By Tan, Bonny written on 28-Apr-2009
National Library Board Singapore

Comments on article: InfopediaTalk

Benjamin Franklin West (b. 22 April 1858, Crawfordsville, Indiana, USA - d. 2 July 1933, Seattle, Washington, USA) was an American medical practitioner and Methodist missionary to Penang and Singapore.

Early Life
Born in Indiana, West was educated at Wabash College and thereafter at the Miami Medical College, Cincinnati where he received his training in medicine. He set up a medical practice in Iowa after graduating and married Mary Graham in 1881. Unfortunately, Mary died in 1885 leaving behind two children, Nathan and Harold. At a Methodist conference, he was convinced by the preaching of Bishop Thoburn to go East to Malaya. In preparation for his call, West wed his late wife's sister, Letticia Graham in 1886, joined the North-West Iowa Methodist Conference in 1887 and was ordained for missionary work. The couple along with his son and daughter left for Singapore, and arrived here in early 1888.

Medical Missions
West began his missionary work teaching at the Anglo-Chinese School but was clear his calling was in medical missions. On board Orion, a British battleship passing through the region, a young British hospital assistant, William T. Kensett, heard of West’s work and appealed to join him. Through the influence of West, the Methodist Mission paid for Kensett’s discharge from the navy and Kensett soon joined West in 1888 to help him in his work and to take charge of his medical duties whilst West left for Amoy for further language studies.

Chinese Missions
West was appointed to head the local Chinese Missions in August 1889. He began his work at Upper Nankin Street where he set up a clinic. Using the missionary model applied in China, the secular outfit also served as an agency for religious and educational services. The Telok Ayer Methodist Church traces its beginnings to the weekly services conducted by West here. By 1891, the Chinese Church registered 43 members and a weekly attendance of almost 100, mainly from the Hokkien community. A number had been opium addicts, an affliction common amongst the Chinese coolies. Besides being fluent in various Chinese dialects including Hokkien, Hakka and Cantonese, he acquired Malay through the help of Mr Phillips who first called the Methodists to Singapore. He also knew enough Tamil to read the rites and rituals for service.

He went against current assumptions that the Chinese could not be understood and advocated closer study of their culture and philosophy.  So between April 1890 to February 1891 West moved to Amoy where he refined his understanding of the Chinese language and culture. Meanwhile he recruited a Presbyterian Chinese, Sng Lim Chiau and an Anglican, Lim Hoai Toh (Oh Ai Toh) to assist him in his medical missions.

Appointments and Establishments
Whilst busy in Singapore, West also initiated Methodist work in Borneo in 1889, visiting it twice a year over two years. In 1895, West was sent to Penang to bear the responsibilities of Superintendent in that new District, especially in developing the ministry amongst the Chinese.  He had already set up the Anglo-Chinese Girls School in Penang in 1892 (today known as the Methodist Girls School in Penang).

By the turn of the 20^th century, he had been elected Malayan Conference historian for his knowledge of the ministries in Malaya. He took a year’s furlough in 1901, returning later that year to fulfill his appointment as Methodist Elder of the Singapore District. While his wife and children remained in America, he brought along his brother Herbert West who served as a teacher at the local Anglo-Chinese School.

West and his wife also helped establish the Jean Hamilton Memorial Theological School in 1905 at Mount Sophia which provided training to local church workers. He started the work by inviting a few locals who had showed scholarly promise to study with him at his home, tutoring them when he had time. This institution is known today as the Trinity Theological College.

This was not the only educational institution that the Wests established. West and his wife also presided over the Women’s Training School which later was transferred to Malacca. He was also involved with the local Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Many of his duties were on account of his appointment as Elder of the Methodist work in the Singapore District.

Retirement
In 1906, the Wests journeyed to Japan, but his wife seemed to have taken ill during this journey. West then returned to America in 1907 on account of Mrs West's declining health. After retiring from missionary work and settling in Seattle, West continued working, setting up a drug store which gave him income as he had relinquished his rightful claims to annuities from the Methodist Church. He later set up a practice and voluntarily served at the Children’s Home Finding Society. He also continued his bible teaching and preaching at the University Church and in other Christian societies.

