Miss Sophia Blackmore recounted how a modest medical mission in Chinatown resulted in the genesis of the Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church in 1889 – one of our earliest churches.
‘IN THE year 1889 Dr West opened a dispensary in Nankin Street for the use of poor Chinese coolies. Christian services were held in the same place.
One case is well remembered: a man who was an opium smoker came to the dispensary for medicine asking the doctor to help him overcome the dreadful habit. As the man heard the Gospel his faith became strong in the power of Christ to save. He trusted and was not ashamed. A visitor attending the services would be struck by his bright face and his desire to help. He arranged seats, handed out books and would always hold a book open himself – maybe upside down for he could not read.
The first gathering amongst the Chinese (Hokkien) was amongst these coolie people. It was an impressive scene when eleven of them, ten men and one woman, knelt for baptism in the church in Coleman Street. They were the nucleus of our Hokkien congregation.
Later Dr West lived in Upper Club Street in a shophouse where he had the dispensary in the front room downstairs. Miss Blackmore lived in the house next door and had her Chinese Girls’ School in her downstairs rooms. In those days most of the money had to be provided locally. Mr Oldham would hold an annual meeting attended by the Europeans of the community. At this meeting funds were raised to buy medicines for the opening of the dispensary. The Girls’ School was begun in Cross Street in August 1889 and has now blossomed into beautiful Fairfield.
When Dr West went on furlough, Mr Kensett, who had learnt to dispense simple medicines, cared for the sick folk and the services. He later went to America to stay but returned to the field as a medical missionary. He was our first worker in Kuala Lumpur.
An amusing incident occurred at the dispensary. A new worker proposed a mass meeting. Cakes and tea were to be distributed free and a lantern lecture was to be given. Probably the proposer had in mind an orderly set down meal, but the coolies had not been educated for this. They rushed the tables in a few seconds and all the cakes had vanished with them out on the street, and in the melee one of the workers lost his watch.
In the course of time the church became more organised, but for one reason or another was continually on the move until down to the time that the Rev Sullivan was holding open-air services in Telok Ayer. He was told of a little irregular piece off land at the top of Telok Ayer Street. Rev A. J. Amery, the District Superintendent that year, was consulted and the land was bought for $1,000 Straits. Miss Elizabeth Olson next came to the help of the cause. One hundred dollars had been sent her as a special gift which she donated for the purchase of a tent. Church services and Sunday School were held in the tent until a violent storm shredded it to pieces.
These are some reminiscences of early days. Others will tell of the Chinese pastors who have laboured; of the faith, prayer and gifts that have brought to pass the fine modern building at the top of Telok Ayer Street. May future chroniclers be able to tell of many souls won for the Master within its walls.’ — MM Nov 1924, pages 10-11.
Earnest Lau, Associate Editor of Methodist Message, is also the Archivist of The Methodist Church in Singapore.
