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2. GENERAL WORKS
2.1 Archives and depositories
 | 2.1.0 General |
In addition to centres listed below, in Peninsular Malaysia there are also collections
of note at the Archib Negara [National Archives], the Perpustakaan Negara [National Library] and in the clippings files of the New
Straits Times Library in Kuala Lumpur. In Singapore researchers should make use of the
National Library of Singapore, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and the Singapore
University Library.
For further information on collections in the United States of America see Robert
Shuster, ‘Documentary sources in the United States for Foreign Missions Research: a
select bibliography and checklist,’ International Bulletin of Missionary Research,
January 1985, pp.19-29. See also Lee Ash and W G Miller, Subject collections,
Bowker, 1985.
For some further details on Protestant depositories generally see Herron, Alan Craig. A
history of the Protestant Christian Churches in West Malaysia and Singapore, Otago, New
Zealand, 1977 [This is unpublished but copies are held by Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, the
Catholic Research Centre, and University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur; and also by Trinity
Theological College, Singapore, and the Centre for the Study of Christianity in the
non-Western World, Edinburgh.]
The British and Foreign Bible Society Annual Reports have references to auxilary
societies and the work of colporteurs. The archives contain correspondence regarding bible
translation.
These specialize in oral, written and video collections relating to non-denominational
activity and also house the archives of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. In
relation to Malaysia the principle collection is that of the American base of the China
Inland Mission/Overseas Missionary Fellowship.
| 2.1.3 Bibliotheque de Société des missions étrangères de Paris. |
For a list of manuscript letters from 1841 and published reports from 1872 (Compte
rendu de mission), see K Williams, The Church in West Malaysia and Singapore, thesis,
1976, pp.xxv-xxxi. Williams also lists the following volumes in the archives without
specifying their contents: 19, 20, 33, 102, 129, 130, 166, 247, 887, 891, 901.
| 2.1.4 Catholic Research Centre, Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur. |
The Centre is the principal depository of Catholic archival material in West Malaysia
and is steadily building up its holdings. It should be consulted for parish histories,
jubilee magazines, back issues of Catholic Asia News and other information.
| 2.1.5 Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World,
University of Edinburgh, New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh EH1 2LU. |
The Centre’s holdings include material relating to the Presbyterian mission in
Malaya and a number of theses written by Malaysian students. The adjacent New College
Library has extensive holdings of missionary and periodical literature.
| 2.1.6 Day Missions Library,
Yale University Divinity School, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510. The
manuscript collections include papers relating to an attempt by the United Board for
Christian Higher Education in Asia to help found a ‘Malayan Junior College’ in
the 1960s. The Library contains probably the largest collection in the world relating to
the missionary movement. Their extensive periodical holdings make it is feasible to locate
articles otherwise impossible to find. They have microfiche copies of major missionary
collections including those of the London Missionary Society and the International
Missionary Council both of which have important sections dealing with Malaya. [These
particular microfiche are also available in Seminari Theoloji Malaysia.]
2.1.7 General Commision on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church,
P.O.Box 127, Madison, New Jersey, 07940.
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The archives of the Board of Global Ministries and its predecessor mission societies
are located on the campus of Drew
University. They include material relating to the development of the Methodist Church
in West and East Malaysia.
Papers of William Shellabear, pioneer Methodist missionary to Malaya, publisher,
printer and Islamic scholar.
| 2.1.9 The Houghton Library,
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138. |
The repository of the records of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions which was active in Singapore and Malaysia in the 1830s, with missionaries in
Singapore, Melaka, and Penang.
| 2.1.10 Lambeth Palace Library, London SE1 7JU. |
The archives contain material deriving from the correspondence of the archbishops of
Canterbury relating to particular bishoprics, eg ‘Davidson Box 1. Labuan 1916.’
| 2.1.11 Malaysian Methodist Board of Education, 67 Jalan 5/31,
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia |
In addition to records relating to the the development of Methodist Schools in West
Malaysia this archive includes the collection of Methodist materials of Dr Ho Seng Onn. It
also holds original copies of Methodist Annual Conference Journals, copies of the Malaysia
Message, and some rare Methodist manuscripts and publications.
