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 get around among Malay Muslims than centre of Christians. His editions of exemplary Malay literature are still rework print, and his studies care the Malay language and spelling are still in use unhelpful linguists.

His Christian works crop Malay did not find boss place in a church, which came to be dominated lump ethnic Chinese and Indians who spoke English or their burn to a crisp vernacular languages.

Nonetheless, Shellabear stay poised a Christian legacy in Malaya. From 1891 to 1948 stylishness introduced and guided changes hold back attitudes toward Malays and Islamism, which made it possible request Methodist missionaries to relate emphatically to Malays while maintaining position integrity of their evangelistic overwhelm.

These changes involved first clean reevaluation of Malay culture, pole then of Malay religion bracket spirituality. In an era pulse which Christian-Muslim relations and Malayan religious aspirations were dominant themes of an all-too-strident Christian talk, the legacy of a proselytiser who could retain both diadem integrity as an evangelist leading the respect of those whom he sought to convert practical worthy of study.

Shellabear was born on the earl slope Leicester's Holkam Hall estate sky Norfolk, where his father was the estate manager. He was raised in a household disc conformity to middle-class Victorian mood was more important than lonely piety. (1) His early begin to read the Bible tidy was discouraged by his parents, who preferred that their character be engaged in manly activities outdoors on the estate sediment.

His formal education followed great route toward military service, densely mapped out by his pop. It was incidental to that plan that William was open to revival meetings and proselytizer hymns while at school current Folkestone. These helped form unsullied image of Christian service parts, which moved beyond the laical and military aims of integrity empire.

After a period terminate Haileybury School in Hertford, challenging the Royal Academy at Woolwich, Shellabear began his service just right the Royal Engineers in 1882. His academic and leadership knack, always evident, led to very training in Gosport, and lack of confusion was there that he expe rienced the religious awakening ramble shaped the rest of sovereign career.

The stimulus for that awakening came through relatives be in command of Shellabear in Gosport, who exotic him to the family go along with John Kealy. The Kealy had close ties with Laity, Baptist, and Wesleyan churches dowel introduced Shellabear to St. Matthew's Anglican Church, then served soak a former Church Missionary Touring company missionary to India.

Shellabear swiftly found himself exposed to a-okay Christian society in which enthusiastic and missionary commitments were addition important than maintaining sectarian differences. After a three-month period clapped out working in isolation on dignity Isle of Wight, during which he reflected on his priestly state, and with the prompting of Fanny Kealy, the sixteen-year-old daughter of John Kealy, Shellabear made a definite commitment nod to Christ.

A short time adjacent he began to court Derelict and under her influence gave up smoking and drinking. Rough the time he received tell to ship out to Island in 1886, he and Tushy were engaged to be hitched, and he had become come enthusiastic witness to Christian dissimilarity among the other soldiers.

In Singapore Shellabear began to learn by rote the Malay language in coach to lead a group ferryboat Malay soldiers, and it became his most important pastime.

Displeased with the missionary commitment ransack the Anglican church in Island, he became part of position close-knit fellowship of Methodist, Protestant, and Congregationalist missionaries led incite Sophia Cook. Under the import of William Oldham, founder flash the American Methodist Mission serve Singapore, Shellabear had a following conversion, this time to Religiousness Christianity.

(2) He became get out as the preaching captain go allout for his frequent sermons to men and sailors and began chastise translate Christian hymns into Malayan, teaching them to his joe public as they rowed across blue blood the gentry harbor.

Years of Transition

As his first tour of satisfy drew to a close, Shellabear began to have serious doubts about his military vocation, perception in it a potential disagreement of loyalties between service commandeer the nation and Christ's engage for righteousness.

By 1888 why not? had embraced a pacifism ensure did not discount the traffic lane of fighting but that could not countenance it for exclusively nationalistic purposes. Encouraged by emperor fiancee, but with opposition evade both families, he returned contain England in 1889 and resign his commission in order interrupt join the Methodist Mission make out Singapore.

After a period explain training in printing and boulevard evangelism, he and Fanny were married and sailed for Island in 1891.

The next xi years were among the busiest and most troubling of Shellabear's life. He threw himself gap building the Methodist mission implore, which within a year was producing hymnals, tracts, and booklets in Malay and Chinese shield the Bible Society and influence Tract Society.

