Notes From Australia by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 24, 1910

Notes From Australia

By G. B. Thompson

G. B. THOMPSON

On August 12 I sailed from Vancouver, B. C., on the steamship “Makura,” for Australia, to attend some of the camp-meetings and also the session of the Australasian Union Conference, at Warburton, near Melbourne, in October.

August 19 we reached Honolulu, and found Elder C. D. M. Williams at the wharf awaiting my arrival. I greatly enjoyed the hospitality of the home of Brother and Sister Williams while ashore. We visited the interesting points in the city, and in the evening I spoke to the church. I was glad to see such a comfortable place for worship, and to meet quite a number who have accepted the truth. At 10 P. M. our ship weighed anchor, and the morning of August 29 found us at Suva, Fiji. Here I met Brother and Sister A. Stewart, Brother Butler, and some of our Fijian workers, who were awaiting my arrival. I was glad to meet them, and spend some time talking over the needs of the work, and its progress among the Fijian people. I was sorry not to meet Pastor B. J. Cady, but he was on another island, and could not get to Suva.

The Lord has greatly blessed the work in the Fiji Islands, and several hundred are keeping the Sabbath. The work is still being pushed, and others are being gathered out by the truth. Thousands of Indians are being brought to the islands to labor in the manufacture of sugar and in other industries; and Mohammedanism, a peril worse than heathenism, seriously threatens this people. We feel sure that now is the time to push with vigor the work among the people of Fiji.

Sabbath morning, September 3, we reached the wharf at Pinkenba, the Brisbane harbor for large ocean liners. Pastor T. H. Craddock met me here, and took me to the church, where our people were assembled for worship. I had the privilege of speaking to our young people, and also at the regular Sabbath service. In the evening the boat left for Sydney.

The morning of September 5, shortly after six o’clock, as the sun was rising, we sailed down through the beautiful harbor to Sydney, and at seven o’clock the great heart of our ship was at rest, and the voyage across the Pacific was ended. Here I was cordially welcomed by Pastor E. H. Gates and Brother G. S. Fisher, the manager of the cafe in the city. It was a matter of comment among some of the passengers that I had friends to meet me at every stopping-place. I felt glad that the truth has so spread throughout the world, that at every important port where vessels stop, there are those who are keeping the Sabbath, and looking for the return of our blessed Saviour.

The few days at my disposal before the beginning of the New South Wales camp-meeting, I spent at the Wahroonga Sanitarium and the Avondale School for Christian Workers. Both these institutions are doing excellent work. A prolonged coal strike greatly affected the business at the sanitarium, and the number of patients was for a time somewhat reduced; but the prospect is favorable for the future.

I much enjoyed the privilege of visiting the Avondale school. Here in a retired place in the woods, by faith, earnest prayer, consecration, hard work, and following the light which the Lord sent, a strong school has been established, and workers are being trained to be sent to all points of the Australasian field, and to other fields as well. As I looked over the farm, the buildings, and the many industries, some more or less perfected, I was deeply impressed with the struggles and perseverance which have been necessary to get all these things arranged, and in working order, and at the same time to stand almost entirely free from debt. The blessing of this school to this field, and to the work in general, is beyond any human estimate. The labor and sacrifice expended will be rewarded with eternal dividends in the kingdom of God. Nowhere have I seen a more promising looking company of students than I found here, and all seem to be preparing for a place somewhere in the work. The missionary spirit in the school is strong. A spirit of unity and co-operation prevails between the faculty and the students. Prof. B. F. Machlan, who stands at the head of the school, enjoys the respect of all the students, and has the confidence of the Australasian Union Conference. He is happy in his work, and enjoys his association with the workers in this field. The enrolment the past year was about one hundred ninety, and the prospects for the coming year are quite encouraging. The school will close October 4 for the annual vacation.

I was much interested in the printing work done at this school. So far as I know, printing is carried forward here in more languages than anywhere else in the denomination, outside of Hamburg, Germany. Literature for the various foreign languages of the Australasian Union Conference is printed here.

A health food factory is also doing good work, and it has been necessary, in order to keep up with the demand, to put in more machinery to increase the output. While at Avondale, I spoke a number of times to the students concerning our work, and held some special meetings with them. There was a deep interest, and a hearty response to the presence of the Lord with us. There are more than fifty millions of people in the Australasian Union, and doubtless the great work of giving them the message will be carried forward from this place. No mistake was made in building up a strong center in this field.

I feel sure that the time to push the work vigorously in Australia is now. The country is prosperous and peaceful, and the way is open for aggressive efforts. A great work has already been done. Splendid institutions have been planted, thousands of our books have been sold, millions of pages of papers and tracts have been scattered throughout the field, and a strong body of believers has been developed. As the truth goes forth, watered by the Holy Spirit, many more will join the force already in the field, and help carry forward the work throughout this great union conference.