o Santa Cruz
Solomon Ism.
AU
WEST AUSTRALIA
R a
VOLUME 44
D. L. Moody Tells How He Became an Evangelist
E T me say a few words specially to
Sabbath school teachers before I
close. Let me urge upon you not to
be satisfied with merely pointing the chil-
dren away to the Lord Jesus Christ. There
are so many teachers who go on sowing
the seed, and who think they will reap the
harvest by and by; but they do not look
for the harvest now. I began to work in
that way, and it was years before I saw
any conversions. I believe God's method
is that we should sow with one hand and
reap with the other. The two should go
side by side. The idea that children must
grow into manhood and womanhood
before they can be brought to Jesus Christ
is a false one. They can be led to Christ
now in the days of their youth; and they
can be kept, so that they may become
-useful members of society, and be a bless-
ing to their parents, to the church of God,
and to the world. If they are allowed to
grow up to manhood and womanhood be-
fore they are led to Christ, many of them
will be dragged into the public-house; and
instead of being a blessing they will be a
curse to society.
What is the trouble throughout Chris-
tendom today, in connection with the
Sabbath school? It is that so many when
they grow up to the age of sixteen or so,
drop through the Sabbath school net, and
that is the last we see of them. There are
many young men now in your prisons who
have been Sabbath scholars. The cause
of that is that so few teachers believe the
children can be converted when they are
young. They do not labour to bring them
to a knowledge of Christ, but are content
to go on sowing the seed. Let a teacher
resolve that, God helping him, he will not
rest until he sees his whole class brought
into the kingdom of God; if he thus re-
solves, he will see signs and wonders inside
of thirty days.
I well remember how I got wakened up
on this point. I had a large Sabbath
school with a thousand children. I was
very much pleased with the numbers. If
they only kept up or exceeded that num-
ber, I was delighted; if the attendance fell
below a thousand, I was very much
[Registered at the G.P.O., Melbourne, for transmission by post as a newspaper.]
Dar.ur
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WARBURTON, MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1940
troubled. I was all the time aiming simply
at numbers. There was one class held in
a corner of the large hall. It was made
up of young women; and it was more
trouble than any other in the school.
There was but one man who could ever
manage it and keep it in order. If he
could manage to keep the class quiet, I
thought it was about as much as we could
hope for. The idea of any of them being
converted never entered my mind.
One Sabbath this teacher was missing,
and it was with difficulty that his substi-
tute could keep order in the class. Dur-
ing the week the teacher came to my place
of business. I noticed that he looked very
pale, and I asked what was the trouble.
"I have been bleeding at the lungs," he
said; "and the doctor tells me I cannot
live. I must give up my class and go back
to my widowed mother in New York
State." He fully believed he was going
home to die. As he spoke to me his chin
quivered, and the tears began to flow. I
noticed this, and said: "You are not afraid
of death, are you?" "Oh, no, I am not
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afraid to die; but I will meet God, and
not one of my Sabbath school scholars
is converted. What shall I say?" Ah, how
different things looked when he felt he
was going to render an account of his
stewardship!
I was speechless. It was something new
to me to hear anyone speak in that way.
I said: "Suppose we go and see the schol-
ars and tell them about Christ." "I am
very weak," he said, "too weak to walk."
I said I would take him in a carriage.
We took a carriage, and went round to the
residence of every scholar. He would just
be able to stagger across the footpath,
sometimes leaning on my arm. Calling
the young lady by name, he would pray
with her, and plead with her to come to
Christ. It was a new experience to me.
I got a new view of things. After he had
used up all his strength, I would take him
home. Next day he would start again,
and visit others in the class. Sometimes
he would go alone, and sometimes I would
go with him. At the end of ten days he
came to my place of business, his face
beaming with joy, and said: "The last one
has yielded her heart to Christ. I am
going home now; I have done all I can do;
my work is done."
I asked him when he was going, and
he said, "Tomorrow night." I said: "Sup-
pose I ask these young friends to have a
little gathering, to meet you once more
before you go." He said he would be very
glad. I sent out the invitations, and they
all came together. I had never spent such
a night up to that time. I had never met
• such a large number of young converts,
led to Christ by his influence and mine.
We prayed for each member of the class,
for the superintendent, and for the
teacher, Every one of them prayed; what
a change had come over them in a short
space of time! We tried to sing—but we
did not get on very well—
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love."
We all bade him good-bye; but - I felt
as if I must go and see him once more.
Next night, before the train started, I
2 AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
went to the station, and found that, with-
out any concert of action, one and another
of the class had come to bid him good-bye.
They were all there on the platform. A
few gathered around us—the fireman, en-
gineer, brakeman, and conductor of the
train, with the passengers. It was a beau-
tiful summer night, and the sun was just
going down behind the western prairies
as we sang together—
"Here we meet to part again;
But when we meet on Canaan's shore,
There'll be no parting there."
As the train moved out of the station,
he stood on the outside platform, and with
his finger pointing heavenwards, he said:
"I will meet you yonder"; then he dis-
appeared from our view.
What a work was accomplished in those
ten days! Some of the members of that
class are among the most active workers
NOTES ABOUT PIONEER WORKERS AND ,
EARLY EXPERIENCES—No. 9
Mrs. Ellen G. White---Seventy Years of Witnessing
W. A. SPICER
Of all the pioneers, it was given Mrs.
White to work longest in this advent
movement. Called to service in youth—
"in my very girlhood," she described it—
Mrs. White was speaking, writing, travel-
ling, long after all her early associates of
the days of 1844 had fallen asleep in
Christ. Yet she began less robust and
more frail than all of them.
When at last, in old age, she, too, was
laid to rest, the editor of the leading re-
ligious magazine of America, in reviewing
the work of Seventh-day Adventists, de-
scribed how it had spread from small
things into a truly world work, and said
of Mrs. White:—
"In all this Ellen G. White has been
the inspiration and guide. Here is a noble
record, and she deserves great honour.
Did she really receive divine visions? . . .
Why should we answer? One's doctrine
of the Bible may affect the conclusion. At
any rate, she was absolutely honest in her
belief in her revelations. Her life was
worthy of them. She showed no spiritual
pride, and she sought no 'filthy lucre.' She
lived the life and did the work of a worthy
prophetess." — "New York Independent,"
August 23, 1915.
The Spirit of Prophecy
Mrs. White herself preferred the name
of "messenger," but there was no objec-
tion to the word "prophet"; for she was
the agent called of God to bear messages
by the Spirit of prophecy. In this advent
movement the living God "set His hand
again the second time" (Isa. 11: 11) to
lead a people, even as He set His hand the
first time to lead the exodus movement
out of bondage in Egypt to the earthly
Canaan. How did He guide that ancient
movement? We are told: "By a prophet
the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and
by a prophet was he preserved." Hosea
12: 13:
Even so, as the time of the remnant
church came, and this advent movement
today. I met one of them at work away
out on the Pacific Coast a few years ago.