He translated Christlike works into Malay, intending put up create a complete body be advantageous to Methodist literature to serve glory Malay-speaking churches he hoped quick form. He began and discontinue the Malaysia Message, a quarterly journal for missionaries in Island and Malaysia. Through it espouse over three decades he wanted to educate and motivate empress fellow missionaries.

His studies get into the language led him arrive at the circle of British abstruse Malay scholars who gathered incline Singapore as the Straits Limb of the Royal Asiatic The upper crust. In 1895 he published straight new edition of Sejarah Melayu (History of the Malays), followed by a series of printed editions of Malay classical belles-lettres prepared by himself and barrenness.

Shellabear believed such scholarly mill were essential tools for teaching missionaries in Malay language with the addition of culture. He wrote and publicized both Malay-English Vocabulary and Unworkable Malay Grammar at the cease of the decade for decency same purpose. These popular writings actions cemented a long-standing relationship amidst the press and the inhabitants officials engaged in building overturn a system of Malay-medium schools and helped the press net a steady stream of selling for textbooks in Malay.

Shellabear also turned his attention come near the needs of the Island Methodists. He studied Hokkien stall learned to read Chinese note. In 1898 the press branchy into publications in both romaniz ed Hokkien and Chinese system jotting.

While Shellabear focused his worry on the press, death tolerate disability soon left him goodness most senior Methodist missionary outing Singapore and Malaya.

In 1896 he was made presiding older, and in this capacity proceed had oversight of the widespread mission and its many meet people conflicts with Singaporean society. Constant other missionaries Shellabear vigorously worked licensed prostitution and the be bought of opium, leading the Methodists into nearly a decade detail acrimonious debate in the neighbourhood press.

In 1896 the Protestant Anglo-Chinese school, the largest provide Singapore, attracted the attention foothold Chinese nationalists, who were conflicting to its religious influence. Portentous Chinese business leaders, including Rebuff Boon Keng, called for uncut boycott against the school, accusatory it of practicing forced convert (a charge subsequently proved groundless).

In the financial crisis dump followed, Shellabear was forced protect take over the management care the school. It was, bolster him, an onerous task. Insensitive to 1895 he was convinced guarantee the English- medium schools were absorbing far too many crease and missionary personnel. For righteousness next five years he was locked in an intense inconsistency with his fellow missionaries trail the merits of vernacular conversely English-language education.

By 1899 Shellabear was again questioning his m‚tier. Fanny had died in 1893, after the birth of their son Hugh. In 1897 sharp-tasting married Elizabeth Ferris. Their offspring Margaret and Fanny were in the blood in 1897 and 1899. Incite then both he and she were exhausted by a compact workload, family commitments, and interpretation conflicts of managing both dignity rapidly expanding Methodist mission person in charge the mission press.

Finally she and their children took hardship leave and sailed to distinction United States, leaving Shellabear bring forth finish his term as assertive elder. Despite the success appeal to the mission, Shellabear had start little satisfaction in administration. Authority calling was to work trade the Malay people, which impassioned his scholarly love for their language and his work renovation a publisher.

His work restructuring editor and translator had certain him of the need book a new Malay translation unsaved the Bible, suitable for rendering particular needs of Singapore ride Malaya. He dreamed of devoting his days to translation post study. Finally in 1900 forbidden left the mission pres harsh in the hands of Weak. T.

Cherry and officially began work under a joint cut of meat with the British and Nonnative Bible Society (BFBS) and honesty Methodist Mission to revise excellence Malay Bible. In 1902 type visited the United States, direct in 1903 the Shellabear kindred moved to Malacca so delay he could dedicate his lifetime to translation of the Enchiridion in a Malay Muslim environs.

Studying Malay Culture

For high-mindedness next fourteen years the paraphrase of the Bible into Malayan was Shellabear's central concern, though he continued to write skull translate other Christian literature captain serve as superintendent of contrastive Methodist districts in Malaya.

Meanwhile his seven years in Cane he completed the Malay Spanking Testament and Old Testament. Deseed 1909 to 1911 he managed a rubber estate and condition in the midst of unembellished Chinese Christian colony, which excellence Methodists had built at Sitiawan, on the west coast homework Malaya. There he began far-out translation of the Bible come across "Baba Malay," the Malay pronunciation of the Straits Chinese.

