Ship Missionary Work in Singapore.
By W. W. Fletcher
(Delayed in Transmission.) IN January of this year, a church missionary society was organized in Singapore, with Brother Mills as leader, and with leaders for the various branches of missionary effort we are planning to carry on in this city. These comprise ship mission work, hospital visiting, missionary correspondence, industrial department, tract loaning, and selling and distributing periodicals. Having been appointed librarian for our society, I am confronted with the problem of how to obtain supplies of literature for our ship mission work. As a port of call, Singapore is one of the most important in the world. In the daytime our harbor presents a forest of masts and spars, and at night the countless lights give it the appearance of a thickly populated city. Think of the thousands of men "that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters," that call here in their journeying. Vessels come here from every nation under heaven, and to those countries they return. Singapore is one of the corners of the earth. We have here a great opportunity to scatter Gospel seed to the ends of the earth. Now there are thousands of good missionary papers in the homes of our people, "hiding their light under a bushel," that might easily be proclaiming their message on all the high seas. If our dear brethren and sisters will cooperate with us, this will soon be accomplished. Send us back numbers of the Signs, Watchman, Instructor, Life Boat, and our health papers, and you will help us in this effort to give light to the sailors. It does not matter how old the papers are so long as they are clean. Neither does it matter what language they are printed in. Literature in foreign tongues will be especially useful. Remember that here is a golden opportunity to dig up the buried talent and set it to work somewhere in the Lord's vineyard. Some of the bravest and warmest-hearted men of this generation are those who are continually facing the perils of the deep. These will also endure much for the Lord's sake when they learn the truth. Let us do what we can to give them the opportunity. Just recently two British men-o'-war's men visited us, who accepted the message thru ship-mission work done at St. Lucia, W. I. I am sure that if the readers of these lines could meet these brethren, and know how they are holding up the light before hundreds of their shipmates, it would kindle a burning desire to see many more such lights. This one means of supplying the seamen with our literature is within our reach. Let us use it faithfully. Address all papers to Elder G. F. Jones, "Villa Hatsu," 12 Dhoby Ghaut, Singapore, Straits Settlements.