This is my story - 48

48 – Working with Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Earle Maxwell.

Our first contact with Captain and Mrs. Earle Maxwell was in 1960 when one of our girls at the Penang Corps Ng Kan Ying was going to Australia to study nursing at Manly. I wrote a letter addressed to “Commanding Officer, Manly Corps, Australia.” The Maxwells happened to be the Corps Officers that that time. He graciously responded by return mail and when Ng Kan Ying arrived at Manly she was warmly welcomed. We kept in touch with the Maxwells after that. One day they came to Singapore and as the General Secretary I was able to arrange accommodation for them in one of the vacant units at The Salvation Army Headquarters.

Then in 1979 Lieut. Colonel Earle Maxwell were appointed to be the leaders of the Singapore/Malaysia Command. They arrived in September.

A month after their arrival was the visit of General and Mrs. Arnold Brown. It involved a lot of preparation, but the Singapore officers and comrades were very helpful and all worked extremely hard to make the visit a success. The General was most fascinated with our Headquarters’ building and old Chinese mansion at 207 Clemenceau Avenue. He pointed to the Chinese carvings depicting all sorts of weird creatures and made a remark which I’ve not forgotten. With a twinkle in his eye he said, “These are the former leaders of The Salvation Army in Singapore and Malaysia!”

Well, Lieut. Colonel Maxwell got down to work immediately and initiated a five year plan. Three more cadets, Lee Kong Yee, Richard Fong and Teoh Ghim Leng (now Lieut. Colonel Wendy Lee) were accepted for training in the Philippines. It was felt at that time not feasible to train such a small number of cadets in Singapore. It was envisaged that there should be a Zonal Training College in Manila. Major Gunvor Paulsson was transferred to the Philippines to be the Education Officer.

It was during the time of Lieut. Colonels Earle and Wilmar Maxwell that the Haven was established. The Army decided to amalgamate the two Homes for Girls and Children under one administration. So the Haven, costing $2 million was built and opened on 23 May 1981 by the Acting Minister for Social Affairs, Dr. Ahmad Mattar.

The original plan was to have all the residents of different age groups living under one roof. The different sections catered for the different groups – children, youth and the elderly, the latter housed directly below the Hostel for girls. In this way the elderly could act as grandparents to the children and youth. It was the ideal envisaged and implemented for a period of time. Subsequent leadership changed the plans and turned the units for the elderly into quarters for officers.

We felt the need to start a Corps (church) right from the beginning so my wife and I took over the additional responsibility of Corps Officers and began meetings in August 1981. On the weekends when we had to be away on field inspection and conduct meetings elsewhere, other officers stood in for us. Everyone was happy to make their contribution to the new Pasir Panjang Corps.

On 30th January 1982, the Corps was officially opened. It had been sixteen years since the last Corps was opened in Kuala Lumpur. (See Chapter 31) Lieutenant Samuel Chong Kok Hong, who had been assisting us, was appointed the Commanding Officer. We remained in the Corps as soldiers and gave full support to the Lieutenant and my wife continued with her women’s ministry in the Corps.

With the support of the officers, staff and residents of Haven the Corps grew. Sections catering for the various age groups were started. The ladies from the Elderly Section of the Haven were pleased to have fellowship at the weekly Home League meetings. Children from the Haven formed the nucleus of the Sunday School. Soon children from Clementi Housing Estate joined in and we had a thriving children’s work. Youth from the Hostel joined the older children of the Haven formed the Youth Group.

Twenty years later, Pasir Panjang Corps closed its doors and the soldiers, adherents and friends moved to Praisehaven, Upper Bukit Timah to form the William Booth Corps. My wife and I, by now retired were given the responsibility of conducting the last meeting at Pasir Panjang Corps on 7th July 2002. Majors Allan and Esther Satterlee the Corps Officers conducted the ceremony of closure.

It was our privilege of joy to work with Lieut. Colonels Earle and Wilmar Maxwell till December 1982, when we farewelled from Singapore to take up our first overseas appointments as Officer Commanding and President of Women’s Organisations in the Hong Kong/Taiwan Command.

Commissioning and ordination

We were privileged to attend the Commissioning and Ordination of the Ambassadors of Holiness Session of cadets held at William Booth Corps on Saturday 27th November 2010.The two cadets were Andrew Lo and Fiona Loh. Both came out of Kuching Corps. We were Corps Officers (pastors) of this Corps from 1962-1965.

