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General Conference Bulletin, vol. 5 - Contents
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    Australian Union Conference

    G. A. IRWIN

    REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT, G. A. IRWIN, RENDERED MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 6.

    AUSTRALIA AS A MISSIONARY FIELD

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    I desire to call further attention to one or two statements that have been made in the Testimonies in regard to this field. There is one which, in substance, states that Australia should be a center, and that it should stand related to adjacent countries, as the United States has stood related to the work in Europe. Here is another: “Of all countries, Australia most resembles America. It is her sister. All classes of people are here. and the truth has not been presented and rejected.”GCB April 12, 1903, page 173.34

    Many; I presume, think of Australia simply as a large island down in the South Pacific Ocean somewhere. Many have not had a distinct idea in regard to its size. You may be surprised when I state that its area in square miles is six-sevenths that of the United States, exclusive of Alaska.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.1

    In many respects Australia is a peculiar field. It is one of the most difficult fields in the world to work, owing to its location and the difficulties with which the workers there have to contend. In many respects it is more difficult to superintend the work in Australia than in the United States. When I make this statement, I know whereof I speak; for during the four years that I was president of the General Conference I was called from Maine to California, and from the Gulf to the Great Lakes, but the fatigue and difficulties of looking after the varied interests in all parts of the United States are not so great as in Australia, owing to the immense size of the field and the limited facilities for travel.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.2

    Along the eastern and southeastern coast of Australia there runs a railway line, connecting the capitals of the four states, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. The railway terminates on the north at Rockhampton. and, passing through Brisbane. Newcastle. Sydney, and Melbourne, terminates on the south at Adelaide. From the main line there extend a few branch lines a short distance into the interior. This is the entire railway system of Australia. In Tasmania a line runs from Hobart to Launceston. In order to reach points farther north than Rockhampton. Queensland. and points west of Adelaide, South Australia, it is necessary to travel from place to place on the “coastal” boats.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.3

    The interior of the continent of Australia is practically uninhabited. The central portion of the continent is said to be a basin, lower than the level of the sea. The greater portion of the interior is a great. sandy waste. Near the coast. and. in some instances, for a distance of from two to eight hundred miles inland. the soil is productive. Along the eastern and southeastern coast is a mountain range, and ordinarily the rainfall is sufficient to make the country productive. It is in this portion of the continent that the largest number of people live.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.4

    Since this Conference opened. we have heard a good deal about the population of various countries. It has been remarked that we are after the people, not the area. This is true; our message is to go to the people: but, brethren. the area has a good deal to do with this matter, after all. For instance, the people scattered over this large continent of Australia are all to hear the message, just as certainly as are the crowded millions in New York or London. In order to reach these people in Australia, it requires fatiguing labor—and laborers, too. Tonight it is just as easy for me to speak to this house full of people as it would be to speak to half a dozen. In fact, it is easier. because those who are accustomed to speaking in public know that there is an inspiration in speaking to a large number. In order to reach these people scattered over so large a range of territory, we have to go where they are; consequently we must have laborers. and endure hard, wearisome traveling. in order to go from place to place. Beyond the lines of railway. back into the interior, are what are known as “the back-blocks.” We must reach these on horseback, or by stage. or some other means of travel.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.5

    Again; New Zealand is one of the Australian states. and belongs to this field. One of our principal conferences is the New Zealand Conference. This island is 1,280 miles by sea from Sydney. The journey to this field must be taken over the Tasman Sea, one of the roughest pieces of water in all the South Seas.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.6

    Well, now, I am afraid I shall not say the things I really want to say to-night. There is much to be said about this country, but the one thing I want to impress upon your minds, if I do not impress anything else, is what the Lord has said about this field. There is a statement which says that what we have done in America under the direction of God is to be done in planting the standard of truth and building up the work in Australia The Lord wants institutions to be built up in Australia that shall properly represent the work; just the same class of institutions that we have built up in the United States,—publishing houses, schools, and sanitariums,—that that will represent the work.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.7