We had a blessed work of grace in the
school that summer; it took me out of my
business, and sent me into the Lord's
work. If it had not been for the work of
those ten days, probably I should not have
been here today.
Let me again urge on Sabbath school
teachers to seek the salvation of your
scholars. Make up your mind that within
the next ten days you will do all you can
to lead your class to Christ. Fathers,
mothers, let there be no rest till you see
all your family brought into the kingdom
of God. Do you say that He will not bless
such consecrated effort? What we want
today is the spirit of consecration and con-
centration. May God pour out His Spirit
upon us, and fill us with a holy enthusi-
asm!—"Grace, Prayer, and Work," pages
308, 311.
was to be led on to the heavenly Canaan,
the prophecy had foretold that in the
church would be set again the gift of the
Spirit of prophecy. Rev. 12: 17; 19: 10.
As the movement began at the time of
the prophecy, in 1844, even so, true to
the appointed hour, the agent of the gift
received her call to service in 1844.
This series of notes holds rather to the
personal side of the lives of our pioneers.
Therefore there is no call here to discuss
the gift of prophecy or to show further
the Bible teaching regarding it. Suffice
it to say, Ellen G. Harmon (later Mrs.
White) was true to the heavenly vision,
as the New York editor so well said. The
influence of that gift was seen building
up, in personal service, every phase of
our work and experience for seventy years;
and today the printed messages lead us
on, and are still a powerful building factor
in the cause in every land. This is recog-
nized by observers looking on from with-
out. To give one illustration: A Lutheran
clergyman in a European country was
writing a thesis for his doctor's degree at
a famous university. His subject was,
"The Second Advent Idea in History." For
one thing, he said of this advent move-
ment:—
"The secret of the piety and spirituality
and consecration of the Adventists will be
found in these writings and messages of
Mrs. E. G. White."
Early Christian Experience
When, in 1844, the call came to Ellen
Harmon, in the State of Maine, to receive
special messages by the Spirit, it was not
a call to a young girl of no particular
Christian experience. For some years the
young woman had been led into experi-
ences that were preparatory to this very
ministry. She herself was all unconscious
of any preparation for a special work. At
the time the call came she, like Moses of
old, felt that it was impossible for her
to answer. She says of that first call:—
17/6 / 40
"I went to the Lord in prayer, and
begged Him to lay the burden on some-
one else. It seemed to me that I could
not bear it. I lay upon my face a long
time, and all the light I could get was,
`Make known to others what I have re-
vealed to you.' . . . Said the angel, 'If you
deliver the messages faithfully, and endure
unto the end, you shall eat of the fruit
of the tree of life, and drink of the water
of the river of life.' "—"Early Writings,"
pages 20, 21.
This call came -to Miss Harmon when
she was but seventeen. Before this she
had been brought through an experience
in the saving power of Christ in her own
soul, that gave to her a testimony that
blessed others as she told it. Of her ex-
perience at this time, James White, her
future husband, has said:—
"I first met her in the city of Portland,
in the State of Maim She was then a
Christian of the most devoted type. And
although but sixteen, she was a labourer
in the cause of Christ in public, and from
house to house. She was a decided Adven-
tist, and yet her experience was so rich
and her testimony so powerful that minis-
ters and leading men of different churches
sought her labours as an exhorter in their
several congregations. But at that time
she was very timid, and little thought that
she was to be brought before the public
to speak to thousands."—"Life Sketches,"
James White, page 126, edition of 1880.
Working to Advance the Advent Message
In the year 1843 and early in 1844, Wil-
liam Miller, and particularly his associate,
Joshua V. Himes, were especially in
earnest about publishing the news of
Christ's coming. Ellen Harmon and her
sisters decided to earn money to help this
publishing work. Mr. Harmon, their
father, was a maker of hats. Ellen Harmon
made the crowns of the hats. She worked
at times propped up in bed, as her heart
was very weak. "Twenty-five cents a day
was all I could earn," she said; but this
helped to send out papers and books. As
the autumn of 1844 drew on, when they
looked for the coming of the Lord to•
cleanse the sanctuary (the earth, they
thought), Miss Harmon was stronger, and
worked earnestly for her girl companions.
She started prayer bands for her friends.
"Some of these had met with us from
curiosity to hear what I had to say; others
thought me beside myself to be so persis-
tent in my efforts, especially when they
manifested no concern on their part. But
at every one of our little meetings I con-
tinued to exhort and pray for each one
separately, until every one had yielded to
Jesus, acknowledging the merits of His
pardoning love. Every one was con-
verted to God." — "Testimonies," Vol. I,
pages 33, 34.
The Call of the Lord
It was in a quiet prayer circle, at the
home of a friend, that the call came to
Ellen Harmon to take up her lifework.
She wrote about it later:—
"It was not long after the passing of
the time in 1844, that my first vision was
given me. I was visiting a dear sister in
Christ, whose heart was knit with mine:
five of us, all women, were kneeling quietly
at the family altar. While we were pray-
ing, the power of God came upon me as I
had never felt it before."—lb., page 58.
So the first vision came to a praying
girl. This burden of prayer and personal
17/6/ 40
work for souls was one of her lifelong
burdens. She helped to win souls all her
days, from youth to old age. An interest-
ing . glimpse of this personal service was
given us years ago by Mrs. Martha D.
Amadon, daughter of John Byington, first
president of the General Conference. She
told us of a visit to her father's house by
James White, Mrs. White, and J. N. An-
drews in the fifties. Mrs. Amadon wrote:—
"What I best remember of that evening
nearly seventy-five years ago, was the
occasion of our family worship, when
Sister White was taken in vision. The
subject of this vision was the Sabbath
question, and in connection with it she
saw that God had a great work for Brother
Andrews to do.
q4am 47/uudleci eiviore
Russian Prisoners of War
in Finland
JOHN LARSEN
Several times I have visited the hospi-
tals where the Russian wounded are being
cared for, and have preached the gospel
to them. Most of them are young men
twenty to twenty-five years old, and the
majority of them can neither read nor
write. They are well taken care of in
these hospitals. Together with some Fin-
nish young people, we sang songs in the
corridors, and then we went from ward to
ward and preached. They all listened
with the greatest interest. It was a
strange experience to preach to people
who never before had heard a sermon on
salvation in Jesus. I told them the story
of Paul, the man who went throughout
Asia Minor as a persecutor of the Chris-
tians, and whom Jesus later met and con-
verted and who became the great mission-
ary. The Communists manifested great
interest in this wonderful story.