They were appointed as Commanding Officer of Ipoh Corps and Assistant superintendent of the Penang Children's Homes respectively. God bless the new Lieutenants.

Sadly the School for Officers' training will be closed as there are no cadets for next year. We earnestly pray that God will touch the hearts of our youth to offer for officership. We have some very talented young people in our Corps. May they accept the challenge to respond to the call to be officers. We are in desperate need of workers for the fields are white unto harvest but the labourers are few.

Officers' Retreat - 2010

We had a great time at the officers' retreat held at the Mercure Johor Palm Resort. For us it was a real privilege. We are retirees and do not take it for granted to be invited to join such events. It is not automatic that retired officers are included. Our leaders are indeed very considerate and thoughtful and we are really appreciative.

It was good to meet our fellow officers and their families from East and West Malaysia, and also the Regional Officers from Myanmar, Majors Ian and Colleen Marshall. For my wife and me, this was a real bonus and a lovely holiday. The fellowship was enriching.

The theme was "Called to be Intentional." And we were exhorted to be Intentional in Holiness, Intentional in Prayer and Intentional in Mission.

From the mountain top we now descend to the valley of human needs. We seek God's wisdom and grace to 'save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity.'

Weakness and strength

A paradox is defined as "an assertion seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense, but that yet may be true in fact" (Webster)

One of our songs says,
"Make me a captive, Lord,
And then I shall be free;
Force me to render up my sword,
And I shall be conqueror be.
I sink in life's alarms
When by myself I stand;
Imprison me within thine arms
And strong shall be my hand." George Metheson (SASB 508)

Here's another paradox. Paul's words have greatly encouraged me "For when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Cor. 12: 10. Here is paradox of power in the Christian life - conscious human weakness discovering and utilising Divine strength.

Paul had been afflicted with some ailment or weakness which he called 'a thorn in the flesh.' It was something physical, something terrible that on three occasions he asked the Lord to free him from this handicap. But he received no positive response from God. Then he received this fresh word from the Lord, "My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness" What a comforting thought. Then he went on to say "I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power my rest in me. That is why, for Christ's sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor. 12: 9-10)

Does it still work today? Yes, certainly, I have found it so! That paradox is encouraging and instructive.

Freedom for Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has been given her freedom! The whole world rejoices. Everyone knows her story -there is no need for me to give details.

She continues her fight for freedom and democracy. After all these years of detention and house arrest, her spirit remains strong. I'm impressed. She now holds the olive branch to the regime; she bears no grudge against those who kept her under detention for more than 15 of the past 21 years. "Let's speak to each other" she requests.

Concerning her freedom, she said, "I always felt free within myself." Under house arrest or in prison, yet free! We tend to think of freedom as the opportunity to go where we want and do what we like. Many people do what they like, but not necessary like what they do. They have everything to live with, but nothing to live for.

I think of the poem I learnt in school many years ago concerning freedom"
To Althea from Prison" by Richard Lovelace

"Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage:
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty."

Gracehaven - 20th anniversary

We attended the Gracehaven 20th Anniversary Dinner last night at the Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel. Quite a number of our William Booth Corps folk were present and we had a good time.
The Guest of Honour was Mr. Yeo Guat Kwang, Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC.

Good to see old friends again among whom was the Editor of IMPACT MAGAZINE, Mr. Andrew Goh. It must have been in the seventies when we worked together in the interests of God's kingdom. When he saw our pictures shown on the screen, he rushed over to our table greet us. In those days as the General Secretary of The Salvation Army here, I represented The Army in organisations such as National Council of Churches, Singapore Bible Society, Keswick committee and Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore. I learned a lot from the ministers, pastors and lay workers of other denominations. Well Rev. Andrew Goh was one of them. Thank God for good Christian friends who have brought much blessings to my life.

We had a great evening and we give thanks to God for calling us into the ministry.

To God be the glory for the things He has done.
With His blood He has saved me, with His power He has raised me.
To God be the glory for the things He has done.

This is my story - 47

47 – More changes in leadership – Lieut. Colonels Hendry and O’Neill

Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Leslie Hendry, British officers serving in the India Western territory, were appointed to take over the leadership of the Command. They arrived from India on 3rd May 1975. Their term was quite short, only seventeen months and in January 1977 left for their homeland England. They were quite close to their retirement. He was an affectionate man who loved to hug the ladies. This was not quite appreciated in our rather conservative society. It is not always easy to work in another culture - something we all need to watch, observe and learn from our interaction with different cultures.

