Australia and India
Australia and India AUSTRALIA AND INDIA
Charles S. Tinius
I am thankful that my family and I have been able to return home safely after three years’ efforts many miles away. I am very grateful for the opportunity, by the kind invitation of the college here, to tell you something of the work in Australia and India, My efforts in these places were made possible by several congregations: the Central church .n Houston, Texas, the 10th and Rockford church in Tulsa, Okla., but chiefly by the church meeting 'in Sewell Auditorium, Abilene, Texas, which has generously borne the greater burden of the work.
Truly, 1 must say, the, disciples of the Lord in America, as compared with millions in this earth, are living today in the land of milk and honey. There are so many blessings. For how good ij? is to be with so many brothers and sisters after having been among so few. And after my observations during travels the past few months, I know that with the blessings of comfortable clothes, comfortable home, and an abundance of food, there should never fall from our lips one word of grumbling as to our lot in this world.
I rejoice to hear of the readiness with which the gospel is received in some fields, and I am also thankful for the efforts of my brethren who in fields with, not so much encouragement, press on in preaching the wonderful news of salvation in Christ Jesus.
Past History of Australia
Just one hundred five years ago, the first known efforts to restore the. New' Testament church in Australia began. The beginning was after thin fashion. In 1833, William Jones of London, began printing the British Millennial Harbinger which converted James WalHs to the necessity of restoration of the New Testament church. When William Jones ceased his pubheation, James Wallis began The Christian Messenger. There develoned a close working relationship between Wallis and a Thomas Jackson who were of one faith. In 1843 Thomas Jackson left England for New Zealand, as a business man, yet preaching the gospel and pleading for apostolic practice. He taught and immersed Thomas Magarey in 1845 and the same year Magarey moved to South Australia and through him thus began the first recorded work for restoration of the church of God (or Christ) in Australia. In the years 1850 and 1860 Magarey appealed to England for preachers to come and help, but there being insufficient response, a call went out to America and several responded. Some of these American preachers spoke to audiences of 2500 people, an attendance rare even among denominations in Australia today.
Sadly, however, the greater American influence was by those preachers who about the turn of the century were encouraging the annual meetings in Australia which in time have become central organizations called Conferences. They, also, about the turn of the century began to introduce the organ into the churches. Though the originators of the early annual meetings held strongly against such meetings having any control over the churches, yet, sadly, today, they have become highly centralized organizations called Conferences which have powers that according to the New Testament belong to the elders or bishops of the congregations. As one told me, there never has been the development of a strong eldership in that country. One of the reasons is not difficult to discern for the work of the elders has been given to (or taken by) the Conference committees. Of course some congregations were not swept into the tide of digression as quickly as others and today there are numerous individuals and a few churches which are sym-pathetic with our efforts. They would like to see a return to the ancient order, but at present they continue in digression.
Needless to say, there unfortunately followed other de-partures, but not with the rapidity nor to the degree as in America. The introduction of the Christian Endeavor Societies, is now destroying the effect of any distinctive preaching as the societies lead the young people to think one doctrine or church is as good as another. Some exchange pulpits with the denominational preachers and some oppose the practice. Most have added to the divine mission of the church by carrying on recreational work. The committees of the Conference will try to control the churches as to whom they invite to speak or even what literature they read, rather reminding us of a list of forbidden books published by the Catholics for their members. However, the situation is not like that of the digression here in America yet. For example, a preacher who would advocate the recognition of the sprinkled as members of the church would find the climate rather unhealthy just about anywhere in Australia and New Zealand, while in America open membership is not at all uncommon in the Christian Churches. There have been and are now some who have held a restraining hand, and with more teaching there will be more to rise up against digression in the Antipodes.
However, in those early years of digression, there were those scattered about who opposed the first innovations. These usually met in their homes. Brother J. W. Shepherd, during a few years in Australia about 1890 converted J. W. McGregor. To my knowledge, the Merrylands church and what is now Kurrajong are the only congregations continuing in the ancient order, which had their origin in those early years of digression. Brother John Allen Hudson found these meetings when he visited Australia in 1987. It is in this area that most of the preaching has been done the past ten years by S. Bell Jr., Allan Flaxman, Colin Smith, and your speaker, the latter three supported by American churches. The same trend of events has occurred in New Zealand.
