The New Church At Avondale Is Dedicated

There were many visitors at Cooranbong for the church dedication and for the closing exercises of the school on Sunday evening, October 17. Sunday was a beautiful day, and in the afternoon all gathered in the church for the service of dedication. In a letter Ellen White described it:WV 362.7

Every seat was occupied, and some were standing at the door. Between two and three hundred were present. Quite a number came from Melbourne and also from Sydney, and from the neighborhood, far and nigh.WV 363.1

Elder Haskell gave the dedicatory discourse. Seated on the platform where the pulpit stands were Elders Daniells, Farnsworth, Haskell, Hughes, Wilson, Robinson, and your mother, whom they insisted should make the dedicatory prayer. Herbert Lacey conducted the singing, and everything passed off in the very best order. We felt indeed that the Lord Jesus was in our midst as we presented our chapel to God and supplicated that His blessing should constantly rest upon it (Letter 162, 1897).WV 363.2

The Bible Echo, in reporting the dedication, described the building as situated on the school land near the Maitland Road and three quarters of a mile (one kilometer) from the school buildings, built of wood, well constructed, neatly painted, and presenting a very nice appearance.WV 363.3

The land for the church was donated by the school. The building itself cost only about £550 ($2,640) and is capable of accommodating 450 persons. And one of the best features connected with the whole enterprise is that it was dedicated free from debt, every penny's expense having been provided for beforehand. So there was no collection called for on this occasion to clear the church from debt (The Bible Echo, November 8, 1897).WV 363.4

One feature of the developing enterprises at Cooranbong was the determination to avoid debt, even though the work was at times slowed, and all concerned had to sacrifice and deprive themselves of ordinary comforts and needs. Earlier in the year Ellen White had commented:WV 363.5

There is no necessity for our meetinghouses to continue year after year in debt. If every member of the church will do his duty, practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice for the Lord Jesus, whose purchased possession he is, that His church may be free from debt, he will do honor to God (Letter 52, 1897).WV 363.6

The last paragraph of the November 8 Bible Echo report of the dedication significantly declared:WV 363.7

In conclusion, it should be stated that the erection of this building at this early stage of the school enterprise is mainly due to the faith and energy of Pastor S. N. Haskell and Mrs. E. G. White, and the rich blessings of God on their efforts. But for them, the building would perhaps not have been built for some time yet. With but £100 ($480) in sight, they moved out by faith and began to build, and the results are as already stated.WV 363.8

But of special significance to Ellen White was the fact that in this new start in Christian education, not only was it a success, but was, as she observed, “the best school in every respect that we have ever seen, outside our people, or among Seventh-day Adventists” (Letter 101, 1897).WV 364.1

Twenty of the students have been baptized, and some came to the school who had an experimental knowledge of what it means to be Christians; but not one student leaves the school but gives evidence of now knowing what it means to be children of God (Letter 162, 1897).WV 364.2