Penang – Pearl of the Orient

 

Penang is a beautiful island.   My wife and I were privileged to serve in two appointments, at different times, on this “Pearl of the Orient.”   Our two older children were born there during our term as the pastors November 1959 to May 1962 and later from 1965-1966 in charge of the Boys’ Home with a chicken farm where I learned to perform my fowl deeds!   Charles King in his biography of Frederick Harvey wrote

“Adjutant and Mrs Harvey were appointed to commence the Army’s work on the island of Penang in 1938On their departure from Singapore the Adjutant was presented with an Army flag on an eight-foot pole, made in one piece, to take with him!   Evidently it was not intended that he should arrive incognito.  For a month the Harveys distributed handbills printed in Chinese, Malay and Tamil, and visited door-to-door, talking to the inhabitants in the Malay language.   Then open-air meetings began – just the two of them, aided by six year old Arthur, who handed out invitations to the meetings.

For a hall and quarters Adjutant Harvey acquired a former YWCA building.  The ground floor housed the hall, with quarters upstairs.  Opening day arrived, the doors were flung wide open and one old European gentleman walked in.   The Harveys had their first congregation!   They gave him a drink and prayed with him, then waited to see what the evening meeting would bring.  That night 12 came – the Army’s first corps (church) in Penang was established.

Many children in Penang were unable to attend school, so the Harveys commenced their own.   Within a few days there were 150 pupils, and the school was recognised by the education authorities.   Soon there were two corps, the second being opened at Jelutong, in an old rubber factory.   This had been turned into flats, occupied by Chinese folk.   But then one of the residents hanged himself there and the building acquired the reputation of being haunted.   Adjutant Harvey, undaunted by the tale, rented the entire building for just one dollar a year.”  (Taken from “Frederick Harvey” by Charles King.)

Lim Seong Cheng was one of the early day converts.  He came from a strong Buddhist family;   in fact his father was the chairman of the Buddhist Association, Penang.  Seong Cheng felt emptiness within him and searched in vain for peace from different religions.   One day someone gave him a copy of St. John’s gospel.   He read it avidly and found the Lord and later became a Salvationist, much to the opposition and anger of his father.

When war broke out in 1942 Corps Sergeant Major Lim fled to the hills for safety.   Major Harvey, as he was by then, heard that Lim was seriously ill.   The Major rushed there and found him, but it was too late.  Lim had gone to meet the Lord.

After the war, at the opening of a new hall (the one that was replaced by the present building) Frederick Harvey discovered that sitting in the gathering was Lim Seong Cheng’s father.   Still a Buddhist, he had come to present the platform chairs in memory of his son.

Years later, when my wife and I were in charge of Penang Corps, a couple came to the meeting – the husband a Scot and the wife a local Chinese.   The next Sunday they came again and both knelt at the Mercy Seat and were converted.   Later they expressed their desire to be soldiers.

 The day came when both were invited to the platform to be ‘sworn in’ as soldiers.   Standing there, she noticed one of the chairs on the platform had a plaque on it indicating that it was given in memory of Lim Seong Cheng.   She turned to me and said, “That’s my father.”   What a pleasant surprise!

During the war thousands of people in Penang were killed or made homeless by the bombing raids.   Two thousand refugees were housed in a camp and Major Harvey was placed in charge.

Suddenly an order was issued for all overseas women to leave the island.   Mrs. Harvey, accompanied by her ten-year-old son Arthur, left for Singapore.   From there they were evacuated to Australia where they remained throughout the occupation of this land.   Major Harvey could have fled the island, but chose to remain in Penang.  He was arrested by the Japanese invaders and sent to Penang Prison where he endured severe ill treatment for 13 months prior to his transfer to Changi Prison in Singapore.

After the occupation, Fred Harvey returned to Penang where he found two national officers – Captains Tan Eng Soon and George Tan Koon Hoe.   They had collected the necessary furniture, equipment and food to commence a Red Shield Club, catering to the needs of the troops.   There was much relief work to be done.   It was five months after the liberation before the Harveys were reunited and able to take homeland furlough in England.

Penang now has a beautiful building which we can be proud of.   However, the Army needs people to love and serve the Lord and His people, whatever the cost.   It is our prayer that our comrades in Penang will remain true and faithful to Him, so that many people will find Jesus Christ to be “the Pearl of Greatest Price”.