    You may be aware that it is now seventeen years since the workers first started in Australia. At the General Conference of 1884 it was recommended that Elder Haskell start a mission in Australia. The following year a company, consisting of Elder Haskell. Elder Israel and his family, Elder Corliss and his family, and Brethren Arnold and Scott, left San Francisco for this new field. They began work in the city of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. The second year they started a little printing plant, in order to publish a paper, the “Bible Echo.” From this beginning has grown the Echo Publishing Company, at present employing ninety hands. It is a flourishing plant, and is doing a good work in the field. A small school was next started in one of the suburbs of Melbourne. Later an estate of fifteen hundred acres was purchased near Cooranbong, New South Wales, seventy-five miles north of Sydney and about twenty miles south of Newcastle. It consisted of fifteen hundred acres of what the Australians call “bush,” and which we in America would call woods. This land was covered with gum trees, many of which were six or seven feet in diameter. These trees had to be grubbed out by the roots, for the roots never rot. It was a very hard and laborious process to clear the land. but by persevering effort they finally got some of the land cleared and buildings erected. At first many did not have much faith in the fertility of the soil, hence the work progressed slowly for a time. During the past two years, in spite of the drought. there have been excellent crops produced on the school farm. and there was raised enough not only to provide for the school’s needs, but also to sell to others. And this year the Lord has continued His blessing. It is really remarkable: there is just as marked a difference between that school estate and the surrounding country as we have reason to believe existed between the Egyptians and the children of Israel in the time of the plagues. This year they had abundance, not only for themselves, but, as I have intimated, they have sold to people outside. so that they had last year a balance of nearly $1,200, after paying all of the expenses of the school. The school now numbers 125, and excellent work is being done. I think from twenty to thirty from the school went into the work last year.GCB April 12, 1903, page 174.8

    THE SYDNEY SANITARIUM

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    I wish now to speak more particularly about our Sydney Sanitarium, at Wahroonga, a suburb of the city of Sydney. The spirit of prophecy has spoken particularly about the sanitarium work in that field. I do not know of a field anywhere in the world where a sanitarium is more needed than in Australia. The Australian people are the greatest meat-eaters and tea-drinkers in the world. Statistics show this. As a result there is a great deal of sickness. I never was in a place where there were more remarkable cures made in sanitarium work than in Australia. There is a growing interest in our health principles.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.1

    The foundation for the Sydney Sanitarium was laid two years ago the first of last September, and the work has dragged along rather slowly, because of the lack of means. But we have had abundant evidences of God’s leading and His blessing in the work from the very beginning up to the present time.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.2

    It costs much more to put up a building in that country than here in the United States. We have a good building, three stories high, and 153 feet long by 48 feet wide, excluding the verandas. The building is made entirely of wood. Last year there was a bath-room extension built at the rear, connected by a corridor with the main building. This part is four stories high, including the basement. The first story above the basement is for the gentlemen’s bath-room, the next story for the ladies’ bath-room, and the upper story is to be finished off for dwelling-rooms for the nurses. The institution was opened the first of January. It is not completely finished. The bath-rooms are not in a condition to fully represent our work.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.3

    The building, land, and furnishings have cost about $70,000; $30,000 of this has been raised in donations. leaving and indebtedness of $40,000.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.4

    We opened the first of January with seven patients. By the middle of March the number had increased to eighteen. There have already been one or two quite remarkable cures. I want to tell you about one, the case of a little boy that Dr. Kress brought with him from the camp-meeting in Tasmania. One of his limbs was partially paralyzed, and on the other foot he wore a great iron shoe. I told my wife that it seemed to me his parents would better have saved their money, as I did not see what they could do for that boy; but before we came away he had thrown away his iron shoe and his crutches, and was walking just as well as any of the boys. He was as happy as a boy could be, and praised the Lord that He had blessed him by restoring his limb. The Lord is blessing the Drs. Kress in their work. They also had some very remarkable cures at the Avondale Retreat, where they labored for about a year. They ran that institution a little over a year, I think, and paid all their expenses, made some improvements, and earned (Pound)300 to apply on the indebtedness. The-success that has accompanied this work with limited facilities encourages us to hope that, with better facilities, the work at Wahroonga can be made a success and an important factor in disseminating light and truth. Hence I do not hesitate to appeal for assistance from our friends in America to help us to properly equip this institution.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.5

    The people in Australia are liberal in giving, and they have lifted to the fullest extent of their ability. You will notice that the tithe amounts to about fifteen dollars per capita, and in addition to that they last year paid a second tithe to the sanitarium of over $7,000. They do not sit still and ask you people to send your means to build up their institutions, but they do all that it is in their power to do.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.6

    As you go away from this meeting, do not forget, brethren. that we want help in Australia,—the help of men and means, of your sympathy, and your prayers. In making an appeal for help for our field. we have no desire to depreciate the needs of any other field. We simply desire to place the needs of this part of the world before you briefly.GCB April 12, 1903, page 175.7

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