p. 442 | The Missionary by Stephen N. Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 23, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 28.

The Missionary.

By Stephen N. Haskell

New South Wales.

MANY people have, in their minds, associated Australia with English convicts, venomous reptiles, kangaroos, and terrible natives with their boomerangs. Whatever may have been in the past, things are different now, excepting in West Australia, where convicts are taken. As far as snakes are concerned it is stated that there are upwards of sixty different species; in the museum we counted many more, but they were perfectly harmless as they were in glass jars in alcohol. We were told, however, that there were snakes in the "bush" in certain seasons of the year, but they as much dread the approach of the white man as he dreads the reptile, and only give them the opportunity and they will give him the road every time.

In the insect world, Australia is said to occupy a foremost position, whether as regards size, number, peculiarity, or activity, the latter quality being conspicuous in the mosquito. But there is nothing serious in these. The worst feature is the annoyance they give. We are informed that sharks abound in the waters, which prevents people from bathing in the bay.

Sydney and Melbourne are rival cities, and the headquarters for navigation for Australia. They are the two commercial centers; but Sydney has the advantage of Melbourne as it has one of the best harbors in the world. As you enter the harbor there is a light-house on an elevation 276 feet above the level of the sea. The house itself is over seventy feet high. It has an electric light which flashes every minute and a half, and can be seen thirty miles at sea.

The harbor contains many inlets and coves which run into the very heart of the city, and the largest vessels can come into harbor at low tide, while at Melbourne very large vessels cannot approach within nine miles. Sydney is the headquarters for all the coast of Australia, as well as having its regular line of steamers that run to America, India, Africa, France, and London, thus connecting with all parts of the world. What the islands east of Australia are to New Zealand, so is India and the islands west of Australia to Sydney. Wages is high at this place and business good. Here is free trade; while Victoria has a high tariff.

This is a hilly country, while in the vicinity of Melbourne it is a plain. The buildings here are built of a kind of sand stone which is easily worked, but hardens by exposure. In Melbourne they use a hard blue stone that abounds in that country. Rents here (and we understand that it is the same in all the seaport cities) are at fabulous prices, exceeding the most expensive cities in America. This with high wages brings the price of goods, excepting fruits and meats, about the same as in America. San Francisco doors and mouldings are used in building, although in the northern part of Australia there is plenty of wood of superior quality that might be used.

Those who suppose that the Australian and the New Zealand people are uninformed, are greatly mistaken. They have more and larger libraries, which are better patronized by the people, than in any part of the United States, except it be in some of the Eastern cities. The Free Library at Sydney contains sixty thousand volumes, and the readers for 1884 are estimated to have been 155,000; while in addition to this there is a loaning branch, and whenever we have visited it, there were from three to five clerks receiving and giving out books. There are other large libraries called the School of Art, and Mechanics' Institute, supported by the Government, with which is connected a hall for free lectures upon various topics. This is to instruct the laboring class of people. This same spirit characterizes all Australia, and yet New Zealand, which is a younger country, carries the matter of education and libraries farther than Australia.

They have State free schools in every district, and with these schools are libraries for those who attend. Besides these there are schools of art, or mechanic institute libraries, making between five and six hundred libraries for the use of the public. In all of these colonies they welcome every new publication of whatever nature or character if it is moral. They seem anxious to enlighten the people with literature of all kinds from all parts of the world. The reason may be that the colonies are composed of people from all parts of the world and they are anxious that all should feel at home in their midst.

The sects in Australia are fewer in number than in New Zealand. In New Zealand it would seem that they encourage every new faith, granting the greatest liberty of conscience. In Australia there is more of a reserved feeling. They partake more of the religion of Europe. Sydney is more this way than other cities. New South Wales settled the first colony in New Zealand, and was the first settled in Australia, and it is the commercial center for Queens Land.

Ship missionary work can be carried on here to a greater advantage than in any other port in Australia. With this exception we should not judge that Sydney would be a very flattering field for operations. We hope, however, that

erelong there may be a mission established here. It affords an excellent opportunity of communicating with the East India and the West. Also we shall make efforts to place our bound books in the schools of art and mechanics' institutes, of which there are about eighty-five in this colony. Already they have been placed in the free library, and we were informed that they are well read. While visiting the sailors' reading-room we found "Ministry of St. Peter," "Milton on the State of the Dead," "Appeal for the Restoration of the Bible Sabbath," "Morton's Vindication," "Teachings of Paul," "Teachings and Temptations of Christ." We also found on the first page the following, "From the Boston Free Reading-room of the International Tract and Missionary Society, 21 Boylston Place, Boston, Mass., A. T. Robinson, Manager." This seemed like meeting old friends.

This city is striving for all modern improvements. The principal streets are covered with the Nicholson pavement, made of hard wood called "black-butt," that grows in this country. The present population of the city and suburbs is 251,808. All nations are represented here. We see more East India men than natives, except those that are engaged in business. Judging from what we have seen of the people, the morals of this city are in advance of American seaport cities. Temperance is warmly advocated, although there is a license law. We have no doubt but that God has a people in this city. Bible-readings and colporter work are what is needed in a city like this. We daily pray that God will lay the burden of this kind of work on young men and women, and that here he will raise up those who will assist the work. We cannot recommend this field as an easier field than America, for in some respects it will be harder. But the love of Christ will find its way to the hearts of the honest.

One characteristic of the people in this part of the world which is different from America is, they are possessed of a great desire for foreign reading—anything that gives a new idea or wakes up a new train of thought. Almost daily in this city you will meet individuals from Calcutta and all parts of India, in fact from all parts of the world. And what is most singular is, those from these distant fields are nearly all professors of religion, and they gladly receive any religious reading, and if it contains different ideas from what is common they seem anxious to introduce it to their people. New ideas do not meet with that prejudice here that they do in America. This will relate to reading matter rather than preaching. It seems there is a providence of God in thus preparing minds. It opens doors before the work of God as otherwise would be closed. This feature gives us courage and hope that something can be done to awaken an interest to read on the truths for this time.

S. N. H.