CHARLES & REBECCA MAGILL 1905 – 1944
1898 was the beginning of the United States of America to venture in to expand by colonizing the former colonies of Spain. The United States was eyeing the East as a beginning for economic expansion. By the end of 19th century Spain as a super power was declining. Her superior Armada that ruled the seas were no longer a threat to the aspiring country to take over. Then United States declared war against Spain. And Spain was then defeated. She surrendered Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines and shew a graceful exit particularly in the Philippines. Because a revolution was successfully waged by the Filipinos against Spain, a treaty was consummated in Paris and the United States paid $ 20 million for the annexation of the Philippines.
The Revolutionaries who already won its freedom from Spain declared that the Philippines is now a Republic. But the United States who would like to occupy the Philippines as a new colony did not recognize it. The new government of the Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo declared war against the Untied States. The United States fought the Filipinos by declaring that this was an insurrection because in the Treaty of Paris the Philippines became a colony of the United States. The war lasted till 1901 when General Aguinaldo surrendered although General Miguel Malvar continued fighting the American soldiers in Southern Tagalog area covering the provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Tayabas now Quezon. He surrendered in 1903 in Rosario, Batangas.
President William McKinley of the United States would like to subdue the Filipinos thru the religious venture. He believed that through this the economic expansion could be fully established. He invited the Protestant religious leaders at the White House and informed them about his dream. That the Lord talk to him that the Philippines must be occupied so that the Filipinos could be liberated from ignorance and be civilized by providing them with education, improved infrastructures, provide them with good health and Protestant religion. The Protestant denomination could send missionaries to evangelize the natives from paganism and give them the modern civilization.
The different major denominations immediately responded to it. The Presbyterian sent Rev. Dr. James Rodgers and his wife were sent and established their residence in Manila. The Methodist, Episcopal, United Brethren, Disciples, Baptist and Congregational, Seventh Day Adventist and Christian Alliance churches also followed.
In 1905 the Presbyterian sent Rev. Dr. Charles and Mrs. Rebecca Magill and was assigned in Tayabas province by residing in Lucban. They were able to convert some prominent citizens of Lucban like the Racelis, Baldovino, Daya, Oracion, Iglesia,Verora, Abad, Nanong, Sales, Beltran and several others. Some young men like Francisco Beltran became a leading Pastor and Pamfila Babista was the first deaconess. Dr. Magill’s traveled and visited almost all southern towns of Tayabas and converted many Roman Catholics to the Protestant belief. The Magills being a linguists started translating the New Testament in Tagalog and had it published in 1910. They continued translating the Old Testament.with the assistance of Pastor Francisco Beltran. In 1916 the Tagalog Bible was published through the American Bible Society.
Mrs. Rebecca Magill who was an educator for children started teaching the Sunday School program every Sunday. This was promoted in all local churches that were organized. And in some cases she taught the Sunday school lessons in the different barrios and outside the church premises. The Sunday Schools were manned by volunteers composed of young people of men and mostly women. During summer in the month of April and May the Daily Vacation Bible School were conducted in different towns of Tayabas province with the young people as volunteer teachers. Mrs. Magill provide a tutorial approached in the training of volunteer teachers.
In 1918 Mrs. Magill saw the need for teaching the pre elementary children. The free elementary school children then started at the age of seven. The need for Kindergarten course was a great need for them. She started teaching a handful of children at the Lucena Evangelical Church. She invited Pamfila Babista to assist her. She then took Pamfila on their one year forlough in the United States in 1924 and she was able to obtain a diploma on Kindergarten Teachers course. When they came back, a weekday kindergarten was started officially in Lucena with barely 20 enrollees. Several young women were recruited by Mrs. Magill and trained them by tutorial means to prepare them as teachers of the various Evangelical Kindergarten schools that were organized in different towns. In 1930s the Sisters of Maryknoll and Sacred Heart Colleges made regular observation in the Kindergarten School in Lucena. It was only interrupted during the 2nd World War 1942-45. Mrs. Rebecca Magill was considered as the founder of the first Kindergarten School in the whole Philippines.
The Magills retired in May 1940. They came back in June 1941 to spend a year more in Tayabas province. They were incarcerated in the Concentration Camp by the Japanese soldiers at the University of the Philippines, College of Los Banos Laguna. Both of them died successively due to poor health in 1944. Their bones were taken to the State of Kentucky through the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in July 1946.
To remember and honor them, the local church of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines in Lucena City in 1960 named it MAGILL MEMORIAL CHURCH and the school as well.
Written by: Rev. Henry B. Aguilan June 22, 2007 .
