Notes of Travel and Labour

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At the close of the Australian Conference, we spent a week with the church in Parramatta, N. S. W., and on February 4 we embarked from Sydney for Auckland, New Zealand. Our ship, the Rotomahana, is a beautiful steamer, and one of the fastest in these waters. I had a convenient and pleasant state room on the upper deck, and endured this long-dreaded journey much better than I had dared to hope. There was no rough weather, and Wednesday morning, Feb. 8, we were in Auckland. Elder Israel met us at the wharf, and we were soon taken to a comfortably furnished cottage which the Auckland church had placed at our disposal.

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For several days we laboured earnestly for the Auckland church. Evening meetings were held as often as the brethren could attend, and each Sabbath and Sunday was fully occupied. Twice I spoke in the theatre to attentive audiences. Elder Starr laboured untiringly for the church. Several of the evening meetings were called early in the evening, and I would speak for half an hour, and then Elder Starr would follow with a discourse, or Bible lesson. In all, I spoke eight times in Auckland.

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On Monday, Feb. 20, we sailed for Kaeo on the Steamer Clansman. The steamer was rather small, but the captain and stewardess did everything in their power for our comfort. Through the night we were favoured with a calm sea and but little wind, and I rested some, although feverish and over-wearied by the perplexity and confusion of preparation for the journey. We expected to reach Russel at seven A. M.; but the fog closed down upon us while among the islands of the bay. After the fog cleared away, we had a beautiful sunny day. It took but a few minutes to reach the pier, where most of our fellow-passengers left the boat. Russel is a quiet little place, consisting of a row of shops facing the beach, back of which are a few dozen comfortable residences, and quite a number of old weather-beaten houses with open doors, and windows out, which are occupied by families of Maoris.

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Soon our steamer moved up the bay to Opua. The Bay of Islands is very beautiful, and we enjoyed sailing over its smooth waters amid verdant islands and massive rocks. We left the bay at 2 P. M., and reached Whangaroa Harbour at 7 o’clock. Here we were met by Brn. Joseph and Metcalf Hare, who had come from Kaeo, three miles, in their large skiff, and were ready to take us back as soon as the tide should turn. They welcomed us heartily, and at once transferred our luggage to their boat, and at eight o’clock we took our places in the skiff, and were off for Kaeo. The trip from Whangaroa up the bay and creek to Kaeo was an interesting one. The water of the bay was as smooth as an inland lake. The night was perfect. The air was mild, and the new moon shone out sufficiently to give us an outline of the mountain scenery on either side. Steady rowing by the two strong men who had often made this trip brought us to Bro. Joseph Hare’s landing in about two hours; his comfortable home is but a few steps from the landing.

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Wednesday morning Bro. Joseph Hare, sen., came down and took us to his hospitable home at the upper end of the valley, close to where Bro. and Sister Starr were stopping. To us Kaeo valley seemed very picturesque and beautiful. Some places reminded us of Knight’s Canon between Healdsburg and St. Helena, California. Much of the vegetation was tropical. Great fern trees were growing in the gullies, a species of the palm tree called necow were plentiful along the foot of the hills, and towering above these were large, bare trunks bearing many thrifty bunches of a large air-plant. Along the road were immense bunches of sweet brier, and large patches of black-berry bushes loaded with ripening fruit. Father Hare has a pleasant, comfortable home. The house, situated on high ground, is surrounded by fruitful orchards. A swift-running stream brings abundance of pure mountain water close to the house, back of which lie the pasture lands and the forest-clad mountains.

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We had planned to remain in Kaeo two weeks, but circumstances lengthened our stay to three full weeks. Early on Thursday it began to rain, and in the afternoon the little creek had swollen to a roaring torrent, bringing down driftwood and logs. Later on, we learned that there was a serious flood in the lower part of the valley. The water rose higher than for twenty years. Many houses were flooded and deserted, fruit trees and crops were destroyed, horses and sheep were drowned, and hundreds of huge logs, which had for years been lying in the small creeks in the mountains waiting for a freshet to bring them down, were floated over fields and orchards, and left in all manner of curious places. After the flood was over, the weather was beautiful.

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Sabbath forenoon I spoke to our people in the little meeting-house, and Sunday afternoon to a congregation of about two hundred in the Wesleyan church. Sunday evening, Elder Starr spoke to a full house in the same place. During the week, several evening meetings were held at the home of Father Hare. In these I would speak for half an hour and then retire, and the meeting would go on for an hour or two. On the second Sabbath, Elder Starr spoke in the forenoon to our people, and I spoke in the afternoon in the Wesleyan church. While speaking, I felt constrained by the love of Christ to invite all who had not taken a decided stand for the Lord to come forward for prayers. At first it seemed hard for any one to move; but finally the grown-up children of our brethren and sisters began to come forward; and then, as the invitation was extended to those who were members of the church, but who did not enjoy a living assurance of acceptance with God, many of the church-members came forward, and these were joined by some who had long hesitated about obeying the truth, and by others who were attending their first meeting among our people. Words of counsel were then spoken, and after the season of prayer nearly all who were seeking the Lord for the first time bore testimony. The Spirit and power of God were present, and all went from the meeting rejoicing and praising God for what He had wrought.

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On Sunday we again had good audiences in the Wesleyan chapel. The people seemed anxious to hear the Word of God; and Elder Starr had many invitations to visit and hold Bible-readings. We are satisfied that there is a work to be done in Kaeo both for our church and for the community in and near the Kaeo valley. There are souls inquiring, What is truth? and those who have light have a work to do for their fellow-men. How earnest we should be to impart light and truth to others, how patient and persevering. We need to have tender hearts, softened and subdued by the love of God. We must not work in our own spirit, bringing in our natural, hereditary traits of character; for thereby we shall drive souls away from the truth. We must lay aside our likes and dislikes; we must overcome all harshness and sharpness; we must be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves, yet always ready to put ourselves in the fore-front of the battle if God calls us there.

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Because of a change in the time of sailing of the steamer from Auckland to Napier, we were prevented from going at the time appointed, and had another week to labour in Kaeo. The young people needed instruction, but it was difficult to get them together. There are some in Kaeo whom God has been calling to fit themselves for labour in his vineyard; and we rejoice that several are preparing to go to the Bible School. On Wednesday, April 15, we bade adieu to our friends in Kaeo, and were taken down to the harbour, where we held one meeting, and the next morning took the steamer for Auckland.