p. 265 | The Missionary by Stephen N. Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 6, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 17.

The Missionary.

By Stephen N. Haskell

The Cause in Australia and New Zealand.

We have each month mentioned particulars of the work in Australia and have also spoken of the work in New Zealand. We can only say in reference to the cause in Australia that from the time we began to see success attend our efforts, the interest has been steadily on the increase, widening and deepening. The tent has been pitched four times in three different suburbs, and in each place a number have embraced the truth. The church in Melbourne numbers fifty-five at the present time, and in the place where the tent was last pitched, thirty-five additional ones have signed the covenant. These are mostly of the better class. Among them are those having stores, which have to be closed on the Sabbath. One music dealer has placed our publications in the hands of his agents, and has already secured for us a large number of subscribers for the Bible Echo, besides selling many copies. In each place where the tent has been pitched, we have seen the influence of the truth beyond what has appeared to be the direct efforts put forth. God has gone out before us in this work, and prepared hearts to accept the truth.

Our brethren have secured a hall in Melbourne, where the friends from the suburbs can meet on the Sabbath. The last Sabbath in March, the hall where our brethren meet was full to overflowing, and had they all been present, they could not have been seated. The interest is better at the present time than at any period since the work commenced.

Tuesday, the 23d of February, we left Melbourne for Auckland, New Zealand, where we remained four weeks, visiting the places that were visited in November. While New Zealand and Australia are considered as much the same in America, they are two distinct fields and will ever be. It costs nearly as much to go from one to the other as it does to go from America to Europe, and requires nearly as much time. They are as separate in their commercial relations as two nations, although both are under the British Crown. Each has its own lines of steamers direct to England and other parts of the world. Yet there is weekly connection between the two colonies.

Our visit to New Zealand in the winter introduced the truth at Auckland, and also at Kaeo, which is 160 miles north. Both of these places are in the north island. Auckland is one of the largest cities in New Zealand, while Kaeo is a country place on a river of the same name. The principal business is lumbering. Bitter opposition was manifested in both of these places, but the friends who had fully committed themselves while we were there in November had grown stronger, and others had been reading and were anxious to hear more. During our two weeks' stay at Kaeo, we baptized fifteen. The people gave a ready assent when the importance of baptism was presented. They were convinced that the Bible teaches that baptism is immersion, but there seemed to be a general dread of going forward in the ordinance. I did not learn the cause of this holding back until after the baptism had taken place. It seems that, with the few exceptions, none of them had ever seen a baptism. Some evil-minded person had told them that the ceremony would be indecent, and that the candidates would be required to go into the water almost devoid of clothing. Unconscious of this cause of their reluctance to a public baptism, I urged them to go forward, telling them that baptism is a public ordinance, and that the more that could be present, the better would be the impression. It was finally announced at the meeting on Sunday forenoon that baptism would be administered in the afternoon. A large company was present at the water's edge, and the impression that was made was excellent. The Spirit of God evidently witnessed to the scene. From this time there was a breaking down, and all objections were removed. Seven were baptized, but others who had been holding back made up their minds that day to keep the Sabbath. The next Tuesday eight more were baptized. This led still others to take their stand, and more would have been baptized if I could have remained.

The entire community was stirred. After our baptism on Tuesday, we enjoyed a precious season of the ordinances, organized a Sabbath-school, and made arrangements for the meetings. Our meeting did not hold as long as the one at Troas (Acts 20), but until past one o'clock, Wednesday morning. Our ticket being purchased a month previous, and berth secured, we were under the necessity of leaving just as we did. Others will no doubt sign the covenant, and be baptized the first opportunity.

Father Joseph Hare acts as pastor and local elder of the church, and his son, William Hare, as superintendent of the Sabbath-school. We felt a great anxiety for their first public Sabbath meeting after we left, as they were to arrange their classes for Sabbath-school, and hold public service in the Temperance Hall at Kaeo. Our only opportunity of connecting with the steamer for America was to leave the next day, Wednesday, for Auckland. We never left any people more reluctantly than we did these. When we took the parting hand from some of them, it would not be stating the truth to say there were no moist eyes.

We accordingly spent the Sabbath before leaving for America at Auckland, where a few signed the covenant and will meet regularly for social meeting and Sabbath-school, Edward Hare acting as the leader. We were much rejoiced on Monday following the Sabbath to receive the following telegram from Kaeo: 'Sabbath-school and services well attended. Isa. 12:1, 2.' We immediately sent the following response: 'Telegram received. 1 Cor. 15:57, 58.'

There are now two small companies in New Zealand, one in Kaeo and one in Auckland. We cannot form a correct estimate of the number of Sabbath-keepers in Australia and New Zealand, but as nearly as we can learn, there are about one hundred and fifty, some one hundred and twenty-five of whom have signed the covenant. What is much needed at the present time is a series of meetings in Auckland; but these can be better held in the summer season, which commences in September and continues until the next June. We have reason to believe that with less labor put forth here than has been put forth at Melbourne there would be greater results. At the present there is much bitter opposition from some of whom we might expect better things. It is a singular fact that professed Christian ministers will meet for worship each Sunday, and publicly declare that there is no scripture for the same, and yet manifest a bitterness toward the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Has God changed? Did he make a mistake in placing the Sabbath in the midst of nine moral precepts like a golden clasp binding together our duty to God and to our fellow-men? Or is it because men have carnal hearts? We think the latter. May God hasten the time when those of a more conscientious mind will have the opportunity of hearing the truth more favorably set before them in the city of Auckland.

This city is not as large as Melbourne, and the people generally are more liberal to those who differ with them in religious sentiment. This city and suburbs have over 40,000 inhabitants, while Melbourne and suburbs have about 300,000. The public press is also more liberal. In this respect they better represent America. They are more free to give different persons an opportunity to express themselves through their columns.

The boat sailed Tuesday at 2:00 P. M. A few hours previous, the few friends met at the house of Brother Hare, where we spent a short time making suggestions as to their future efforts, and closed the interview with a season of prayer, committing them to the care of a covenant-keeping God. As we bid them adieu by the wave of the hand, while the stately Alameda was coursing its way for the broad Pacific Ocean, which separated us from our dearest earthly ties, our heart yearned for that country and people. May God speedily raise up faithful laborers who will feed hungry souls with the bread of life.

On stepping on board the steamer at Auckland, we received by the hand of the purser, an album containing the photographs of thirty-six individuals who were the first fruits of the Third Angel's Message in Australia. This was highly appreciated, and will be appreciated by the friends of the mission in America.

Our voyage was the most pleasant one we ever had. With the exception of two or three days a row boat could have lived on the sea, and some of the way scarcely a ripple was seen. On the first Sunday evening we were invited to speak to the passengers; quite an interest was manifested. This developed those who were more religiously inclined, and opened the way for daily Bible-readings with them. The regret was repeatedly expressed that we had not commenced at the first of the voyage. On board a steamship with an over-crowded list of pleasure seekers for passengers, where entertainments for pleasure were arranged almost daily and nightly, it was like an oasis in the desert to find a few who revered God's word. One man, a public teacher, seemed at first to enjoy them much; but after a little the card table had a greater attraction for him.

The officers did all in their power to make it pleasant for the passengers. We never had better accommodations, or received more attention from the officers. They kindly agreed to grant us favors in the way of carrying packages of periodicals for us to and from Australia. But

while cabin passengers fared well, those in the steerage had unusually poor accommodations. It would be for the interest of America and the Colonies if their first-class steamers, as on the Atlantic Ocean, had second and third class accommodations, and a fortnightly line. S. N. H.