Our Work in Singapore by J. E. Fulton

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 14, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 15.

Mohammedan and Chinese Temples—Singapore

Our Work in Singapore

By J. E. Fulton

SINGAPORE is a most interesting place. To one born and brought up amid Western civilization this city furnishes a series of strange sights. One here sees examples of every variety of Eastern races, and of many different religions and modes of life. The city is English only because it is ruled by them, for the mass of the people are Chinese, there being 240,000 of them out of the entire population of 300,000. The native Malays seem swallowed up among the vastly greater numbers of Chinese and amid their incessant activity. Besides the Chinese there is a large number of Klings from western India, and Arabs, and these are mostly engaged in little businesses of their own, some however on quite an extended scale.

There are Mohammedan mosques, Hindu temples, and Chinese joss-houses, representing the worship of these different nationalities. Some of the houses of the Chinese are large and compare favorably with those of their white neighbors; others and many of them are low, dirty hovels; the rich Chinese may be seen riding in very fine carriages drawn by imported horses, while the poor coolie is usually found either trudging along under some heavy burden, driving upon an ox-cart loaded with some merchandise, or, as is the case with thousands, running in the hot sun with a loaded rickshaw. There are trams, carriages, and rickshaws as means of conveyance, but the greater number travel in the latter. It seems very hard to the writer to have a man in the shafts, the poor fellow running along sometimes at great speed, bathed in perspiration. We are told that soon we shall get accustomed to this, but we would rather travel in some other manner.

Singapore has a good harbor, and being one of the great crossings of ocean highways, contains a wonderful amount of shipping. Here one sees ships and steamers from every part of the globe. And then beside the large vessels there is an innumerable company of small craft,—Chinese junks, Malay proas, fishing-boats, and passenger sampans, launches, tugs,—and, we imagine, all other sorts. The commerce of Singapore amounts to many millions a year. There are great stores and ware-houses, banks and public buildings. The city in some respects seems quite modern. Here one sees electric trams, electric lights, telegraph, telephones, and newspapers. Were it not for the strange faces and the tropical vegetation, we might quite imagine ourselves to be in an Australian city.

Our work has been started in this wonderful center. Many books have been sold here by our canvassers. Then Pastor Jones and his wife have been here now for several years doing hard, faithful work. They labored alone for some time, and the Lord has blessed their efforts. Some good souls have taken hold of the truth, especially from among the Chinese, and some of these have now so far developed that they are engaged as laborers. Other laborers from abroad have joined Brother and Sister Jones in the work, so that at the present we have six European laborers in Singapore. Much opposition has been shown by the other churches, but our workers labor on and we know that the honest in heart will be won to the truth. Preparations are now completed for the erection of a neat chapel in Singapore. This will add greatly to the upbuilding of the work, for at present the meetings are held in the mission which is not by any means an ideal place. We feel to especially ask that our brethren afar off would remember our workers here at the throne of grace. The climate is trying and the work is difficult and taxing. They need great wisdom, for the work is especially important at this center.

J. E. FULTON.