Family
Father: Dr Thomas Jefferson West (b. 1827 - d.1872)
Mother: Mary Louise Lee (b. Indiana -  d. Indiana)
Brothers: Frederick West, Herbert West
Wife: First wife, Mary Graham (d. 1885) (m. 12 September 1881). Second wife, Letitia Letty Lee Lincoln Graham (b. 6 April 1865, Crawfordsville - d. 28 November 1948, Seattle, Washington) (m. 15 May 1886).
Children: Daughter, Nathan and son, Harold were born to Mary Graham. Letitia was mother to Ruth, Thomas Nathan (b. July 1889, Singapore - d. October 1889, Singapore), Irene (b. 9 January 1891, Amoy), Mary (b. June 1892, Singapore), Thomas Mark (b. 18 May 1894, Singapore), Mildred H. (b. 13 August 1898, Penang?) and Herbert (b. 12 August 1899, Penang)

Quotes
"…faint-heart and weak faith were put to shame in the presence of his sturdy character"  (James M. Hoover, D. D.)

"…because I could never get the consent and approval of my conscience to actually do the thing…" (Benjamin Franklin West referring to his strong desire to give up teaching at the Anglo-Chinese School because of the challenges faced and why he was unable to do so)



Author
Bonny Tan



References
Biographical and historical record of Greene and Carroll Counties, Iowa. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iabiog/greene/gc1887/gc1887-w.htm

Doraisamy, T. R. (1982). The march of Methodism in Singapore and Malaysia (pp. 14-15). Singapore: The Methodist Church in Singapore.
(Call no.: RSING 287.095957 DOR)

Doraisamy, T. R. (1985). Forever beginning: One hundred years of Methodism in Singapore (pp. 13, 23-24). Singapore: The Methodist Church in Singapore.
(Call no.: RSING 287.095957 FOR)

Doraisamy, T. R. (1988). Heralds of the Lord (pp. 8-9). Singapore: The Methodist Book Room.
(Call no.: RSING 987.0922 HER)

The Jean Hamilton Memorial Training School [Microfilm: NL297]. (1905, February 28). The Straits Times, p. 8.

Interesting exercises at the M. E. Church [Microfilm: NL305]. (1906, June 12). The Straits Times, p. 8.

Lau, E. (2008). From mission to church: The evolution of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia, 1885-1976 (p. 17). Singapore: Genesis Books.
(Call no. RSING 287.095957 LAU)

Malaysia Mission Conference of the M. E. Church [Microfilm: NL285]. (1901, February 28). The Straits Times, p. 3.

Methodist Church Malaya [Microfilm: NL1483]. (1934, January 5). The Straits Times, p. 13.

Methodist Church news [Microfilm: NL286]. (1901, October 9). The Straits Times, p. 2.

Methodist Conference [Microfilm: NL301]. (1905, October 14). The Straits Times, p. 5.

The Methodist Conference [Microfilm: NL287]. (1902, February 25). The Straits Times, p. 5.

Methodist Conference [Microfilm: NL309]. (1907, February 28). The Straits Times, p. 7.

Methodist District Conference [Microfilm: NL301]. (1905, October 13). The Straits Times, p. 5.

Opium traffic [Microfilm: NL293]. (1903, September 11). The Straits Times, p. 5.

Social and personal [Microfilm: NL308]. (1906, November 17). The Straits Times, p. 6.

St. John’s Island [Microfilm: NL293]. (1903, September 2). The Straits Times, p. 5.

Telok Ayer Methodist Church. (n.d.) Church pillars. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www.tacmc.org.sg/index.cfm?GPID=16

WAGenWeb. (n.d.) Benjamin Franklin West.. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www.wagenweb.org/king/West.htm

West genealogy forum. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from http://www.moss-fritch.com/west_forum1.htm



The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.