VANGEL A Monthly Paper for circulation among the colored people of Australasia

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

Vol. 5. No. 8. January. 1935

I Could Not Do Without Him

I could not do without Him; Jesus is more to me

Than all the richest, fairest gifts O f earth could ever be.

But the more I find Him precious, And the more I find Him true,

The more I long for you to find What He can do for you.

Why should YOU do without Him? It is not yet too late;

He has not closed the day of grace, He has not shut the gate.

He calls you! hush! He calls you! He would not have you go

Another step without Him, Because He loves you so.

1 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL January, 1935

U Our Message jjjl GREETINGS FOR 1935

' 'Unto the Church of God . . . to them that are sanctified—set apart —with all that in every place call upon the name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Grace . . . and peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ, be unto you." (1 Cor. 1: 2, 3).

The New Year has dawned. As in the closing moments of the old year of 1934 we sat in the

presence of our Lord, it was with mixed "feelings. Many failures to regret, many victories to rejoice in—shadow and sunshine—has made up the leaves of the book of the old year. Sadly or gladly we turn them over one by one.

Stained and marred by sin, spotted and blackened by selfishness, or shining with glory through the power of the cross, we close and seal the book as the bells peel out their welcome to the "New Year."

The past is under the precious blood. Never again need the seal be broken until "He Who is worthy" shall break it, "He Who became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." And the New Year is ours.

"We turn over a new leaf" is a very old saying, as the New Year dawns, but we do more than that, we begin a new book. Does not our God tell us„ "All our sins and iniquities are behind His back"—out of sight—and our rewards are in His keeping until the day when, with a glad shout of joy, "we shall see Him face to face."

And the New Year is full of hope. There is a story told in the Bible of a man of whom God said,.

"there was none like him; perfect, and good, and God-fearing." Satan tempted and tried him terribly.

One day when his poor body, full of boils, allowed him no rest day or night, and when if he did sleep he was scared and terrified with dreams and visions (Job 7: 14), he said, "My days are without hope."' He had lost confidence. Poor man, to be without hope meant a sick heart and a longing for death. Hopelessness is a terrible thing. Is someone who reads this story sick to death through loss of confidence restful faith—in the goodness and watchful tenderness of God?

Is anyone hopeless because of failure? There is hope in this New-Year for you!

"If we hold the beginning of our confidence—secureness—unto the: end . . . we are made partakers of Christ." (Heb. 3 : 14.

Jesus said. "I in them." Jesus, the Son of God. in us. gives us hope—fulness of hope for

"Nothing can harm us if He leads the way." And the New Year is full of power. How often we say "I can't," when God wants us to be overcomers.

Moses said the same thing thousands of years ago (Ex. 3: 11 ; 4: 1, 10). The beginning of a New Year was dawning for the poor slaves in Egypt, and Moses was chosen by God to be their deliverer. He had to overcome' a great and mighty power, so God said He would show signs and wonders —we call them miracles—so many and so wonderful that Moses would' seem like a god to the wicked king.

Power in the New Year can be ours! There can be a beginning and* miracles in our lives. (Continued on page 7):

January, 1935 T H E A U S T R A L I A N E V A N G E L 3

Young Folks Dear Young Cousins,

I have been hearing all_ about the Christmas doings all over the places where we have missionaries. The "trees" must have looked beautiful. I saw some of the toys which came off them and happy little boys and girls playing with them.

I think I would like to have been at Erambie most of all. There Father Christmas, in red robes and hood went around to every house in a prettily decorated cart drawn by a gaily dressed little white horse, and left a parcel for the boys and girls.

It took a long time and the last little girl to be called on presented Father Christmas and the driver with a nice tie each. It was a great surprise to them.

I have been away journeying again and I think the nicest thing I saw in my big travel was in the Cummeragunja Sunday School. It was a Tittle girl, Muriel Atkinson, sitting at the organ playing all the hymns.

Another pretty sight was a lovely old lady lying in bed sick, and beside her a young boy listening while she read to him out of the "Evangel."

