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The Fiji Islands

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 18, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 51.

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The Fiji Islands

By A. C. Stuart

A. C. STUART
It is now over a year since we sent a general report of our work in these islands to the REVIEW AND HERALD. Our annual meeting was held this year in Colo, the hilly part of Viti Levu, the largest island in the group.
This location, though not so easy of access as places on the coast, afforded opportunity for a large number of our people to attend the council, and also made a pleasant change for our European workers, as the scenery is more beautiful and the climate much cooler than the coastal districts.
We were pleased to have with us Elder J. E. Fulton, president of the Australasian Union Conference, who, with his wife, was just returning from the General Conference. His report of that wonderful meeting in which we have been so interested, brought joy and courage to us all, and inspired us with a determination to be faithful until we shall all meet in that great gathering when representatives of every nation under heaven shall unite in singing the final song of victory.
A good spirit pervaded the meetings from first to last, and our native brethren freely responded to an invitation for deeper consecration in the things of God. Some arose two or three times in each meeting as the Holy Spirit revealed wrongs that should be confessed.
The reports from the workers showed that several persons have united with the churches and companies in the Colo district during the past year. At the close of the meeting, seven candidates presented themselves for baptism, five of whom received this sacred rite in the presence of a large gathering of people.
The training-school at Buresala has had a successful year, and furnished two more teachers for the field. An appeal to the brethren in council for more mature persons to fit themselves for service was responded to by several arising and expressing their intention to enter the school with this object in view.
The government has just given permission for another native worker and his wife to go to New Guinea. These will be a great help in giving the message to their benighted fellow men in that needy field. We expect that by the time this is printed these two young workers will be ready to leave for their new field of labor.
A beginning has been made among the 40,000 indentured Indians in this colony, which is a big task, as it is chiefly the illiterate class that is brought here. Sister Meyers has her hands full in teaching and visiting among them. We hope soon to have more workers to assist in this work, and also have a more suitable and permanent location.
CHURCH AT LAU, FIJI Built by our native minister, Pauliasi Bunoa (at corner).
CHURCH AT LAU, FIJI Built by our native minister, Pauliasi Bunoa (at corner).
We are indeed grateful for what God has done for his work in Fiji, but we feel that we must have more of that power in our labors which comes alone through a baptism of the Holy Spirit. To this end let us continue to pray earnestly.