Present Day
A. General Conditions
For several reasons preaching the good news is difficult in Australia and New Zealand. To me it seems to be rather similar soil to that of England and our New England states in America. These three sections of the world have one condition in common—inherited and traditional religion which in Australia is predominantly Church of England. While going from door to door during tent meetings, we found that about 97% of the people would claim church membership. To a majority, this meant that they were carried to the meeting houses to be sprinkled, they went- there to be buried. As some one put it, three times they are in the building—carried, married, and buried. With many, there is no further interest. They are satisfied that all 'is well with them in their inherited church, whether they ever work in it or not. Generally speaking, the old traditional denominations have lost their aggressiveness and are about as dead as the proverbial door nail.
Again, the common laboring man does not have too much respect for the “parsons.” By reason of the conduct of denominational preachers of the past years, they think of them as men with a soft job and a fat salary. The church of England admits it has lost touch with the common man. So a preacher has this disadvantage to overcome.
Too, horse racing and Sunday sport of cricket and football add their part to difficulties. Also,’there is a strong influence against the truth by reason of interdenominational organizations. These are formed of zealous people from especially the traditional religious organizations who were not to be fettered by the means and the methods of their old churches, and yet they still preach their false doctrines. These interdenominational and some of the newer, smaller religious organizations are aggressive as well as the Catholics. The latter pose about the same problems as in America. One, of course, also finds that in the minds of the people anything without the stamp of hoary tradition is likely not true.
B. Present Day Restoration
The work in Australia is that of beginning again. It is still in its infancy with little progress made thus far. There is not the responsiveness that we are happy to see in other parts of the world. Yet with a sufficient force of preachers for ten years, the work can be done. Throughout Australia,
I know of today, four congregations following the New Testament pattern of organization and worship. I know of a few churches meeting in homes for breaking of bread. Disciples in those meetings still number not more than 100. Two of the churches own a building to meet in. In spite of obstacles, within and without, there has been some growth. The work, though very trying, was the most interesting, and we hope most profitable of our experience.
Never being able to settle in one center by reason of housing shortage, forcing us to move every few months, I turned considerable of my time and effort to awaken and call the Associated Churches of Christ back to the ancient order of things. By personal efforts and by literature, we sowed the seed. Fifty display boards on Sydney railway stations, distribution of books, Ancient Landmarks, Gospel Advocates, Christian Chronicles, and a monthly paper, The Old Paths, published in Australia reached several thousand readers every month. They were well read and there was considerably more favorable reaction than expected. The Committees of state conferences tried to ban the papers— and that just helped increase reading interest. The much or little good accomplished by this and my general program of work, I shall not presume to say. I was not especially encouraged by only some fifteen immersions during my work. However, I left behind me brethren in the areas I worked of Windsor, Merrylands, and Newcastle who will carry on. I am hopeful that there will be two brethren who will in time give their full time to preaching. Several brethren there are helping me to continue publishing The Old Paths. We have left behind a number of sympathetic people still in digressive churches (and a few preacher friends) whom we hope will someday stand as do we. By reason of the papers, we received letters from New Zealand and throughout Australia from people who were quite sympathetic and happy to know that not all in America had gone the way of the Disciples. The people in Australia and New Zealand were quite ignorant of the churches of Christ in America as leading men among thern had spoken about them as a little group of anti organ people dying out.
We have succeeded in enlightening many and by reason of the seed sown, there have come and are coming changes among Associated churches of Christ with the very small efforts that I as only one could put forth. Indeed great changes would come with ten wnrkers m x\ustralia and Now Zealand.
Here is an excerpt from one of numerous. It is from New Zealand.