I am glad to hear that so many boys and girls, and men and women, love the "Evangel."

I hope you will all have a very happy year. Do your very best in school, at work and at play, and above all keep your eyes upon Jesus.

With love. COUSIN EVANGEL,

Wedding Bells

A pretty wedding took place in the Cummeragunja Church, on Tuesday, 8th inst, when Elsie Charles and Stanley Taylor were married by Mr, W. A. Long,

The young couple were from Moonah CuUah.

The church was decorated by some of the young people of Cum­meragunja. The arch and bell looked very nice indeed. The bride arrayed in pink, with orange blos­soms and pink veil, carrying a sheaf of white roses, looked very sweet as she came in with her father, Mr. John Charles.

The two bridesmaids were dressed in pink and carried, sheaves of dark salmon pink canna lillies. The flowers were all from the bride's uncle's beautiful garden. The best man was -Roy Briggs. While the register was being signed the congregation which packed the church sang "Out of the Ivory Palaces." A shower of rice fell upon them as they passed out of the church.

We wish the young couple God's blessing and trust they will com­mence their united journev in "The narrow way."

Drawing Competit ion A bundle of drawings has come

from Woorabinda. Two men have sent in contributions—they are very good—from Willie Lee and Roley Captain. Then two tiny tots have tried and done well. Thomas Johnson, aged 5 years, has drawn an emu and kangaroo.' Walter Johnson, aged 4, has drawn two green and red birds looking at each other. Very good drawings have come from: Doris Johnson,' Connie W'illiams, Edna Willis. Anna Willis, Douglas Johnson, Jessie Johnson, Edward Johnson, Susan Johnson, Muriel Johnson, Harriet Johnson. The Johnsons have done well. I understand they are two families of cousins and the mother of one family. Matilda Johnson, has sent one of the best drawings of all—a

(Continued on page 8.)

4 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL January, 1935-

Old Folks^Page WATER

"Rejoice, O longing soul, The river of God is full of water,

For you, for me." Wate r is very refreshing, it is lovely to be able to get a

drink of fresh, cold water, on a hot summer day. In Australia, we have many beautiful rivers, creeks and

water springs, so that water is free and plentiful in most places. But sometimes, away out in the country there is a drought and people must be very careful with their water. Why? Because they cannot live without it. Water is necessary for both man and beast.

Away in the East, where the Lord Jesus lived, water is not so plentiful. The people are very careful of their wells and springs of water. God tells us a lot about wells in His Word .

It is a terrible thing to be thirsty and have no water, but it is worse to have a thirsty soul.

Our sou! is our innermost part. Wi th our heart or soul we long for God, just as our thirsty body longs for water. Some­times we try to satisfy our sou! with pleasure, sin or excitement, but cur soul is still thirsty. What does our soul want? God; yes.

One day the Lord Jesus was going through Samaria and he came to a well. Jesus sat on the well, feeling tired and thirsty.

A woman came to the well with her waterpot, to get water. Jesus asked her for a drink, but the woman was surprised,

because she belonged to an enemy tr ibe. Jesus then told this sinful woman that He could give her

living water, and that those who came to Him need never thirst again. The woman thought that would be great, because she would not have to carry water from the well again.

But Jesus was speaking about the soul, and the water that Jesus meant was God's Holy Spirit, who would satisfy her heart.

Jesus Christ is the "Bread of Life" and the Holy Spirit is the "Living Water . " W e cannot do without Jesus, and we can­not live for Him unless we have this Living Water .

Now, where does water come from? From the rain which comes down and from the high mountain springs. So the "Living Wate r " comes from above, from God's throne.

Who can drink this water? "Whosoever wil l"—that means it is free to all. When we come to Jesus and accept Him as our Saviour, God gives us His Holy Spirit, who lives in us.