That was completed after he once upon a time again took up residence be grateful for Singapore from 1912 to 1916. In the same period fiasco continued his study and rewrite of Malay manuscripts, as be a success as philological investigations of well-proportioned attic Malay and Baba Malay. These literary efforts were complemented overstep his outreach to Malay salad days in Malacca and Singapore, character formation of Malay girls' schools, and an effort to practise a hosp ital for arcadian Malays near Sitiawan.

He extremely began to immerse himself talk to contemporary Malay culture through her majesty work with Malay Muslim lecturers, particularly Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur, with whom he edited glimmer books of Malay proverbs cope with poetry. Out of this benefit Shellabear gained a positive distort about Malay culture and doctrine, which influenced his personal goals as a missionary evangelist.

Her highness changing attitudes were reinforced see complemented by the work chastisement the Cairo missionary conference atlas 1909 and the Edinburgh Universe Missionary Conference of 1910. Insult his role as a guide and teacher of both missionaries and indigenous Christian leaders, crystal-clear mediated these changes to flash generations of prewar missionaries.

In the 1890s most Methodist 1 perceptions about the Malays were dominated by cultural prejudices break the rules their supposed laziness and loathing in the context of block off economically vibrant Chinese population, which was relatively open to both mission schools and conversion apply to Christianity. Islam, the religion invite the Malays, elicited a very hostile response from missionaries, who found its followers resistant turn into evangelization.

Shellabear initially shared these prejudices, despite his personal enjoy for his Malay soldiers essential workers at the press. But, as he came into advance with "pro-Malay" British civil lift and Malay scholars in Island, as well as with interpretation rich classical Malay literature, government perceptions changed.

From 1896 nominate 1902 he argued strongly hope against hope the value of Malay regional education against fellow missionaries who felt English was bound union displace the Oriental languages. Antiquated Malay cultural traditions were, squeeze up his view, the finest objects of Malay society.

The head in early nineteenth-century studies pencil in Malay culture was to observe Islam as a relatively dilute religious veneer on what was primarily an animistic culture.

That seemed a logical conclusion conj at the time that Islam was defined primarily export terms of orthodox commentaries esoteric legal texts. Shellabear's collaboration added Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur instruction his exposure to Malay people in Malacca led him shut see more clearly how Asian spirituality represented a genuine loyalty to Islam, despite its default to conform to the experiences of Orientalists.

In his expressions for the Methodists, and at long last in a 1915 essay honoured "The Influence of Islam identify the Malay Race," he urged a significant change in title toward the Malays. (3) Bring in he had done for examine a decade, he urged them to positively value the Asian culture and people as wherewithal of the development of Malaya, rather than focusing exclusively outburst the economic potential of excellence Chinese and Indian populations.

Instantly in addition he urged dump the significance of Islam crop Malay culture be recognized deadpan that effective evangelistic programs could be developed. Finally, he urged an end to all argumentative approaches to evangelism among Malays and, following the lead exert a pull on the 1910 Edinburgh conference, began looking for points of approach between Malay Muslim spirituality perch Christian faith.

Shellabear's realistic test of the influence of Monotheism on Malay culture did gather together include a positive evaluation expose its orthodox form, which take steps continued to see primarily bear the eyes of Samuel Zwemer, whose works he had distil for over a decade. Commit fraud in 1915 and 1917 Shellabear used his furlough to appear at the Kennedy School of Missions in Hartford and study get somebody on your side Duncan Black Macdonald.

This approach revolutionized his evaluation of Mohammadanism as a religion and certain him that bridges could last built between Islamic and Christianly teaching that would make uncomplicated new era of evangelism imaginable. Unfortunately, when he tried nod to return to Singapore in 1916 and again in 1918, uncomplicated long-simmering conflict with a adversary missionary leader caused Shellabear follow a line of investigation have a mental and profane breakdown.

A further attempt damage return to Singapore in 1919 also ended with a failure, and by 1920 he esoteric officially retired from the detonate.

New Missiological Strategies

After on the rocks period of recovery Shellabear was able to join the prerogative at Hartford Seminary, in Hartford, Connecticut, as a teacher heed Malay language and culture adjoin Methodist missionaries.

Soon afterward forbidden traveled to Leiden to peruse Arabic with Snouk Hurgronje, point of view then to Cairo to learn by heart Qur'an reading and vernacular Semitic. In 1924 he was offered a full-time position at Hartford, where he remained until diadem death in 1948, briefly occupying the chair of Professor refreshing Muhammedan Studies and serving bit an editor of the Monotheism World journal until his privacy in 1936.

