In the Australian Field by G. A. Irwin

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 21, 1907

In the Australian Field

By G. A. Irwin

G. A. IRWIN

THURSDAY evening, November 29, I returned to the sanitarium at Wahroonga, where I met Elder Olsen and Dr. Kress, who had just reached home from New Zealand. On Friday morning, after putting my trunk on board the “Medic,” I accompanied Elder Olsen to Strathfield, to which place they have removed the general office of the union conference from the city of Sydney. The New South Wales Conference and the union conference have united in renting a large two-story dwelling-house, with a roomy yard in front and back; they are using this building conjointly for offices. It furnishes ample room for both parties, and the rooms are light, airy, and quiet, and much more comfortable for the office workers than the close, hot rooms in the city. Strathfield is the largest and most important suburb of Sydney. All trains going in and out of Sydney stop there.

Returning from Strathfield, I spent the evening at the sanitarium, and took charge of the devotional meeting of the helpers, which is held regularly every Friday evening. The Spirit of the Lord was present in a marked degree, and many good testimonies were borne. By previous appointment there was an all-day union meeting held in the Stanmore church on Sabbath, of the churches and companies in and about Sydney.

I spoke at eleven o’clock, giving a brief review of our work from the time of its rise up to the present, showing, among other things, how utterly futile had been the efforts of ambitious, designing men within our ranks to deflect this message from its purpose, and that even now when the strongest and most subtle effort in that direction is being made that has ever been made inside the denomination, the message in its purity, as it was given to the pioneers in 1844, is going with greater power to-day than at any former period in its history. The church was again well filled at three o’clock, when, by request, I gave a history of the present movement and apostasy in Battle Creek, showing that it

was not, as some supposed, merely a strife between men as to leadership or “who should be the greatest” in the kingdom, but that it was a direct and premeditated effort against our system and form of organization, and against the work and influence of the spirit of prophecy. All who would be saved by this message must “abide in the ship,” for it is certain to reach the harbor even though storms, rocks, and icebergs are encountered on its way.

At the conclusion of the service, many private testimonies of loyalty to this message in its entirety were borne in my presence. I spent the night with Brother and Sister Hindson and Sister Graham at their home in Summer Hill.

On Sunday morning, December 2, in company with Sister Graham, I returned to the sanitarium, and met with several members of the union conference committee who had convened at the call of Brother Olsen. There were present Brethren Olsen, Gates, Kress, Fulton, C. W. Irwin, Johansen, Hennig, and Sister Graham. Time was given me to explain the object of my visit to Australia, and my mission to Africa, and also to speak of the plan for raising the $150,000 fund in the States, and the objects to which it is to be devoted. I spoke also of the plan to hold the next General Conference Committee Council in Europe. When I had finished, Brother Olsen brought up a number of questions pertaining to the work in the Australasian Union Conference, in the discussion of which I was requested to feel free to take part.

From a copy of the minutes of the meeting, I take the following as being of general interest:—

“Resolved, That G. A. Irwin be requested to represent this field at the next General Conference Council.”

“Resolved, That plans be laid for a printing-office in Singapore, to meet the needs of our own field only.”

“Resolved, That O. A. Olsen and J. E. Fulton attend the general meeting in Fiji, returning by way of Samoa and Tonga.”

“Resolved, That Elder Gates make a trip to the Philippine Islands, spending what time he deems necessary, and then proceed to Singapore and organize the Malaysia Union Mission, with G. F. Jones as superintendent.”

It is a fact worthy of special note in this connection, that of the fourteen recommendations passed at their recent union conference, sending persons to the East Indies and other island mission fields, not one refused to go. Most of them have already gone, and the others are in training while waiting for the sailing of the vessel. At noon on Sabbath, Brother and Sister Mitchel and their little daughter, from Adelaide, South Australia, took passage for Norfolk Island. Brother Mitchel goes to do general missionary and evangelical work on the island, and to take the position of elder of the church, which was made vacant by the death of Brother Belden.

Brother G. B. Starr continues to hold the position of chaplain in the sanitarium, although most of his time is taken up with mission work at Bondi, where the New South Wales camp-meeting was held. This mission is conducted conjointly by the sanitarium and New South Wales Conference. Four of the trained nurses are assisting Brother and Sister Starr in their mission work. The vegetarian café, in Sydney, under the management of Brother Fisher, is doing a good work. It is not only doing well financially, but it is exerting a good influence in the city. The sanitarium food factory and café work in harmony, and thus each is a help to the other. The sanitarium doctors have a consulting office in connection with the café, where, on stated days in each week, some one of the doctors is present to meet persons needing medical attention, and to advise in regard to their treatment.

Mrs. Boyd having resigned her position as matron and preceptress at the school, in order to devote her entire time to the care and companionship of her aged mother, Mrs. Sisley, Miss Andre has been selected to take charge of the ladies’ dormitory. Miss Andre has for some time stood at the head and done much of the teaching in the department to educate and train church-school teachers. Her new position will not take her from her former one, but more help will be given this department, leaving her free to superintend, rather than do so much teaching. Miss Ella Boyd, one of the first graduates from this department, who has been teaching in the island of Tonga for the past three years, will return to the Avondale School, and take the place of Mrs. Mariot, whose husband is under appointment to Fiji. In this field, as well as others, changes are frequent, but the work moves forward.

At noon December 4 we had a very tender parting meeting with the helpers, and at four o’clock bade them all a final adieu, and left for Sydney, to take the train for Melbourne, being accompanied by Elders Olsen and Hennig and Brother Fisher.

As I took a last look at the dear old place, where my wife and I had spent so many happy hours, and the company standing on the veranda, waving their last farewell, I felt more thankful than ever that we were so near the time when such scenes will be forever in the past.