19/8/34
AUSTRALASIAN RECORD
homeland to come into line in regard
to this, it is very important that Sabbath
school officers and teachers make spe-
cial note of the fact that the issue
dated April 13 is to be distributed in Sab-
bath schools on Sabbath, April 7. Then
allow three weeks to elapse before the next
issue, dated April 27, is given out. This
paper should be placed in the children’s
hands on Sabbath, April 28. From then
on the distribution will be every fortnight,
as usual.
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SOUTH
NEW SOUTH WALES
PRESIDENT: R. E. HARE
SECRETARY : W. H. HOPKIN
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Forty-One Years Ago
ON Sabbath, February 10, a very pleas-
ant day was spent with the church at
Kellyville. It was the forty-first anmi-
versary of the opening up of the work in
that district, and many of the old friends
gathered for the occasion.
At 10 a.m, the Sabbath school opened
with a record attendance, the church being
filled. The singing was good, the review
interesting, and the lesson was rich in
thought. The secretary gave a report
dealing with the organisation of the Sab-
bath school, which read: “In looking
back over the years that have passed,
many changes are seen. In 1893 our Sab-
bath school was organised, but reports to
hand take us back only to 1808. At that
time the school had a membership of
forty-five. But during intervening years
the membership sometimes stood at only
ten, the James families being the only
names on the roll. This was caused by
other families moving from the district.
In consequence the church was sometimes
designated the ‘ James Church.’ But others
have united, and the roll number now
stands at twenty-nine, with twenty-six pres-
ent and studying the lessons daily. We
have the satisfaction of knowing that some
who were once children in our Sabbath
school have since rendered valuable service
in the organised work in both home and
foreign fields. The president of our con-
ference had his name first listed on our
Sabbath school roll!”
The young people’s meeting followed,
when Pastor Hare spoke on “ God’s Liv-
ing Temple.” In an interesting study
some of the wonders of the human body
were set forth as revealing the wonderful
works of God.
The afternoon service was planned for
the Memorial Hall, and at 2.30 a large
gathering filled the building. A number
of friends from surrounding districts at-
tended. When it was asked how many of
the present congregation were in attend-
ance at the opening of the church forty-
one years ago, thirteen responded.
Brother H. James, church elder, gave
an interesting picture of the early work
-in Kellyville. He said: “The tent was
erected at Kellyville on Feb. 7, 1803, just
opposite the public school. Meetings
commenced on Friday evening, February
10, with a congregation of twenty-six.
The meetings continued with an increas.
ing interest and attendance for about two
months, when it became evident that a
building would be required for future
meetings.
“ A plece of land, 40 by 80 feet, was
given by the Firth Brothers, and donations
were solicited from people in the district,
with a good response. Building opera-
tions commenced May 26, and in three
weeks the first service was held in the
church. The dedication took place on
June 24, and on July I4 organisation fol-
lowed, when nineteen were called into
church fellowship. On December 9 others
were baptised, giving twenty-nine mem-
bers and a church building for ten months’
effort in the district.
“In the work in Kellyville Pastor Robert
Hare took a leading part, and he has the
satisfaction of knowing that weekly ser.
vices have been conducted in that little
church on the hill ever since.
“Both in our church meetings and in
the Sabbath school, which has indeed been
the church at study, we can recall many
precious occasions, A number of our
early members enjoyed years of faithful
service, but have now passed to their rest
in sure and certain hope of the resurrec-
tion to life. Some have removed to other
localities, there to hold aloft the banner
of truth, while some are doing valuable
service beyond the sea. Some of our
charter members are present with us to-
day. To God be the glory.”
In the discourse that followed, Pastor
Hare told how all God's great trees grow
from little seeds. Forty-one years ago
adherents of the message numbered but
20,000, while now the world membership
stands at more than 363,000. Feeling
reference was made to some of the early
helpers; Brother F. Martin, Brother Rad-
ley, and others who had fallen asleep.
The conference president, Pastor R. E.
Hare, referred to the growth of the work
in New South Wales during the forty-one
years since the Kellyville church, the
second built in Australia, was organised,
There are now two organised conferences
in New South Wales; the number of
churches in the southern division alone
has grown to thirty-six, while the mem-
bership now stands at more than 2,376.
Sabbath schools number 38, with a mem-
bership of 3,102 for the South N.S.W.
Conference. During the last three years
600 had been baptised in the southern
division.
Interesting remarks were then made by
Pastor J. W. Kent, who spoke encourag-
ingly of the work still being carried on in
the district. Brother J. Radley told of the
expansion of the work since his boyhood
days, while Brother McGowan recalled
interesting circumstances of pioneer
times.
Altogether it was a good day. We
mingled in church fellowship, sang the
songs of Zion, listened to the message, and
took courage. The singing was very
hearty and enjoyable. A solo was given
by one of the young men in Sabbath
school, and a duet was sung in the church
service in the afternoon.
May the Lord bless in the work in XKelly-
ville district. It is very encouraging to
find so many loyal hearts still holding up
the light. The overshadowing of the
years has not caused its brightness to
grow dim. R. HARE.
>
ONE tiny seed of infidelity sown by a
teacher in the heart of a student may
spring up and bring forth a harvest of un.
helief.—* Counsels,” p. 390.
A. M. College
ANOTHER Sabbath day—the third of
the college year—and how we welcome
its hours of quiet and rest from work and
study! We were very glad to have a
visit from our Union Conference Presi-
dent, Pastor Turner, who spent the week-
end, March 2 and 3, with us, giving the
students new zeal for a spiritual revival
by his address on Friday evening.
“ And it shall come to pass in that day,
that the Lord shall set His hand again the
second time to recover the remnant of
His people.” “And in that day shall the
deaf hear the words of the book, and the
eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity,
and out of darkness.” Isa. II:II; 29:18,
19. In illustration of the application of
his text, Pastor Turner quoted a depres-
sing statement by a Methodist missionary
leader which pointed out the perplexity
facing his mission board; how mission
efforts are failing; churches emptying;
sometimes ministers and missionaries
leaving their work for secular callings.
Christianity in some centres seems to have
failed. This is fot God's plan for His
people. As in the days of literal Israel,
so God is today reaching out a second
time to gather His children. He has
called out a pecple with a particular mes-
sage for the world today, which, when ac-
cepted and followed, brings a new experi-
ence and a new life to men.
God looks to this people to assist Him
in gathering in His remnant ; consequently
we must have definite power. It is not
sufficient for us merely to keep the Sab-
bath. It is not sufficient for us to have
our names upon the church roll, nor to
call ourselves Seventh-day Adventists.
The only power that will give victory
over sin is the power of Christ in the life,
demonstrated in all phases of daily living.
How can we succeed where others have
failed t—-Only by the power of Christ.
The speaker read a striking editorial
from the American Mercury, a secular
paper, which comments strongly upon the
silence of the theological leaders regard-
ing the present world calamities, and
points out that there is one exception:
“The Seventh-day Adventist brethren
alone among the divines of the country
have something to say officially about the
depression,” and their “argument is com-
pletely unanswerable.” A statement of
our position regarding the end of the
world follows, and the counsel of the
writer shows that there are men of the
world who are thinking hard today, and
clearing their shelves of paltry literature
and works of untruth.
Instances were given where God’s over-
ruling providence is clearly demonstrating
itself, and where His power is being wit-
nessed in advancing the work in the
world. Openings in Abyssinia, and more
recent and most promising developments
in Tibet were related, and proved ta be
most encouraging and cheering.