| 2.1.12 Public Record Office, Kew, London. |
Colonial Office Records relating to the church in Borneo and Malaya can be found in the
series CO 874 and 1022 and elsewhere. Note especially: CO 874/?, Alien missionaries
(1921-1939); CO 874/?, Chinese immigration through Basel Mission Society (1921-1930); CO
1022/378 SEA 307/3/01 Activities of the CIM in the Malayan New Villages; CO 1022/379 SEA
307/3/02 Employment of missionaries in the FMS; and CO 1022/434 SEA 389/3/01 Muslim
affairs in the Federation of Malaya and Singapore.
| 2.1.13 Rhodes House Library, Oxford, England. |
The archives of Rhodes House include those of the United Society for the Propagation of
the Gospel (USPG, previously SPG), the Borneo Mission Association, and a major collection
relating to the Brooke dynasty in Sarawak. These are the most important primary resources
relating to the development of the Anglican Church in East and West Malaysia. P W Tolmie,
‘The holdings of the Malayan material in Rhodes House Library, Oxford,’ Journal
of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 72(1), 1989, pp.89-95, should be
consulted, although it makes no reference to the SPG records. Microfilm copies of SPG
records relating to the Borneo Mission are also held in the Brunei Museum Library.
References to these and the Rhodes House collections can be found in Graham Edward
Saunders, ‘Bishops and Brookes. The Anglican mission and the Brooke Raj in Sarawak
1848-1941,’ PhD thesis, University of Hull, 1989, 742pp.
| 2.1.14 Rome |
An introduction to Roman Catholic archives in Rome can be found in J P de Valk,
‘Sources for the history of the Dutch colonies in the ecclesiastical archives of Rome
(1814-1903),’ Itinerario, 9, 1985, pp.53-66.
| 2.1.15 Salvation Army Headquarters, 207 Clemenceau Avenue, Singapore 0923. |
The Headquarters has a scrapbook of press clippings as well as other files and records.
| 2.1.16 School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Malet
Street, London WC1E 7HP. |
The Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), is a major depository
of missionary archives and has considerable holdings relating to Malaya. These include the
collections of the London Missionary Society, the Council of British Missionary Societies
and the English Presbyterian Mission. Many of these are also available on microfiche
through IDC, Box 11205, 2301, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| 2.1.17 Seminari Theoloji Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. |
The Library holdings include photocopies of miscellaneous journal articles, a set of
the Malaysia Message, the Singapore Diocesan Magazine, the nineteenth
century Record Books of St Andrews Cathedral Singapore and a variety of parish magazines
and souvenir publications. There are annual minutes of the various conferences of the
Methodist Church in Malaysia and some Synod papers of the Diocese of West Malaysia as well
as collections of correspondence and reports relating to ecumenism in Malaysia and
Singapore. It has microfiche archives from the London Missionary Society, the Council of
British Missionary Societies, the Christian Conference of Asia and the International
Missionary Council. Access may be restricted and the processing of materials is
incomplete.
| 2.1.18 National Archives of
Singapore , 140 Hill Street, Singapore 0617. |
Holdings include government records of the Straits Settlements (see Tan Soo Chye, Index
to the Straits Settlement Records 1800-1867, Singapore, 1970 for references to grants
for church buildings and schools), church records (records from 41 churches are listed in Catalogue
of records on microfilm, 1981, pp.20-22) and a photographic archive of Singapore
churches. The Inventory of photographs, no.3, churches, 1977, provides basic
information on the founding of 117 individual congregations and the date of construction
of church buildings. See also Inventory of photographs, no.1 Catholic clergy, 1974.
| 2.1.19 Singapore Methodist Archives, Methodist Headquarters, 10 Mount
Sophia, Singapore 0922. |
These archives contain original copies of Methodist material also available in
microfilm at the Singapore National Archives as well as correspondence, reports, diaries
and publications from the beginning of the church in 1885 up to the present.
| 2.1.20 Singapore National Library, Stamford Road, Singapore 0617. |
The Library holds microfilm, if not original copies, of virtually all known
publications connected with the early history of the Straits Settlements, including
publications from the mission presses and newspapers such as the Prince of Wales Island
Gazette.
| 2.1.21 Trinity Theological College, 7 Mt Sophia, Singapore 0922. |
As the oldest theological library in Singapore and Malaysia it houses a considerable
amount of material including the archives of the East Asia Christian Conference and the
Christian Conference of Asia.
| 2.1.22 Trinity Annual Conference Archives, 65 Jalan 5/31, Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia. |
This collection includes many old photographs and correspondence from the various
English speaking Methodist congregations in West Malaysia. Its holdings include some from
the pre-war period. It is in the process of becoming the official repository of all
records from these churches.