He is like a well of water, bubbling up inside us, keeping us fresh and happy teaching us more about the Lord Jesus. When our heart is thirsty, let us ask God to give us this "Livinq Water , "

January, 1935 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL S

Stories from Other Lands THE TREASURE IN THE WOOD-HEAP

or GORDON'S BIBLE

Among the Islands of the West Indies, Jamaica is the loveliest of them all. All through the centre of the island are high mountains, and from them on either side run, swift flowing rivers, with some beautiful waterfalls.

Because there is plenty of water, Jamaica grows fine crops of sugar, coffee, bananas, oranges, grape-fruit and pineapples. Cocoanut trees and graceful bamboos grow near the edge of the water and many other beautiful trees are seen. It sounds a truly beautiful island doesn't it? Yet many, many people lived un­happy lives. Nearly all the West Indian people had died, so foreign planters began bringing Negro slaves over from West Africa. .Some of them were kindly treated, but many of them lived very hard lives and were often cruelly used. Many of them could not write nor read, and some of the planters would not let their slaves go to any kind of school, nor meet to pray and sing to God. The slaves who could read were kept from teaching or reading to others, yet they came together again and again to listen to the Bible stories. They would hide in a corner of the plantation, or in their master's barn, so eager were they to hear the beautiful stories and to know a little more of Jesus and His love.

One night old Gordon walked quietly out of his bamboo and banana leaf hut, with his precious Bible wrapped up in a palm leaf under his arm. At the other end of the plantation where the young horses were kept was a big barn, in which several of the slaves were waiting for his coming. He had not gone far from his hut when he felt certain he was being followed. At

once he knew that he must not go to the meeting place or he would bring punishment upon the others, so he turned back and passing a big wood heap he quickly hid the Bible among the logs at the bottom of the heap and went back to his hut. Early next morning he was taken by his master to the slave market and sold, leaving his precious Bible behind, for he had no chance to take it from its hiding place. But Gordon's new mistress believed that the Bible was for dark people as well as white, and as soon as she found he could read she gave him a new one, and a little hut of his own where he could read it aloud. As for the hidden Bible, it stayed there for many years. The wood-heap was heaped up more than once but it was never quite taken away, so the book was not found. Its covers rotted with damp and many of the leaves were stuck together when at last the wood-heap was taken down. Gordon's master stooped and looked at the mouldy, torn book. " H o w came that here?" he wondered. As he picked it up some of the leaves fell away and the covers came to pieces in his hand. But the name on the front page could still be read. "Old Gordon!" he said. " I t must have been there twenty years or more."

During those twenty years the slaves had been freed by law; none were bought or sold in Jamaica any more. Gordon's old master was poor and ill, and he longed for something that could give him com­fort. He turned over the pages and for the first time in his life began to read the Bible. So he found the hidden treasure of the wood-heap full of beauty, life and comfort. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,

6 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL January, 1935

sap Our Own Page The Gift of God

Christmas has passed and another year is beginning, but with Xmas we receive many beautiful gifts. Everybody looks forward to Xmas gifts and greetings. W e all like to send our loved ones and near friends little gifts at Xmas time.

Now the most beautiful Gift of all was that which God gave. His gift was most costly and priceless what must it have cost God to give His most beloved Son, Jesus, to this world. When the Angel of the Lord came to the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock by night, He said, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord." Now was that not a beautiful gift? The gift of God is eternal life, and that gift was His own beloved Son. How many of the dear readers have ac­cepted that wonderful Xmas gift during 1934, that most precious and priceless gift which God sent from His beautiful rainbow - circled throne. All we have to do is just take it, just reach out our hands and receive that Priceless Gift for nothing (Heb. 9 : 28) . Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. W e must receive that Gift1 of God, take Christ as our only Saviour, just take Him as we would take a pre­sent from our father or mother. W e must have that gift or we are noth­ing. For thirty-three years He lived among men, and of that short life so full of solemn wonder for us all, all the beautiful things that Jesus said, all the wondrous things He did, belong to that fleeting time. H e began His work in Galilee and He made many journeys throughout

