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A Monthly Paper for Circulation among the Coloured People of Australasia.

Issued by the Aborigines Inland Mission of Australia, 242 Pitt Street, Sydney

April 1941 Vol. 11. No. 1.

Stephen — Teaching School at Katherine,

Northern Territory.

2 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL April, 1941

THE BIBLE Oh. never on this holy Book, With careless, cold indifference look, 'Tis God's own Word, and they who read With prayerful heart and reverent heed, Shall gain from each unfolded page A blessing for their heritage. If thou art SAD, come here and find A balm to soothe and cheer thy mind. If thou art MERRY, here are songs Meet to be sung by angels' tongues: Meet to be sung by sinful men For whom the Lamb of God was slain. If thou art rich in things of earth, I.earn, here thy wealth is nothing worth If thou art POOR this precious mine Math countless treasures—they are thine. Dost thou lack WISDOM? look herein. And surely thou shall wisdom win, Wisdom to guide thee on the road. Which leads through faith in Christ to God.

A LETTER FROM Mr. DUNCAN FERGUSON

This letter was written on Febru­ary 6 and we are sorry we did not have room for it in last month's Evangel. Dear Friends,

Now that our holiday is over I thought we would let you know how we have enjoyed being down here among our people. We have had three months here, some of the time being spent over at Mooroopna, where the most of our people from Cummeragunja go every fruit season to work. There the Goulburn Valley River comes through and there are miles of orchards and gardens.

We spent two weeks there among the fruit and how our children en­joyed it! When we came down here we all had sores on our hands, feet and bodies but now they have gone, praise God!

Then we were not very keen on the long train trip back to Bourke, where we are to go to work for the Lord, having had such a doing com­ing down with our children on the train. But quietly the Master, Whose we are and Whom we serve, was planning for us and I heard of a cheap car away down at Horsham in Victoria, 250 miles away, and with

money sent from Mrs. Long at Headquarters, I was able to go down there and buy the car and drive it straight back to Cummera­gunja.

Yesterday we were over at Moo­roopna saying goodbye to our people there. We left behind there our brother worker in the Lord and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Dowie Nic-holls. Dowie has a Sunday School class in that very needy place and helps Mr. Collins, the Associate worker with the services.

Now, today, we are packed up and after morning prayers in the old Cummera church where we have had such fine times of blessing and fellowship since we have been here, we will go on our way. The old church brings back memories, too, of our former days, for in that old church the public was first told that I was a Christian. In there my wife gave her heart to Jesus.

Such happy times we have had with the folk here and the Mis­sionaries. We are going today D.V. down to Mystic Part, Lake Boga, Swan Hill, Moulamein, Balranald and Darlington Point. We are hop­ing to reach Darlington Point in about three weeks' time, then after spending a time there with our dear brother, John Swift the Native Worker, we will go to Bourke, but whether we will go straight there or not is with the Lord. We will value your prayers.

Yours in Christ Jesus, —DUNCAN FERCUSON.

FINGAL POINT JUNIOR A.A.M.M.

This branch was formed on Janu­ary 19, 1939, and on January 30 they held their Annual Meeting, a report of which was in our Febru­ary Evangel, written by John Brown­ing.

This little band has worked well during the past year and has made I I girls' aprons, three babies' bibs,

(.Continued on Page 7)

April. 1941 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL 3

^ O l d Folks^Page $ "Wel l , Grannie, it is nice for you to have your husband home

again." "I A M glad to meet you, Joe. Where have you been this long

time? Out hunting? That is nice to know that you got on so well while you were away."

"What are you making? A boomerang? Is that one you use for hunting—or for f ighting?"

"Yes, I have been told that you use a heavier one for fighting. Someone was telling me about it the other day. He said that when the boomerang is used for fighting, it will hit a man, and the same boomerang can be used again to hit other enemies. When it is used in hunting and the kangaroo has been hit, very often he will hop away with the weapon in his flesh, and may go a mile or so before he drops dead. The hunter has then to follow him up to secure him."

