p. 16 | Norfolk Island by Harry Mitchell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 22, 1908

Norfolk Island

By Harry Mitchell

WE send Christian greetings to all of like precious faith from our far-away island in the South Pacific. We are all of good health and courage, and our work among the islanders is very interesting. We have purchased a fine site for a mission home up in the hill country. A small running stream passes through the property, which makes the place much more valuable. We are very comfortably settled now, and our work here has a far better appearance in the eyes of the natives of the island, as they judge our work largely by the property we possess. No church, no people. I suppose it would be hard to find a place in foreign fields where any missionary society has spent more than the Church of England has spent on Norfolk Island. The representatives of that church have purchased a thousand acres of land, and have many elaborate dwellings, besides schools, churches, and a hospital and a museum costing thousands of pounds. These people always point to our small station, and compare it with their expensive structures; and the contrast has weight with these simple islanders. We are ever keeping the truth before the people, and we wish to thank the kind friends who have been assisting us with American papers, such as the Signs of the Times and Youth's Instructor. We assure you every paper is valued and faithfully used. Our Australian brethren have helped us also with papers. The Australasian Union Conference has done nobly in supporting the work here. They have a large territory, which is very scattered and expensive to work, yet they are ever sending out more workers, and extending the work as well as maintaining that already begun. This field will need some support outside itself, as the people are very poor. This island is so situated in the Pacific that it lies out of the track of trading vessels; hence we do no trade whatever with the great world; money is consequently very scarce, and the people are very poor. We have forty-three Sabbath-keepers here now, and many interested ones with whom we hold meetings. We find that to get the message before the people we have to go to their homes, as the islanders generally are slow to attend meetings. Norfolk islanders are a good-natured people, very kind and respectful. We feel that God has many precious jewels that will finally take hold of the truth here. We shall always be glad to receive papers on present truth from our people. This is the only way these people will be able to read, as they are too poor to buy any papers. Some of our best men do not have two shillings in cash in six months. We thank the praying ones for their interest in our little mission field.

HARRY MITCHELL.