They seem happy and thankful for the
songs and for the Word of God. The
nurses told me that they often found the
Russian soldiers lying with folded hands,
praying. We distributed New Testaments
in Russian to all the soldiers who could
read, and they are eagerly studying this
Book. As they read they explain the
gospel to their comrades who are unable
to read. These soldiers all carry a long-
ing after God in their heart which all the
Communism in the world cannot quench.
During this war many Russians are re-
ceiving a knowledge of the living gospel,
and when they return to Russia they will
bear witness to the God who is unknown
to a large part of the Russian people,
especially the youth.
A short time ago I baptized a man who
had been a Communist for many years.
He is now in the military service. He
prays several times a day, because he has
found that prayer is the strength of man.
He has worked as a warden in a Russian
prison camp. These prisoners discovered
that he used to go aside to pray several
times a day, and they began to follow him.
When he knelt to pray, they would gather
around him in a ring, and make the sign
AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
"As she came out of vision, she reached
for the hand of a young woman near her,
and calling her by name, earnestly said,
Will you keep the Sabbath?' As the girl
hesitated, Sister White repeated, 'Will you
keep the Sabbath? Will you?' She re-
sponded, 'I will,' and she always did to the
day of her death. Sister White had had
no acquaintance with this girl, a beautiful
young woman over whom we had all been
anxious, fearing that she would not take
the right step concerning the Sabbath.
The earnestness of the Lord's servant won
her over, and it seemed that the Lord
must have presented this case in the vision
and impressed Sister White with what to
say."—Elmshaven Leaflet.
of the cross. He was a man who prayed,
and therefore, they said, he was a holy
man.
I desire to continue in this work of
preaching to the prisoners and to the
wounded Russian soldiers. It is a blessed
work. I have already sent a large package
of Christian literature to the hospital
where I last preached, and I am going
back to give them more. Pray for Finland
and its brave people, but pray also for
the Russians, that God may open a way
to bring the gospel to these people who
are stretching out their hands in longing
for the Word of God. (Written some
months ago, during the war.)
Southern Europe
A. V. OLSON
A recent mail brought a good letter from
the president of the Rumanian Union.
It will be remembered that a year ago
at this time nearly all our six hundred
churches in that country were closed,
and our people were passing through
the darkest period in the history of our
work there. Now D. Florea writes:
"There is a tremendous difference be-
tween the situation last year and this
year. Now all our churches have received
a special authorization from the ministry
of religion." Pastor Florea also tells us
that the tithe received from the churches
for the month of January shows an in-
crease of almost 60 per cent over the cor-
responding month of last year; that they
have just finished printing an edition of
"Ministry of Healing" in the Rumanian
language; that their colporteur work,
which was almost paralysed when most of
their colporteurs were mobilized last au-
tumn, is taking on new life again; and,
best of all, that a rich harvest of souls
is now being gathered for the kingdom of
God. "All this," he adds, "is due to the
influence of the Holy Spirit in the midst
of the churches." Last year, notwith-
standing the difficulties they experienced,
they added 1,428 believers to their churches
by baptism and vote.
We believe that our people everywhere
will rejoice with our dear brethren and
3
sisters in Rumania over what God has
done for them.
I have recently spent almost a month
in France visiting churches and attending
board and committee meetings. It was a
real joy to meet our brethren and sisters
there again. I have always enjoyed asso-
ciating with our French believers, but this
time my joy was greater than usual. In a
time such as this the faces of our fellow
believers do look better to us than ever!
Everywhere I found our people happy and
of good courage. In spite of the evacua-
tion of some of our people, the mobiliza-
tion of others, and still other difficulties
due to the war, the Franco-Belgian Union
was able to close the year 1939 without
deficits. This was made possible only
through retrenchments and careful econ-
omy. The French Publishing House was
able to show a good gain, even though
many of the colporteurs have been mobi-
lized. The school at Collonges has a
smaller attendance than usual, but is get-
ting along fairly well, and teachers and
students seem happy. We do feel that we
have reason to thank the Lord for His
blessings.
A School for Italy
A. V. OLSON
Our brethren and sisters in Italy are
now rejoicing in the thought of soon hav-
ing a school of their own where their
young people may receive a Christian edu-
cation.
The Italian Union has moved its head-.
quarters and the publishing offices to the
fine building, located in the centre of
Florence, which we purchased a few
months ago from the Methodists. These
offices are conveniently housed in rooms
above the chapel. The former headquar-
ters building in the outskirts of the city
has been released to be used as a school.
It is a very good building, and with only
a few minor alterations will be admirably
suited for this purpose. The building is
large enough to provide for a chapel, class-
rooms, a business office, a dining hall, a
kitchen, storerooms, an apartment for the
principal of the school, and dormitory
rooms for twenty to thirty young people.
If additional rooms for students are re-
quired, they can be rented near by.
The work of altering and redecorating
this future school building is being pushed
vigorously at present, in order that the
place may be ready for occupancy by the
time the union assembly is held in Flor-
ence the latter part of May. Thus all the
brethren and sisters who come to the
assembly will have the happy privilege of
seeing and becoming acquainted with their
new school plant.
The faculty has already been chosen,
and all other necessary steps have been
taken for opening the new school this
coming autumn.
Long have our people in Italy hoped
and prayed for a training school in their
own country where their sons and daugh-
ters might be prepared to carry the third
angel's message to the millions of Italy
a nd its colonies. Now they praise God
that their prayers are being answered and
their hopes realized. Well may they re-
joice! Let us rejoice with them. Let us
also pray that this new institution may
prove a great strength and blessing to the
cause of God in this large and important
field.
4 AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
Around the Conferences
Auckland Combined Meeting
FLORENCE M. DE VAYNES JONES
Sabbath, May 11, 1940, will linger in the
memory of the Advent people of Auckland.
Meetings had been held throughout the
week for the young people and for the
parents, and the grand climax was reached
on the Sabbath, when a gathering of
the members of the city and suburban
churches was held.
Anticipating a large congregation, the
committee hired a big hall in the city for
the occasion. At nine o'clock the people
began to assemble, and by nine-thirty the
ushers wondered where they were going
to stow the members of the late brigade,
as every chair (even the front ones!) was
occupied. It pays to be early for Sabbath
school, does it not?
"Be with us, gracious Lord, today,
Assembled here to worship Thee;
0 hear Thy servants as they pray,
And let Thine ear attentive be.",
This prayer, softly sung by the congre-
gation, was a prelude to the Sabbath
school exercises.
• In welcoming the members, the superin-
tendent also welcomed visitors from
Huntly, Cambridge, Tauranga, and as far
south as Christchurch.
A Cameo
It was Mother's Day, and we were privi-
liged in having with us the "mother" of
our Sabbath schools in New Zealand, for
seated on the platform was Sister Edward
Hare, the large family Bible open on her
knee, a beautiful bouquet of autumn flow-
ers—the gift of the Balmoral Sabbath
school—in her hand. The long rays of
the autumn sun came through the win-
dow and shone on the pages of the open
Bible, a fitting symbol of the heavenly
light always shining from those sacred
pages. This light has guided the footsteps
of this dear old pilgrim throughout her
long life.