"But sometimes the boomerang does not hit any object. In that case it just whirls around in the air and returns to the thrower, falling at his feet without bringing anything with i t ."

The Nulla Nulla and spear are used in much the same way, aren't they? and the wommera—isn't it used to give power to the spear as it is thrown? Oh, yes, I was told that it can also be used as a shield from the darts of the enemy. That reminds me, Grannie, of God's word. Just like those weapons it can be used for hunting and for fighting. We can use it to hunt for other people, to bring to Jesus, just by telling them that we know of God's Word—and the Holy Spirit, like the wommera, gives the power to the Word as it goes forth. W e can also use it for fighting when our enemy, Satan, comes to tempt us just as Jesus did when He was tempted. He said each t ime—"It is written"—and we can say the same to Satan. Just tell him what God has said, and it will then be as a shield to us, and Satan will not be able to make us do what he wants us to do.

There is one way in which God's Word is different to the boomerang. It never comes back to Him without hitting some­one. When people hear it, it goes right into their hearts. Some­times—like the kangaroo—they try to get away from it, but they cannot. Everywhere they go, it follows them, till at last they come to Jesus and find peace.

So, even if you cannot read, Grannie, you can tell others what you know, and it must do some good, because God says, "My word shall not return unto Me void." You must tell Joe about your good Friend.

I hope to talk to you again some day, Joe, and trust that you, too, will soon know Jesus as your Saviour and Friend.

THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL Apr i l . 19-11 April. 1941 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL

A I M . SUNDAY SCHOOL EXAMINATION

To be held on Saturday Afternoon, 28th June, 1941

LIST OF LESSONS

1. David Chosen to Be King—1 Samuel 16: 14 3.

2. David and Goliath—1 Samuel 17: 31-54.

3. David and Jonathan—1 Samuel 17: 55-58; 18: 1-4.

4. Saul Is Jealous of David—1 Samuel: 18: 5-16 6? 28-30.

5. The Parting of David and Jonathan—1 Samuel 20: 24-42.

6. David Spares King Saul's Life—1 Samuel 24: 1-15.

DIVISIONS

Junior "B" 8 and 9 years

Junior "A" 10 years

Advanced Junior "B" 11 years

Advanced Junior " A " 12 years

Intermediate "B" 13 years

Intermediate "A" 14 years

Senior 15 years and over

Teachers All Sunday School Teachers

Junior "B" . .

Junior "A" . .

Advanced Junior

Advanced Junior

Intermediate "B"

Intermediate "A1

Junior "B"

Junior "A"

Advanced Junior

Advanced Junior

Intermediate "B"

Intermediate " A " Senior

LE<

"B"

"A"

"B" 'A"

iSONS FOR

MEMORY

THE DIVISK

Lessons

J)

> j

»»

)»

5S

») Essay on

WORK

3NS

1, 2 and 6

1, 2 and 6

1, 2, 3 and 4

1, 2, 3 and 4

1, 2, 3, 4 and 6

1, 2, 3, 4 and 6

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

the Life of David.

Psalm 146 „ 146

„ 146

>, 1 4 6

„ 146

„ 146

1-5

1-5

1-6

1-6

1-8

1-8

„ 146.

J u n c ^ S J l 6 8 a n d d i v i s i ° n S ° f a U W h ° a r e g ° i n g t 0 s i t f o r t h e Examination must reach the Training College, Pindimar, Port Stephens, not later than

on,™1?6 f,ns ,̂ers ,are ? J e f n t back to the College and will be marked and prizes given in each division. The banner (now held by Fingal Point) will be given to the Sunday School which does best, but at least half the scholars in the school must sit to be in the Banner Competition. A circular will be sent to the Missionary or Native Worker in Charge of each station with further details about the Examination.

PLEASE PUT THIS PAGE UP ON THE NOTICE BOARD IN YOUR CHURCH OR IN A PROMINENT POSITION W H E R E THE

_ - • CHILDREN CAN SEE IT.

