—AIISTRALASIAN RECORD GELS, |
2/4/31
A Memorial
To Missionary Fred Lang and the
seven Fijian students, who lost their
lives so tragically by being blown to
sea off the island of Ovalaun, Fiji, dur-
ing the severe hurricane of November
23, 1920.
We are assured that the hearts of God’s
people throughout the world, and particu-
larly throughout this Australasian Divi-
sion, have been deeply touched by the
very sad news of the tragic loss of our
esteemed fellow worker, Brother Fred
Lang, and the seven advanced students of
the Buresala Training School, Fiji, as a
result of being caught in the merciless
grip of a very severe hurricane which
wrought terrible havoc in the central part
of that group late on Sunday evening,
November 23, 1930.
The Executive Committee of the Aus-
tralasian Union Conference has taken
action granting to each one of our church
members and the sympathising friends of
our mission work, the privilege of erect-
ing a suitable memorial to these faithful
brethren who were so suddenly and ruth-
lessly snatched from our midst in the
very prime of their manhood, and whilst
engaged in manfully endeavouring to care
for the mission launch and other boats
used in connection with the Buresala
Training School.
This is undoubtedly the greatest tragedy
that has befallen our work in the mission
fields, both from the number lost and the
pathetic circumstances of their sudden
disappearance. Including Brother Lang
four of the victims of this terrible disaster
were married men who have left young
wives and, in all, eight little children to
mourn the loss of husbands and fathers
who had stepped out of their happy homes
only a few hours before, fully expecting
to return to their families and take their
places that evening as usual at the family
board and around the family altar, but
who never returned. Can you imagine
‘the agony of suspense through which
these widowed hearts must have passed,
as they kept a prayerful vigil through the
long hours, not only of that first fateful
night, but through each succeeding day
and night, until at last their faintest hope
must fade, and they must bow to the sor-
rowful reality that all hope for the safety
of the missing, and their return, is now
abandoned ? ..
We are very conscious that this severe
loss of life and property has fallen as a
heavy stroke upon all of our people.
Many have already expressed their deep-
est sorrow and regret. As the apostle
Paul says, “ And whether one member
suffer, all the members suffer with it.»
This thought has therefore led the Com-
mittee to take the action already referred
to, which reads as follows:
“ Voted, That illustrated articles be
prepared by Pastor A. G. Stewart for
publication in the RECORD and the Signs
of the Times, appealing for funds to meet
the need following the damage done by the
hurricane in Fiji, this fund to be called
the Buresala (Fiji) Disaster Fund.”
The financial loss sustained by the mis-
sion as a result of the hurricane, in the
destruction of the boats and the damage
done to mission houses and property, will
amount to at least £1,000. The launch
Cina (Light) seen in the picture, cost £650
complete, and we would like to replace
it as soon as possible. We have
therefore decided to open a sub-
scription fund in the columns of the
AUSTRALASIAN RECORD, the Signs
of the Times, and the Fijian Rarama
and Davui, our missionary -and
church papers in Fiji. We feel
sure that many will wish to con-
tribute to this fund for the purpose
of erecting a memorial to the miss-
ing, and to provide a suitable launch
to be called in Fijian Ai Vaka-
na-numi {The Memorial).
We take this opportunity to
thank you for your sympathy and
help, and to request that you will
forward your contributions to this
fund through either your church
treasurer or conference treasurer.
Any one wishing to communicate
directly with the Union Confer-
ence Office, should address their
correspondence to THE TREAS-
URER, Australasian Union Confer-
ence, ‘“Mizpah,” Wahroonga
N.S.W. A. G. STEWART.
The Father Knows
O stricken heart, look up,
The bitterest woes
From sorrow’s brimming cup
The Father knows.
When seas of trouble roll-
He speaks a calm,
Into the aching soul
He pours a balm.
And all along life's way
This tender Friend
Shall be our Guide and Stay
Till life shall end.
When earth-born sorrows press,
Though great or simnall,
In all their bitterness
He knows them all.
His hands can ease the smarts
That sin has made,
In Him poor storm.tossed hearts
Are not afraid. :
Tried soul, His love receive,
His promise take,
“Thee I will never leave,
Nor e’er forsake.”
—Selected.,
Obituary
The Fijian Missionary Party
AS a result of the severe hurricane
which struck the Fiji Islands on the night
of Nov. 23, 1930, Brother frederick Lang,
Moapi (Moab), Filitati (Bildad), Isikeli
(Ezekiel), Fineasi (Phineas), Iviremi
(Ephriam), Semi (Shem), and Peceli
(Bethel) were blown to sea and lost while
endeavouring to take the mission launch
Cina, a large punt, and three small boats
used at the Buresala Training School, to a
place of safety.
. Brother F. Lang
Brother Fred Lang was born at Bussel-
town, W.A., Jan. 22, 1899, and was
brought up by his parents in the Adventist
faith. He received his training in the
West Australian Missionary School and
the Australasian Missionary College from
which he was graduated in 1925. For the
following two years he taught church
schools in the Queensland and South Aus-
tralian Conferences. On Dec. 26, 1927,
he was united in marriage to Miss Lily
Maude, of Victoria. Toward the close of
the following year they were invited to
connect with the Buresala Training School.
Here Brother Lang was engaged as
assistant teacher and technical instructor
at the time of this sad fatality. Their two
"little children, May and Lynn, were both
born in Fiji. Brother Lang was a faith-
ful, earnest worker, and devotion to the
truth characterised his life and labour.
Of the seven Fijian students who were
also the victims of the very sad tragedy,
three were married men, leaving young