They were succeeded in February 1977 by Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Arthur O’Neil, also from the United Kingdom. He found it very difficult to adapt to the hot and humid climate and our Asian culture. Driving in Singapore and Malaysia was the biggest challenge to him. He had only learned to drive late in life when he was appointed as the Divisional Commander in Scotland two years prior to his appointment to Singapore.

He had a few accidents and a very serious one on their way home from Kuala Lumpur. The car, an Opel was badly damaged and had to be replaced at his own request with the type he was used to driving in Scotland –a Ford. It was always a challenge for him to drive alongside our Singapore and Malaysian drivers whose impatience on the roads he found rather trying!

He found it difficult to take our Asian food. I recall travelling with him for miles in Malaysia searching for a Government owned Rest House to get western food. He was a good man, but came too late in life to adapt to our way of living. Mrs. Lieut. Colonel Agnes O’Neil, a Scot was one of the most saintly women I’ve ever met, but she had poor health and suffered a lot without complaining. In the end it was necessary for them to return to England for good in mid 1979 to seek medical treatment.

On 7th September 1978 the following cadets of the Proclaimers of Salvation began their training: - Tnay Boon Tong (Kuching), Kamala Manikam (Batang Melaka), Ong Ban Tat and Chong Kok Hong (Penang) and Bob Lee Kong Chew (Balestier). August 1979 saw the arrival of Major Gunvor Paulsson from Sweden to be the Training Principal of the Training College for officers. I was pleased as this released me to concentrate fully on the work of General Secretary.

The following month October, Lieut. Colonel Arthur O’Neill and I went to Tokyo to attend the first Zonal Conference held at the Mount Fuji Hotel. It comprised the two top leaders of each territory and command. Wives of the leaders were excluded. Australia and New Zealand were not part of the Zone then. The Leader of the Zonal Conference was General Arnold Brown.

One day the General called me aside asked me of the possibility of serving overseas. I assured him that we would go where our leaders appoint us as that was part of our covenant with God. However, I shared with him some of our concerns at that particular time.

When he got back to International Headquarters we received a confidential letter from the International Secretary Commissioner Denis Hunter and this question was posed “Is there any reason why you and Mrs. Lim should not serve overseas?”

Well, there was a reason; our son Stephen could not leave Singapore until he had done his national service. To take him out of the country we would have to deposit half a million dollars with the Government and sign a guarantee that we would bring him back at the age of eighteen to do his national service. We did not have that amount of money (and never will) and we were not prepared to leave him alone in Singapore. So there was a genuine reason which we relayed to our leaders. In response the International Secretary expressed sympathetic understanding of our concerns.

Later when General Arnold Brown visited Singapore, he brought up the subject again and expressed his understanding of our situation. Then he added, “Anytime you are ready, just let us know. But once you have committed yourselves to overseas service, there is no guarantee when you will return to serve in Singapore. You may not return till you retire.” True enough, we did not return except for homeland furlough to serve in our own command till May 1997 when we retired. We were away from home for the last fifteen years of active service. We have had no regrets as we always felt it was part of our officer covenant to obey the lawful orders of our leaders as from the Lord.

After the departure of Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. O’Neill there was a brief period when the Command was without an Officer Commanding. In September 1979, Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Earle Maxwell were appointed as the leaders. They were much younger in age than the other leaders, full of enthusiasm and zeal, certainly good for us all.

Visit to Central Corps

It was our joy to visit Singapore Central Corps again yesterday to conduct the Self Denial Altar Service. Captains Lim Chee Kwee and Annie were away with a group touring the Holy Land.

We were pleasantly surprised to see such a big congregation. The worship team did well under the leadership of Mark Sim. One thing missing - no band because the Bandmaster Daniel and his wife Kathryn were in Japan for holiday. Anyway our grand daughter Rachel played the piano for all the songs.

After the meeting our niece Elaine took us out for lunch at Junction 8. She later brought us home. We had a good day and received much blessing worshipping with our folk at Bishan.

It was Dr. Stuart Holden who once said, "The life that is too busy for worship is busier than God intended it to be. Work is life's eminent duty but worship is life's pre-eminent dynamic. To divorce one from the other is to court disaster, for while work exhausts power, worship renews it."

