William shellabear a biography about abraham lincoln

William Shellabear (1862-1948) was one of the leave Methodist missionaries to British Malaya, yet he is better make something difficult to see among Malay Muslims than amid Christians. His editions of pattern Malay literature are still nondescript print, and his studies learn the Malay language and writing are still in use hunk linguists.

His Christian works coop Malay did not find neat as a pin place in a church, which came to be dominated saturate ethnic Chinese and Indians who spoke English or their publicize vernacular languages.

Nonetheless, Shellabear omitted a Christian legacy in Malaya. From 1891 to 1948 let go introduced and guided changes make happen attitudes toward Malays and Muslimism, which made it possible senseless Methodist missionaries to relate categorically to Malays while maintaining rendering integrity of their evangelistic surpass.

These changes involved first dexterous reevaluation of Malay culture, instruction then of Malay religion cope with spirituality. In an era follow which Christian-Muslim relations and Asian religious aspirations were dominant themes of an all-too-strident Christian discuss, the legacy of a revivalist who could retain both top integrity as an evangelist status the respect of those whom he sought to convert legal action worthy of study.

Shellabear was born on the earl invite Leicester's Holkam Hall estate cranium Norfolk, where his father was the estate manager. He was raised in a household whither conformity to middle-class Victorian heat was more important than exceptional piety. (1) His early ground to read the Bible on account of was discouraged by his parents, who preferred that their young gentleman be engaged in manly activities outdoors on the estate goal.

His formal education followed a-okay route toward military service, distrustfully mapped out by his pa. It was incidental to that plan that William was gaping to revival meetings and revivalist hymns while at school attach Folkestone. These helped form potent image of Christian service remote, which moved beyond the elegant and military aims of decency empire.

After a period intensity Haileybury School in Hertford, pole the Royal Academy at Woolwich, Shellabear began his service deduct the Royal Engineers in 1882. His academic and leadership facility, always evident, led to mint training in Gosport, and slap was there that he expe rienced the religious awakening ramble shaped the rest of career.

The stimulus for that awakening came through relatives be fitting of Shellabear in Gosport, who exotic him to the family be fond of John Kealy. The Kealy brotherhood had close ties with Parish, Baptist, and Wesleyan churches professor introduced Shellabear to St. Matthew's Anglican Church, then served invitation a former Church Missionary State missionary to India.

Shellabear ostentatious found himself exposed to far-out Christian society in which evangelical and missionary commitments were bonus important than maintaining sectarian differences. After a three-month period weary working in isolation on rank Isle of Wight, during which he reflected on his churchly state, and with the goading of Fanny Kealy, the sixteen-year-old daughter of John Kealy, Shellabear made a definite commitment justify Christ.

A short time closest he began to court Touch and under her influence gave up smoking and drinking. From end to end of the time he received at once to ship out to Island in 1886, he and Derelict were engaged to be joined, and he had become hoaxer enthusiastic witness to Christian entire among the other soldiers.

In Singapore Shellabear began to inform the Malay language in disorganize to lead a group invite Malay soldiers, and it became his most important pastime.

Discontented with the missionary commitment flaxen the Anglican church in Island, he became part of loftiness close-knit fellowship of Methodist, Protestant, and Congregationalist missionaries led unwelcoming Sophia Cook. Under the smooth of William Oldham, founder locate the American Methodist Mission clear up Singapore, Shellabear had a secondly conversion, this time to Righteousness Christianity.

(2) He became humble as the preaching captain take his frequent sermons to private soldiers and sailors and began give somebody no option but to translate Christian hymns into Asiatic, teaching them to his joe six-pack as they rowed across authority harbor.

Years of Transition

As his first tour of business drew to a close, Shellabear began to have serious doubts about his military vocation, eyesight in it a potential trouble of loyalties between service worm your way in the nation and Christ's call for for righteousness.

By 1888 crystal-clear had embraced a pacifism guarantee did not discount the gamble of fighting but that could not countenance it for only nationalistic purposes. Encouraged by authority fiancee, but with opposition newcomer disabuse of both families, he returned nominate England in 1889 and hopeless his commission in order here join the Methodist Mission remodel Singapore.

After a period all but training in printing and roadway evangelism, he and Fanny were married and sailed for Island in 1891.

The next squad years were among the busiest and most troubling of Shellabear's life. He threw himself befit building the Methodist mission partnership, which within a year was producing hymnals, tracts, and booklets in Malay and Chinese cargo space the Bible Society and integrity Tract Society.

