Mr Malcolm MacDonald addressing the inaugural meeting of the
Inter-Faith Organisation. Seated behind him is Dr Amstutz, and the Maulana is
seated second from left. - Methodist Church Archives picture.
'THE first public meeting of the Inter-Religious
Organisation for Singapore and Johore Bahru in the Victoria Memorial Hall
(which) took place at the Victorial Memorial Hall on Friday, March 18th (1949)
was a truly wonderful experience.
More than 2,000 people of many different races and creeds packed the hall
filling every available standing space inside and outside. Long before 5.30 …
every seat in the hall had been occupied. Representatives of the Muslim, Sikh,
Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish and Christian religions were on the platform and spoke.
The Right Hon. Mr Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General, was the
honorary chairman. In his opening remarks, he said:
"This meeting is in some ways the most remarkable held in Singapore.
Perhaps it is also the most hopeful. What is needed more than anything else is a
spiritual revival in man, an arousing of conscience, a submission not only to
the rule of law but also the rule of God. We need a new spiritual awareness and
awakening. That is one reason why ordinary laymen like you and me are sometimes
baffled and worried when we see leaders of the world's great religions falling
out with one another, and disagreeing rather than agreeing.
"Of course, this is all very natural and understandable. Truth is a
jewel with many shining facets, which men view from different and sometimes
contrasting angles. Moreover, we laymen quarrel on all sorts of subjects among
ourselves, and the heads of churches, mosques, temples and religious
associations are - most of them - ordinary mortals like the rest of us, with
their fair share of human failings. But it would be wonderful if their sense of
the Spirit enabled them to see above and beyond our disagreements, and to help
us to find the way in which we can unite as one great human brotherhood leading
a beautiful and truthful and good life."
Wishing success to the "bold movement of religious leaders in Singapore
and Johore," Mr MacDonald said: "We feel thankful for their sincerity
and their courage, their tolerance and vision."
The Muslim Divine, Maulana Abdul
Aleem Siddiqui, a visitor to Malaya from Pakistan, said that he was sure the
churches and temples of the world could achieve success in uprooting evils and
raising moral conditions if they were to make a combined and united effort. The
Maulana, dressed in a heavy turban and ceremonial robes, was the most striking
personality on the platform. He spoke, first of all, on the conception of the
organisation and then secondly, as a Muslim on the Muslim contribution to peace.
Among other things he made the following statements:
"As far as the common evils and accepted moral principles were concerned,
no religion could have any difference, and in the spirit of tolerance and
sympathy and the desire to establish peace, all of them were as one. The task of
the religious leaders was to let the followers of each and every religion know
the teachings of other religions, so that a spirit of fellowship could work
together to spread the accepted moral principles and to fight the common
evils."
Dr H.B. Amstutz, the first president of the organisation, gave a brief
account of its history, relating the circumstances under which the various
groups were brought together, and then speaking later on the programme on behalf
of the Christians, he said:
"Christians believe that the true Christian is a new man, a man who somehow
in his life by his willingness to suffer for others, by his sincerity and
fellowship could reconcile others to God, thereby bringing hostility to an end
… we, through this organisation, are no longer strangers and enemies but
pilgrims on a common road seeking common goals. May not this well be the time,
when man humbled by his failure to produce peace and goodwill, will turn again
to the City of God? May this meeting not be an indication that the peoples of
this great city, harried, baffled, desperate - will turn homeward to the City of
God?"
Other speakers who outlined the principles of a united religious front
against evil were Sri Kartar Singh (Sikh), Swami Namadevananda (Hindu), the Rev
Sek Hong Choong (Buddhist) and Inche Sardon bin Haji Jubir (Muslim), who spoke
in Malay.
Members of the Jewish religion were also present but they had no spokesman,
as no Rabbi is at present resident in Singapore.
The new inter-religious organisation and last night's meeting grew out of
meetings of religious leaders held at the homes of Mr S.I.O. Alsagoff, Dr D.S.
Marshall and Mr V. Pakirisamy and also at Bukit Serene (the
Commissioner-General's residence in Johore Bahru).'
QUOTE:
'What is needed more than anything else is a spiritual revival in man, an arousing of conscience, a submission not only to the rule of law but also the rule of God. We need a new spiritual awareness and awakening.'
-- Mr Malcolm MacDonald.
http://www.methodist.org.sg/Oct1999/elaupg.html