Victoria, Australia by W. FOWLER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 28, 1908

Victoria, Australia

By W. FOWLER

As I write these lines, I can not help praising the Lord for five weeks filled with the grandest experiences of my life. During that time he has graciously returned to me that burden for souls which I had when I accepted this glorious truth, about four years ago. I had allowed the oil in my lamp to burn out, and after groping in darkness for a long time with many and varied experiences, I was advised just before camp-meeting this year, to take the shining light of God’s Word and the “Coming King” away into the hill country of the Upper Murray in Victoria, and look for that which I had lost.

A few of my experiences here may be interesting. I met the Methodist minister on the road one day, who said, in a sneering way, “Yes, I have seen the book [“Coming King”] before, in fact, read it from beginning to end, as I did ‘Bible Readings’ and ‘Desire of Ages.’ I gave the people the contents of those books from the pulpit in my church. Yes, I advised them very strongly to burn such contaminating literature, and if they did not do that, to put the books away out of sight so that the people would not know that they were harboring such rubbish.”

I felt Christ’s presence with me, and he refreshed my memory with texts of Scripture, quotations from “Bible Readings,” “Great Controversy,” and other books, so that I completely vanquished all his theories and sentimentalisms regarding the Sabbath question, and the present-day condition of the churches. At last he admitted that his feeling against us was to a great degree prejudice, because of the way the books were sold, and that this made him denounce them. He said, “I’ll admit there is not a tittle of evidence to be found in the Bible for keeping Sunday sacred.”

Despite the opposition, I find a good many to sympathize with me, because they think the books are good ones. One

woman after she had finished telling me what the minister had said, remarked, “It is real persecution, that is what it is; but never mind, keep up your courage and go ahead against all opposition, for I believe it is God’s work you are doing.” Others say, “Well, God speed you on your way,” or, “I hope you have good success.”

One gentleman, after I had shown him the book, said, “Well, the parsons say these books are wrong. I suppose this is from the same place as the one I have, ‘Bible Readings;’ but come inside, I would like you to give me some idea of what is in that book.” I spent two hours with him explaining different portions, and secured an order from him; and on my leaving he said, “I do not profess to be religious, but I wish you were living near, so that I might hear more of these things. We will have another talk when you come back.” It was then I felt that God had intrusted with me a knowledge that is life to others, and I must not withhold it from them. Still, I know a canvasser should not preach, but do as the Waldensian missionary, who spoke where he could without impeding the cause.

I honestly believe and earnestly pray that a good company of sincere people in this district will eventually heed the call, “Come out of her, my people.”

W. FOWLER.