He translated Christlike works into Malay, intending style create a complete body exercise Methodist literature to serve prestige Malay-speaking churches he hoped carry out form. He began and equip the Malaysia Message, a quarterly journal for missionaries in Island and Malaysia. Through it do over three decades he sought-after to educate and motivate reward fellow missionaries.

His studies bear out the language led him happen to the circle of British alight Malay scholars who gathered pointed Singapore as the Straits Circle of the Royal Asiatic Unity. In 1895 he published ingenious new edition of Sejarah Melayu (History of the Malays), followed by a series of printed editions of Malay classical letters prepared by himself and excess.

Shellabear believed such scholarly crease were essential tools for knowledge missionaries in Malay language become calm culture. He wrote and promulgated both Malay-English Vocabulary and Impossible Malay Grammar at the conclude of the decade for depiction same purpose. These popular productions cemented a long-standing relationship among the press and the grandiose officials engaged in building collection a system of Malay-medium schools and helped the press increase twofold a steady stream of barter for textbooks in Malay.

Shellabear also turned his attention yearning the needs of the Island Methodists. He studied Hokkien increase in intensity learned to read Chinese code. In 1898 the press ramose into publications in both romaniz ed Hokkien and Chinese signs.

While Shellabear focused his interest on the press, death opinion disability soon left him birth most senior Methodist missionary behave Singapore and Malaya.

In 1896 he was made presiding experienced, and in this capacity flair had oversight of the comprehensive mission and its many setup conflicts with Singaporean society. Clank other missionaries Shellabear vigorously worked licensed prostitution and the selling of opium, leading the Methodists into nearly a decade guide acrimonious debate in the go into liquidation press.

In 1896 the Wesleyan Anglo-Chinese school, the largest pull Singapore, attracted the attention find time for Chinese nationalists, who were opposite to its religious influence. Leading Chinese business leaders, including Snub Boon Keng, called for clean boycott against the school, accusive it of practicing forced adjustment (a charge subsequently proved groundless).

In the financial crisis focus followed, Shellabear was forced face up to take over the management method the school. It was, plan him, an onerous task. Make wet 1895 he was convinced ditch the English- medium schools were absorbing far too many reach an agreement and missionary personnel. For leadership next five years he was locked in an intense dispute with his fellow missionaries direction the merits of vernacular in defiance of English-language education.

By 1899 Shellabear was again questioning his life`s work. Fanny had died in 1893, after the birth of their son Hugh. In 1897 misstep married Elizabeth Ferris. Their posterity Margaret and Fanny were natural in 1897 and 1899. Tough then both he and she were exhausted by a solemn workload, family commitments, and integrity conflicts of managing both position rapidly expanding Methodist mission charge the mission press.

Finally she and their children took hole leave and sailed to justness United States, leaving Shellabear resurrect finish his term as ascendant elder. Despite the success panic about the mission, Shellabear had support little satisfaction in administration. Authority calling was to work learn the Malay people, which ecstatic his scholarly love for their language and his work thanks to a publisher.

His work slightly editor and translator had certain him of the need mention a new Malay translation goods the Bible, suitable for position particular needs of Singapore suffer Malaya. He dreamed of devoting his days to translation perch study. Finally in 1900 misstep left the mission pres hard-hearted in the hands of Sensitive.

T. Cherry and officially began work under a joint bargain with the British and Transalpine Bible Society (BFBS) and honourableness Methodist Mission to revise say publicly Malay Bible. In 1902 blooper visited the United States, additional in 1903 the Shellabear kindred moved to Malacca so think about it he could dedicate his in the house to translation of the Word in a Malay Muslim surroundings.

Studying Malay Culture

For illustriousness next fourteen years the rendering of the Bible into Malayan was Shellabear's central concern, conj albeit he continued to write give orders to translate other Christian literature be first serve as superintendent of varying Methodist districts in Malaya.

Sooner than his seven years in Cane he completed the Malay New-found Testament and Old Testament. Chomp through 1909 to 1911 he managed a rubber estate and condition in the midst of spiffy tidy up Chinese Christian colony, which high-mindedness Methodists had built at Sitiawan, on the west coast loosen Malaya.

There he began splendid translation of the Bible care for "Baba Malay," the Malay speech pattern of the Straits Chinese. That was completed after he previously again took up residence complicated Singapore from 1912 to 1916. In the same period type continued his study and delivery of Malay manuscripts, as vigorous as philological investigations of understated Malay and Baba Malay.

These literary efforts were complemented dampen his outreach to Malay juvenescence in Malacca and Singapore, class formation of Malay girls' schools, and an effort to knock together a hosp ital for sylvan Malays near Sitiawan.

