Series 03 - Manuscripts

(中文版在下面) Rev. Fong Dickman, originally known as FONG Tak Man, was born in 1860 in Yan Ping, Kwangtung [Canton or Guangdong], China. He came to Canada in 1884 to seek a better life. Initially Mr. Fong made a living by driving stagecoaches between Vancouver and New Westminster, B.C. While attending a mission school at night, first in New Westminster and subsequently in Vancouver, Fong developed a keen interest in Christianity. He was baptized at the Princess Street Methodist Church in Vancouver, and appointed to the Chinese Methodist Church in Nanaimo in 1898 as a missionary at large. At that time, his name was Anglicized to “Dickman.” In 1906, Fong Dickman was transferred to Vancouver to set up and produce the Wa-Ying Yat-Po, (华英日报, the Chinese-English [or Chinese-Canadian] Daily Newspaper, 1906-1909), one of the very early (if not the first) newspapers in the Chinese language published in Canada. After 25 years of service, Fong Dickman was ordained by the Methodist Church of Canada in 1923. During his lifetime, he served in pastoral ministry at Nanaimo (1898-1906 and 1913-1921), Vancouver (1906-1913), New Westminster (1922-1930), and Edmonton (1930-1939). Rev. Fong Dickman retired in 1939, living in New Westminster until 1942, then residing in Vancouver from 1943 until his death on April 10, 1946.

Fong Dickman married Jane Chang in Victoria in 1899, and the couple had four daughters: Lavina Fong Dickman, who later became Lavina Cheng; Esther Fong Dickman; Anna Fong Dickman, who became Anna Lam; and Mary Fong Dickman (who died at a very young age). Aside from their loyal assistance with the church work, Anna was the first Chinese Canadian to become a registered nurse in B.C. and Esther, a school teacher in Vancouver. Mrs. Fong Dickman died in 1927. Beyond missionary work, Rev. Fong Dickman enjoyed creative writing, featuring early Chinese immigrants from his pastoral perspective. Rev. Fong Dickman was a philanthropist, who was noted to have supported a missionary in the city of Fat Shaan in Fong Dickman’s native province in south China.

Rev. Fong Dickman，原名冯德文(Fong, Tak Man)，1860年出生于中国广东恩平。他于 1884 年来到加拿大寻求更好的生活。冯先生起初在Vancouver 和 New Westminster之间以驾驶驿马廂车为生。 晚间, 先在New Westminster，尔后在 Vancouver, B.C., 就读教会学校习英文。其间对基督教产生了浓厚的兴趣。他在温哥华的公主街卫理公会教堂受洗，并于1898 年被任命为传教士前往纳奈莫的中国卫理公会任职。同时他的名字被英化为Dickman。 1906 年，Fong Dickman 被调往温哥华，组织并创办了《华英日报》（the Chinese English [Chinese-Canadian) Daily Newspaper,1906-1909). 这是最早的（如果不是第一的话）在加拿大出版的中文报纸之一。为教会工作了 25 年后，Fong Dickman 于 1923 年受封立为牧师。在他的一生中，他在纳奈莫 (1898-1906 和 1913-1921)、温哥华 (1906-1913)、新威斯敏斯特 (1922-1930) 和埃德蒙顿 (1930-1939) 担任牧师职务。Rev. Fong Dickman于 1939 年退休，直到 1942 年他住在不列颠哥伦比亚省的New Westminster市。从 1943 年开始住在Vancouver, B.C. 直到 1946 年4月10日离世。

一八九九（1899) 年，Rev. Fong Dickman 迎娶了维多利亚的Jane Chang小姐，他们育有四个女儿：Lavina Fong Dickman (后来成为 Lavina Cheng); Esther Fong Dickman；Anna Fong Dickman(后来成为了 Anna Lam)；以及Mary Fong Dickman (不幸英年早逝)。除了他们对教会工作的忠诚协助外，安娜是第一位成为卑诗省注册护士的华裔加拿大人。 Esther 是温哥华的一名学校老师。Fong Dickman 夫人于 1927 年去世。除了传教工作之外，Rev. Fong Dickman 还喜欢创作，从他的宗教信仰角度描绘早期的中国移民。Rev. Fong Dickman是一位慈善家。他以有限的薪水资助过他故乡的一名传教士，