p. 12 | A LETTER FROM FIJI by J. E. Fulton

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 30, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 18.

A LETTER FROM FIJI.

By J. E. Fulton

We have had many evidences of the loving favor of the Lord, and His prospering care is exercised toward our work. It is making no rapid growth, but we trust that it is a sure and even growth that characterizes the sturdy trees rather than the gourds, that come up so quickly, but soon vanish away. We are cheered by the addition to our ranks of more native Sabbath-keepers. These are in another of the group. There will be, we hope, a good strong company there. Our native preacher is with them at present.

When I was attending conference in Australia, we had a little book printed at Avondale Press in the Fijian language. This we are now selling. We have disposed of several hundred, and when we get our launch finished, we hope to carry this book and our papers to all parts of the group. At present we are greatly crippled, for we are without a boat. It has always been thought a difficult thing to sell books to the Fijians. Others have made failures in this line; but I am very glad to say that we have been doing fairly well. I believe that we will be successful in disposing of our literature. We are printing a little paper every month, and we believe that it is doing good. It has cost a good deal of effort to write for it, and set up the type and print it. We have a very small outfit, but we have been greatly blessed. I am so glad that Brother Currow from Australia has joined us. He is a printer, and takes a great load from me. I really undertook more than I was fitted for when I started printing. We have now been printing our little paper for nearly two years.

We are now very anxious to get a part of Great

Controversy translated into the Fijian language. This I feel is greatly needed. There is not a word in the language about the history of the past. The natives know comparatively nothing about the struggles of the church of Christ during the ages gone by. They have not been informed as to what the great mystery of iniquity is. I fear they can not appreciate to any great extent what an “image to the beast” would mean, without this knowledge. I have been impressed very much that a history of the people of God as drawn out in Great Controversy, would be of great service to the cause here. We can not have a large book, but we can make suitable extracts from the Great Controversy, and make a beautiful and timely book. This book could be illustrated nicely and made very attractive.

We shall be in need of money to carry on the work of printing. I believe that our brethren will do something for us. This is certainly a worthy object. Just think of the books that we have in English, and here we have a poor race with hardly anything. “God is no respecter of persons,” but I am afraid that we are very partial to the white-skinned race. God loves the world. That means Fiji as well as any other part of the world. These natives cry out for light. My heart longs to help them. We are hampered for lack of funds. We stretch out hands toward you in other lands and cry for help. And remember we are only representatives of these poor people. They are crying for help, and shall it be in vain? We have been writing to some of our churches, trying to bring the needs of our work before them. We shall need several hundred dollars so that we shall be able to print this little book. Can you do anything for us in California? If you can, we shall be so thankful, and shall try to appropriate the funds to the best advantage.

I am glad to say that money for the oil-launch we are building is coming in very encouragingly. We hope to have a good boat.

I am sorry to say that Mrs. Fulton and myself are not very well. I hope that we will not have to sever our connection with the mission here, but I am quite sure we shall have to have change for a time to a cooler climate.

If there is anything in this letter that you can use to any advantage for the advancement of the work, I shall be pleased to have you use it.

Suva Vou, Fiji, March 6, 1902. J. E. FULTON.