The Work in the Australasian Union Conference by Ole Andres Olsen

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 17, 1908

The Work in the Australasian Union Conference

By Ole Andres Olsen

ONLY a brief time has passed since the close of our good union conference, but this short period has been full of activity in every department of our work. History is being made so fast in these days that one gets almost bewildered in trying to keep track of events.

A few days after the close of our union conference came the Queensland conference, held in our church at South Brisbane. The attendance was good, and from the first, an excellent spirit prevailed in the meetings.

Queensland has been passing through some trying experiences, but the present outlook is encouraging. At their late conference all the balance sheets showed substantial gains during the year past, and for the first time for a period of years, the conference and health food depot had a good credit balance. This was a source of much encouragement to the brethren and sisters of the conference.

The New South Wales camp-meeting was held at Ashfield, a suburb of Sydney, October 8-18. The attendance of our people was quite satisfactory, and the meeting also developed a good outside interest, which is being followed up by a series of tent-meetings. On the last day of the camp, thirty willing souls followed their Lord in baptism. Many of these were converted during the camp-meeting.

The presence and labors of Brother J. N. Loughborough were greatly appreciated by our people, and I am sure he will prove a great blessing to the work in this field. Brother Loughborough is keeping remarkably well, and is enjoying much freedom in speaking on his favorite theme, the early experiences and the special providences of God in this great advent movement.

A very interesting feature of our work here at present is the number of workers going to distant fields to labor. October 1 Elder J. E. Fulton and wife, also Brother and Sister E. E. Thorpe, graduate nurses, sailed for Java. Elder Fulton goes to act as superintendent of the East Indian and Malay district. He will remain a short time in Java to counsel and assist the workers, and to become familiar with the field, then go to Singapore, and still later visit Sumatra, and on his way to the General Conference next year will spend a little time in the Philippines. It was a big sacrifice to the home field to send Elder Fulton away, but the importance of the East Indian field demanded the very best talent. His long experience in the island mission work makes him exceptionally well fitted for the position to which he is now called.

The next to take their departure were Brother and Sister Harold Piper, who go from our school at Avondale to take charge of the school recently opened at Haapai, Tonga. They accompanied

Brother W. W. Palmer on his return to the Tongan field. October 21 Brother and Sister R. Smith, graduate nurses from the sanitarium, sailed for New Zealand, to enter the mission work among the Maoris. During this time a number of young people who have finished the teachers' course at the Avondale School have accepted calls from some of the conferences, and have already started work. Not less than ten young people from the Avondale School have entered the work during the past few months. It is this that helps us to meet the increasing demand for workers for the field.

The last of this month Brother and Sister G. F. Jones will sail for Singapore. They have been greatly benefited by their short stay in Australia. They are in good health, and brimful of missionary zeal. A young man from the school, Brother K. Huengerford, will return with them to assist in the work. Later others will go to engage in the circulation of literature.

We are much pleased to be able to send more help to the Philippines. Elder L. V. Finster and wife are booked to sail for Manila on December 2, to labor in that important field. It has taken considerable readjustment in the home field to arrange for the release of Elders Fulton and Finster, but the Lord has helped us, and to him be all the praise.

We have encouraging reports from all parts of our extensive field, and the evidence of the Lord's presence and blessing in the work is very marked. We are also made to rejoice by learning of the blessings that are attending the work in the great world-wide field. May the work be hastened to its rapid and glorious consummation. O. A. OLSEN.