Palestine, which though we count them nothing now must have seemed very big then. Most of his travels were on foot and some of his journeys would be only short of 100 miles. If we take Nazareth as His centre, the road to Jerusalem was about seventy miles; the far­thest journey south was about ninety miles, and the farthest point north was Sidon and Mt. Hermon, both about sixty miles. This last jour­ney was perhaps not more than forty miles, but everywhere travel­ling was largely over hills and always on foot. We have to think of Jesus, the Gift of God. walking about the hills of Palestine, or crossing a lake in a boat from the time he was thirty till he was thirty-three. He was greatly feared and greatly loved. At times He was stoned out of the city and in peril of His life; at other times His power of healing, the comfort that He brought to the suffering and the poor, lifted up the hearts of the people so that they hailed Him as King. So as far back, after nine­teen centuries, the story of His life still stirs the hearts of men. That was the gift that God gave on Xmas Day, not only to you and me, but to the whole world. So dear readers, let the dawning of this New Year be yours, and that you may take up that most beautiful gift of God and walk side by side and hand in hand with Him through the whole year.

God's promise: "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

M A Y McBRIDE, Disputed Plains.

Secure from all danger, I'm hidden in Thee;

With gladness I'm singing, Delivered and free.

Htfi i l l l l lHHmHMIItHIHHHItlHII l IM »» '"»»!"

January, 1935 THE AUSTRALIAN EVANGEL 7

News of Others

Mr. Robert Peters, Native wor-ker.^and a party from Darlington Point, spent a happy week at Cym-meragunja.

• A Church"building is to be erected

by our people at Darlington Point. They will need "all the help we can give them by prayer, for all they have now is willing hearts and wil­ling hands and the uprights and joists.

* — Charlie Runga was very helpful

at Christmas time at Erambie, Cdwra. "~

- • Mr. Herbert Grant, of Cowra, is

in Sydney "having medical treatment for his knee. He hurt it shearing time before last and has been laid aside with it ever since.

• It was good to see the new res­

erve^ at _Yass, with its sixteen nice new houses~"all very well kept, and the rebuilt church 9_feet longer than before. ""

•

Mr. Fred Barber. Native worker, has been carrying on work at Long Gully. Tingha, with the help of the Christians while their Missionaries have been away.

Some of our men at Normanton are helping their "Missionary in an open air meeting in the town.

*-—• Called Suddenly Home

Billy Waites came over some time ~~ ago from Brewarrina to Gengie, Walgett, and soon made it known that ne was a follower of the Lord Jesus. He became a great cheer to the missionaries there, es­pecially by bringing young men along to them ready to be pointed to Christ. He helped every way he could and during the Christmas season did not spare any effort to help make the festivities a success. On Christmas Eve and then on Boxing Day he drove the mission­aries to_ the_ Walgett camp and helped them right through with the Christmas tree there, and went to bed at night happy and bright.

The next morning at sunrise he passed away to the presence of the Lord His death was a shock to everyone. He will be greatly missed.

Our dear brother on Boxing Day morning brought two young men to the_mission house who were going away. One of them was anxious to yield himself to the Lord, the other was a Christian. How lovely to finish his earthly journey like this! He served the Lord to the very end and then went into heaven to live with Him forever.

O U R M E S S A G E (.Continued from page 2)

John 2 : 11 tells us about a beginning of miracles. Just six common water-pots, a great need, and Jesus. Just you and your great need; just me and my great need; and Jesus—and the miracle of power is performed.

The New Year must have God. From beginning to end each of its 365 days must have God if we

will use the power God alone can give. " I am Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end"—God says

of Himself (Rev. 1 : 8 ) . The, One who was with us in 1934 is with us in 1935, and will be with us all our days. To all who hunger and thirst after righteousness He will give freely (Rev. 2 1 : 6 ) .

T o all who need wisdom, He will give liberally (James 1: 5 ) . And to him that overcometh all things belong—God will be his God

and will make all things new, and give to him the right to enter the City of God and dwell there for evermore.

Wha t a fulness; what a richness; what hope and power is ours for 1935.