“. . . One of the things that has surprised me much lately is that I have been m the dark so long with respect to the swing away from the New Testament practice in the New Zealand churches. Every visitor from our land to the United States, must have been dazzled bv the magnificence of the Disciples’ churches, for no mention was ever made, in my hearmg, of any dissenters or rifters of the lute. Paradoxically perhaps, I would call myself an informed member of the church of Christ, having been during the years in many offices, the majority of which were not mentioned in the New Testament.
“Readmg your messages in the Old Paths has now altered my old easy acceptation of things as they are now practiced to New Testament practice. This coming week I am to have a visit from a man and h'is wife who have dropped fellowshipping with a church known as Associated church of Christ. This will be my first opportunity of comparing notes with any like minded Christians.” There are ethers with the same mind as this correspondent. From their own yearly statistics, ft 'is evident that the digressive movement will be dead in 50 years, at the present rate of 6000 decrease per ten year. Their members are 30,000—perhaps. There are those souls who still remember the old days and are not failing to tell the younger preachers about them, which is having influence upon them—especially in the Bible college in. Sydney where I found some capable and thinking young men, whom I believe will not allow themselves to be cast into followers of the Disciple patterns. The time is opportune to give leadership this phase of the work in Australia and New Zealand. As one told me before I left, many of them now realize something is wrong for they read in .the gospel papers, (that have been so generously sent byr the saints here) of hundreds each week obeying the. old fashioned gospel in America. And, the gentleman said, something is beginning to happen. True, some will follow the trails blazed by American Disciples of Christ and will soon, we predict, be speaking of themselves as simply another denomination, but we also predict with certainty, that NOT ALL WILL FOLLOW. The Future Plans for Australia
(1) By the grace of God and the co-operation of disciples here and there we will continue to preach the gospel m Australia through gospel papers such as The Old Paths which I will publish in Sydney and other American gospel papers. By this means we hope to keep the flame alight, and hope for a better day, giving teaching and encouragement for those scattered throughout Australia and New Zealand. Brother Roy Tidwell is ready to go to New Zealand.
(2) Part and full time preachers in Australia will carry on work already begun, but there is a great need for two full-time preachers at least in New Zealand as at present there are none pleading.for the New Testament order in its entirety.
(3) The sending of ten preachers with some money to carry on their programs over a period of ten years, I firmly believe will put the New Testament church on a firm basis and bring a new day for the gospel in that land —a land of opportunity and destined to become a much greater influence in the world. It is a land to which many people are migrating, for it is one land with great resources and which is only in its infancy of development.
Here are some of the advantages:
1. Australia and New Zealand have small populations. In Australia there are. but eight and a half million people, thus the cask of reaching all is not endless.
2. The American dollar buys much in these times. Suitable modest neighborhood meetinghouses can be built for $6000 to $7500. Radio time except for large cities like Sydney can be purchased at a very, very reasonable cost. Low cost of living enables families to live much cheaper than in the United States.
3. The Australian is quite friendly With the American and there is little difference in customs. Some would rather be tied to the “Yanks” than the English.
4. There are those souls in digression who are quite sympathetic with American churches of Christ and mostly need guidance and leadership.
5. As we speak the language, we can begin preaching immediately.
6. There are those in New Zealand and Australia calling for leadership—aggressive preachers from America. They want you to come. Will you hear their call?
During the time it may take to muster ten men to begin ten-year programs of work, we want to continue our fellowship with brethren in the Antipodes. They are so few among so many and they need your encouragement. Should you have ever lived where you were practically isolated from all others of like precious faith, you would well understand the great strength it gives to receive a visit from some brother to spend some six months preaching the good news of salvation and edifying the disciples in those lands. Churches can in time be established in those lands if we will but send the men to preach with some means to help them. We can profit by experience of brethren who have gone as parties instead of ones and twos. Can we not find churches which will send ten men to start a ten-year program? With the work carried on by the college Church, Abilene, and others, better work can be done the next ten years. Men of faith—elders and preachers—are needed for this work. The Antipodes is calling!
