BATHING OFF JETTY AT YARRABAH
BATHING OFF JETTY AT YARRABAH
After dinner comes play-time for a while in which all are free to amuse themselves in any way they like. Then work again till service time at 7. Then follows supper, then night prayers in their homes, then bed. The life at Yarrabah might well be described as a life of honourable work, and innocent recreation hallowed by Christian worship. What a wonderful contrast it all is to the wild undisciplined life of the aboriginals in the bush. The contrast almost reminds us of that wonderful story in the Gospels which tellsof the poor wild maniac of Gergesa whose savage yells were the terror of the whole surrounding neighbourhood. People were afraid to go near him, and "no man could tame him." He wore no clothes, he had no fixed dwelling-place, and often cut himself with stones. But One came where He was and had compassion on him and commanded the evil spirits to leave him. The Voice was a Voice of Power, and when next we see him he is "sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind." Is not this just exactly what has happened at Yarrabah where the Lord Jesus has indeed worked a wonderful miracle, delivering those poor wild aborigines from the bondage of evil spirits and causing them to sit in love and wonder as changed men "at His feet"?
We step on to our magic carpet once again and after bidding an affectionate farewell to Yarrabah are soon flying through the air across some beautiful tropical forests till we come to land almost on the eastern shores of the great gulf of Carpentaria, eleven miles south of the Mitchell River, at a spot called Trubanaman Creek, where another mission was established just eight years ago. It is four hundred miles from Yarrabah, and there is no mission in between.
There are six tribes of fierce natives within reach of the mission. The men are strong stalwart fellows who have come very little into contact with white men. Some of them carry knives of sharks' teeth which they use chiefly for the purpose of making the women do their will. There are numbers of children, and it is these children whom the missionaries are specially trying to induce to come and live with them to be taught.
When the missionaries went to live there nothing but the wild bush was around them. As Mr Matthews, the Head of the Mission has said, "the hoot of the kookaburra (laughing-jackass), the howl of the dingo (wild dog), or the shout of the wild man were the only early morning noises." A few buildings were put up and after a time a few men and boys came in. Some of these were sick or suffering from wounds, and their wounds were carefully attended to and dressed. They went back to their tribe and told what had been done for them and of the good and regular food they had received from the white men down at the creek. The news spread, others came in, the sick for treatment, the whole for food. Many ran away again unable to endure the monotony of a settled and ordered life, but some remained. To-day there are about a hundred residents.
The most conspicuous and the central building on the settlement is the church, which like that at Yarrabah is of wood and has been built by the people themselves. Some trees were cut down, sawn intoplanks at the mission's own steam saw-mill, which the men work themselves, and so the material was prepared. The furniture and fittings, too, are all of aboriginal workmanship. The services are very similar to those at Yarrabah and every day begins and ends with public worship.
The school is under the care of Mrs Matthews, wife of the Superintendent of the mission, who has the help of another lady. Two and a half years ago the Bishop of Carpentaria, in whose diocese the mission is, paid a surprise visit to the school and examined the children in their work. He expressed himself as surprised and delighted with all he heard and saw. From the school he passed to the Catechism class where he found twenty boys ranging in age from ten to eighteen years. Much to his surprise these boys could say together the English Church Catechism to the end of the "Duty towards our neighbour" without any hesitation or a single mistake. Most of them could also answer correctly any questions put to them separately, and could explain the meaning of the more difficult words and phrases. What, however, pleased the Bishop even more was to find that they were all alike making a very real and persevering effort to carry this teaching out in their own daily lives. Mere ability to recite the words of a Catechism or Creed is nothing, it is the living it out that matters, and this the boys of Mitchell River (as we call them) are honestly trying to do. Of course like other boys they are often naughty and sometimes do very wickedthings but they have learned enough of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to know that if they are really sorry for their sins and express that sorrow both with their lips and by altered lives He will forgive their sins and receive them back into His favour and His care.
Fifteen married couples at the Mitchell River are living in little houses of their own. Seven of these couples were married by the Bishop on one day. They have built their houses themselves, fenced and cleared the little holdings 240 feet by 120 in which the house stands and cultivate these holdings entirely without supervision.