As Thy days,so shall thy strength be Deut. 33:25

Here is a wonderful promise from God - strength according to the needs at any time. For every challenge or crisis that comes to those who love and trust Him, there is His grace to meet that need.

Why should I fear lest by their weight
Tomorrow's tasks should prove too great?
I know my Father will not ask
Me to perform a greater task
Than He will give my strength to do;
For in His precious Word so true.
He there has promised you and me,
That "As thy days, thy strength shall be."

This is my story - 46

46 – Change of Command Leaders – Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. James Sloan

The 40th Anniversary Congress and the visit of General and Mrs. Clarence Wiseman on Easter Weekend 1975 was an unforgettable event. It was the first major event in which my wife and I were actively involved in the organisation and participation. We booked the Guide Hall near Newton Circus for the weekend’s meetings.

On the Saturday evening, a very good crowd from all the Corps throughout Singapore and Malaysia assembled at the Hall. Band and Songsters and other participants were all ready to give their items to the glory of God. At the given signal the Band started to play a march and everyone expected General and Mrs. Clarence Wiseman, accompanied by Major William Rivers the ADC to come marching in accompanied by the Officer Commanding and Mrs. Lieut. Sloan. They were in for a surprise.

Behind the Army flag a tricycle appeared with two passengers – General and Mrs. Wiseman and it moved slowly up the aisle to the foot of the platform to the cheers of the crowd. I understand Major Brian Corfield, the Public Relations Secretary assisted by Captain Goh Siong Kheng had stopped a trishaw near Newton Circus. The poor fellow confronted by this tall Australian with his Chinese assistant, was dumbfounded and just obeyed instructions! It was unbelievable how they got the tricycle upstairs. Anyway I understand they did pay him the fares, handsomely I hope to make up for the fright this poor trishaw rider had experienced!

We had a glorious weekend of meetings. The improvised Mercy Seat was lined with seekers on Sunday.

After the euphoria of the visit of the General and the celebration of the 40th Anniversary Congress, we received the sad news that Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. James Sloan were to return to Canada. They were good leaders and had made a great impact upon the people here. They were very humble, in fact they quite often expressed their feelings that they should not be living at in the beautiful and luxurious quarters at 80 Sunset Way. If they had their way they would rather sell the building and live in one of the Housing Board flats as they wanted to be with the ordinary people. Housing Board flats are only made available to individuals, citizens and permanent residents and not organisations.

During their term as leaders of the Command, The Salvation Army moved the Boys’ Home from a rented bungalow at Pasir Panjang to Changi, the present site where Peacehaven Nursing Home is now situated. On 20th May 1972 President Dr. B. Sheares officially opened the Boys’ Home. The Singapore Armed Forces Band were in attendance and played “Majulah Singapura” our Singapore national anthem. At the conclusion of his speech, the president cut the yellow, red and blue ribbons at the door and unveiled a plaque. Lt-Colonel J.R. Sloan paid tribute to his predecessor, Lieut. Colonel George Engel who had initiated, raised the funds and worked untiringly on this project.

The Lee Kuo Chuan Nursery Home in Upper Bukit Timah was converted to a Home for the Elderly. This involved a lot of negotiations with the Lee Foundation and the Social Welfare Department.

In 1956, the Lee Kuo Chuan Nursery Home at 500 Upper Bukit Timah was officially opened by Sir Robert Black, the Governor of Singapore. Thousands of babies and children passed through the Army’s Nursery Home. They came from broken homes or poverty stricken families. Some of the babies had been abandoned by their parents in hospitals or outside the doors of orphanages or even placed at bus stops.

The success of the Government’s campaign in family planning to control the population resulted in fewer babies being born and less of a demand for places in Nursery Homes. Besides those who wanted to put their children in our Nursery Home were not needy cases. To accept these would defeat the purpose for which the Home was built.

With the growing number of elderly people in need of accommodation, it was felt necessary to change the use of the Home and cater for the elderly, particularly those who had no relatives to take care of them. At the turn of the century many had arrived from China to work on construction sites or as domestic helpers and now in their old age had nowhere to go or anyone to take care of them.

With the concurrence of the Lee Foundation the Army closed down the Nursery Home and changed it into Home for Elderly women. Brigadier B Tjeertes a Dutch officer with much experience in social work effected the change in 1972. Thus began the Army’s first Home for the Aged. As years went by the Army had to make significant changes and today it is the Peacehaven Nursing Home.

