馬偕在李庥牧師陪同下搭船從臺灣府（臺南）出發，3月9日抵達淡水。自此淡水成為北臺灣第一個長老會宣教據點。

 

In 1871, Mackay was accepted by the Canadian Board as a missionary in China. At the age of 27, he left Toronto for China on September 19, 1871. He traveled by rail to San Francisco, boarded the S. S. America, to cross the Pacific Ocean. He traveled for 2 months to Hong Kong via Japan. After a short stay in Swatao and Amoy, Mackay traveled to settle in Formosa (Taiwan). He first landed in Takao in the south, where he became acquainted with Presbyterian missionaries from England who had been working in the area since 1865. Given that no charitable works had been accomplished in the north of Taiwan, Mackay decided to start his missionary work in Tamsui, a port located 15 miles from Taipei. He reached the area on March 9, 1872, escorted by Hugh Ritchie. Mackay then established the very first mission station in this sea-side district and served it for the next 30 years until his death in 1901.

 

■ 馬偕的移動路線

馬偕牧師從加拿大到臺灣：加拿大牛津縣─美國舊金山─香港汕頭─廈門─打狗

Zorra, Oxford, Canada – San Fransicao, USC – Tokyo, Japan – Hong Kong – Swatao – Amoy – Takao

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馬偕牧師從高雄到淡水：打狗─臺南─淡水

Takao – Taiwan Fu – Tamsui

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