Fiji by C. H. PARKER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 6, 1908

Fiji

By C. H. PARKER

C. H. PARKER

It cheers our hearts to read the good reports of the progress of the work in all lands. There is unmistakable evidence that the Father's hand is at the helm. What joy it brings to us to know that the good old ship Zion is homeward bound. Those words of dear Sister White bring joy to our hearts: “I feel like crying out, Homeward bound!” Praise God it is so. We want more intense earnestness to characterize our work from this time on.

The work moves encouragingly in this field, and we have every evidence of God's favor. There is no place that we can touch in the work here, but that we can see his hand at work. Of course we have our Gethsemanes, and we would not desire to be without them. Whatever God may see is for the best, we want patience and forbearance to accept.

I have just been on a trip to every part of the field here, and there have been encouraging advances made. The confidence of this people is being gained more and more every year. They are losing their confidence in their former religion. Eagerly they reach out after their reading-matter. Other religious papers for this people follow the style of newspapers, but ours prints nothing but the message. They notice the difference at once, and they tell us that they find nothing in their papers that satisfies their soul longings, but when they read ours, they find just what their hearts have been crying out for. Thank God for a message that is meat in due season for the people. May God help us to stick to our text. We were requested by a European business man at Suva to put an advertisement in our paper of a raffle which he was to have. We told him that was against our

principles, and we expressed surprise that another religious paper would do such a thing. You can imagine how surprised we were when he said, “That is not a religious paper.” The world is watching us, and they can tell the difference between the genuine and the unreal. Our papers are edited for the message, not for the world. At first we printed only a few hundred copies of our native paper, the Rarama (Light); but at the request of the people we have increased the number until at present we are issuing ten thousand copies. This month we have increased it in size from four pages to eight.

The second year of our Buresala school has now closed. It has been a year of victory for that institution. Substantial advances have been made in many ways. An older class of students have been attending, who will fit themselves quickly for a part in the work. The place has grown and improved. During the year a neat Tongan-built schoolhouse has been erected, also a large church building, besides five houses for students. The cocoanut plantation has done well, and has brought in a small sum to help on the expenses. Good roads are being made, and all is neat and attractive. Vacation will last seven weeks, and the new year will begin Jan. 26, 1908. We expect more students, and that will mean that more houses will have to be built, as the present houses are crowded. We feel that our school is a most important part of our mission, and we are trying to build it up in harmony with the mind of God.

At our late Australasian Union Conference council, it was decided that our school superintendent and wife should go to New Guinea to start the work there. It was quite a sacrifice for us to let them go, as they have the language, and can teach the boys from every standpoint. But then we have thought that they would be just the ones for that difficult field, and we are glad to pass the laborers on, that Macedonia's cry may be answered. Their successors are fine young people, and though we have feared for our school work here, yet we know that God will help us over the difficulty.

We will again open up work in Samoa. Brother J. E. Steed, of South Australia, has been appointed to that field, and I will accompany him and help him in getting started. Thank God that Samoa will soon hear the message as it is in Christ.

Buresala, Levuka, Ovalau.