The residents, as far as possible, are allowed to live a perfectly natural life. The men and boys are, of course, required to wear loin cloths, the women and girls short skirts, but they need wear nothing more. They still enjoy hunting and fishing exactly as in the old days, and corrobborees still afford them never-ending delight. Only those things in the old life which are contrary to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are forbidden them.
The first baptisms took place on Sunday, August 13th, 1911, a day of great joy and gladness when eight males and four females made their solemn confession of repentance and faith and were received into the warmth and shelter of God's Holy Church.
There are several other missions, but we have no time in which to visit them. We can only point out where they are and perhaps some of us afterwards will mark them on our maps.
On the opposite side of the Gulf of Carpentaria is another Church of England mission—that at the Roper River. It was founded only a few years ago, but deserves special mention because it is the first Australian mission which has ever employed full-blooded natives on its staff. On their way North to found it the missionaries halted a few days at Yarrabah. The Christians gathered together to meet them and to wish them God speed. All that the missionaries were going to do was explained to them, the hardships and dangers of their life among the fierce cannibal tribes of the far North were dwelt upon. Would any of them volunteer to go? It would mean turning their backs upon their beautiful happy home, laying aside many of the blessings and privileges which were so dear to them, but it would bring great joy to the heart of the Lord Jesus if someone would go. There was no immediate answer, but some few days afterwards two men and one woman came to the superintendent and said they would go.
In the Northern Territory there is also to be found the very successful mission at Mapoon where also a very wonderful work has been done. It is one of the oldest missions in the North. It is conducted by missionaries of the Moravian Church, and its work among the children is done in the same way as in those other missions of which you have been told more fully.
In Western Australia the Roman Catholic Church has three missions. The oldest of these was founded nearly sixty years ago. It is situated at New Morcia onthe Victoria Plains ninety miles North of Perth. The third generation of Christians is now growing up under the kindly care of the good Fathers and nuns who control the mission. All are living earnest Christian lives. There are now no heathen left in the neighbourhood. Another Roman Catholic Mission is that at Beagle Bay, seventy miles North of Broome. There are twenty-two resident missionaries of whom nine are ladies, and forty boys, and fifty-four girls in the schools. The children rise with the sun, say their prayers, attend service in the Church, and then have breakfast. After a short time for play they pass at once to the schools where they do lessons for three hours. After dinner all rest during the great heat of the day. Then work and lessons again till service-time and supper. Soon after sundown all go to bed. Among other things the children are being taught the very useful art of hat-making, the hats being afterwards sold in aid of the mission funds.
THE FIRST SCHOOL AT MITCHELL RIVER
THE FIRST SCHOOL AT MITCHELL RIVER
In the extreme North-west—near the little town of Wyndham—the three remaining missions are found. The one on the Drysdale River is under the care of the Roman Catholic Church. A few miles away is another controlled by the Presbyterians, while thirty miles South of Wyndham on the Forrest River lies the newest of all. It is impossible to give an account of these. None of them have done much more than begin. The most recent, that at the Forrest River, was only founded last year. We can all pray that God will bless the good missionaries working uponthem that under His Guiding Hand many more children of the wilderness may lay aside their fear of evil spirits and come to love and worship our dear Lord Jesus Christ.
There are some names so famous in wild Australia, and especially on the mission stations, that they deserve and must have a chapter to themselves.
The first of these is Tom Moreton who soon after he became a Christian also became a leper. His earliest teachings were, I believe, received at Yarrabah, and there he was baptized, confirmed, and made his first communion. When he was found to be suffering from his terrible disease, which is somewhat common in those parts, he was removed by the Government to Friday Island, the leper settlement in the far north. Nearly all the other lepers there were South Sea Islanders, and most of them had been baptized, having become Christians during their time of service as labourers in the sugar-plantations. One of them had been a teacher of the London Missionary Society. Tom evidently regarded his exile to Friday Island as an opportunity of earnest work for his Saviour. He set himself to teach his poor fellow-lepers all he knew of the love and gentleness of our Lord. They readilylistened to his words as he taught the way of God more perfectly. Their leprosy had attacked them before they had come to know all His Love. He was no official missionary, there had been no formal sending, but he told them everything the Lord Jesus had done for him and how He had dealt with his soul. He awakened in them a keen desire to be partakers in the great Memorial Feast which the Saviour had ordained, and then he began one by one to prepare them for it. When some time afterwards the Bishop of Carpentaria visited the island Tom told him what he had done. The Bishop spoke to them one by one, and finding them really in earnest administered to them the laying-on-of-hands. He then placed them in Tom's care again. When he next came he administered to all the Holy Communion. The last scene of all is very solemn. The Government decided to close Friday Island and remove the lepers to Brisbane. So the Bishop came once more steering his vessel with his own hands into the little bay. An ordinary washing table was brought out and placed beneath the trees. A white cloth covered it and upon it the Sacred Feast was spread. The sixteen poor leprous men "drew near," and there were tears in the Bishop's eyes as he placed in those poor maimed hands the Heavenly Food. It was a pathetic farewell to Friday Island, but how those hearts must have blessed the faithful ministry of the aboriginal saint, Tom Moreton!
