Our Work in Australia by J. E. FULTON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 4, 1911

Our Work in Australia

By J. E. FULTON

J. E. FULTON

WE have lately held two excellent camp-meetings in this field,—one in Melbourne, Victoria, February 2-12, and the other in New Zealand, February 7-19. The blessing of the Lord was present at both these meetings. The business connected with the two conferences passed off harmoniously, and the instruction presented to our people was well received.

The New Zealand camp-meeting was held on a new plan. Instead of beginning on Thursday night, as is usual, the meeting began on Tuesday night, and with the exception of the devotional services the full time on Wednesday, Thursday, and until noon on Friday was given to business matters. New Zealand has more local institutions than any other conference in our union, and these received due consideration; but by Friday noon the business of the conference was finished, and on Friday night the camp-meeting proper began. During the week that followed, the work of instruction for our people and the preaching for those outside were carried on without interruption by business sessions. This gave our ministers time to visit the campers and to meet with them in little groups for instruction. We think the plan an excellent one, and recommend it to all. Our Sabbath services were seasons of refreshing. A large number reconsecrated themselves to God, and others gave their hearts to the Lord for the first time.

At both these camp-meetings, consideration was given to our foreign work, and our people heartily pledged themselves to support the plans for aggressive missionary effort. A second tithe was voted to be used in extending our work in the island field. Besides this, New Zealand voted one thousand dollars for the foreign work. A brother kindly loaned five thousand dollars to our conference institutions, at a low rate of interest, thus enabling us to pay off some loans bearing a higher rate of interest.

The readers of the REVIEW will be glad to hear that our different institutions in Australasia are having a good degree of success. Our leading sanitarium at Wahroonga has been well filled with patients for a number of months. At times it has been difficult to accommodate all who came. The training-school at Cooranbong has never been so full as at present. An excellent class of students is in attendance, and a good spirit prevails. We can also give a favorable report of the work of our publishing-house in Warburton. All are kept busy, and the demand for literature in the field is excellent. Our smaller institutions, such as schools, sanitariums, and cafes in the different states, are also quite successful.

Of the field work in the different states, the presidents give cheering reports. In some of the tent missions, goodly numbers have accepted the message during the past season.

There is no other union conference which has such an extended island field as the Australasian Union. This great foreign field appeals very strongly to the hearts of our brethren and sisters in Australia and New Zealand. The offerings in behalf of missions have been liberal; yet our people feel that the demand for rapidly extending the work in the many unentered fields calls for renewed consecration, and additional sacrifice of men and means. New plans are being laid for the extension of the work, and for its maintenance. Our conferences are just now taking up what is called the “penny-a-day plan,” which, while appearing rather insignificant, will in the aggregate greatly swell the fund for aggressive work. The plan is that each church-member shall, at family worship each day, place two cents (one penny) in a suitable box provided by the union conference. Six cents (three-pence) of this each week, or twenty-four cents (one shilling) each month, will be placed in the fourth Sabbath collection. The other eight cents of each week’s donations will pay for three copies of the Signs of the Times every week, three copies of each issue of Life and Health, and three leaflets. These periodicals are sold, and the profits from them will give an additional six cents for the Sabbath-school offering, four cents for the educational fund, and will also provide for the free distribution of a few leaflets. Thus the plan looks not only toward the spreading of the truth among the islands of the sea, but also toward active missionary work in the home field by our church-members. Two things to be said in behalf of the plan are: (1) It is systematic; (2) it is within the reach of all our people. Many, no doubt, will do much more than this, but it was thought best to present a plan within the reach of even the poorest members of the church.

At the present writing the West Australian camp-meeting is about to begin. To give the readers of the REVIEW an idea of the distances which our general workers must travel in Australasia, it may here be remarked that the writer has lately left New Zealand, where the before-mentioned camp-meeting was held, and has been on the water most of the time for over two weeks, in order to reach West Australia. The distance covered between these two camp-meetings is about thirty-six hundred miles. Those in America who look on the map for Australia may think it to be simply a large island, forgetting that there is really more land area in Australia than in the United States.

The writer lately took a voyage to inspect our missions in the East Indies, going as far as Padang, in Sumatra, our most distant mission station. The journey from Sydney by steamer took one full month. In many parts of the field it is apparent that journeys must be taken by water, and even to reach different points on the continent of Australia, trips must be taken by sea. This takes a great deal of time, and often means a good deal of unpleasantness. Those who have much traveling to do among the Australasian states and islands often look forward with glad anticipations to that time spoken of by John, when “there shall be no more sea.” Pray that the work of the Lord may go forward with power in this great field.

Wahroonga, New South Wales.