Charles McLaren (psychiatrist)
Encyclopedia
Charles Inglis McLaren M.D. (23 August 1882 – 9 October 1957) was an Australian psychiatrist and missionary.
McLaren was born in Tokyo
to Rev. Samuel Gilfillan McLaren M.A., a Scottish missionary, and his wife Marjory. He attended Scotch College, Melbourne
, and then the University of Melbourne
, from which he received a Bachelor of Medicine in 1906, a Bachelor of Science
in 1907 and a Doctorate of Medicine in 1910. He was resident medical officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
from 1907 to 1908 and in 1909 moved to the Children's Hospital. In 1910, as Australasian chairman of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, he toured Australian and New Zealand universities.
McLaren married Jessie Reeve, daughter of a missionary and travelling secretary of the Christian Union, on 22 August 1911 at Alma Road Presbyterian Church in St Kilda
. They travelled to Korea
as missionaries, and McLaren was assistant superintendent and then superintendent of Paton Memorial Hospital in Chinju. In 1917 he enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps
and was medical officer to the Chinese Labour Battalion in France. He was professor of neurology and psychological medicine at Union Christian Medical College, Severance Hospital
, in Seoul
from 1922 to 1939 before returning to Chinju Hospital in 1940 (he also undertook further study at Vienna
in 1929).
McLaren revisited Melbourne periodically, lecturing on the relationship between body and mind in 1927, publishing a paper in the Australasian Journal of Psychology and Philosophy in 1928, and lecturing for the Melbourne University Student Christian Movement in 1934. He was a prolific journal contributor on medical issues and also discussed the Shinto
shrine issue in religious journals. He argued against emperor
-worship in Japan
in the 1930s and was imprisoned for eleven weeks at the outbreak of World War II
before being interned and returned to Melbourne in November 1942. He published Preface to Peace with Japan, Eleven Weeks in a Japanese Prison Cell and They Kept the Faith in the 1943–44 period and later published Christianity, Communism and the World Situation in 1952.
McLaren contested the 1949 federal election
as an independent
candidate for the seat of Melbourne
, running against Immigration Minister Arthur Calwell
on a platform of opposition to the White Australia policy
; he received 3.6% of the vote. He organised the John Fisher Williams Memorial Foundation in 1951, and later published The Christian Faith and the White Australia Policy. He died while revising a manuscript on Jesus
' life at Kew
in 1957 and was buried at Box Hill
.
Charles' elder brother Samuel Bruce McLaren was an Adams Prize winning Professor of Mathematics who died during the Battle of the Somme.
McLaren was born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to Rev. Samuel Gilfillan McLaren M.A., a Scottish missionary, and his wife Marjory. He attended Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, and then the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, from which he received a Bachelor of Medicine in 1906, a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in 1907 and a Doctorate of Medicine in 1910. He was resident medical officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal Melbourne Hospital
The Royal Melbourne Hospital , located in Parkville, Victoria an inner suburb of Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research...
from 1907 to 1908 and in 1909 moved to the Children's Hospital. In 1910, as Australasian chairman of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions, he toured Australian and New Zealand universities.
McLaren married Jessie Reeve, daughter of a missionary and travelling secretary of the Christian Union, on 22 August 1911 at Alma Road Presbyterian Church in St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
. They travelled to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
as missionaries, and McLaren was assistant superintendent and then superintendent of Paton Memorial Hospital in Chinju. In 1917 he enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
and was medical officer to the Chinese Labour Battalion in France. He was professor of neurology and psychological medicine at Union Christian Medical College, Severance Hospital
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
, in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
from 1922 to 1939 before returning to Chinju Hospital in 1940 (he also undertook further study at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1929).
McLaren revisited Melbourne periodically, lecturing on the relationship between body and mind in 1927, publishing a paper in the Australasian Journal of Psychology and Philosophy in 1928, and lecturing for the Melbourne University Student Christian Movement in 1934. He was a prolific journal contributor on medical issues and also discussed the Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine issue in religious journals. He argued against emperor
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
-worship 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...
in the 1930s and was imprisoned for eleven weeks at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
before being interned and returned to Melbourne in November 1942. He published Preface to Peace with Japan, Eleven Weeks in a Japanese Prison Cell and They Kept the Faith in the 1943–44 period and later published Christianity, Communism and the World Situation in 1952.
McLaren contested the 1949 federal election
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate for the seat of Melbourne
Division of Melbourne
The Division of Melbourne is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. It is represented by Adam Bandt of the Australian Greens.Created at Federation in 1900 the division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
, running against Immigration Minister Arthur Calwell
Arthur Calwell
Arthur Augustus Calwell Australian politician, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for 32 years from 1940 to 1972, Immigration Minister in the government of Ben Chifley from 1945 to 1949 and Leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1960 to 1967.-Early life:Calwell was born in...
on a platform of opposition to the White Australia policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
; he received 3.6% of the vote. He organised the John Fisher Williams Memorial Foundation in 1951, and later published The Christian Faith and the White Australia Policy. He died while revising a manuscript on Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
' life at Kew
Kew, Victoria
Kew is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Kew had a population of 22,516....
in 1957 and was buried at Box Hill
Box Hill, Victoria
Box Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Box Hill had a population of 8,616....
.
Charles' elder brother Samuel Bruce McLaren was an Adams Prize winning Professor of Mathematics who died during the Battle of the Somme.