What a joy it was to welcome six new cadets of the "Heralds of Grace" session. This truly is an answer to prayer. It is the first time this territory is having what is termed "Flexible Training." The cadets are appointed to Corps where they work under experienced officers. They attend lectures at local Bible Colleges. The four Singapore cadets attend the Trinity Theological College to study Bible and theology.
They will meet regularly at our own own Salvation Army School for Officer Training for lectures on other subjects like preaching, homiletics, leadership, management etc. A comprehensive programme has been drawn up. The cadets will be kept busy. They will also have spiritual days at our own School at regular intervals.
The Cadets from Singapore are
Cadets Tan Bee Yit and Bee Geok from Central Corps are appointed to Changi Corps for training under the supervision of Major Lim Chee Kwee.
Cadets Tan Wee Keong and Joyce from Chinese Corps are appointed to Balestier Corps for training under the supervision of Captain Hary.
The two Malaysian cadets are
Cadet Carmen Ng from Ipoh Corps is appointed to Melaka for training under the supervision of Major Kamala.
Cadet Kayathrih from Banting is appointed to Penang for training under the supervision of Major Tan Guat Hai.They will attend non-Army Theologial and Bible Colleges in Seremban and Penang.
Saturday evening was the welcome dinner where the cadets' families or close friends were invited. We were privileged to be invited by two of the Singapore cadets.
Sunday afternoon, there was a combined meeting to officially welcome the cadets. The United Central and William Booth Band played a march and the flag bearers marched in following by the cadets.
We were reminded of our welcome sixty years ago at the Central Corps Hall, Clemenceau Avenue. In that "Shepherds' Session" in 1954 there were only four of us. It was the first session after the war. We had no Training Principal or Staff, so the Officer Commanding Lieut. Colonel Frederick W Harvey took on the additional responsibility as the Acting Training Principal. The original plan was for the General Secretary, Major William Price to be the Training Principal, but he and his wife farewelled and returned to the United Kingdom just before the session commenced. History repeats itself. (In those days the Salvation Army in Simgapore and Malaysia formed one Command, hence we had Officer Commanding instead of Territorial Commander, General Secrretary instead of Chief Secretary.)
God bless the cadets and their families!
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