By Wong Kah Wei 

 

The Bethesda Hall, formerly at Bras Basah, was a Brethren church. The Bethesda Hall (Bras Basah): Historical Record 1864-1933 is a huge tome of about 400 pages documenting the events, activities, baptisms, meetings and challenges faced by this church. This record book has been cited as a primary source of information on how the Brethren movement in Singapore started and how it developed over the years. It is sometimes referred to as the “Assembly Record Book” (Tong, 2014; Wong, 1996; Debernardi, 2020) or as “an ancient Record Book” (Finlay, 1964) or the “Church Record Book” (James, 1973).  

The Brethren movement in Singapore was started by Philip Robinson who was brought up in the Brethren tradition. He became a Christian at age 14 and actively served in his church in England (Sng, 2003). In 1857, Robinson came to Singapore and was employed in a commercial firm. He later started Robinson & Company which is today known as Robinson Department Store (Finlay, 1964). 

Robinson and his wife regularly opened their home for gatherings of fellowship. But to Robinson, his faith was not for personal enjoyment and he wanted to make a positive impact with the gospel upon the multicultural communities around him (Finlay, 1964). Consequently, a room was hired in 108 Bencoolen Street and was called the Missions Rooms (Tong, 2014).  

The first entry of the record book was the First Annual Report of the Missions Rooms. The Annual Report was dated 3 July 1865 and reviewed the past year of 1864. It gives a glimpse of the Brethrens’ beliefs and practices. Robinson wrote about the preaching of the gospel, providing a place for public worship, “Church fellowship by breaking of Bread” (PDF Page 51, Page 22).  

To the Brethrens “the inspired Word of God is sufficient rule not only for faith but for practice” (PDF Page 51, Page 22). An interesting example of how the Brethrens practised their faith based on God’s Word is seen in how they dealt with some men who were baptised in the church but had “gone back to the beggarly elements of the world” (PDF Page 62, Page 33). One was drinking, swearing and had deserted his wife and family. The other one was “living in open sin and entirely gone to the world” (PDF Page 61, Page 32). The record book recorded that the issue was to be discussed in their next meeting and meanwhile the men were “to be waited by some brethren and sisters”. They were encouraged to handle the issue with “the spirit of love… so that if possible, they may be restored and healed” (PDF Page 61, Page 32). This emphasis on restoration and healing aligns with the name Bethesda which the Brethren eventually chose as the church’s name. The word “Bethesda” is recorded in the Bible as a name of a pool in which the sick gathered to be healed by soaking in the waters. It is also where Jesus healed a lame man (John 5:2-9). 

Of particular interest was the significant involvement of women in church matters. The women’s active participation is also noted in the Second Annual Report dated 3 July 1866. In addition to regular Friday evening prayer meetings and Scripture reading meetings, there was also “female prayer meeting” (PDF Page 64, Page 35).  

The record book also recorded baptisms. A notable baptism is that of Tan See Boo, who left the Presbyterian Church, to join the Brethrens. The record book stated that Tan was baptised with five others on 8 May 1867 at a meeting which was conducted in English, Chinese and Malay. The record also stated that this was the first baptism of Asians at Bethesda (PDF Page 80, Page 51). Tan See Boo went on to be a pastor, baptizing a Chinese on 17 June 1867 (PDF Page 82, Page 53).  

Throughout the record book, we read about missionaries lodging at Missions House en route to China or other parts of Asia. One of the more renown missionaries was Hudson Taylor (as recorded on 7 April 1879, PDF Page 236, Page 206).  

On 30 September 1866, a “new building called Bethesda was opened” (PDF Page 70, Page 41). The Third Annual Report dated 30 September 1867 recorded the full name as “Bethesda Free Meeting House” at “Brass Basa Road, Singapore”. By 17 January 1898, the name Bethesda Chapel was mentioned (PDF Page 341, Page 309). 

In an entry on 6 September 1878, a special church meeting was convened to consider “the desirability of building a house for missionaries” passing through Singapore as well as for those residing in Singapore “laboring … the gospel work at Bethesda.” (PDF Page 229, Page 200). An application for a piece of land from the government was approved in a letter dated 25 April 1879 (PDF Page 236, Page 207). Thus, the Mission House at Neil Road was built and opened in 1882 (Tong, 2014).  