6 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL April, 1941

Stories from MRS. YELLOW'S CHAIN

Old Mrs. Yellow was a wrinkled, bent Chinese woman. She loved to come to the Mission Hall and listen to Bible stories, but alas! she was held by a chain which kept her bound to the Buddhist religion and prevented her from opening her heart to the Lord Jesus Christ.

She was paid by a rich Chinese to repeat the name of Buddha as often as possible. Over and over again she would say that name, and each time she would pass a bead along a string, or turn up a piece of cut paper to keep count. She was supposed to be heaping up merit for the person for whom she worked. Of course she was well paid; in fact, it was her only way of earning money.

Often while she was listening to the Bible stories which she loved, old Mrs. Yellow would be repeat­ing the name "Buddha" and machine-like would be passing a bead up the string that she held in her hands.

But as she listened day after day, the conviction grew within her that she must give it all up if she wanted to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Old Mrs. Yellow's chain was strong, and it held her for many a long day, but at last it was broken by the power of the Name which is above every name—Jesus Christ— the Name of the Son of God.

"Jesus, Jesus" she whispered, and as she repeated the wonderful, sav­ing Name, the chain which had bound her for as long as she could remember was snapped, and old Mrs. Yellow was free.

She went at once to the rich Chinese for whom she worked, and telling him of the new power which had come into her life, said she would never again mention the name of Buddha.

"You are a fool," sneered the

Other Lands rich Chinese, "you will starve to death, and what good will that do you? "Will the Name of Jesus help you then?"

"Yes," replied the old lady firmly, "my God has promised to supply all my need through that Name, and if I die, I will but go to be with Him the sooner."

Old Mrs. Yellow did not starve. Always, when she was in need, someone arrived with a few bean cakes or a little milk, and day by day she proved afresh the power of the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

RESULTS OF FEBRUARY COMPETITIONS

CLASS 1. 1st Prize: Cousin Myra Logan, from

Cherbourg. 2nd Prize: Cousin John Saunders, from

Woorabinda. Stars: Rene MePherson, Woorabinda:

Jessie Hegarty, Gloria Meredith. Chrissie South, Rosetta Sullivan, Lissing Williams, Una Byers, Cherbourg; Albert Blair, June Fay, Henry Morton, Joyce Slockee, Beryl -Morton, Roslyn Browning, Joyce Rotu-mah, Amelia Slockie, John Browning. Patsy Slockee, Fingal Point; Daisy Coop­er, Elsie Cooper, June Morgan, Blanche Charles, Cummeragunja; Robert Charles, Sheila Sampson, Joe Briggs, Maggie Briggs, Moonah Cullah.

CLASS 2. 1st Prize: Cousin Laurence Munns.

from Woorabinda. 2nd Prize: Cousin Nelva Martin from

Cherbourg. Stars: Shirley Lalor, Sydney; George

Fay, Olga Slabb, John Slabb, Gwen Rotu-mah. Betty Browning, Eunice Browning, Fingal Point; Cyril Hamilton, Oliver Sampson. Willie Charles, Moonah Cullah: Phyllis Rebel, Cepha Swain. Woorabinda: Watson Atkinson, Tommy Dunolly, Cum­meragunja. Topsy, Bob, Roy, Peter, Bertie Batcho, Keith Batcho, from Dar­win.

NEW COMPETITIONS CLASS 1 (11 Years and Over)

Write out your favourite hymn and tell me why you like it so much.

CLASS 2 (Under 11 Years) Write out your favourite chorus.

April, 1941 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL 7

{Continued from Page 2) one smal l frock, 4 d 'oyleys and one knit ted qu i l t l ined with a patch­work qu i l t which they want to send to the Col lege. All this has been done by the g i r l s a n d some a re only l i t t le. Then the boys have m a d e f rom sc raps of l ight wood three engines , two t rucks and two do l l s ' cots.

The i r offering for the year was 12 8.

The i r leader , Miss Forbes , wr i t es : " T h a n k s be to God for these litt le wi l l ing h e l p e r s . "

NEWS OF OTHERS Condobolin W o m e n ' s B ranch of

the A.A.M.M. comple ted some gar­ments which were commenced by the Cowra sewing classes and with some f rom their own b r a n c h sent them to Darwin . They have also m a d e and sold ga rmen t s , m a k i n g 5 / - , which they sent to Mr . a n d Mrs . Cormier at T e n n a n t Creek.