| 2.1.23 United Reformed Church Library, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H
9RT. |
Located in the basement of the United Reformed Church Offices, the library holds
miscellaneous material relating to Presbyterian churches in Malaya, especially Orchard
Road, Singapore, and also a number of personal files of missionaries who served in Malaya
from the 1950s until the early 1970s. Earlier Presbyterian Mission records have been
transferred to the School of Oriental and African Studies and it is likely that others
will be transferred there in due course also. Many of the earlier Presbyterian records are
now available on microfiche from Inter Documentation Company, P O Box 11205, 2301 EE
Leiden, The Netherlands.
| 2.1.24 University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. |
As well as extensive holdings of books and journals, the library has copies of theses
from overseas universities and microfilms of British archives relating to Malaya.
| 2.1.25 World Council of Churches, 150 route de Ferney, Geneva. |
The archives of the International Missionary Council held in the WCC Library contain a
fair amount of material relating to Malaya, including in connection with German
missionaries in British North Borneo (now Sabah) during and after World War I (catalogued
under Indonesia), and questions of religious freedom prior to Independence in 1957. Some
of this material is available on microfiche from the Inter Documentation Company, P O Box
11205, 2301 EE Leiden, The Netherlands. See International Missionary Council Archives
1910-1961. Guide to the microform collection, IDC, 1987, part II, p.410.
| 2.1.26 YMCA Resource Centre, 95 Jalan Padang Belia, 50470 Kuala
Lumpur. |
The Resource Centre and Library maintains a collection of newspaper clippings on a wide
range of social and religious subjects.
2.2 Bibliographies
| ‘Bibliography on Malaysia,’ Occasional Bulletin, New York Missionary
Research Library, 15(3), March, 1964, pp.1-31. Brown, Ian and Rajeswary Ampalavanar, Malaysia,
World Bibliographical series, volume 12, CLIO Press, Oxford, xxxv + 308pp. Comments on
selected books and articles and a valuable introductory essay tracing the political
development of what now constitutes Malaysia. The section on Christianity is feeble.
Cheeseman, H R. Bibliography of Malaya being a classified list of books wholly or
partly in English relating to the Federation of Malaya and Singapore, published for
the British Association of Malaya by Longmans, Green and Co., London, 1959, pp.160-168.
Annotated.
Cotter, Conrad P, comp. Bibliography of English language sources on Human Ecology.
Eastern malaysia and Brunei, Department of Asian Studies, University of Hawaii,
Honolulu, 1965, 2 vols., 755pp. Detailed listings include more on Christianity than
indicated by the index. Notes location or source of reference.
Harris, L J, comp. Guide to current Malaysian serials, University of Malaya
Library, Kuala Lumpur, 1967, 73pp.
Henkel, Willi, OMI and Metzler, Josef, OMI., eds., Bibliographia Missionaria,
Pontifical Urban University, Vatican City. Annual since 1936. The basic bibliographical
reference for Catholic missions. Protestant journals have been listed in recent years.
The International Review of Mission, WCC, Geneva, has a bibliography which lists
entries on Malaysia. For a many years the January issue carried a world survey which in
the 1950s and 60s in particular contains observations on Malaysia and Singapore as seen
through the eyes of the Malayan Christian Council.
Johnson, Donald Clay. Index to Southeast Asian Journals, 1960-1974: A guide to
articles, book reviews and composite works, G G Hall, Boston, Mass. Only four entries
on Christianity in Malaysia (all listed here), but useful for the region and other aspects
of Malaysian society.
Karni, R S. Bibliography of Malaysia and Singapore, Penerbit Universiti Malaya,
Kuala Lumpur, 1980. Christianity is listed on pp.17-24. A comprehensive work including
notes of hard to find items most of which have been included here.
Pelzer, Karl J. West Malaysia and Singapore: a selected bibliography, Behaviour
Science Bibliographies, Human Relations Area Files Press, New Haven, 1971. Includes
listings by ethnic group, and a general section on religion.
Religion Index One: Periodicals. Published annually by the American Theological
Library Association since 1949.
Tregonning, K G. Southeast Asia. A critical bibliography, University of Malaya
Press, University of Arizona Press. No specific category covering Christianity, but
otherwise useful for Malaysia.