As Mrs. Hare looked round the congre-
gation of seven hundred, her mind went
back to that summer day in November,
1885, when she was elected the first super-
intendent of a Sabbath school of seven.
"What hath God wrought!" she said to
herself. She is a monument of God's
keeping power, for although she is in her
eighty-eighth year, she has all her facul-
ties, and her mind is as alert as it was
that day in the long ago when she led
that first New Zealand Sabbath school to
the throne of grace. Surely goodness and
mercy have followed her all the days of
her life!
While the mother was seated there, the
daughter, Mrs. Lily Hallamore, sat down
at the piano to accompany the grand-
daughter, Miss Esma Hallamore, who ren-
dered as a musical monologue Edgar
Guest's beautiful poem, "Mother's Watch."
Thus three generations took part.
The lesson for the day on "The Duties
of Children" was singularly appropriate
to the occasion, and some excellent
thoughts were brought out.
The offering aim was set at ten guineas,
and the device consisted of a large map
of the New Guinea field. For every guinea
donated a light was to be placed! At the
close of Sabbath school we were told that
the offering amounted to eighteen guineas!
The power was switched on, and ten shin-
ing lights twinkled like stars all over the
dark field. Eight more could have been
placed there, for the people "were of a
willing heart."
This good Sabbath school served as a
preparation for the preaching service.
Pastor H. G. Moulds, our president, told
us of the wonderful deliverance of our
brethren in war-stricken Finland, and our
hearts went out in deep sympathy to our
dear Advent believers. The work is still
onward even in storm-tossed Europe. We
are living in a highly privileged state, in a
land of liberty, peace, and quietude, and
we want for nothing. Our responsibilities
are therefore much greater than those of
our less fortunate brethren. "Who knows,"
added Pastor Moulds, "how long we shall
be permitted to continue in this blissful
state, for things can happen overnight;
liberty is fast being taken away, and the
devil is come down having great wrath,
knowing that his time is short. It behoves
us therefore to consecrate our whole lives
in the short time that is left, for if the
devil has a short time, so have we to
prepare for eternity."
In the afternoon, the large congrega-
tion again came together, when Pastor
Moulds spoke to the Missionary Volun-
teers on "Christian Patriotism." It is
right to love one's country. There was not
a New Zealander in front of him who did
not love his own beautiful New Zealand.
He himself is an Australian, and he loves
the Island Continent.
"Breathes there the man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
`This is my own, my native land'?"
We must render unto Cmsar his own,
for governments, on account of sin, are
appointed for our protection. Without
governments the world would be in a state
17/ 6/ 40
of chaos. Let us do our duty to the
powers that be. Let us never be found
wanting in our duty to render honour to
whom honour is due. But there is another
country that claims our loyalty, namely
an heavenly. We must likewise be faithful
to its laws and to its King. It matters not
to which country or race we belong, we
may still be citizens of this heavenly
country. When the King shall come to
claim His own may we be found citizens
of this better country.
By this time the day was far spent, and
soon its sacred hours would pass into
eternity. After a sincere prayer for guid7
ance from the Omnipotent, the congre-
gation was dismissed, all parting and going
their several ways until the dawn of an-
other Sabbath day.
Dedication of the Ringwood
Church
A. W. CHELBERG
During the last twelve years, the little
company of believers in the Ringwood
district, Victoria, have saved and sacrificed
in order to have a church of their own.
This hope was finally realized on October
7, 1939. On that date the doors of the
little church opened for our first Sabbath
school, and in accord with our feeling we
sang together, "Praise God from whom
all blessings flow."
Our Sabbath school officers had ar-
ranged a special Sabbath school for that
date, every member entering heartily into
the various exercises of the day. This
feast of good things was followed by our
church service, conducted by Pastor E. G.
Whittaker, whose opening message called
us to a greater consecration and a more
active missionary life. In the afternoon
our young people's officers arranged a very
acceptable programme on the "Rock of
Ages," almost every member taking some
part. With gladness we entered into the
first Sabbath services held in our church
building, and lingered a long while in the
sacred precincts of the Lord's house.
It had been planned that our dedicatory
service should be held on Sunday, October
8, when we would offer to the Lord our-
selves and our building. The Conference
was represented by Pastors J. Pascoe and
C. Head, and Brother F. J. Butler. The
Mayor of Ringwood also accepted our invi-
tation to attend, and took his place on
A dream realized—
Ringwood's new
church building.
17/6/ 40
the platform with the two local elders
and the conference representatives. As
the hour approached, many from the sur-
rounding churches came to join with us in
thankfulness for what God had done.
The church was packed to its capacity,
125 being seated as Pastor Pascoe told
why we as Adventists needed a place of
our own in which to worship. He first
outlined the various truths that we hold
so dear, and sought to strengthen our
faith in the soon coming of our precious
Saviour. Pastor Head offered the dedica-
tory prayer as all knelt to seek God's
blessing.
The Advent Brass Band was also in at-
tendance, and its music and help in the
service were greatly appreciated.
A liberal offering of £15 7s. 3d. was
given, and this placed our church clear
of all debts, except £330 loaned us by the
Australasian Conference Association, all
our furnishings being paid for by gifts
from local members, sister churches, and
the local conference, so that our seats, as
well as a baptistry, were dedicated free of
debt.
We are deeply indebted to the builder,
Brother T. Harrington, and his helpers,
for the careful and faithful work shown
in all parts of the building. We also thank
all who in any way helped us in this
project. Every church member is greatly
thankful for the Lord's help and guidance
in erecting this meeting house for the
Ringwood district.
A hearty invitation to worship with us
is extended to all who visit our lovely
district.
Lismore Investiture
MRS. E. E. LOCK
Bang! bang! bang! Listen! Is that some-
one hammering in the Lismore church
on such a beautiful autumn Sunday?
Why, yes, it is. Of course it is the four-
teenth of April. and a platform is being
erected for the Investiture Service to be
held at eight o'clock tonight.
Time hurries on. What excitement
reigns as the Juniors congregate in the
back room for last-minute instruction!
Now all are ready, and our chairman,
Brother R. McLennan, calls for Heaven's
blessing to rest upon all during this happy
occasion. Miss_M. E. Rogers, our Confer-
ence J.M.V. Secretary, is introduced. She
has come five hundred miles to invest our
Juniors. She speaks of Jesus giving His
life for service while a Junior, and of
Samuel, who was called four times by
the Lord while he was but a child. This
reminds us of the four steps represented
by the progressive classes.