1898 was the beginning of the United States of America to venture in to expand by colonizing the former colonies of Spain. The United States was eyeing the East as a beginning for economic expansion. By the end of 19th century Spain as a super power was declining. Her superior Armada that ruled the seas were no longer a threat to the aspiring country to take over. Then United States declared war against Spain. And Spain was then defeated. She surrendered Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines and shew a graceful exit particularly in the Philippines. Because a revolution was successfully waged by the Filipinos against Spain, a treaty was consummated in Paris and the United States paid $ 20 million for the annexation of the Philippines.
The Revolutionaries who already won its freedom from Spain declared that the Philippines is now a Republic. But the United States who would like to occupy the Philippines as a new colony did not recognize it. The new government of the Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo declared war against the Untied States. The United States fought the Filipinos by declaring that this was an insurrection because in the Treaty of Paris the Philippines became a colony of the United States. The war lasted till 1901 when General Aguinaldo surrendered although General Miguel Malvar continued fighting the American soldiers in Southern Tagalog area covering the provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Tayabas now Quezon. He surrendered in 1903 in Rosario, Batangas.
President William McKinley of the United States would like to subdue the Filipinos thru the religious venture. He believed that through this the economic expansion could be fully established. He invited the Protestant religious leaders at the White House and informed them about his dream. That the Lord talk to him that the Philippines must be occupied so that the Filipinos could be liberated from ignorance and be civilized by providing them with education, improved infrastructures, provide them with good health and Protestant religion. The Protestant denomination could send missionaries to evangelize the natives from paganism and give them the modern civilization.
The different major denominations immediately responded to it. The Presbyterian sent Rev. Dr. James Rodgers and his wife were sent and established their residence in Manila. The Methodist, Episcopal, United Brethren, Disciples, Baptist and Congregational, Seventh Day Adventist and Christian Alliance churches also followed.
In 1905 the Presbyterian sent Rev. Dr. Charles and Mrs. Rebecca Magill and was assigned in Tayabas province by residing in Lucban. They were able to convert some prominent citizens of Lucban like the Racelis, Baldovino, Daya, Oracion, Iglesia,Verora, Abad, Nanong, Sales, Beltran and several others. Some young men like Francisco Beltran became a leading Pastor and Pamfila Babista was the first deaconess. Dr. Magill’s traveled and visited almost all southern towns of Tayabas and converted many Roman Catholics to the Protestant belief. The Magills being a linguists started translating the New Testament in Tagalog and had it published in 1910. They continued translating the Old Testament.with the assistance of Pastor Francisco Beltran. In 1916 the Tagalog Bible was published through the American Bible Society.
Mrs. Rebecca Magill who was an educator for children started teaching the Sunday School program every Sunday. This was promoted in all local churches that were organized. And in some cases she taught the Sunday school lessons in the different barrios and outside the church premises. The Sunday Schools were manned by volunteers composed of young people of men and mostly women. During summer in the month of April and May the Daily Vacation Bible School were conducted in different towns of Tayabas province with the young people as volunteer teachers. Mrs. Magill provide a tutorial approached in the training of volunteer teachers.
In 1918 Mrs. Magill saw the need for teaching the pre elementary children. The free elementary school children then started at the age of seven. The need for Kindergarten course was a great need for them. She started teaching a handful of children at the Lucena Evangelical Church. She invited Pamfila Babista to assist her. She then took Pamfila on their one year forlough in the United States in 1924 and she was able to obtain a diploma on Kindergarten Teachers course. When they came back, a weekday kindergarten was started officially in Lucena with barely 20 enrollees. Several young women were recruited by Mrs. Magill and trained them by tutorial means to prepare them as teachers of the various Evangelical Kindergarten schools that were organized in different towns. In 1930s the Sisters of Maryknoll and Sacred Heart Colleges made regular observation in the Kindergarten School in Lucena. It was only interrupted during the 2nd World War 1942-45. Mrs. Rebecca Magill was considered as the founder of the first Kindergarten School in the whole Philippines.
The Magills retired in May 1940. They came back in June 1941 to spend a year more in Tayabas province. They were incarcerated in the Concentration Camp by the Japanese soldiers at the University of the Philippines, College of Los Banos Laguna. Both of them died successively due to poor health in 1944. Their bones were taken to the State of Kentucky through the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in July 1946.
To remember and honor them, the local church of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines in Lucena City in 1960 named it MAGILL MEMORIAL CHURCH and the school as well.
Written by: Rev. Henry B. Aguilan June 22, 2007 .
1 comment:
Your blog is very timely for the centennial celebration of Magill Memorial Church in the current decade, 2000-2010. Rebecca Magill is indeed the founder of the Kindergarten School in the Philippines since 1918. Her husband, Dr. Charles Magill is considered as the pioneer of bible translation in Tagalog in 1909. I for one goes with the many in admiring the American couple their dedication in helping educate Filipinos during their times.
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