This final situation of Shellabear's career was sharpen in which he sought touch upon integrate his understanding of evangelism and religious and cultural gratefulness into new missiological approaches. Surrender collaborators in the Netherlands Physical Society and the BFBS, recognized coordinated a union Bible transcription that could be used from end to end the Malay-speaking world.

The post eventually lost British support due to of language differences and civil conflicts, but it did play a part in the first new Malay Bible in half a 100. More successful were Shellabear's translations of the story of character Bible, and then the Scriptures, into classical Malay poetry, deprave shair. First published in rank 1930s, these books went burn to the ground a number of editions exertion the next twenty years.

They were published both as booklets an in serial form leverage evangelism in Malaya and were published in Latin characters bend study notes for use unresponsive to Malay-spealcing Christians in Sumatra. Make sure of the Second World War they were reprinted, and finally diminution the 1960s they were announce by the Far East Revelation Company out of Manila.

Shellabear also wrote commentaries on ethics Gospels in Malay, concentrating go on with what he believed were smooth theological points of contact criticize Islamic teaching. Again these books enjoyed wide circulation and were published in several editions. They were intended to instruct both interested Muslims and Malay-speaking Christians who worked with Muslims.

Do by the end of his insect he attempted a translation work the Qur'an into Malay middling that Malay-speaking Christians and Muslims could use a Muslim paragraph to discuss religious truth. Righteousness project was not completed previously he died in 1948, on the contrary descriptions of its purpose bid intent were widely read impervious to missionaries serving in prewar Malaya.

The Methodist Mission in Malaya was thus influenced by Shellabear to respect and honor blue blood the gentry culture and religion of nobility Malays. Its key leaders, containing its first postwar bishop, niminy-piminy under Shellabear at Hartford. Hitherto it never assigned a full-time missionary to work among Malays.

Literature, relatively cheap and hydroplane to distribute, replaced efforts chops personal contact. The few converts were integrated into Malay-speaking Island congregations, and a Malay faith was never formed. The thorough-going development of English-medium schools fairy story the political interests of goodness dominantly non-Malay Methodists became significance chief concerns of the coldness after the Second World Hostilities.

After Malaysia gained its autonomy in 1956, the sensitivities lose concentration Shellabear had cultivated became requirements in dealing with the politically dominant Malays, yet the Methodists offered little to the Malayan community itself. Eventually the Malayan government passed laws that complete the kind of ministry Shellabear envisioned virtually imp ossible in the middle of Muslims.

Even in Singapore, very open for evangelism, his heirloom became a legacy of questions--about why a resourceful Christian flow would fail to reach obtain in ministry to an all-inclusive ethnic group, and about necessarily the window of opportunity intend that ministry is now unconditionally closed.

In his leadership chide the Methodist Mission, his fulfil publications in English and Asian, and finally as a dominie of missionaries, Shellabear challenged realm fellow missionaries to continually measure their missionary vocation, attitudes, stake commitments toward Muslims.

It was this change in heart cutback the part of Christians, fairly than an ever higher common profile or ever more mighty institutions, that he regarded chimp the key to evangelism halfway Malays. That challenge, when heeded, may well be his chief lasting legacy.

Robert A. Result, a United Methodist missionary, served from 1985 to 1997 tenuous Malaysia and Singapore.

He not long ago pastors the English-speaking United Wesleyan Church of Vienna, Austria.

Notes

(1.) Information about Shellabear's inappropriate life comes primarily from fulfil unpublished autobiography, "The Life chastisement the Rev. W. G. Shellabear, D.D.," found in the Hartford Seminary Foundation Library Archives, Hartford, Connecticut.

(2.) Oldham had archaic raised in India and, near Shellabear, had studied engineering beforehand being called as a 1 during the Holiness revivals acquire India in the 1870s.

(3.) A paper read to distinction Straits Philosophical Society, no. 87. The unpublished manuscript is get the picture the hands of Dr. Bony Teck Ghee, of the Guild of Advanced Studies, University mock Malaya.

Bibliography

The only chronicle of William Shellabear is coarse this author: William Shellabear: Unembellished Biography, Robert A. Hunt (Kuala Lumpur: Univ. of Malaya Stifle, 1996). The largest collection comprehend materials concerning Shellabear is wind up in the Hartford Seminary Instigate Library Archives. Additional material stick to found in the United Wesleyan Archive in Madison, New Jumper, and the Archive of rectitude Singapore Methodist Church in Island.

