Barclay Fowell Buxton
Encyclopedia
Rev. Barclay Fowell Buxton (16 August 1860 – 5 February 1946) was an English
evangelical Christian missionary in Japan
.
Buxton was the son of Thomas Fowell Buxton and Rachel Jane Gurney and grandson of Sir Thomas Buxton, 1st Baronet. Barclay's grandmother was Hannah Gurney, sister to the Quakers Joseph John Gurney
and Elizabeth Fry
and the name Barclay stems from the Quaker family who founded Barclays Bank. He was educated at Harrow School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He was ordained deacon in 1884 and priest (London) in 1885, From 1884 to 1887, he was curate of Onslow Square
, and was then curate of Stanwix
, Cumberland until 1889.
In 1890, Buxton went to Japan as an independent missionary with the British Church Missionary Society. Within several weeks of his arrival over 700 people were attending his services and by the end of the first year seven churches had been founded around Matsuye and Yonago. He invited Paget Wilkes
to join him as a lay helper in 1897, and the two worked together in Western Japan, before returning to England. Together they founded the Japan Evangelistic Band
, which was formally launched at the Keswick Convention
in 1903, where Buxton and Wilkes were joined by a small group of friends who were interested in evangelism in Japan. At first the new mission was known as the One by One Band of Japan, but nine months after Keswick, the name was changed to Japan Evangelistic Band, (“Kyodan Nihon Dendo Tai”) in Japanese.
Buxton worked with Wilkes in Japan for many years, and returned to England in 1917. He remained Chairman of the JEB until his death. Between 1921 and 1935, he was the Vicar of Tunbridge Wells. In 1937, he received three separate calls to go back to Japan for a last missionary effort at the age of 75. Beginning in Kobe
, he spoke 125 times in 153 days in 19 areas of the country.
Buxton married Margaret Maria Amelia Railton, daughter of William Railton
, in 1886. They had four sons, one of whom Godfrey Buxton
, being crippled by a war injury set up a missionary training college and succeeded his father at the JEB.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
evangelical Christian missionary in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Buxton was the son of Thomas Fowell Buxton and Rachel Jane Gurney and grandson of Sir Thomas Buxton, 1st Baronet. Barclay's grandmother was Hannah Gurney, sister to the Quakers Joseph John Gurney
Joseph John Gurney
Joseph John Gurney was a banker in Norwich, England and an evangelical Minister of the Religious Society of Friends , whose views and actions led, ultimately, to a schism among American Quakers.-Biography:...
and Elizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Fry , née Gurney, was an English prison reformer, social reformer and, as a Quaker, a Christian philanthropist...
and the name Barclay stems from the Quaker family who founded Barclays Bank. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He was ordained deacon in 1884 and priest (London) in 1885, From 1884 to 1887, he was curate of Onslow Square
Onslow Square
Onslow Square is a garden square in South Kensington, southwest London, England.The square lies between the Old Brompton Road to the northwest and the Fulham Road to the southeast. To the north is South Kensington tube station. To the south is the Royal Marsden Hospital...
, and was then curate of Stanwix
Stanwix
Stanwix is a district of Carlisle, Cumbria in North West England. It is located on the north side of River Eden, across from Carlisle city centre. Although long counted as a suburb it did not officially become part of the city until 1912 when part of the civil parish of Stanwix became part of the...
, Cumberland until 1889.
In 1890, Buxton went to Japan as an independent missionary with the British Church Missionary Society. Within several weeks of his arrival over 700 people were attending his services and by the end of the first year seven churches had been founded around Matsuye and Yonago. He invited Paget Wilkes
Paget Wilkes
thumb|180px|[[Juji Nakada|NAKADA Juji]],Paget Wilkes,MITANI Tanekiti,1902Alpheus Paget Wilkes was an English evangelical Christian missionary to Japan who was one of the founders of the Japan Evangelistic Band in 1903...
to join him as a lay helper in 1897, and the two worked together in Western Japan, before returning to England. Together they founded the Japan Evangelistic Band
Japan Evangelistic Band
The Japan Evangelistic Band , or 'Kyodan Nihon Dendo Tai' in Japanese, is an evangelical Christian group founded in England in 1903 with the original aim to "initiate and sustain evangelistic work among Japanese wherever they are found". Within thirty years the organisation grew to 180 workers...
, which was formally launched at the Keswick Convention
Keswick Convention
The Keswick Convention is an annual gathering of evangelical Christians in Keswick, in the English county of Cumbria.- History :The Keswick Convention began in 1875 as a catalyst and focal point for the emerging Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom. It was founded by an Anglican, Canon T. D....
in 1903, where Buxton and Wilkes were joined by a small group of friends who were interested in evangelism in Japan. At first the new mission was known as the One by One Band of Japan, but nine months after Keswick, the name was changed to Japan Evangelistic Band, (“Kyodan Nihon Dendo Tai”) in Japanese.
Buxton worked with Wilkes in Japan for many years, and returned to England in 1917. He remained Chairman of the JEB until his death. Between 1921 and 1935, he was the Vicar of Tunbridge Wells. In 1937, he received three separate calls to go back to Japan for a last missionary effort at the age of 75. Beginning in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, he spoke 125 times in 153 days in 19 areas of the country.
Buxton married Margaret Maria Amelia Railton, daughter of William Railton
William Railton
William Railton was an English architect, best known as the designer of Nelson's Column. He was based in London with offices at 12 Regent Street for much of his career.He was a pupil of the London architect and surveyor William Inwood....
, in 1886. They had four sons, one of whom Godfrey Buxton
Godfrey Buxton
Barclay Godfrey Buxton MC was a casualty of World War I, who compensated for his inability to follow the family tradition of missionary service by founding and running missionary training colleges....
, being crippled by a war injury set up a missionary training college and succeeded his father at the JEB.