India
By the grace of God, it was my pleasant experience to spend three months among some Indian brethren in the province of Assam. These efforts were maae possible by the College church of Christ which sent me and a sacrificing wife who took our two older children and baby back home to the States by herself from Australia to carry on for six months until I returned. My work there was a continuation of the work begun by brethren Glenn L. Wallace and E. W. McMilKan some two years ago.
History
In the Khasi and Jainta Hills of Assam, from whence one may see the towering, majestic, Himalayan Mountains, there live some 300,000 Rhasi Indians. Among these there is no caste system and the women have equality with men. Some one hundred years ago the Welsh Presbyterians went there preaching their doctrine. But as true with many denominations, they bound upon the people a humanly devised creed book, called a Constitution. By the Presbyterians, the Bible was translated 'into the Khasi tongue.
Becoming dissatisfied with a human creed, some cast it aside as well as the humanly devised name and mechanical music, taking the Bible only as their guide. That was as far as some 40 congregations progressed. However ethers during the past fifteen years have also put aside not only the Constitution, and their human name, but also their christening, median-cal music, sprinkling, and central organizations. Their practices in these matters are after the New Testament pattern and they have come to these scriptural practices, not by hearing preachers of churches of Christ in America, but by taking the Bible only as their guide.
Some two years ago, one of the brethren of Mawlai was told by a native sectarian preacher who had visited the States, that in America there were people who had simdar beliefs to his. Those disciples meeting at Mawlai decided to investigate. Their letter was sent to the church of Christ, Abilene, Texas, and happened to come into the hands of Glenn L. Wallace. Their letter stated their beliefs and practices and inquired as to beliefs and practices of the people called churches of Christ in America. After considerabie correspondence with Brotner Wallace, the College church, Abilene, sent Brother Sf. W. McMillian for a brief visit and his efforts are well remembered and appreciated by the faithful there. He taught especially concerning “open membership” and weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper as some had not learned the truth on these subjects. At that time, there was but one congregation in Mawlai calling itself the church of Christ. By the time I ai rived there, were two.
After Brother McMilh'an’s visit, a Christian Church preacher came among them teaching that the use of instrumental music was scriptural and the further error that such was the only difference between Christian churches and churches of Christ. It is to be remembered that the disciples there in Mawlai had decided twelve years before that the use of mechanical instruments was without scriptural authority in the New Testament, though they had been accustomed to it previously m Presbyterianism. By the time I arrived, the brethren who contended against the recognition of the sprinkled as members, allowing denominational preachers to fill the pulpit, the use of mechanical instruments, (an issue introduced by Christian Church preachers) and who contended for weekly eating of the Lord’s Supper had been asked to go elsewhere if they were going to so teach. So meekly, suffering the loss of their part of the building, father than to go to law, these faithful brethren went out to carry on, as we did while I was there, in a small dirt-floor tabernacle.
It 'is to be noted that the Christian church preacher has aligned himself with those who recognize spi inkling. With this as one of the issues those contending for immersion were deprived the use of the building. This is a sad, but old, old story.
I was thankful that all had worked together that we might go and confirm the saints there in the faith, for naturally there had been the trials and discouragements attendant to their stand for the truth, and in view of the Christian church havmg stationed a man there to champion the cause of the digressive element. Our brothers and sisters in the College church, who made possible the three month’s preaching, can be well assured that the disciples there are thankful for your fellowship with them. In the hills there are a few other congregations with which we visited. Some have been misled by the digressive preachers. Personally wre would not estimate more than 200 disciples among the churches since the digression, which perhaps cut the ranks in half. Our Werk There
During the three months, with the zealous efforts of the preacher there were nineteen immersions. Of the adults half were from Presbyterianism and Catholicism, and half from the national Khas1' religion of animism. There are animal sacrifices offered. There are Khasi villages which still would not allow one peacefully to preach about Jesus Christ; however, there are villages which soften every year in their opposition.
