The Missionary by Stephen N. Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 2, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 46.

The Missionary.

By Stephen N. Haskell

Planting the Third Angel's Message in New Zealand.—No. 1.

It is now about one year since the truth was first introduced into New Zealand by the living preacher, and it may be interesting to the readers of the Signs to learn the particulars of the establishing of the work there, and its progress during the past year. There is no Conference which has taken greater interest in that country than has California. The many papers which have been sent to different parts of New Zealand, have had an effect to awaken an interest in some of the cities, so much so that there is a call for the living preacher to come and introduce the truths advocated by the Signs of the Times. Also, not a few who received the Signs from America have become permanent subscribers for the Bible Echo.

On October 8, 1885, the writer left Sydney, Australia, for Auckland, New Zealand, which lies about 1,250 miles southwest of Australia, arriving there after a pleasant voyage of five days. Thus it requires about the same time to go from Australia to New Zealand that it does from California to New England, and the habits of the people are about as different, and the laws and people are as distinct. It will, therefore, ever be a distinct field of operation. The object in visiting Auckland was to secure agents for the Bible Echo, which we contemplated issuing about the first of January, 1886. I was an entire stranger, never having seen a person, to become acquainted with him, who lived in the colony. I had, however, a letter of introduction to a gentleman in Auckland who would assist me in finding a suitable boarding place. Accordingly, in a few hours after my arrival I was introduced to the private boarding house of Mr. Edward Hare, who afterwards, with his wife, became interested in the truth, and in a few weeks heartily embraced it; since which time he has taken an active part in the work, being now agent for our publications in Auckland District, the northern part of the island. He also furnishes the ships with our papers, by which they are carried to the different islands of the Pacific, and he has secured several agents for the sale of our works.

Auckland, including the suburbs, is a city of about 45,000 inhabitants, and is the only port on the island at which the Pacific Mail steamers stop en route between Australia and San Francisco. Many of the adjacent islands receive their mail through the Auckland office. The suburbs of Auckland, like those of Melbourne and London, are independent municipalities.

There is also a line of steamers running from Auckland to England, stopping at some Australian ports and other important points. The New Zealand Union Steamship Company has a line of trading vessels plying between this place and Melbourne, following around the coast of New Zealand, and stopping at Tasmania. They make the trip in a fortnight, stopping during the day at the seaport cities and running at night.

The people of this colony are more of the mixture of the English, Scotch, and Protestant Irish. There are quite a number of Americans in the colony, and consequently the people are more Americanized in their manners than they are in the other colonies of Australasia. This is particularly so in Auckland and the North Island. There is more liberality of feeling manifested, and the American would be more at home here than in the other colonies. This may be due to the fact that this colony has been more recently settled, and they remember they were strangers in a strange land, and also because of the efforts of the former American consul to cultivate friendly relations with the United States, and secure the establishment of commercial interests between the two countries.

The secular press is very liberal in anything of a denominational character, believing that all should have an opportunity to express their conscientious convictions. They opened their columns, giving a sketch of our history as a people, stating our object in coming to the colony, etc. The religious bodies, however, as elsewhere, manifest much opposition toward anything liable to disturb the quiet of their churches. Aside from the Seventh-day Adventists now established there, we know of no sect taking the name of Adventists. There are the Christadelphians, and Plymouth Brethren, who believe in the coming of Christ, but their doctrine is so different from the common view that they would never be understood as being Adventists as the term is used in America. There is another body called Christians, many of whom claim to be really Adventists. It would be difficult, however, to state their views in detail. Being acquainted with the man who brought them their views on the nature of man, and some other of the tenets held, we think it is but justice to say that he should not be held responsible for all their views. On one thing they accord with the Adventists of America, namely, the nature of man. Aside from this the doctrine held by many of them would appear but an inconsistent jargon, but few of them are agreed as to what is truth and they seem to agree to disagree.

Brother Hare and his wife had embraced this doctrine on the nature of man, and were nominally connected with this people. We found many of them, however, conscientious and God-fearing but much bewildered as to their belief, as they naturally would be. Mr. Aldrich, a young man of considerable ability, is their pastor. They meet regularly on the first day of the week to break bread, as the Disciple, or Christian, Church in America. By special invitation we spoke to them on the differences between their belief and ours, giving the reasons for our faith. This resulted in a friendly discussion of the Sabbath question with Mr. Aldrich, occupying two evenings of two hours each.

The discussion was conducted after the following method:—

The affirmative spoke half an hour, followed by the negative. Then the affirmative questioned the negative fifteen minutes, he being expected to answer without hesitation the questions asked. Then in turn the negative questioned the affirmative. The discussion was then closed for the evening by a fifteen-minute speech each. There was nothing new brought out by Mr. Aldrich in opposition to the Sabbath. As the result of the interest here awakened and the Bible-readings held, a number took their

stand to observe the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. All of these have adhered to it, while others have since joined them. They hold their regular Sabbath-school and social meeting every Sabbath, and meet certain evenings during the week for Bible-readings. Brother Edward Hare has charge of the meetings.

The class of "Christians" alluded to, hold to an invisible second coming of Christ. In one of their branch churches we were kindly invited to present the views we entertained upon this point. This we freely did, and in these various ways were enabled to get the fundamental principles of our faith before the people of this denomination. Many of them acknowledged light on many points which had before troubled them.

We also found those who had charge of city missions, captains of vessels, etc., ready to cooperate with us in every consistent way. In no case were we refused the privilege of placing our publications on board ships, or securing the aid of those in charge to see that they were distributed in the different ports which they entered. Consequently a wide door was here opened for the islands of the Pacific Ocean. There seemed to be a general interest and willingness in placing before the people the publications which we furnished. It is but an act of justice to acknowledge the courtesy of the New Zealand Union Steamship Company, who from that time freely took our publications from Australia to Auckland, and always manifested a willingness to do for us what they could. The custom house officers, and those officially connected with the business relating to the shipping, treated us very courteously, and aided it in every way consistent with their duties. Auckland is the most favorable shipping point for the islands of the Pacific lying between there and the United States of America.

S. N. H.