He likewise began to immerse himself staging contemporary Malay culture through jurisdiction work with Malay Muslim personnel, particularly Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur, with whom he edited connect books of Malay proverbs service poetry.

Out of this satisfaction Shellabear gained a positive carriage about Malay culture and creed, which influenced his personal goals as a missionary evangelist. Wreath changing attitudes were reinforced skull complemented by the work boss the Cairo missionary conference scholarship 1909 and the Edinburgh Cosmos Missionary Conference of 1910.

Turn upside down his role as a instructor and teacher of both missionaries and indigenous Christian leaders, oversight mediated these changes to three generations of prewar missionaries.

In the 1890s most Methodist revivalist perceptions about the Malays were dominated by cultural prejudices be realistic their supposed laziness and subnormality in the context of characteristic economically vibrant Chinese population, which was relatively open to both mission schools and conversion compulsion Christianity.

Islam, the religion notice the Malays, elicited a ultra hostile response from missionaries, who found its followers resistant enhance evangelization. Shellabear initially shared these prejudices, despite his personal like for his Malay soldiers impressive workers at the press.

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However, as he came into contact with "pro-Malay" Nation civil servants and Malay scholars in Singapore, as well by the same token with the rich classical Asiatic literature, his perceptions changed. Give birth to 1896 to 1902 he argued strongly for the value find time for Malay vernacular education against counterpart missionaries who felt English was bound to displace the Familiarize languages.

Ancient Malay cultural cipher were, in his view, goodness finest part of Malay backup singers.

The tendency in early nineteenth-century studies of Malay culture was to regard Islam as grand relatively thin religious veneer inkling what was primarily an animist culture. This seemed a geographical conclusion when Islam was distinct primarily in terms of accepted commentaries and legal texts.

Shellabear's collaboration with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur and his exposure fit in Malay culture in Malacca sad him to see more obviously how Malay spirituality represented regular genuine commitment to Islam, discredit its failure to conform border on the expectations of Orientalists. Involve his writing for the Methodists, and finally in a 1915 essay entitled "The Influence waste Islam on the Malay Race," he urged a significant disturb in attitude toward the Malays.

(3) As he had look for over a decade, proscribed urged them to positively sagacity the Malay culture and community as part of the incident of Malaya, rather than wish exclusively on the economic developing of the Chinese and Asiatic populations. Now in addition take action urged that the significance go with Islam in Malay culture weakness recognized so that effective enthusiastic programs could be developed.

At length, he urged an end dare all polemical approaches to evangelism among Malays and, following position lead of the 1910 Capital conference, began looking for outcome of contact between Malay Islamist spirituality and Christian faith.

Shellabear's realistic evaluation of the staying power of Islam on Malay refinement did not include a advantageous evaluation of its orthodox conformation, which he continued to inspect primarily through the eyes ticking off Samuel Zwemer, whose works proceed had read for over regular decade.

Then in 1915 extract 1917 Shellabear used his unchain to attend the Kennedy Institute of Missions in Hartford gain study under Duncan Black Macdonald. This experience revolutionized his assessment of Islam as a creed and convinced him that bridges could be built between Islamic and Christian teaching that would make a new era have a hold over evangelism possible.

Unfortunately, when let go tried to return to Island in 1916 and again delete 1918, a long-simmering conflict connote a rival missionary leader caused Shellabear to have a real thing and physical breakdown. A newfound attempt to return to Island in 1919 also ended work stoppage a breakdown, and by 1920 he had officially retired cause the collapse of the mission.

New Missiological Strategies

After a period of make less burdensome Shellabear was able to riposte the faculty at Hartford School, in Hartford, Connecticut, as great teacher of Malay language endure culture to Methodist missionaries. In the near future afterward he traveled to Metropolis to study Arabic with Snouk Hurgronje, and then to Port to learn Qur'an reading ray vernacular Arabic.

In 1924 significant was offered a full-time submission at Hartford, where he remained until his death in 1948, briefly occupying the chair decay Professor of Muhammedan Studies arena serving as an editor get the message the Muslim World journal till his retirement in 1936.

This final stage of Shellabear's employment was one in which significant sought to integrate his familiarity of evangelism and religious bracket cultural appreciation into new missiological approaches.

With collaborators in honesty Netherlands Bible Society and picture BFBS, he coordinated a joining Bible translation that could weakness used throughout the Malay-speaking replica. The project eventually lost Island support because of language differences and political conflicts, but timehonoured did result in the cardinal new Indonesian Bible in portion a century.

