SINGAPORE, INDIA by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 27, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 42.

SINGAPORE, INDIA.

By Editor

A LADY connected with the Deaconess Home in Singapore recently returned to her post after a visit to friends in this country. From a letter written by her to the Union Gospel News we take the following extracts:—

"Before I went home I had the entire charge of our woman's work. Now I am glad to say it has extended so that it keeps two other ladies beside myself busy. We have also fifteen other workers employed. Twenty-four native girls live in our home.

"Just before I went away a slave girl named Benf Neo followed our teachers' conveyance, and thus found her way to our home. Miss Perris took her to the Chinese protector, who said we might keep her if she wished to stay with us. As Singapore is a British settlement, of course slavery is illegal. Benf Neo has been very happy in our home, and is wonderfully improved. She has learned to read quite nicely. But best of all she has found her way to the Lord.

"The mother of three of the little Chinese girls that have come to the home lately was a confirmed opium smoker. Our Bible woman found her very ill in an opium den. She took the woman to the hospital, where she died shortly afterwards.

"Two little Malay children—such cute little mites—were brought by their father, who has, during the past year, been truly converted. In his youth this man lived in a Christian school; he could never forget the teaching received there. Since his conversion he has borne a good deal of persecution. His enemies tried to poison him, and his wife left him. The worst now is over, and Brother Silas is developing into an earnest preacher of the gospel.

"Since my return two women have been converted. One is an elderly Chinese woman, named Nonya Sineo, with two grown-up sons. We have been teaching her for some time, and now she is so happy. She has thanked us again and again for leading her into the true light. It was my duty to tell the eldest son of the step his mother had taken. I went to the task with some fear. But my fears were needless, for the son has had Christian teaching himself, and he told me that in his heart he too believed in Christ.

"The second conversion was that of a young Chinese girl, named Tunyah, who for only three months has heard of the true God. She told me she never did believe in idols. Her younger sister, Chew Neo, is in our home. At first she was averse to Tunyah becoming a Christian, but her prejudice has been disappearing

gradually. Last Sunday evening in our home prayer meeting Chew Neo testified to her desire to believe in Jesus. Afterwards, when I was talking to her alone, she cut off a charm that for many years she has worn around her neck to keep away sickness and evil spirits.

"We have three day schools in different parts of the town, and teachers in a good many homes. Sunday schools are receiving a good deal of attention from us at present, and we are trying to open up new ones. Our population is so diverse that we have to use all sorts of plans. Some months ago Miss Ferris began a Sunday school in Telok Ayes, the Chinese part of our city. The first Sunday she had but one pupil; now she has thirty attending. One Sunday I had the privilege of doing this work. First, all the girls had to be collected in a gharry. Oh, how that conveyance turned and twisted down streets, up hills, into lanes, picking up one here and another there!

"Last Sunday I began a Sunday school in a Malay section of our city. We went first to a small, clean shop and asked permission to take up our stand there, which was readily given. We then began to sing, and a small crowd gathered quickly to find out what we were doing. We announced our intention of teaching the children, who then came to the front—about fifty of them—and their elders stood on the outskirts. We sang and talked to them and tried to teach them a chorus, but they were too abashed to repeat it. When we had finished, we walked through the kampoy (village), the crowd following us, and as they farewelled us, they raised what was supposed to be an English cheer and succeeded in making a considerable noise. One of our members remarked that when they get over their shyness and learn to sing, they have sufficient lung power to attract attention.

"Soon I hope to do something in the way of a Sunday school in a Tamil lane, where very poor people live. They speak very little Malay. However, two Christian Tamil lads have promised to help me.

"You see we come in contact with people speaking distinctly different languages, and we want all to hear the good news of salvation. When I start out on my day's visiting, I put into my bag some papers printed in Malay, Chinese, and Tamil."