General Conference Bulletin, vol. 5

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Australasian Union Conference

G. A. IRWIN

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

This conference includes Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the islands of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, besides a supervision over the East Indies, or Malay Archipelago. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.7

The population of this entire district amounts in the aggregate to nearly 50,000,000 of people. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.8

There are seven organized local conferences in this field, one in each of the five states of Australia, and one each in New Zealand and Tasmania. Two of these, Tasmania and West Australia, have been organized since the last General Conference. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.9

Australia has been suffering for the past few years from the most severe drought in the history of the country. The newspapers have reported that in some sections there are children going to school who have never seen a good down-pour of rain. In many districts all the sheep and cattle have died of starvation. The loss in the aggregate foots up to scores of millions of live stock, and many millions of money. Sheep and cattle-raising being one of the principal industries, the financial loss to the country has materially affected business. Adding to this immense loss the shortage in all agricultural productions and the recently-enacted federal tariff, which imposes a heavy duty on all imported products, high prices and consequent hard times have been the inevitable result. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.10

Notwithstanding these seemingly discouraging conditions, the Lord has blessed His work and given it a good measure of success. All of the conferences, except one, have had sufficient tithes to pay their laborers a reasonable wage and leave a surplus in their treasuries. In the majority of the conferences their indebtedness has been quite largely reduced. There has also been a steady and healthy increase, in the aggregate, of all the regular offerings. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.11

The tract societies have also shared in the blessings, each coming out with a fair credit balance upon the two years’ business, which has gone, in most cases, toward liquidating their indebtedness to the Echo Publishing Company. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.12

There has been an increase of 349 in membership during the biennial period, making a present membership of 2,460 in the Australian field. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.13

Our present working force consists of 16 ministers, 16 licensed preachers, 17 Bible-workers, 6 colporters, and 72 canvassers. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.14

Eight new church buildings have been erected, and one purchased, and four others are in the process of construction. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.15

The total tithe received during the biennial period amounts to $71,990.17, being an average per member for two years of $31.22, or a yearly average of $14.98 per capita. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.16

The Sabbath-school donations for mission purposes were $5,572.11; first-day and annual offerings, $3,038.55; and miscellaneous donations, $290.73, making a grand total in tithes and offerings during the two years of $81,191.21. This amount does not include donations for the Avondale School and the Sydney Sanitarium, nor the amounts raised in state conferences for their local work. GCB April 9, 1903, page 142.17

BOOK SALES

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The total reported book sales amounted to $167,935, an increase over the former period of $7,555. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.1

PUBLISHING WORK

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Notwithstanding the hard times that materially reduced the business of other publishing companies in this field, the Echo Publishing Company has been blessed with a liberal patronage. In addition to an increase of the publication and sale of our denominational books and tracts, they have had steady work for their employees upon a good class of commercial work. Their last yearly balance-sheet shows a net profit of $4,665. This amount does not include a donation of $585 that the company made toward the “Christ’s Object Lessons” Material Fund. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.2

Some new machinery and facilities have been added, so that the company is now prepared, not only to print, but to bind most of the denominational books that they publish. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.3

During the early part of last year a branch office was established in the Natal-Transvaal field in South Africa, two competent men being sent to take charge of it. Thus far they have met with marked success. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.4

In addition to their regular denominational book work, the Echo Company publish, at their own expense, the “Australasian Signs of the Times” (formerly the “Bible Echo”) and the “Children’s Friend.” The former is our general missionary paper, and the latter a children’s paper, for general circulation, as well as use in our Sabbath-schools. For a more extended account of this institution, reference may be had to the detailed report of the manager, W. D. Salisbury, which will doubtless be published in the “Bulletin.” GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.5

The “Avondale Press” is a small printing plant, located upon the Avondale School’s estate having one large power press and two small job presses. The work is in charge of Brother E. C. Chapman. Only one person besides himself is regularly employed, the rest of the work being done by student help. The “Union Conference Record,” an eight-page, semimonthly paper, devoted specially to the interests of the church, and the “Australasian Good Health,” a monthly journal published in the interests of our sanitarium and health work, are printed at this office. In addition to small tracts and pamphlets in the English language, they have printed a three-thousand edition of “Christ Our Saviour,” and a thirty-two page tract on the coming of Christ, in the Maori language, also a one-thousand edition of the same book in the Raratongan language, besides one thousand copies of a small book of Bible-readings in the Fijian language. An abridged edition of “Great Controversy” in the Fijian tongue is now going through the press. The last trial-balance of this institution showed a net gain for the past year of about $400. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.6

EDUCATIONAL WORK

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The Avondale School, our educational institution, is located in New South Wales, seventy-five miles north of the city of Sydney, and twenty miles south of Newcastle. The school is in charge of Prof. C. W. Irwin, as principal and business manager. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.7

For the past two years the school has had marked evidences of the protection and prospering hand of our heavenly Father. While the drought was so severe all around that practically nothing was raised, the school estate of fifteen hundred acres was blessed with frequent rains and abundant crops, so that sufficient was raised to supply the school and leave a surplus for sale. During the three months of the last vacation, in addition to the support of the twenty-five students who remained to work on the estate, about $700 worth of products were sold to those outside. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.8