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2.3 Periodicals
Note: This listing does not include journals such as The Journal of the
Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, the Journal for Southeast Asian
Studies and the Sarawak Museum Journal for which all known articles to date
have been included in the bibliography. For the first half of the nineteenth century
letters and news items from the London Missionary Society and other Protestant missions
can be found in a wide range of missionary publications of the period. For miscellaneous
local church publications as at 1965 see, L J Harris, comp., Guide to current Malaysian
serials, University of Malaya Library, Kuala Lumpur, 1967, pp.6-14.
| Asia Journal of Theology, formerly East Asia Journal of Theology, formerly
South East Asia Journal of Theology. This has provided an outlet for theological
thinking in the region over many years. Published by The Association for Theological
Education in South East Asia, 324 Onan Road, Singapore 1542. Borneo Chronicle,
Borneo Mission Association, 15 Crest Road, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 7JR, England. Events
and personalities in the Anglican Church in Sabah and Sarawak.
Catholic Asia News. Produced in Kuala Lumpur with news of the Catholic Church in
Malaysia and further afield. Previously Malayan Catholic News (from 1950) and Malaysian
Catholic News (from 1962). An important documentation source.
Chinese Repository. Published in Canton from 1832 to 1851 it contains a number
of articles and short notices relating to Malaya and the work of the London Missionary
Society. See General index of subjects contained in the twenty volumes of the Chinese
Repository; with an arranged list of the articles, Maruzen, Tokyo [reprint, original
edition Canton, December, 1851], nd, 168pp.
The Christian in Singapore. Published quarterly from 1861 until ? Singapore
Ladies Bible and Tract Society.
The Colonial Church Chronicle and Missionary Journal. Published in London from
July 1847 until ? Early issues have information on the Sarawak (‘Borneo’)
Anglican mission. A number of articles are listed in Conrad P Cotter, comp. Bibliography
of English language sources on Human Ecology. Eastern malaysia and Brunei, Department
of Asian Studies, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1965, pp.43f, 98f, 108, 141, 153, 172,
370f, 398.
Echoes of Service. The missionary periodical of the Brethren Assemblies in
Britain; it contains news items from Malaya from 1872.
Indo-Chinese Gleaner. Published quarterly from May 1817 until April 1822 by the
London Missionary Society at Melaka, editor William Milne. Rare.
Information & Formation. Occasional publication of the Catholic Research
Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
Malacca Torch. Christ Church Parish [Anglican] magazine begun in 1946. The
University of Malaya has holdings from 1962 until ?.
Malaysia Message. Published from 1891 to 1953 when it became the Methodist
Message. A valuable source of information on Protestant churches generally.
St Andrew’s Outlook. The Record of the Presbyterian Church in Malaya. Begun
in 1914 in Penang this was the magazine of the expatriate Presbyterian congregations in
Penang, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. A fairly complete set is in the Orchard Road
Presbyterian Church, Singapore.
Selangor Parish Magazine. Produced by St Mary’s Anglican Church, Kuala
Lumpur from 1934 if not earlier. Succeeded by Crossroads and St Mary’s
Parish Magazine.
Singapore Diocesan Magazine. Quarterly, 1910 to 1936. Important source of
Anglican parish and diocesan history.
Southern Bell. [Chinese] Since 1933 the regular publication of the Chinese
Conference of the Methodist Church.
SPG Review of the Year. Annual reports of the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel, now the USPG at Partnership House, 157 Waterloo Road, London.
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2.4 General histories, directories and historiography
| Andaya, Barbara Watson and Andaya Leonard Y. A History of Malaysia, Macmillan,
London, 1982. xxi + 350pp. Standard modern history of Malaysia. A useful framework with
limited references to Christianity. Also available in Bahasa Malaysia. Balchin, Frank. On
China’s doorstep, Livingstone Press, London, 1952, 96pp.
Bebbington, David. Patterns in history, IVP, 1979. Survey of different
approaches to history, written from a Christian point of view.
Canton, William. A history of the British and Foreign Bible Society, J Murray,
London, vol.1, 1904, 496pp; vol.2, 1904, 512pp; vol.3, 1910, 486pp; vol.5, 1910, 455pp.
See index references to Malacca, Malay, Malaysia, Penang, Singapore.
Chelliah, V A and A McLeish. Malaya and Singapore. Survey directory of churches and
missions in the Federation and Colony, Post War Survey Series, 2, World Dominion
Press, London and New York, 1948. 36pp.