8 T H E A U S T R A L I A N E V A N G E L December, 1934

SECOND M O N T H FEBRUARY 1935

Yes in me, in me He dwelleth; I in Him, and He~in me!

And my empty soul He filletfi, Here and through eternity.

Thus I wait for His returning, Singing all the way to heaven;

Such the joyous song of morning, Such the banquet song of even.

1.—Fri.—I will dwell in the M I D S T of thee, saith the Lord. (Zech. 2 : 10) 2.—Sat.—Ye shall know that I am in the M I D S T . (Joel 2: 21)

3 . — S u n . — T h e Lord

4, 5.

6. 7, 8.

9

10 11, 12.

13, 14,

15, 16,

17

18. 19. 20 21 11 23

-Mon.--Tues.-

. will b e t he g lo ry in t h e M I D S T ( Z e c h . 2

Rule Thou in the M I D S T of Thine enemies. (Ps . 110 I lead . . . in the M I D S T of the paths of judgment.

(Prtov. 8 Wed.—I am the Lord in the M I D S T of the earth. (Ex. 8

—Thurs.—God walketh in the M I D S T of thy camp. (Deut. 23 —Fri.—Great is the Holy One of Israel in the M I D S T of thee.

(Isa. 12 —Sat.—The just Lord is in the MIDST. (Zeph. 3

S u n . — G o d in the M I D S T of T h e e is mighty . ( Z e p h . 3 : 17 ) -Mon.—God called unto him out of the M I D S T of the bush. (Ex. 3 : 4) •Tues—He called unto Moses out of the M I D S T of the cloud

(Ex. 24: .Wed.—And Moses went into the M I D S T of the cloud. (Ex. 24:

—Thurs.—The Lord spake , . . out of the M I D S T of the fire. i (Deut. 4:

Fri.—His acts which He didn't the M I D S T of Egypt. (Deut. 11 •Sat.—On dry ground through the M I D S T of the sea. (Ex. 14:

Sun .—Firm on dry g r o u n d in the M I D S T of Jordan . (Jos. 3:

-Mon.—In the M I D S T of the fire, and they have no hurt. (Dan. 3 : -Tues.—Came forth of the MIDST of the fire. (Dan. 3 :

—Wed.—In the M I D S T of trouble, thou wilt revive me. (Ps. 138: 7) —Thurs.—Revive Thy work in the M I D S T of the years. (Heb. 3 : 2) —Fri.—Put the evil away from the M I D S T of thee. (Deut. 13: 5) —Sat.—A blessing in the M I D S T of the land. (Isa. 19:

S u n . — I n the M I D S T of the church will I s ing . ( H e b . 2 : —Mon.—Thou, O Lord, art in the M I D S T of us. (Jer. 14 —Tues.—God is in the M I D S T of her. (Ps. 46

Wed.—Two or three . . . I in the M I D S T of them. (Matt. 18: Thurs.—I send vou forth as sheep in the M I D S T of wolves.

(Matt . 10:

5) 2)

20) 11) 14)

6) 5)

16) 18)

12) : 3) 16)

17) 15) 26)

24)

12) 9) S)

20)

16)

D e a t h s

W A I T E S — On Dec. 27, at Gengie, Wal-gett. Billy Waites. taken suddenly at sunrise to be with the King of Kings.

G O O D A — On Dec. 28. at Mt. Morgan Hospital. Lorna. the beloved wife of Frank Gooda. Baralaba. With Christ.

SAUNDERS.—On Jan. 6, at Woora-binda. Caroline Saunders, aged 90 years, leaving a large circle of loved

ones and friends. Caroline loved the Lord.

D R A W I N G C O M P E T I T I O N (Cont.) pear , a b a n a n a , an apple a n d a peach a n d the verse , " W h i l e I live I wil l p r a i s e t he L o r d . " Jess ie S tan ley , f o r m e r l y of C h e r b o u r g , sent a beau t i fu l d r a w i n g of a k o o k a b u r r a . T h a n k vou one a n d all.

Printed by The Central Press, 309 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.