Eastern Polynesian Mission Conference by A. H. Piper

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 20, 1906

Eastern Polynesian Mission Conference

By A. H. Piper

The Eastern Polynesian Mission comprises the missions established in the Society Islands, Cook Islands, and Pitcairn Island. The field in which this mission operates is a large one when viewed from the standpoint of its geographical boundaries. It contains over one hundred islands scattered over a large area of the southern Pacific Ocean. The means of transit between the great majority of the islands is very infrequent and poor, perhaps the poorest of any mission field in the world, and for this reason it is a difficult field to work.

On June 27, delegates from the missions named assembled in conference at Raiatea, one of the leeward islands of the Society group. In addition to the island delegates, we had the pleasure of having with us Elder E. H. Gates, of the Australasian Union Conference, of which conference our mission field forms a part. The meetings were held at the home of Brother John Brodein, part of the delegates lodging in the home and others in a large cotton-gin house on his plantation. During the entire period of the meeting, the weather was very pleasant, for which we all felt grateful to a kind Heavenly Father. Four meetings were held every day, one of which was devoted to business, and the remaining three were of an educational or devotional character.

Recommendations pertaining to practical godliness in the matter of faithfulness in keeping the Sabbath and in paying tithes were passed by the unanimous vote of all attending the meeting. During the discussion of these recommendations, touching incidents were related of how God had signally blessed faithfulness in tithe paying. Some of our dear island brethren are learning that in taking God into partnership they make a wise business move. Sisters Rosalind A. Young and Winnie McCoy, of Pitcairn Island, who are at present residing in Tahiti, were invited to return to Pitcairn and connect with the school there as teachers. It was decided to ask the Australian Union Conference to consider favorably the printing of a four-page monthly paper in the Tahitian and Rarotongan languages. It was resolved to ask our people to provide themselves with either an American or Australasian health journal, published by the denomination, in order that they might acquaint themselves with the means of prevention of disease and of the correct treatment of the sick. Another important resolution passed was that advising our people to procure the “Testimonies for the Church” and give them careful study. Elder B. J. Cady was elected chairman of the mission committee, which consists of B. J. Cady, A. H. Piper, and G. T. Beckner. Mrs. B. J. Cady was chosen secretary of the mission, also secretary of the Sabbath-school department of the Society Islands Mission. Mrs. A. H. Piper was elected secretary of the Sabbath-school department of the Cook Islands Mission.

Throughout the meeting, Elder Gates conducted studies on church order, organization, and education. They were of a profitable nature, and no doubt their influence will work for good on the hearts of the believers in this part of the world.

A pleasing feature of our small meeting was the number of young people attending it. When we consider the general character of young people in the islands of the South Seas, their loose ways and licentiousness, we feel that there is a power in the message of Revelation 14 that keeps many of our young men and women from falling into the gross sins of this their generation; and realizing that this message is the only means whereby the young can be saved, we return to our respective fields more determined than ever to push it until it reaches earth’s remotest bounds. A. H. PIPER.