The school was also blessed. in the main, with a good class of students, and good. faithful work was done by both teachers and pupils. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.9

Quite a large proportion of the last year’s students went from the school into the work, some as church-school teachers. some as canvassers. and others to take training as nurses. while one began the medical course. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.10

The last year’s balance-sheet showed a net gain of $1,165 in the operation of the school proper, after paying all expenses, including interest. taxes. and repairs. No part of this was from the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” for all proceeds from that source were applied on the indebtedness. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.11

The present enrollment of the school is 125 students. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.12

“CHRIST’S OBJECT LESSONS”

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At our last Union Conference, held in July, 1901, plans were perfected for the sale of this book, for the benefit of the school. It was found that it would require the publication and sale of a twenty-thousand edition at $1.32 per copy to entirely wipe out the debt, which at that time amounted, in round numbers, to $25,000. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.13

A material fund amounting to $6,000 was first raised. The books were to be printed and bound by the Echo Publishing Company. Owing to an unavoidable delay, no books were ready for sale until November. In the fifteen months that have passed since that time, nearly one-half of the entire edition has been sold, and about (Pound)2,000, or $10,000, has come into the school and been applied on the debt. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.14

The outlying conferences may be through with the sale of their quota by this time, but the work is moving somewhat slowly in portions of Australia, owing to conditions occasioned by the drought; but we are hopeful that the entire edition will be sold within the coming year. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.15

MEDICAL WORK

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There are four medical institutions in this field, working in harmony with our organized work and under the auspices of the Medical Committee, one in Apia, Samoa, in charge of Dr. Braucht; one in Papanui, Christchurch, New Zealand, in charge of Dr. Gibson; one at Avondale, at present closed for want of a physician; and one at Wahroonga, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, known as the Sydney Sanitarium, in charge of Dr. D. H. Kress and wife. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.16

In addition to these institutions, mention should be made of the Hydropathic Institute, conducted by Brother A. W. Semmons, in Adelaide, South Australia; and also of the Bath Parlors, conducted by Brother Robie and wife, in Rockhampton, Queensland. Lack of space forbids entering into details in regard to these institutions. Both have enjoyed a fair degree of prosperity, and have exerted a good influence in their respective fields. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.17

Of the Sydney Sanitarium, by far the largest and most important of all. I feel it my duty to speak more particularly. We have been told by the Lord that this institution should be made a center for the training of nurses and medical missionaries for the entire field, and it should be an institution that would properly represent our medical work in Australia. Through testimonies, our people throughout the entire field have been called upon to contribute of their means toward building up and equipping this institution in a creditable way. Considering the limited number of our constituency and the general financial condition of our people, and the many other calls made upon them, they have responded quite liberally to these appeals. In addition to upward of $20,000 in donations toward the building fund, a second tithe, amounting to $7,235, has been paid toward equipment and furnishings. GCB April 9, 1903, page 143.18

The buildings and grounds, consisting of eighty acres, have cost about $70,000. About $30,000 of this amount has been raised in donations, leaving an indebtedness of about $40,000 still standing against the institution. The building was formally opened for patients the first of January, 1903, and regular work is being carried forward in it, although many things are still lacking in equipment and appliances to place the institution in a position to do good work. It is estimated that it will require about $3,000 in cash to complete the building and put in the necessary appliances. Owing to the general nature of the field and its work, and the small constituency from which to draw means, we feel free in appealing to our brethren in the United States, not only to help us in raising the amount necessary to fully equip the institution, but to materially reduce the heavy indebtedness. This institution, when fully completed, will have a capacity to care for from sixty to ninety patients, according to their condition. GCB April 9, 1903, page 144.1

A spirit of sacrifice has characterized, and still continues to characterize, the workers connected with this institution: but we do not feel it right for them to continue to bear the burden, unaided, hence we feel clear in appealing to this Conference to send over means to help us. GCB April 9, 1903, page 144.2

ISLAND WORK

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Much might be said, and should be said, about what is being done and what ought to be done to carry the message to the inhabitants of the thousands of islands composing this field. We are told that the isles are to “wait for His law,” but how much longer are they to wait? If they hear of the commandments of God and the coming of Christ in this generation, surely more laborers and more literature must be forthcoming quickly. GCB April 9, 1903, page 144.3

As Elder Gates, the superintendent of this part of the work, has presented this matter before the Conference in a public talk, I will forbear further remarks here; but before dismissing the subject, will express the hope that the Mission Board will remember this field by a liberal appropriation to be used in extending our work in this direction. GCB April 9, 1903, page 144.4

LABORERS NEEDED

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With one more request, we conclude this part of our report, and that is for three men of good health and experience to connect with this field to bear responsibilities as conference presidents; one man to take the position of Bible-teacher in the Avondale School; two or three active, aggressive young ministers to take up work in new fields; a competent man and a competent lady nurse to act as heads of departments in the Sydney Sanitarium: and a competent and loyal physician, who is willing to complete his medical education in England, so that he may be enabled to register and practice in any of the Australian states. May the Lord of the harvest grant us wisdom for all our planning, and His Spirit in the selection of missionaries, so that every man may be called to his God-appointed work. GCB April 9, 1903, page 144.5