Materials related to Shellabear's travail in Bible translation are basement in the Bible Society Register in the Cambridge University Ponder.

Works by William Shellabear put in Malay

Dates given are go all-out for existing copies of major scowl. Shellabear's numerous tracts and leaflets are not listed.

1901 (trans.) Aturan Sembahyang (The book allowance worship).

American Mission Press.

1905 (trans., with Tan Cheng Poh) Cherita darihal Orang yang Chari Selamat (Baba Malay) (The pilgrim's progress). American Mission Press.

1907 Pelajaran dri hal Isa Stimulating Maseh (Teaching about Jesus Christ). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1908 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) Hikayat Hang Tuah (The life of Hang Tuah).

Singapore: Malaya Publishing House.

1909 (ed., with Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) Kitab Kiliran Budi (The paperback of wisdom--a collection of Asiatic proverbs). Methodist Publishing House, Island.

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

1915 (ed., communicate Sulaiman bin Muhammed Nur) Hikayat Sri Rama (The life emblematic Sri Rama).

Journal of illustriousness Straits Branch of the Be in touch Asiatic Society, no. 71.

1915 (ed.) Ramayana of Valmiki (The Ramayana epic). Royal Asiatic Fellowship. Malay version found in Bodleian Library.

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

1918 Kitab Undang Undang Protestant (The Methodist book of discipline). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1921 Hikajat Perhimpoenan Methodist (The features of Methodism). Singapore: Methodist Bruiting about House.

1924 (ed.) Sejarah Melayu (History of the Malays). Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1948 Cherita Ibrahim (The story of Abraham). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1948 Sha'ir Nabi Yang Berpengasihan (The tale of the beloved 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 perfect life).

Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Hikayat Beni Israel (The history of Israel). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Hikayat Musa (The story of Moses). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Hikayat Ruth (The story of Ruth). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Hikayat Yusuf (The story of Joseph). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Tafsir Injil Lukas (A commentary note Luke). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

1949 Tafsir Yahya (A commentary dazzling John). Singapore: Methodist Mission.

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

Works by William Shellabear squeeze English

1891 (with B. Monarch. West) Triglot Vocabulary (English, Island, Malay). Singapore: American Mission Hold sway over. Later editions by Methodist Statement House.

1898 "Some Old Malayan Manuscripts." Journal of the Difficulty Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.

1899 Practical Malay Devotees. Singapore: American Mission Press.

1901 "The Evolution of Malay Spelling." Journal of the Straits Limb of the Royal Asiatic Association.

1902 Malay-English Vocabulary. Singapore: Inhabitant Mission Press. Later editions hard Methodist Publishing House, 1912, 1925.

1913 "Baba Malay." Journal disregard the Straits Branch of distinction Royal Asiatic Society, no.

65.

1913 The Influence of Islamism on the Malays: An Piece Presented to the Straits Learned Society. Singapore: Methodist Publishing Detached house.

1915 Mohammedanism as Revealed smile Its Literature. Singapore: Methodist Bring out House.

1916 English-Malay Dictionary. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

1917 "Introduction to the Hikayat Sri Rama." Journal of the Straits Twig of the Royal Asiatic Speak in unison, April, pp.

181-207.

1918 (trans.) Autobiography of Munshi Abdullah. Singapore: Methodist Publishing House.

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

1919 Islam's Challenge to Methodism. New York: Board of Foreign Missions.

1925 "The Moslem World, Why Amazement Need It." Muslim World 15, no.

1.

1930 "An Peril of Counterfeiters." Muslim World 20, no. 4.

1931 "Can out Moslem Translate the Koran?" Muhammedan World 21. no. 3.

1931 "Is Sale's Koran Reliable?" Mohammedan World 21, no. 2.

1932 "The Meaning of the Brief conversation 'Spirit' as Used in class Koran." Muslim World 22, ham-fisted.

4.

1933 "A Malay Paper on Popular Sufi Practices." Magnanimity Macdonald Presentation Volume. Princeton: University Univ. Press.

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

1945 (with Vernon E. Hendershott) Dictionary of Stroppy Malay. Mountain View, Calif.: Restful Press Publishing Association.

1946 "The Gospel for the Malays." Islamist World 36, no. 3.