"It's a right good thing to keep the
trail," sing our Juniors as they march in
and form a semicircle on the platform and
invite the congregation to join them in
the song, "I am happy in the service of the
King." And you would have known they
were happy had you seen their smiling
faces.
After prayer, Brother Hankinson men-
tioned how men and women are giving
their lives for service under the blood-
stained banners of Europe, and here to-
night our children are dedicating their
lives for service under the blood-stained
banner of Christ.
AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
The lights go out, and to the strains of
an appropriate song the Juniors perform
the camp craft duty of building the camp
fire, and in its glow they gather round.
One of the Companions gives a talk on
constellations. Just as she closes, the
ccmpany is disturbed by one who is cough-
ing loudly. Quickly the Companion girls
in nurses' uniforms demonstrate the treat-
ment of a cold with lemon drink, hot foot
bath, and inhalation; and most important
of all, they tell us how to prevent catching
cold.
The writer, who is also the local Junior
Superintendent, now leads the Juniors on
to the platform to demonstrate their
knowledge of first aid and nature study.
"Robin Red Breast," a girls' quartette,
concludes this item.
Now comes a very interesting item to
the Juniors, as we all gather round the
camp fire once more to listen to the story
so ably told by Miss Rogers. Following
the challenge as to their knowledge and
practice of the Junior Pledge and Law.
seven Friends and five Companions step
forward to receive the insignia for their
respective classes.
In the unavoidable absence of our minis-
ter, Pastor H. R. Steed, Brother McLen-
nan dedicates the Juniors to the work of
God, and an impressive service is brought
to a close with the benediction.
Notes from Our Presidents
Pastor W. M. R. Scragg: Our tithe is
gradually mounting. We are now nearly
£400 above last year for the four months.
that is, nearly £100 a month. Things are
going well financially, and of course we
are still having good souls take hold of
the message. We have twenty-eight pre-
paring for baptism.
We had a fine meeting last Tuesday
night in the Hobart Town Hall, about
200 attending. Sir John Evans occupied
the chair for me, we had a fine lot of
singing, and I lectured on the second
chapter of Daniel. A few names were
handed in.
I have just been around the north-west
coast to Brother Peacock, and also visited
Brother Behrens, and Brother Burnside
in Launceston. Three weeks ago Brother
Burnside debated with a Baptist minister
on "Christians Should Not Keep the Sab-
bath." The debate covered three nights,
and Brother Burnside came out wonder-
fully well. It has mightily strengthened
our people right throughout the northern
districts, and a number have taken hold
through the debate. I was there with
Brother Burnside for the whole period.
Pastor R. A. Thrift: Pastor L. A. Butler
is doing very well in Fremantle and Cot-
tesloe; while Pastor M. Grolimund, Miss
D. Phillips, and Brother G. Palmateer at
South Perth have their hands full with
interested people.
The radio has created a state-wide in-
terest, and we are getting letters of in-
quiry from all classes. Some have al-
ready taken their stand for the Sabbath
without having had any contact with our
workers. Others in groups are listening in
and awaiting the time when we can give
them some personal help.
We had a blessed time during the Week
of Prayer. We have just prepared for an
eight-day mission in the Perth church
preparatory to launching a special lay-
men's effort.
A Moving Sabbath School
J. R. KENT
Have you ever been a member of a mov-
ing Sabbath school? Perhaps if you lived
back in the days of Abraham you would
have been a member of his school, for we
are told that as he moved on in his jour-
neyings, he built up altars and worshipped
God.
It was my privilege, however, a few
weeks ago to be a visitor at such a Sabbath
school as it met away among the snow-
capped mountains of South New Zealand.
The membership of that school is only
two—a faithful colporteur and his wife,
but as each Sabbath comes around, that
little caravan home halts for rest and
worship of God.
You can imagine that when the clock
strikes ten on Sabbath morning, no bell
signal is heard to mark the time for com-
mencement, but right on time, amid strains
of song that come from nature's choir,
can be heard the opening song of praise
from that little school.
From a neatly erected rack especially
provided for its safety, the perfect record
card is taken down and checked. Then
the lesson is studied, the missionary read-
ing presented, and every phase of the
larger Sabbath schools around the world
field is observed.
As we meet from Sabbath to Sabbath,
enjoying the comforts of a settled school,
let us think of the scores of our litera-
ture missionaries who in their efforts to
scatter the printed page meet under such
isolated conditions.
6 AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
c_,1 Golden Opportunity
It's Coming.'
While a great unfinished task awaits us
as a people, there is also a great task
awaiting us as individuals. There are
many in our districts who have never
heard the third angel's message, many
who should hear from our lips the most
solemn message of this last hour of earth's
history. Let us hasten to carry this last
message while the opportunity is ours.
Many will welcome the announcement
of the coming Home Missions Effort with
the "Interpreter of the Times," and recog-
nize in this an excellent opening for en-
gaging in house-to-house work.
The papers will be ready for the open-
ing day of the campaign on June 22, and
all are invited to participate in their dis-
tribution. The subjects of the four papers
are as follows:—
No. 1. "Prophecy Predicts the Marvels
of Modern Discovery."—R. F. Cottrell.
No. 2. "The Changing East." — H. G.
Woodward.
No. 3. "The Source of the World's
Troubles and the Remedy."—A. W. Ander-
son.
No. 4. "The Greatest Question of All
Time."—R. E. Hare.
To follow these four "Interpreters," there
will be two special "Signs of the Times"
supplied free, and dated July 22 and Au-
gust 5. These are for the purpose of deep-
ening interest, securing weekly subscribers,
and thereby continuing to foster by per-
sonal visitation the interests created, with
a view to definite follow-up work.
If it were possible for us to exchange
places with thousands of our brethren and
sisters overseas, where we would find that
Those Sabbath School Lessons
on the Home
ARTHUR W. SPALDING
There was a parable put forth by the
Master Teacher — do you remember?—
about a sower who went forth to sow. The
seed that he sowed fell on various kinds
of ground: some on the beaten path, where
it was soon lost; some on stony ground,
where it quickly sprouted, but, being shal-
low-rooted, very soon died; some on thorny
ground, where the briars sprang up lustily
and choked it; but some on good ground,
where it took root deeply, spread, thrived,
and bore good crops of from thirty to a
hundred fold. And you know hoW the
Master applied the parable to the sowing
of truth and the various minds and hearts
to which it came.
Now I couldn't say whether your heart,
and yours, and yours, is hard, or stony, or
thorny, or whether it is a heart that loves
truth, and gives it nourishment, and makes
it broaden and deepen and bear great
fruit. But I hope you will not forget that
good seed, without being given a chance
to grow, will never do you any good.