The next name on our roll of honour is James Noble.He was one of those who volunteered to go with the first missionaries to the Roper River. For about three years he remained there and was a great help and encouragement to the founders of that mission, as he is a great help and strength to-day to the work at Yarrabah. Once a savage he has sat more than once as one of the representatives of Yarrabah in the Synod, or Church Parliament, of his diocese, and is always listened to with something more than respect as he pleads at different meetings the cause of his neglected people. He is now a Catechist, and is trusted and much loved by all.
Sam Smith's right to a place on our roll of honour no one who knows his story could deny. He is a native of New South Wales, his home being near Dubbo. He works on one of the sheep stations and is an earnest and devout Christian. But there are no idle Christians among the blacks. All are taught that they must undertake some definite work for our Lord. Sam has chosen as his work Sunday-school teaching. Every Saturday afternoon when his week's work is done he starts off through the bush for his distant Sunday-school twenty-eight miles away, takes his class on the Sunday and then in the evening walks twenty-eight miles back again so as to be on the spot for his work again on Monday morning. It is a long journey, but Sam never fails.
The last on our little list of saints and heroes is not a Christian at all, but none the less we cannot refuse him a place among those who deserve to beremembered. Neighbour, a native of the Roper River country, had been arrested on a charge of cattle stealing. Probably his poor savage heart saw nothing wrong in the deed. He was being led off in custody by police constable Johns. When crossing a flooded stream the constable's horse turned over and kicked him badly on the head. He was in grave danger of drowning. Neighbour was burdened with heavy chains, but he at once jumped into the river at the risk of his life and brought the constable to land. Mounting the horse he then rode off for help. The chance was given him of freeing himself from his chains and making good his escape. His brave act was at once reported to the authorities, who brought it to the knowledge of King George. He was only sixteen and a savage. The King decided to confer the Albert Medal upon him. It was presented to him at a great public gathering at Government House, Port Darwin, some months afterwards in the presence of many of the leading residents. It is the first time such an honour has ever been paid to an Australian native, and Neighbour's bosom swells with lawful pride as he points to the medal upon his breast.
In a Sunday-school in New South Wales the children were very keen about their missionary duty. They were specially interested in the chocolate-coloured people of New Guinea, a very large island to the North of Australia, and determined to do all they could to help them. Among other things they had a chocolate-coloured box made and they put in it all they could. During the season of Lent they all gave up chocolates and other sweets and gave the pennies thus saved to what had come to be known as "The Chocolate Box."
You have been reading in this little book about another people with chocolate skins, and one result of your reading ought to be a strong desire to make better known among them the redeeming love of our Lord Jesus Christ. For some of them "He has done great things already whereof we rejoice," but if He had only more money He could do much more. We can all help Him by means of a chocolate box.
We can help Him, too, by our prayers. This little book, if you have read it carefully, will have suggested much to you to pray about. Just to tell the Lord Jesus about the poor little children of wild Australia and their needs is to do much to help those needs to be supplied. Call up in your mind what happenedat Cana of Galilee where Jesus made the water wine. His mother came to Him and laid before Him the need, and He in His own good time supplied it. So we can all lay before Him the needs of these dear little children and we can trust Him at His own time to do what is best. Perhaps some day some may hear the call to personal service, to go out and make their homes among the children there and teach them, as others have been taught, to know and love the Children's King.