Samuel Dyer - Furlough and Return To Asia

Furlough and Return To Asia

Samuel and Maria had been at the LMS Penang station from 1827-1835. They were at the Malacca station from 1835-1839. The Dyers went on furlough from 1839-1842. It was the first time that their children had seen England.

On 19 September 1839 the Dyer family arrived in England. Maria, his wife was ill with what was thought to be a liver problem. The Dyers remained in England until 1841 when they left again for the Ultra-Ganges Mission, this time to Singapore. A single woman named Buckland accompanied them and helped Maria with the three children. They arrived in Singapore in 1842 and rented the mission-house of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, there.

Samuel began work with John Stronach of the LMS and learning (Chaozhou) Teochew dialect. He also worked on a revision of the Chinese Bible, translations, preparation of books, type-casting, printing, and compiled a comparative vocabulary of Chinese language.

Dyer printed ‘’Two Friends’’ by William Milne, a ‘’Commentary on 10 Commandments’’ by Walter Henry Medhurst, and the ‘’Miracles of Christ’’. He also helped Chaozhou, a Christian teacher compile the ‘’Life of Christ’’.

During this busy period, Dyer conducted religious services through the week, visited house-to-house, preached in the bazaars; and visited Chinese junk (ship)s in the harbor to reach the Chinese there with the gospel message.

Maria established a Chinese Girls’ Boarding School with 20 students in their home (at the present-day site of Raffles Hotel, the school later became called St. Margaret's Primary School).

Dyer moved the LMS press from Malacca to Singapore on James Legge’s suggestion before the end of 1842.

1842 brought another son, Ebenezer Dyer. The Treaty of Nanking was signed, raising hopes that missionary work could soon begin in mainland China.

Dyer preached the first sermon at the Malay Chapel in Prinsep Street opened by Benjamin Peach Keasberry in 1843. That summer he left with John Stronach for the LMS conference in Hong Kong. His family would never see him again.