Robert Alexander JAFFRAY [1873-1945]

[Updated 19/12/2025]

In the early 20^th century, the Canadian Rev. Dr. Robert Alexander Jaffray had a long and illustrious career in Southeast Asia as a missionary to China, Indonesia and several other countries.  

He was born into a wealthy family.  His father owned the Toronto Globe and wanted his son to one day become its CEO.  Jaffray however, as a young man, sensed he might become a missionary, and his feelings were confirmed through a meeting with the founder of missionary society, The Christian and Missionary Alliance.  Although his father was very opposed to his calling, Robert trained with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and in 1897 went out to China to serve in Wuzhou, Guangxi for the next 35 years.

In 1900, Jaffray married another missionary, Minnie Donner in Hong Kong.  Minnie taught the Bible and worked against sex trafficking in brothels with the Door of Hope Mission in Hong Kong and Shanghai.  They had a daughter, Margaret, in 1907, who later came to assist her father as his secretary.

Jaffray proved to be extremely capable and visionary, and soon he was serving as leader of all C&MA work in South China. While he was there, his responsibilities included mission administration, preaching, evangelistic missions, assistance in founding the Wuzhou/ Wuchow Bible School (later called the "Alliance Seminary in Hong Kong"), editor of the Chinese "Bible Magazine", the first Chinese language magazine of its kind, which was read not just in China, but in Chinese-speaking communities round the world. 

During the 1920s, China experienced political instability and foreign influence, leading to frequent militia activity. In 1923, Kweilin was besieged for seventy-seven days; Alliance workers, including Rev. Cunningham who was shot, were present. Jaffray and his team from Wuchow attempted a rescue but were captured and held for ransom by militia after their armed escort abandoned them. After payment by officials, the missionaries were freed, and Jaffray's health improved afterward.

Later, as foreigners—including British and North American missionaries—were expelled, persecution shifted to local believers. By 1927, about five thousand missionaries had been forced out of China. Despite increased danger, Alliance missionaries continued their work through evangelism, gospel billboards, and smuggling issues of Bible Magazine. Jaffray also encouraged greater independence for Chinese church leaders during this turbulent period.

Jaffrey also founded the first Chinese missionary society called the "Chinese Foreign Missionary Union".  The CFMU sent out missionaries to Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. When asked to be the president of the CFMU he refused as he believed that Chinese leaders should take up the role instead.

In 1898 Jaffray started making trips to what is now Vietnam, and in 1916 he was elected Superintendent of the Vietnam Field.

Jaffray served in Wuzhou for 35 years, in spite of a heart condition and diabetes. In 1942, Japan invaded an island in Indonesia where he was stationed with his wife, Minnie, and his daughter. Soon after the invasion, Jaffray and other missionaries were arrested by the Japanese, and sent to internment camps. He remained captive until his death in 1945 from illness and malnutrition. 

Minnie Jaffray was in poor health after the war and died in 1946.

In the European Reservation 1938 list, Jaffray appears as the owner of possibly the largest house on Cheung Chau, House #22, no doubt funded by his wealthy father.  Clearly he, and possibly his C&MA colleagues, used Cheung Chau as other missionaries did, for summer holidays, rather than incur the expense of returning to their home countries each year.

In 1949 when the Chinese expelled all foreign missionaries from China, the Wuzhou Bible School that Jaffray founded moved to what had been Jaffray’s home on Cheung Chau and set up there as the Hong Kong Alliance Seminary. As he had died four years earlier, he may have left his home to the C & MA in his will, or else the property was owned by the C & MA.  It was in a sorry state though, having been destroyed in the war.  

Since its move, the seminary has grown and expanded and it is now known as the Alliance Bible Seminary.   

It has named its library extension the Jaffray Memorial Hall.  At some point it also took over what was House #23 so the Seminary today occupies quite a large area.

Source:

Wikipedia  

Alliance Bible Seminary 

Unwavering Faith: Robert, Minnie, and Margaret Jaffray by Louise Green