In addition to lists of members and financial accounts, the record book also gives a copy of the Trust Deed of the Bethesda Meeting House (PDF Page 481-487, Page 451-457). 

Philip Robinson passed away on 14 February 1886 (Finlay, 1964). The last entry in the record book about Robinson was dated 19 August 1883 in which he was recorded as preaching (PDF Page 277, Page 248).  

The last entry in the record book was dated 17 July 1934. It was the Assembly Report for 1 July 1933 to 31 December 1933 (PDF Page 456-460, Page 426-430). This lengthy report included the various church programmes conducted, very similar to the church programmes of today. 

Over the 150 years of records, there are many variations of handwriting. You can see where Robinson wrote and where others took over in the recording. Some words were written with the long or medial “s” (“missionaries” was written “miſsionaries”) and some illegible scribbles.  

How the Bethesda Hall record book was added into the collection of NUS Libraries is told in this blog article. The Bethesda Hall record book, serving as a relevant primary source, along with secondary sources in our collections (see list below), provides a solid foundation for research on the history of the Brethren movement in Singapore.  

 

Select list of secondary sources: 

Au Yong, A. (2011). Missionary mail of Singapore, 1831-1961. Alan Au Yong.
Au Yong’s book contains photos of postcards, letters and envelopes sent by various missionaries in Singapore. Of interest, are an envelope from the Chinese Gospel Hall (under the Brethren Church), postcards from the Brethren Mission and an invitation card from Bethesda Katong Church in 1952.  

DeBernardi, J. E. (2020). Christian circulations: global Christianity and the local church in Penang and Singapore, 1819-2000 (1st ed.). NUS Press.
DeBernardi interweaves his story of the Brethrens with that other local churches. He gives more details on Tan See Boo and Alexander Grant. The concluding chapter explores the modern developments in the Brethren movement in Singapore.   

Finlay, M.H. (1964). 1864-1964: the story of one hundred years of the Lord’s blessing. Bethesda Gospel Hall.
Compiled by M.H. Finlay for the elders of the Hall, this slim volume is packed with some Annual Reports of the church and some statistics from the Bethesda Hall Historical Record Book. It includes sections on the first missionaries, the Chinese Assembly, Malay meetings, notable personalities and photos of the old Bethesda Hall.  

James, M. L. (1973). Philip Robinson and the origins of the Bethesda movement in Singapore (1864-1883) [Thesis].
James cited Bethesda Historical Record Book as one of her primary sources. Apart from the chapter that gives a fuller picture of Philip Robinson, the chapter of the communities’ response to the Brethren movement is particularly interesting. She noted fellowship between the English Brethren and the Chinese Brethren and so on.  

Sng, B. E. K. (2003). In his good time: the story of the church in Singapore 1819-2002 (3rd ed.). Bible Society of Singapore.
Sng had written earlier editions for the periods of 1819-1978 and 1819-1992. There is a section on Robinson and the Brethren in which Sng gives some snippets from the Annual Reports of the church giving a summary of Robinson’s work. An interesting section is the “Distinctiveness of the Brethren” which included an explanation of why they do not have ordained priests.   

Tong, S. C. (2014). The Brethren story: 150 years of history in Singapore. Bethesda Frankel Estate Church on behalf of Brethren Networking Fellowship.
Tong had written an earlier edition of 140 years of the history. Tong’s Brethren story cites the “Assembly Record Book” as an invaluable source of information and stating that the record book is now in the safe-keeping of Bethesda Hall (Ang Mo Kio). Tong’s story is the development of missions and outreach work of the Brethren churches in Singapore. Key milestones show the development of these Brethren churches.   

Wong, J. L.M. (1996). The English-speaking Brethren assemblies in Singapore, 1864-1986 [Thesis].
A particularly relevant section is on the Brethren work during World War 2 when Bethesda at Bras Basah was requisitioned by the Japanese. There is a story of how a Japanese soldier, with rifle and bayonet, sitting in the midst of children during a Sunday school session to ensure that only religion was taught.