During the second quarter of this year
we are studying most valuable Sabbath
school lessons on the Christian home. And
there is widespread interest in them
throughout our churches, among our
young people, and our parents and work-
ers. There- is a chorus of, I suppose, ten
severe penalties awaited us if we dis-
tributed our literature, and that if we at-
tempted to visit the homes of the people
giving Bible studies we would be arrested
and thrown into prison, we would look
back and think of the opportunities we
had enjoyed in this fair land of ours. How
earnestly we would work if we had been
so restricted, and then again were allowed
to enjoy such privileges!
Regardless of the difficulties in the way,
God's work must be finished. Those fami-
liar words of Vol. V of the "Testimonies,"
page 463, ring in our ears. "The work
which the church has failed to do in a
time of peace and prosperity, she will have
to do in a terrible crisis, under most dis-
couraging, forbidding circumstances."
We may individually save many if only
we hasten to them before it is too late.
Let not the golden opportunities slip away.
We are told that "if we make no effort to
win souls to Christ, we shall be held re-
sponsible for the work we might have
done, but did not do because of our spirit-
ual indolence."—"Colporteur Evangelist,"
page 25.
The following words from the pen of
Pastor McElhany seem to strike the key-
note for this time: "Through the tumult
and the noise and the din of this world
ought to be heard the tramping of the
children of God as they march on toward
the kingdom. We should not be bivouack-
ing in the tents of carelessness and idle-
ness. As a militant force we should be
on the march. We should be accomplish-
ing mighty things for God and His truth."
May we move forward as a united band,
wtih clean hands and pure hearts, and
such a consecration for the task as the
Lord can use to win many souls for His
coming kingdom.
A.U.C. Home Missions Department.
thousand "Amens." It is good seed. The
question arises, however, how much our
homes will benefit from these studies. A
great deal, I hope. And yet, you know,
you can't expect thirteen lessons to com-
pass the whole field of home life, parental
instruction, and child training. The great
benefit will come to minds and hearts
aroused to study further, and to reform,
and to progress in Christian home-
making.
No other work can equal in importance
the parents' work. ("Ministry of Healing,"
page 378.) The success of the church de-
pends upon home influences. (Ib., page
349). The only education worthy of the
name is that which fits young men and
women to stand as Christian teachers at
the heads of their families. (Ib., page 444.)
The importance of the parents' work is
supreme, and the training of parents is
essential to the complete success of Chris-
tian education. ("Education," page 276.)
How tremendous in their meaning and im-
plications are these statements!
Have you, fathers and mothers, and you,
young men and women of maturity, re-
solved to study further into this most
important subject, and to fit yourselves
for your vitally important duties?
The Home Commission stands ready to
help you, with its various courses, compre-
hensive in their entirety, and with per-
sonal counsel and guidance.
You know: The Home Commission, A. U.
Conference, Fox Valley Road, Wahroonga,
New South Wales.
17/6/ 40
Our 1939 Colporteur Report
C. E. WEAKS
Secretary General Conference Publishing
Department
When the year 1939 closed, all but one
of our world divisions were in part or in
whole involved in war, and many of our
leaders and scores of our colporteurs were
drafted into the war machine. Reports
failed to reach us because of disrupted
mail service, and this, in addition to the
many other adverse conditions existing in
so many parts of the world field, caused us
to feel some concern in regard to what our
final summary of colporteur sales might
reveal. We waited beyond the usual time
before making up the final report, hoping
that delayed reports would reach us. But
finally we felt that we should wait no
longer.
We watched with intense interest as the
columns of figures were being totalled.
Imagine our joy and gratitude when we
saw that not only had we reached the
1938 figures, but our colporteurs had
actually delivered during 1939 £11,725 worth
more literature than during 1938, a year
when most of the world was supposed to
be at peace.
The following brief messages give us a
faint idea of what our fellow workers in
many fields are experiencing during these
eventful days:—
L. R. Holley, field missionary secretary
of the North China Union, writes:—
"Last year two colporteurs in the small-
est mission of the North China Union sold
more than £1,000 worth of literature, and
this in territory that was torn by battles
and intensive guerilla warfare. Often
these colporteurs have taken their lives in
their hands, as it were, in order to con-
tinue their work. As a result we have
this excellent sales record."
L. A. Vixie, field missionary secretary
of the Northern European Division, writes:
"Brother Heikkinen, the field missionary
secretary of the Finland Conference,
Brother Miettinen, the publishing house
manager, and Brother Unhala, the editor,
are all in defence service in the medical
unit. Even though the leaders have tem-
porarily left their posts, the work is going
on. Thousands of papers are sent out each
month, and many of our colporteurs are
faithfully at their post of duty.
"When the air-raid sirens sound, the
colporteurs seek cover and remain until
the clearance call is heard; then they
continue their work."
The following report tells of a wonderful
deliverance:—
"This morning J. I. Robinson read a very
touching letter from one of our workers.
He vividly and dramatically described the
invasion of , and told how, though
wounded, he was delivered from death. At
one time his protective helmet was hot
from the impact of bullets. Two pierced
the metal and seared his head, and yet he
came through alive. He expresses his
gratitude to God for his marvellous deliv-
erance."
While we little know what 1940 holds in
store, we do know that God's work must
be finished, and that the literature min-
istry is to have a very important place in
the finishing of the work.
We can face the future with confidence,
looking to our great Leader.
17/6 /40
AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
Official Organ of the
AUSTRALASIAN UNION CONFERENCE
OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS
EDITOR: - - - E. E. ROENFELT
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: - S. V. STRATFORD
Single Subscription, per year, post paid - 5/-
Order through your conference office, or
send direct to the Signs Publishing Co.,
Warburton, Victoria.
All copy for the paper should be sent to The Editor,
RECORD, "Mizpah," Wahroonga, N.S.W.
Printed weekly for the Conference by the
Signs Publishing Co., Warburton, Victoria
A Message That Was Read in All
of Our Churches
The special session of the Union Con-
ference Committee, in council assembled,
sends greetings to our people throughout
the Australasian Division.
We are filled with hope and courage in
God, our heavenly Father, and in His Son
Jesus Christ our Lord. We believe that
the great crisis hour which this message
has taught us to expect is nigh at hand.
Nothing in the present upheaval with its
turmoil and perplexity can surprise us.
This great message has taught us to ex-
pect it, and prepare for such a time as
this. There is no crisis with God, and
there can be no crisis in the work which
our God is leading and guiding.
Such an hour as this calls to us for a
truer-hearted, personal consecration to
God and for a deeper, truer experience in
the third angel's message. God's judg-
ments are in the land, and
WHEREAS the extraordinary conditions
which we are now facing provide unparal-
leled opportunities for successful mission-
ary work; and,
WHEREAS these opportunities should
be embraced by all our workers and people
while they are available,
We make the most earnest appeal to all
our church members to avail themselves
of every opportunity to warn the world
of the soon-coming Saviour, for surely the
night cometh wherein no man can work,
remembering what the Lord has told us
concerning the importance of enlisting
every church member in active missionary
service.