Menindee W o m e n ' s Branch of the A.A.M.M. a re f inishing w o r k com­menced by B u l g a n d r a m i n e women and g i r l s .

Births King—On November 21, 1940. at Me­

nindee, Anthony King. Atkinson—On November 28, 1940, to

Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Atkinson, of Cum-meragunja, a daughter.

Powell—On December 19, 1940, to Mr. and Mrs. A. Powell, of Bulgandramine, a son, Leslie Donald Douglas.

Atkinson—On January 9, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Amos Atkinson, of Cummera-gunja, a daughter.

Murray—On January 28, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Percy Murray, of Cowra, a daughter, Mildred May.

Gutherie—On February 8, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Gutherie of Condobolin, a daughter. (Mr. Gutherie is now serving with the A.I.F. overseas.)

Atkinson—On February 10, 1941. to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Atkinson, of Cum-meragunja, twin daughters, Maureen and Rosemary.

Jerome—On February 14, 1941, at Cherbourg, a son.

Weazel—On February 14. 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Weazel. of Cherbourg, a son, Philip.

Chapman—On February 14, 1941, at Cherbourg, a son.

Atkinson—On February 19, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson, of Cummeragunja, a daughter, Barbara.

Jacobs—On March 5, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jacobs, of Cherbourg, a daugh­ter, Lilian.

Rebel—On February 13, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. L. Rebel, of Woorabinda, a daughter, Daphne Dawn.

Daylight—On February 27, 1941, at Woorabinda, a son. Ware Morris.

Waterton—On March 3, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. D. Waterton, of Woorabinda, a son. Stephen Arnold.

Blair—On March 9, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Blair of Woorabinda, a daughter, Dorothy Jean.

Smith—On March 23, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. L. Smith, of Woorabinda, a daugh­ter, Coralie Ann.

Morris—On February 24. 1941. at Wal-cha, to Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Morris, a daughter, Olive June.

Dedications At Bungandramine—On January 12,

1941, Leslie Donald Douglas Powell. At Walcha—On February 16. 1941.

Hurdley Thomas Griffin (born October 14, 1940) ; on March 2, 1941, Kenneth James Trewllyn, Maxwell David Munro.

At Woorabinda—On March 23, 1941, Stephen Waterton.

Marriages Johnson-Bowdcn—On January 3, 1941,

in Cowra A.I.M. Church, Bertha Bowden to Frank Johnson.

Carr-Sloan—On February 4, 1941, Dul-cie Sloan to William Carr. of Condobolin.

Gray-Hill—On March 3, 1941, Isabel Hill to Charlie Gray of Woorabinda.

Sounders-Salamous—On March 3, 1941, Ivy Salamous to Walter Saunders of Woo­rabinda.

Fernando-Crowe—On March 16, 1941, Helen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Crowe, to George Fernando, in the A.I.M. Church, Cherbourg.

Deaths Solomon—At Peak Hill hospital, Alfred

Wilfred George, beloved infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Solomon, of Bulgandra­mine, aged 7 months. Safe in the arms of Jesus.

Naden—On January 19. 1941, Mrs. Eileen Naden, nee Eileen Street, wife of Patrick Naden of Condobolin.

Rolfe—On February 14, 1941, at Woo­rabinda, Jack Rolfe.

Dunolly—On February 16, 1941, Thomas Dunolly Senr., of Barmah, aged 59 years, beloved by all for his kindness to every­one. Asleep in Jesus.

Martin—On March 7, 1941, Mr. Martin. Senr., of Cherbourg.

Saunders—On March 24, 1941, at Woo­rabinda, Jack Saunders.

T H E A U S T R A L I A N E V A N G E L April. 1941

OUR SERIAL STORY.

C A R O L A Chapter 13.

