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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Mar 15, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 11.

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Australasia

By Ole A. Olsen

It is now some time since we landed in Australia. During this time we have been occupied to the fullest extent of our strength. Our first engagement was to attend the Australasian Union Conference Council at Melbourne, Victoria, September 5–17. This was a very profitable occasion, especially for me, as I had recently come to this field; for during the council nearly every branch of our work here received more or less consideration. At this council we also had representatives from all parts of the field, which was very helpful to an understanding of the whole situation.
It was a great pleasure to me to meet all these brethren and fellow workers, also to find the work in this field so well established and so prosperous. The reports from the various institutions were all of an encouraging nature, showing the work to be in a healthy condition.
Since the close of our council I have visited the Avondale School at Cooranbong, attending the closing exercises for the year. The school has been greatly prospered from every standpoint. Everything in connection with the school shows a thrifty and prosperous condition. I have also visited Adelaide, South Australia, to counsel with the brethren there concerning more extended plans for their medical missionary work. I found the work making steady progress, and while there I had the privilege of dedicating a new church building at Prospect, one of the suburbs of Adelaide.
On the same tour I also visited Melbourne and Warburton, Victoria. The brethren of the Echo Publishing Office were very busy getting ready for the removal of the plant to Warburton, the country place selected for the future location of the Echo Publishing Company. The frame for the new factory was up and being enclosed. The prospect is that the removal will be completed in February.
In October, 1905, the camp-meeting and conference for New South Wales was held at Marrickville, Sydney. We were favored with most excellent grounds, quiet, well shaded, and easy of access from all parts of the city. This was a good meeting, and largely attended by our own people, and also by the people of the surrounding community. All the various lines of work received careful consideration, while the meeting was also rich in spiritual blessings. Quite an outside interest was raised during the camp-meeting. This has been followed by a course of tent-meetings, and a goodly number have taken their stand for the truth. We look for a good, strong company of believers to be raised up in this place.
The New South Wales Conference had the pleasure of adding seven new churches. During the meeting eleven souls were baptized. At the close of this meeting, Brother S. M. Cobb, who has been laboring here for the past two years, left the field for New Zealand. The Lord has greatly blessed the labors of Brother Cobb, and the brethren were loath to have him leave; but the work is one, and this was cheerfully appreciated by all the brethren. Brother J. E. Fulton was elected president of the conference. He arrived later, and is now at his post of duty.
I am now returning from the camp-meeting and conference in New Zealand. This meeting was held at Island Bay, Wellington. Twelve years ago I had the privilege of attending a camp-meeting in the same city. It was then held near the center of the city, but now there would be no room for a camp in that position. A good place was found in the suburb of Island Bay, directly accessible by tram from all parts of the city. This was the largest gathering of our people in the colony. There were fifty family tents, besides the meeting tents, with from two hundred and fifty to three hundred of our people in attendance. We had an excellent meeting, and we can but feel that it will mark an important era in the work of that conference. The outside attendance was good, though not so large as at some previous meetings; but the same ones continued to come even when the weather was unfavorable, thus manifesting a real interest. Some who had been under conviction took their stand heartily for the truth. All the business of the conference passed off most harmoniously.
Brother W. L. H. Baker, who has labored faithfully here for several years, had left some time before the meeting for his field in Victoria; and Brother Cobb had taken up the work in this conference, where he has been given a hearty welcome.
The New Zealand Conference feel that the time has come for an industrial intermediate school to be opened in their State. They have faithfully supportedthe Avondale School at Cooranbong, both by their means and by their patronage; but there is a large number of young people who ought to be in school who can not go to Cooranbong. Seven hundred and seventeen pounds six shillings was raised in cash and pledges for the school, and a locating committee was elected to select a location and start the enterprise.
An excellent spirit pervaded all our meetings, while a deep solemnity rested over the camp. Twenty-five souls were baptized during the meeting; and all our brethren and sisters felt much encouraged over the outlook and prospects for the work in New Zealand. Good results will follow if they will take hold unitedly to carry out the good resolutions made at this meeting. O. A. OLSEN.