For our encouragement in such a time
as this the Lord has exhorted us to "do
all in our power to impart light to those
around us. We are not to be sad, but
cheerful, and we are to keep the Lord
Jesus ever before us."—"Testimonies," Vol.
VIII, page 253.
Above all things, we should not with
our pens advocate positions that we do not
put to a practical test in our own families,
upon our own tables. . . . In Michigan, we
can get along better without salt, sugar,
and milk, than can many who are situated
in the Far West or in the Far East, where
there is a scarcity of fruit.. . . We know
that a free use of these things is posi-
tively injurious to health, and in many
cases we think that if they were not used
at all, a much better state of health would
be enjoyed.—"Counsels on Diet," page 468.
AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
WEDDING BELLS
CHELBERG-LAURENS. — In the new
church at Ringwood, Victoria, on May 15,
William George Chelberg and Lorna
Laurens were united in the sacred bonds
of matrimony. The church was filled to
overflowing with relatives and friends,
who conveyed to the happy couple their
best wishes for Heaven's choicest blessings
as they travel life's pathway together in
consecration to God and service for Him.
Charles Head.
UNTIL THE DAY BREAK rt
"Angels their vigils watchful shall keep,
Waiting thy blissful waking from sleep."
HEATON.—Richard, beloved husband
of Isobel Heaten, nee Stewart, died at his
home in Newcastle on February 17, 1940.
Our late brother had a long connection
with this people, and as a boy, with his
brother, he worked for Sister E. G. White
at old "Sunnyside." In the Sandgate
Cemetery we laid him to rest till the com-
ing day when death and sorrow shall be
no more, Pastors Salton and Gane assist-
ing in the services at the funeral parlours
and the graveside. To his wife and chil-
dren and the members of his family we
extend our sympathies.
J. W. Kent.
ALLEN.—Edward James Allen died May
3, 1940, at Wallsend, New South Wales,
and was buried on May 4. Mr. Allen was
a Christian man and rests in the blessed
hope of the resurrection. Left to mourn
his loss are his widow, Sister Allen of our
Wallsend church, and three daughters.
Services were conducted by Pastor Kent
and the writer at the funeral parlours and
the graveside, where relatives and friends
paid their last tribute to one who was
esteemed and beloved. Our sympathies go
out to those who have been bereaved.
R. A. Salton.
WILTSHIRE. — Died at Avondale, New
South Wales, on April 22, Ernest Wiltshire,
beloved husband of Sister E. Wiltshire, nee
Ford. The Avondale boys of yesteryear
will learn with deep sorrow of the passing
of an old comrade. For years Brother
Wiltshire suffered from pain and sickness.
Brave to the last, his end came suddenly.
We laid him to rest in the Avondale ceme-
tery in the presence of a large gathering
of relatives and friends. To the dear wife
and son, also to the family in Queensland,
we extend our sincere sympathies.
J. W. Kent.
MILLS.—In the evening of April 30, at
the Sydney Sanitarium, Sister Evelyn Mills
passed quietly to her rest following an ill-
ness of some weeks' duration. Sister Mills,
the eldest daughter of the late Brother
and Sister H. J. Cooper, was born at Mus-
wellbrook, New South Wales, forty-nine
years ago. Throughout her childhood and
early youth she shared with her parents
the privileges and privations of years of
service in the colporteur work. At the age
7
of eighteen she became the wife of Brother
Henry E. Mills, and with him has faith-
fully served the cause of God in the work
of the Health Food Department. She fell
asleep in the firm expectation of sharing
the joys of eternity with thd Lord she
served so devotedly and with such appar-
ent happiness. The heartfelt sympathy
of a large circle of fellow workers and
friends is extended to the bereaved hus-
band, son, and daughter-in-law.
E. B. Rudge.
BRANDSTATER.—Charles Albert Brand-
stater was born in Swansea, Tasmania,
Australia, on September 14, 1873. He died
on April 14, 1940. His father was Emman-
uel Brandstater, and his mother, Caroline
Strong, both natives of Germany. He
accepted the message under the effort of
old Elder Israel in Tasmania. He grew
up on a farm, and received his preliminary
education in a local public school. He
was one of a family of six sons and one
daughter.
He came to America in 1894, and joined
his brother Arthur in Battle Creek, where
he took some studies and completed the
nurses' course in the Battle Creek Sani-
tarium in 1898. Shortly after he was se-
lected by Dr. Kellogg as one of a male
quartette to represent the Sanitarium in
an evangelistic tour of the southern states,
with Clarence Patch as principal speaker.
During their travels they went to Georgia
and stayed at the Mission Home there,
and helped in connection with the Georgia
Mission. Here he met the secretary of the
Mission, Miss Margaret M. Kessler, and
was later united in marriage to her by
Elder Miles Lewis in 1899.
At that time, they were invited to con-
nect with the medical work in Australia,
and they went to Brisbane for nearly a
year, from which place they connected
with the Health Home in Newcastle, and
took charge there for three years.
Returning to the United States in 1904,
he went to Battle Creek again, where he
took up further educational studies. He
went back to Australia again in 1907, and
remained there for some years. In 1911
he connected with the Christchurch Sani-
tarium under his brother Arthur, who
was in charge at that time.
In 1912 he came to California with the
writer, where he joined the nursing staff
of the Berkeley Sanitarium under Dr.
Sanderson. It was while he was here that
he took up the study of dentistry in the
College of Physicians and Surgeons.
He practised in San Francisco for four
years, and then came to Southern Cali-
fornia because of his wife's health. He
practised in Glendale until 1928, and then
located near the White Memorial Hos-
pital.
He leaves his widow and three sons—
Oliver, Glenn, and Kenneth, all dentists
practising in Los Angeles. Also a nephew,
William Brandstater, of Glendale.
In 1937 and 1938, he took a trip around
the world, and called to see his five
brothers. During his life he was always
interested in his church, and intimately
associated himself with its activities, being
always ready to help in any capacity, and
to give a reason for the hope that was
within him.
We believe he belongs to that number
who are especially mentioned in the Bible
as being blessed by dying in the Lord. He
awaits the call of the Life-giver.
H. W. Amyes, M.D.
8 AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
News Dotes
During his work as an evangelist, D. L.
Moody once closed a powerful sermon by
relating the incident which led him to
give his life to evangelism. We have pub-
lished this story on the first page of this
issue, and earnestly recommend it to our
readers, and especially to Sabbath school
teachers.
In a recent itinerary through the North
New South Wales Conference, the presi-
dent, Pastor J. W. Kent, conducted a series
of meetings. At Murwillumbah a congre-
gation estimated at 500 listened to the un-
folding of prophecy relative to the present
international crisis.