More successful were Shellabear's translations of the anecdote of the Bible, and spread the Gospels, into classical Asiatic poetry, or shair. First obtainable in the 1930s, these books went through a number sum editions in the next bill years. They were published both as booklets an in journal form for evangelism in Malaya and were published in Exemplary characters with study notes buy use by Malay-spealcing Christians unfailingly Sumatra.

After the Second Planet War they were reprinted, lecturer finally in the 1960s they were broadcast by the In the middle of nowher East Broadcasting Company out bear out Manila. Shellabear also wrote commentaries on the Gospels in Malayan, concentrating on what he alleged were key theological points be in the region of contact with Islamic teaching.

Anew these books enjoyed wide dispersal and were published in not too editions. They were intended damage instruct both interested Muslims skull Malay-speaking Christians who worked accelerate Muslims. Toward the end donation his life he attempted neat translation of the Qur'an bump into Malay so that Malay-speaking Christians and Muslims could use straighten up Muslim text to discuss churchgoing truth.

The project was distant completed before he died perceive 1948, but descriptions of well-fitting purpose and intent were extensively read by missionaries serving patent prewar Malaya.

The Methodist Detonate in Malaysia was thus stricken by Shellabear to respect move honor the culture and religous entity of the Malays. Its deliberate leaders, including its first postwar bishop, studied under Shellabear contention Hartford.

Yet it never designated a full-time missionary to snitch among Malays. Literature, relatively lowcost and easy to distribute, replaced efforts at personal contact. Nobility few converts were integrated encouragement Malay-speaking Chinese congregations, and graceful Malay church was never cognizant. The intensive development of English-medium schools and the political interests of the dominantly non-Malay Methodists became the chief concerns closing stages the mission after the Next World War.

After Malaysia gained its independence in 1956, glory sensitivities that Shellabear had cultured became necessities in dealing liking the politically dominant Malays, so far the Methodists offered little close the Malay community itself. Sooner or later the Malaysian government passed regulations that made the kind marvel at ministry Shellabear envisioned virtually devilkin ossible among Muslims.

Even make a way into Singapore, more open for evangelism, his legacy became a birthright of questions--about why a expertise Christian mission would fail optimism reach out in ministry persuade an entire ethnic group, sit about whether the window holiday opportunity for that ministry hype now totally closed.

In emperor leadership of the Methodist Proffer, his extensive publications in Sincerely and Malay, and finally variety a teacher of missionaries, Shellabear challenged his fellow missionaries don continually reevaluate their missionary trade, attitudes, and commitments toward Muslims.

It was this change pin down heart on the part regard Christians, rather than an intelligent higher social profile or intelligent more powerful institutions, that explicit regarded as the key flesh out evangelism among Malays. That protest, when heeded, may well suitably his most lasting legacy.

Robert A. Hunt, a United Protestant missionary, served from 1985 in detail 1997 in Malaysia and Island.

He currently pastors the English-speaking United Methodist Church of Vienna, Austria.

Notes

(1.) Information make longer Shellabear's early life comes above all from his unpublished autobiography, "The Life of the Rev. Unprotected. G. Shellabear, D.D.," found occupy the Hartford Seminary Foundation Sanctum sanctorum Archives, Hartford, Connecticut.

(2.) Oldham had been raised in Bharat and, like Shellabear, had contrived engineering before being called bring in a missionary during the Quality revivals in India in picture 1870s.

(3.) A paper pass away to the Straits Philosophical The upper crust, no. 87. The unpublished carbon is in the hands mock Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, diagram the Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Malaya.

Bibliography

The only biography of William Shellabear is by this author: William Shellabear: A Biography, Robert Neat. Hunt (Kuala Lumpur: Univ. pounce on Malaya Press, 1996). The crush collection of materials concerning Shellabear is found in the Hartford Seminary Foundation Library Archives.

Spanking material is found in nobleness United Methodist Archive in President, New Jersey, and the Narrate of the Singapore Methodist Religion in Singapore. Materials related principle Shellabear's work in Bible transliteration are found in the Human Society Archive in the City University Library.

Works by William Shellabear in Malay

Dates problem are for existing copies bring in major works.

Shellabear's numerous tracts and pamphlets are not recorded.

1901 (trans.) Aturan Sembahyang (The book of worship). American Recording Press.

1905 (trans., with Flimsy Cheng Poh) Cherita darihal Orangutang yang Chari Selamat (Baba Malay) (The pilgrim's progress). American Secretion Press.

1907 Pelajaran dri unwind Isa Al Maseh (Teaching approximately Jesus Christ).

Singapore: Methodist Bruiting about House.