Fleming, John. ‘Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. The Church in a racial melting
pot,’ in G H Anderson, ed., Christ and Crisis in South East Asia, Friendship
Press, New York, 1968, pp.81-106. Useful survey.
Healey, Francis G. Malaya. What of the Church? Edinburgh House Press, London,
1951, 1952, 1957 (revised by John Fleming). 28pp. Healey was Secretary of the Overseas
Missions Committee of the Presbyterian Church of England; Fleming Secretary of the Malayan
Christian Council.
Herron, Alan Craig. A history of the Protestant Christian Churches in West Malaysia and
Singapore, Otago, New Zealand, 1977, xviii + 446 + 89pp. A thorough compilation by a
former church history lecturer at Trinity College Singapore. An important source for many
subsequent writers.
Hunt, Robert. ‘The history of the translation of the Bible into Malay,’ Journal
of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 62(1), 1989, pp.35-56.
Kao Keng-Tai and Dorothy Kao, Malaysia and Brunei Church Directory 1986-1987,
Singapore Every Home Crusade, 1986, 258pp.
Kao Keng-Tai and Dorothy Kao, Singapore Church Directory 1986-1987, Singapore
Every Home Crusade, 1986, 176pp.
Law, Gail. Chinese churches handbook, Chinese Coordination Centre of World
Evangelism, Hong Kong, 1982, pp.129-170.
‘Malaysia’ in David C E Liao, ed., World Christianity volume 2, Eastern
Asia, MARC, Monrovia California, 1979, pp.101-109. Outline reflects concerns of MARC
rather than personal knowledge of the country.
Marsden, George and Frank Roberts, eds. A Christian view of history? Eerdmans,
1975, 201pp.
[Mounier, Fr Paul] ‘Malaysia’ in D B Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia,
OUP, 1982, pp.472-476. Perceptive survey article.
Official Church Directory and Ordo. The Catholic Directory for the Archdioceses of
Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching and the Diocese of Penang, Melaka-Johor, Kota
Kinabalu, Sibur and Miri-Brunei, Catholic Bishop’s Conference of
Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei, Catholic News, Singapore. Annual publication. 1988 edition
247pp.
Phoon, W O. ‘Malaysia-Singapore’ in D E Hoke, ed., The Church in Asia,
Moody Press, 1975, pp.68-74. Reflects Protestant sympathies.
Roxborogh, W John, A short introduction to Malaysian Church History, Malaysian
Church History Series No. 1, Seminari Theoloji Malaysia and the Catholic Research Centre,
Kuala Lumpur, 1986, iii + 31pp. Second (revised) edition, 1989. An outline history with
guidelines for writing local church history and a brief bibliography.
Roxborogh, W J, ‘Christianity and history: Malaysia and Southeast Asia,’ Asia
Journal of Theology, 1(2), October 1987, pp.547-557.
Roxborogh, John. ‘Towards Church History in Malaysia,’ in M D David, ed., Asia
and Christianity, Himalaya Publishing House, Bombay, 1985, pp.85-106.
Sng, Bobby E K. In His good time, the story of the church in Singapore 1819-1978,
Graduates Christian Fellowship, Singapore, 1980, 343pp. Still the best one-volume church
history for Singapore and much of Malaysia.
Sullivan, Patrick. ‘A critical appraisal of historians of Malaya: the theory of
society implicit in their work,’ in R Higgott and R Robison, eds., Southeast Asia.
Essays in the political economy of structural change, R & K Paul, 1985, pp.65-92.
A less than sympathetic critique, but worth noting for its implications for Christian
historiography.
Turnbull, C Mary. A short history of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Graham
Brash, Singapore, 1981, xiv + 320pp. Readable standard history.
Vierow, Duain, ed. Malaysia Christian Handbook, Glad Sounds, Kuala Lumpur, 1979.
Vischer, Lucas. Towards a history of the Church in the Third World. The issue of
periodisation, Evangelishche Arbeitsstelle Oekumene Schweiz, Bern, 1985. Papers and
report of a consultation convened by the Working Commission on Church History of the
Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians held in Geneva in July 1983.
Perspectives on historiography from the ‘receiving’ end.
Wright, A and Cartwright, H A., eds. Twentieth century impressions of British
Malaya: its history, peoples, industries and resources, Unwin, London, 1908,
pp.281-290. The entry on ‘Religion’ includes Church of England, Roman Catholic,
Methodist, Presbyterian, the Bible Society, and the YMCA/YWCA.
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