At Lismore, 700 people filled the Apollo
Hall, while a large number stood in the
hall and also out in the street listening to
the loud-speaker, while Pastor Kent spoke
to them on the "World Outlook."
New School at Wahroonga
H. J. HALLIDAY
For many years the church school ac-
commodation at Wahroonga has been
decidedly inadequate. The original build-
ing has been added to, but like many such
additions, they were not all that could
be desired.
Plans for a new school were made some
time ago, but various difficulties (such as
the Wahroonga Council's regulations
which specify brick for new buildings)
caused delay. But at long last the build-
ers have commenced the construction of
a modern brick school, and provided the
weather is kindly disposed, it should be
ready for occupation in thirteen weeks'
time.
It is our earnest desire that this church
school will fulfil its part in making a Chris-
tian education available to our children,
and that character that will stand for
eternity may be developed in the pupils
who pass through its various class rooms;
and last but not least, that these students
will eventually become workers for God.
Evangelism Under War
Conditions
This first-hand news from Pastor Mus-
tard in England, written on April 24, will
be of special interest to our readers:—
"Thank you for the continuous stream
of 'Records' reaching me. I enjoy them
as much as ever, for they keep me in
touch with old friends. In these days of
war and stress, when one lives in the
midst of it, such connections are a source
of relief.
"I am conducting campaigns at the mo-
ment in both Canterbury and Folkestone.
I am alone here, but have the help of
Brother Leslie Shaw in Folkestone. Pros-
pects are encouraging, but the war is
bringing many difficulties into our work
that we had not known before, and it
seems to me, making it increasingly diffi-
cult for us to reach and interest the peo-
ple. I find that many are so engrossed by
the war and its effect upon them that
they will give no time or thought to what
God has to say about it. I thought this
point might interest you, as it is rather
contrary to what we had expected.
"This city is, of course, the centre of
ecclesiasticism in England, and is com-
pletely dominated by its cathedral and
traditions. It saw the beginnings of Chris-
tianity in England, and also the begin-
nings of Catholicism here. The one ousted
the other. Spiritualism has also a strong
hold upon the church in this city. Alto-
gether I find the work more difficult here
than in any other place in which I have
laboured. It is indeed a city of com-
promise and self-satisfaction. Its better
name would be Laodicea.
"Very shortly I hope to be able to send
you an article for the 'Record' about the
beginnings of Christianity in Canterbury.
The facts should be of interest to modern
Sabbath-keepers. We are holding all our
services in the Friends' Meeting House, in
use as such since 1688."
Mothers Honoured at Papanui,
Christchurch
F. SUTTON
A postman's whistle shrilled during the
Mothers' Day Missionary Volunteer meet-
ing at Papanui last Sabbath, May 4. A
ccmmon sound, but so near that the leader
left his place to investigate. Puzzled, he
was moving down the aisle to the door
when the postman walked into the church;
surely the most youthful postman ever was
this intruder. He appeared to be about
nine, and wore around his arm a placard,
"For Mother," and he bore the most un-
expected load; letters from the four quar-
ters of Australasia — letters . for Mother.
Present in the meeting were the mothers
of young Adventists, many of them work-
ers, in far-away places.
As the meeting began they, with all the
others, were greeted with a sign, "Mothers
—Your Day." Then, softly sung, the lovely
words of "Home, Sweet Home," made some
mothers think wistfully of some children
away in God's service, when the postman
entered with a package of letters that
would be tempting loving fingers until the
good meeting was over—from Auckland,
Cooranbong, Tasmania, Longburn—so the
list ran. "And we hope they will give
the mothers as much pleasure as it has
given us to collect them," said the leader.
Before the meeting dispersed, each
mother was given a dainty card which
read: "Mother, in memory of your day.
May every day during this year be to you
a day of joyous blessing."
How Ministers of Other Denom-
inations Value Our Literature
J. R. KENT
Recently I was invited by one of our
colporteurs to visit a Mormon minister
with the object of presenting a set of our
religious books. While there, one of his
fellow ministers, visiting from New Zea-
land, asked for the privilege of seeing the
books. These he carefully examined, and
showed a very deep interest in their con-
tents. As he was paying only a brief visit
to Australia he requested that he have
the privilege of examining the books more
17/6/40
thoroughly when he returned to New
Zealand. I assured nim that this would
be arranged, and on my recent visit to
New Zealand I called on this man, and he
purchased the set of books and paid cash
on the spot.
After purchasing the books, this gentle-
man told us that when he arrived back
in New Zealand he was approached with
another set of books dealing on similar
lines, but he did not purchase them be-
cause he desired to secure the set that
we had previously shown him.
I informed this gentleman of our follow-
up plan, telling him that he would receive
a copy of one of our periodicals, and
giving him the choice between "Our Little
Friend" and the "Signs of the Times."
This again aroused his interest, for one
of our Adventist people in Auckland had
been giving him the "Signs," with the
result that he became so interested in the
contents of the paper that he sent a sub-
scription to the publishing house, and was
finding the paper very valuable in his
church work.
Before leaving he was very anxious that
we call on some of the Sunday school
teachers of his church. This we did, and
secured two further orders. And as a
result the interest did not stop here. The
following day this man rang the confer-
ence office requesting that a full set of the
books be brought out early next morning,
as another of his Sunday school teachers
desired to purchase them for cash.
We thank God for such wonderful lit-
erature that is finding a way into the work
and homes of leaders of other denomina-
tions.
An Impetus to Evangelism
A. W. ANDERSON
•
At this time of world crisis, it was felt
by the officers of the Union Conference
that the present affords a good opportu-
nity to push our evangelical work with
vigour, and to use all the facilities avail-
able to us for the purpose of reaching the
people with the message.
With this in mind it was considered ad-
visable to invite the presidents of the con-
ferences in Australia to meet together at
Wahroonga and discuss plans for carrying
on a much more aggressive work along
evangelical lines. The question was dis-
cussed with great earnestness by the
Executive Committee, and it was decided
to appoint a vice-president for the home
field who would give his entire time to the
supervision of a real strong drive in evan-
gelism. Pastor E. E Roenfelt was ap-
pointed to fill this position, as it was felt
that his long experience in evangelical
work would be of great value.
This appointment left a vacancy in the
secretarial department, and it was decided
to invite Pastor H. E. Piper, president of
the South New South Wales Conference,
to fill the position of Secretary of the
Union Conference. Pastor A. H. Piper was
thereupon called to take the presidency
of the South New South Wales Conference.
We believe the appointment of an offi-
cer who will devote his time to evangelical
work will be the means of creating a real
campaign of soul-winning. May we look
to our people to remember before the
throne of grace the work of our evan-
gelists and lay people who are using their
efforts to reach the people with the last
message of mercy in this critical time.