Description
First edition of China and the Chinese by Reverend John L. Nevius.
Octavo, 456pp. Original brown patterned cloth, title in gilt on spine. No additional printings listed on copyright page. Some lifting to front endpaper, text block otherwise solid. Wear to spine of binding, occasional spotting throughout text. Includes 50 illustrations and a fold-out map of China published in 1842.
John Livingston Nevius (1829-1893) was an American Presbyterian missionary to China, known for developing the “Nevius Method,” a system of missionary work. His approach emphasized self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating local churches, with minimal foreign financial aid or direct control. Nevius spent over 40 years in China and was influential in shaping Protestant missionary strategies in East Asia, particularly in Korea, where his methods were adopted successfully. He also wrote several works, including The Planting and Development of Missionary Churches, outlining his principles.