In 1973 it was Family Focus Year. Mrs. Lieut. Colonel Grace Sloan worked very hard with my wife and the ladies in preparing programmes. The Women’s Department initiated a quarterly combined family meetings held alternately at Central and Balestier Corps. Every centre provided items. This generated a lot of interest among our people and new people were attracted to the Army. This activity continued for many years and brought the Corps folk together.

We were sorry to bid farewell to Lieut. Colonel and Mrs. Sloan who returned to Canada in April 1975. I first came to know the Colonel in 1963 when we were delegates to the same session at the International College for Officers in London. After they had left our Command we continued to keep in contact with them till their promotion to Glory. Today we look back and thank God for sending such gracious and dedicated people to serve in our Command. They were true Salvation Army missionaries who loved and cared for our people.

Search the Scriptures

A lot of my time is spent in reading and searching the Scriptures. I've been greatly blessed and thank God for the opportunity of sharing the word with others every week.

Among Bible believing Christians there are those who believe the Bible is so simple that there is no need for anyone to explain the Scriptures to us. They claim ‘we have the Holy Spirit to instruct us.’ They claim they have been in the church for many years, they know all the stories of the Bible, and there is no further need for any Bible study.

Let’s face facts. The Bible was written so many years ago on so many different subjects. People lived in cultures very different from ours. We do need the help of commentaries and people who have spent time prayerfully searching and studying the Bible.

We attend church not just to worship but to hear the word of God explained to us. What an awesome responsibility is placed upon our preachers and teachers of the word. Let us search the Scriptures and learn the truths God has for us.

No one should stop learning. In life we keep pursuing knowledge. There is so much to learn about our Christian faith and it is important that we know the word of God as revealed in the Bible.

Study the Bible to be wise; believe it to be safe; practise it to be holy. Search the Scriptures and you will be richly rewarded.

God has given us the Holy Spirit to illumine our minds (1 John 2: 20, 27). He has also appointed ‘pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4: 11, cf Acts 20: 28, 1 Pet. 5: 2) God works through means for the salvation and sanctification of His saints (meaning Christians) He uses pastors, teachers and in Salvation Army terminology, officers and local officers who are held accountable by God for the spiritual well being of people in the church.

Let us pray this prayer:

Break Thou the bread of life,
O Lord to me,
As Thou didst break the loaves
Beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page
I seek Thee Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee.
O living Word (SASB 650)

A bookman's beatitudes

Blessed are those who feed the mind; the kingdom of knowledge is theirs.
Blessed are the well read for they shall be enriched.
Blessed are the educated; they shall inherit the world.
Blessed are those who invest in good books and literature for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the disciplined, for they shall find time to read.
Blessed are they that lend their books, for they shall be called true friends.
Blessed are they who return the books that are loaned, for they shall not ever be called 'bookkeepers.'
Blessed are they that persevere in good reading, for theirs is an enduring investment.
Blessed are you if, men elect you to many committees and heap many duties upon you for the community's sake, you still hold fast to your reading habits, for how great will be your reward.
This is how the wise are separated from the foolish. George Earle Owen.

Caring and sharing - spirit of self denial.

We are looking forward to our visit to Central Corps again next Sunday 7th November to conduct the Self Denial Altar Service. The Corps Officer Captain Lim Chee Kwee (pastor) will be away with a group to tour the Holy Land and we are glad of the privilege given to preach the word.

Scenes from our television screens scream at us everyday. Volcanic eruption, Mountain spewing our lava and ashes bring death and destruction; earthquakes destroyed homes and crops! Floods claimed victims! Refugees fleeing scenes of fighting! Hunger, thirst, starvation, disease, death, the list goes on.

We live in a suffering world and The Salvation Army and other volunteer charitable organisations try their best to do their small part in this tear drenched world of ours. We hear the cries for help coming from everywhere.

Where does the Army get its funds from? The public has been very generous, but we appeal to all Salvationists and fellow Christians to set aside a portion of your salary this month and give that to our Self Denial Fund. The money collected goes into an international fund which is used only for work in third world countries.

We in this region enjoy a fairly high standard of living. Let us spare a thought and dig deep into our pockets and put our contribution into the Self Denial envelope. We claim that we care, so let us share. The first lesson in the school of Christ is SELF DENIAL.

Our Missionary Altar Service will be held at every Corps (church) on Sunday 7th November 2010