We have some fine, caDable brethren there. There is much zeal. One brother supports himself and goes about telling the good newTs of saltation, edifying the saints, and thinks nothing of walking 25 miles a day in his efforts. Leaders in public work of the church are expected to be examples to the brothers and sisters. Some have very little education while a few have I>.A. degree qualifications. Four different brethern interpreted for me. Though we lost a building, we have the soldiers. Most of the disciples are poor, but there are few destitute—by Indian standards. They have their internal problems, but there is a wonderful spirit cf brotherly love, humility, and genuineness which are great blessings in their difficulties. There is considerable sickness and as medical help is beyond the reach of the average Indian, (doctor’s call cost is five to six days labor) the sick must suffer until the disease has run its course. (A few are opposed to doctors.) We went almost daily to pray in the houses of those brothers and sisters sick and sometimes at late hours of the night. It 'is their practice to call for the. elders to come and pray for them. This also helped to create a fine spirit of brotherly love. A few of their customs of interest are: the women sitting on one side of the house and men on the other; one container for the men and another for the women at the Lord’s table; when I immersed them, the Indians would simply squat down into the water—the Indians being good squatters ! Prayers were of ten to twenty minutes length.
Problems
The Khasi translation of the Scriptures brings some problems. Generally it is admitted that the language is a poor one. For example, the lack of a definite article fails to give the force of the Greek or English text in such passages as Acts 20:7, which shows a weekly eating of the Lord’s Supper. So it is not difficult to understand why this practice, had not begun until it was called to their attention by Brother Wallace in correspondence for their study. Although the Mawlai church has for some months now practiced weekly eating of the Lord’s Supper, the subject still requires emphasis in the villages to teach disciples there. While we were there, one congregation purposed to begin the practice as soon as elements could be procured.
Again, either the wresting of the passage by preachers, or the use of words not suitable has prevented especially the young people from partaking of the Supper. 1 Corinthians 11:27 warns about eating and drinking at the Lord’s table in an unworthy manner and the following verse in the English reads “For this cause many among you are weak and sickly and not a few sleep.” The Khasi equivalent says, “For this cause many of you have consumption.” As consumption is so greatly dreaded, they fear to partake lest they be striken with the disease of consumption. There, however, has been considerable improvement in the number partaking, but it requires special attention still. Also, in the Khasi translation there is not a word equivalent to “deacon” used in the text. The word “preacher” is used in those passages as I recall. Thus one can more easily understand some of the problems of the church there. The story of the Christiaps in India illustrates to us so realistically and beautifully the simple scriptural truth that if men and women will take the Bible only as their guide, they will become one in their faith and practices and be members of simply the Lord’s church whether they have ever heard of or seen one another. Not so with the yoke of human creeds for to make people members of most denominations, there must be the circulation and teaching of a human creed in addition to the Bible. Let us thank God for the great freedom which is ours from the galling and hampering yoke of human creeds and rejoice in the power of the living word. The Future in Assam
The brethren there will press on telling the glad news through the Khasi hills. They know the truth and stand for the truth and will carry on. At present one preacher is being supported by help from the College church. Twenty- five dollars a month supports a native preacher and the Mawlai church hopes to support that preacher by themselves by the end of the year. Another brother spends his full time, but sustains himself.
There are several needs. First, there is a pressing need for literature on all subjects in the Khasi tongue. That can be produced both here and there. Only a meager start has thus far been made, and it is very important that we address ourselves to this good work immediately. Secondly, there is a need for the printing of words of songs (English style) to make up a song book. Thirdly, the brethren are pressing on meeting in homes and in a brush arbor meeting place. Twenty-five hundred dollars would provide a suitable place. Fourthly, we want to continue our fellowship with these brethren by sending some brother annually to spend two to three months with them. That will help provide the inspiration and encouragement needed for the healthy growth and spreading of the gospel from the now existing centers. Just one word of caution. In our efforts to help in India, we must use wisdom lest the help we give create a great problem for brethren there by causing people to seek out the church hoping for material rather than spiritual gain.
How wonderful it is that though 10,000, miles from us and unknown to us Indians have read the scriptures for themselves and become just Christians even as we and to learn of their staunch love for the truth of Christ, with a genuine and simple spirit in their efforts to do their best to « serve the living God and follow the pattern of the New Testament. To God be the glory.