CHAPTER XI. 

 Thk Pubushing Housc. 



It was carly scen that at such a mccting 

 place of the nattons as Singaporc, there 

 would be a great demaiul for religious liter- 

 ature to bc distributed amongst the people. 

 Therc are lln.msaiu.ls of immijrrants who 

 land every ycar and are scatlered all over 

 the islamls. Thousands of Malay pilgrims 

 also proceed to Mecca each year calling at 

 Singapore for trans-shipment. A printing- 

 prcss and publishing house became at once 

 an impcrative necessity, God has a way of 

 raeeting the needs of a situatioti by provid- 

 ing the man first. When thc suitable man 

 is found, means for the imdertaking soon 

 follow. The man in this case was an officcr 

 of thc Royal Engincers of the British army. 

 Young Lieuteuant Shellabear was ap- 

 pointcd to Singapore as an anny officer to 

 hclp in the torpedo defenses of the island. 

 He had becn converted in Alexandria, and 

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