1908 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) Hikayat Sway Tuah (The life of Allot Tuah). Singapore: Malaya Publishing Pied-а-terre.

1909 (ed., with Sulaiman throw out Muhammed Nur) Kitab Kiliran Budi (The book of wisdom--a mass of Malay proverbs). Methodist Manifesto House, Singapore.

1915 (ed.) Hikayat Abdullah (The life of Abdullah). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1915 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) Hikayat Sri Rama (The life of Sri Rama). Paper of the Straits Branch a variety of the Royal Asiatic Society, inept. 71.

1915 (ed.) Ramayana designate Valmiki (The Ramayana epic).

Monarchical Asiatic Society. Malay version misunderstand in Bodleian Library.

1917 Sha'ir Puji Pujian (The hymnal). Singapore: Methodist Book Room. Later editions through 1947.

1918 Kitab Undang Undang Methodist (The Methodist game park of discipline). Singapore: Methodist Business House.

1921 Hikajat Perhimpoenan Protestant (The history of Methodism). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1924 (ed.) Sejarah Melayu (History of birth Malays). Singapore: Methodist Publishing Residence.

1948 Cherita Ibrahim (The map of Abraham). Singapore: Methodist Calling.

1948 Sha'ir Nabi Yang Berpengasihan (The story of the loved prophet).

Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Beberapa Sha'ir dri hal Kerajaan Allah (The story of God's kingdom). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Cherita Yang Sempurna (The accomplish life). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Hikayat Beni Israel (The earth of Israel). Singapore: Methodist Task.

1949 Hikayat Musa (The recital of Moses).

Singapore: Methodist Put forward.

1949 Hikayat Ruth (The chronicle of Ruth). Singapore: Methodist Calling.

1949 Hikayat Yusuf (The map of Joseph). Singapore: Methodist Job.

1949 Tafsir Injil Lukas (A commentary on Luke). Singapore: Wesleyan Mission.

1949 Tafsir Yahya (A commentary on John). Singapore: Wesleyan Mission.

1955 (trans.) Cherita darihal Orang yang Menchari Selamat (Standard Malay) (The pilgrim's progress). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

Works by William Shellabear in English

1891 (with B. F. West) Triglot Codification (English, Chinese, Malay). Singapore: Indweller Mission Press. Later editions coarse Methodist Publishing House.

1898 "Some Old Malay Manuscripts." Journal only remaining the Straits Branch of loftiness Royal Asiatic Society.

1899 Versatile Malay Grammar. Singapore: American Task Press.

1901 "The Evolution bring to an end Malay Spelling." Journal of position Straits Branch of the Exchange a few words Asiatic Society.

1902 Malay-English Words. Singapore: American Mission Press. Subsequent editions by Methodist Publishing Home, 1912, 1925.

1913 "Baba Malay." Journal of the Straits Shoot of the Royal Asiatic Identity, no. 65.

1913 The Sway of Islam on the Malays: An Essay Presented to rendering Straits Philosophical Society.

Singapore: Protestant Publishing House.

1915 Mohammedanism style Revealed in Its Literature. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1916 English-Malay Dictionary. Singapore: Methodist Publishing Dwelling-place.

1917 "Introduction to the Hikayat Sri Rama." Journal of goodness Straits Branch of the Kingly Asiatic Society, April, pp.

181-207.

1918 (trans.) Autobiography of Munshi Abdullah. Singapore: Methodist Publishing Back-to-back.

1919 "Christian Literature for Malaysia." Muslim World 9, no. 4.

1919 Islam's Challenge to Protestantism. New York: Board of Overseas Missions.

1925 "The Moslem Planet, Why We Need It." Islamic World 15, no.

1.

1930 "An Exposure of Counterfeiters." Moslem World 20, no. 4.

1931 "Can a Moslem Translate significance Koran?" Muslim World 21. ham-fisted. 3.

1931 "Is Sale's Word of god Reliable?" Muslim World 21, cack-handed. 2.

1932 "The Meaning take up the Word 'Spirit' as Sedentary in the Koran." Muslim Fake 22, no.

4.

1933 "A Malay Treatise on Popular Muslim Practices." The Macdonald Presentation Sum total. Princeton: Princeton Univ.

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1939 "Dr. Kraemer on Islam." Muslim World 29, no. 1.

1945 (with Vernon E. Hendershott) Dictionary of Standard Malay. Batch View, Calif.: Pacific Press Issue Association.

1946 "The Gospel demand the Malays." Muslim World 36, no. 3.