"It is of no use fighting against fate,'' thought Mrs. Arnold, as she received Carola. cold and shivering, from her hus­band's arms. There could be no more sleep that night for anyone in the farm­house, for the stack-yard must be closely watched, and everyone be ready, lest a fire should break out anywhere. The pits were full of water, but they lay at the bottom of the hill, and the machinery for pumping it up was slow and heavy. There was no chance of saving the school-house, but fortunately the wind blew away from the stack yard, and the fire-brands of burning thatch fell harmlessly into the fallow fields on the other side of the cot­tage. Nothing was left of Carola's first home but the thick stone walls.

"I would rather it had been anybody else," said Mrs. Arnold, when Philip and her husband were lingering over their early breakfast, after all danger was over.

"No, my dear, no," answered Mr. Ar­nold, "there's not a girl that would make us a better daughter. And if our boy here loves her better than his life, don't let us spoil the matter for him. I never thought today I'd take a school-teacher for my daughter-in-law, but I've watched her closely, and they'll be happy together, as happy as you and me."

"But perhaps she will not have me," said Philip, with an anxious look at his mother's clouded face.

"No danger!" she said fretfully, "she will jump at you, a girl in her position, after saving her from such a horrible death, too!"

But Philip Arnold soon discovered that he could make no claim to Carola's af­fection because he had rescued her from death. It was clear that she did not hold her life very dear to her, there was some­thing in her of that contempt of death which made the early followers of Christ meet martyrdom joyously. She listened to Philip's account of how he had forced open the door and found her lying insen­sible at the foot of the staircase, with won­der at the strong emotion the thought of it produced in him, for his voice faltered and his hands shook as he spoke of it.

"It would have been such a terrible death." he said, shuddering and drawing near to her.

"I did not think of that," she answered. "It would have seemed terrible to you, but oh, how much I should have known by this time! Perhaps the first thing I should have seen would have been the face of my Lord. I suppose I must have been very near dying, but I did not know it at the time, for when I awoke, almost suffocated, I crept downstairs at once to find the door.

But if you had not found me I wonder where I should have been now?"

"Are you sorry then?" he asked. "Oh, no!" she cried, holding out her

hand to him. "1 am glad you saved me. I am thankful, very thankful to you."

But the thought that he might have been too late to save her almost un­manned him. He left her abruptly, and went down to the ruined cottage, wonder­ing what would have become of him this day if he had been only a few minutes later in reaching it a few hours ago.

One necessary result from the fire was. however, full of pleasure for him: Carola must find a home under their roof until the place could be rebuilt. The school­room, which was built altogether of stone with a roof of red tile, had not been des­troyed by the fire, and might in a few weeks be ready for use again, but the half-timber cottage could not be rebuilt till the spring came. Until then Carola must live at the Grange, and if he could not win her by that time there would be no hope left in him of ever doing so.

The days and weeks passed by quickly for Carola, who, to her own wonder, felt herself as much at home in the great rooms at the Grange as she had been in her little coltage. There was not, perhaps the same freedom, but there was an at­mosphere of love and care surrounding her which she had never felt before.

The school-house was ready by Christ­mas and school was to begin again in the new year, though the blackened walls of the cottage still stood bare under the grey skies. On Christmas Eve Carola went down to look at some decorations the village children had put up, and when they were gone she entered the little ruin, which looked as desolate as a greater one could have done.

She was shivering as much from sad­ness as from cold when she turned back into the schoolroom, where a large fire was burning in the wide grate, filling the dusky room with flickering light. But the room was no longer empty for Philip was standing on the hearth.

"I came down to see if there was any­thing you wanted," he said, as she came towards him.

"No," she answered softly. "I only want my little home again, just as it was before, and that can never be. It can never be the same again."

"Nothing is ever to be the same again," he said. "Do you think if you had died that night life would have ever been the same again to me? Listen to me for one minute. I know I'm not as good as you, but 1 love you. I've had a happy life, God knows. But tomorrow will be the happiest day in it, if you'll promise lo be my wife. Only promise."

(To be Continued.)

The Central Press Pty. Ltd., 309 C»«lere»gh Street, Sydney.