www.givehigher.com.au Open in urlscan Pro
13.211.32.58  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

 * Causes
 * Projects
 * Workers
 * Missions
 *  Urgent! 
   * Covid
   * Turkey/Syria Earthquake 2023
 * Challenges
   * Back
   * Giving Challenges
   
   * --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   * Two Portfolios
   * Sacrifice for Mission
   * Make Bold Plans
   
   * --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   * Christian Businesses
   * Christian Schools
   * Local Churches
   
   * --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   * Support an Event
 * Blog
 * More...
   * Back
   * About
     
   * Bible verses
   * Christian Quotes
   
   * --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   * Contact Us
   
 * 

 * Home
 * Giving Blog
 * Indigenous Ministries - Faithful Few and a Better Future? (Part 2)


INDIGENOUS MINISTRIES - FAITHFUL FEW AND A BETTER FUTURE? (PART 2)

Jack Liddell
10 Nov 2020

Shares
Share
Tweet
Pin
Email
Share
Share

Our previous article covered indigneous ministries ugly past in terms of the
treatment of Australia's indigenous people and the church's lack of response.
This second article is hopefully more encouraging. We will start by looking at
the good that some Australian Christians have done for indigenous people.
Lastly, we finish with the state of indigenous ministries.

Warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers: This article includes
images of deceased people.


THE FAITHFUL FEW

Amid cruelty and indifference, there were a few faithful Christians seeking to
do good for the indigenous people. (There were of course others, but sadly not
as many as you would hope). These Christians were not perfect people (as none of
us are) but they stepped out and took risks to honour God and support the
aboriginal people.

WILLIAM DAWES (1762–1836)

William Dawes who was a friend of William Wilberforce (the anti-slavery
champion) took great interest in Aboriginals upon his arrival in Australia. As a
Christian lieutenant he refused to go on trips to hunt down and kill
aboriginals. As a result, he lost his position.

LANCELOT THRELKELD (1788-1859)

The missionary Lancelot Threlkeld was a character worth noting. Based in Lake
Macquarie (NSW, north of Sydney), he pioneered Aboriginal Bible translation, as
well as teaching and protecting aboriginals. He represented aboriginals in
courts on many occasions and spoke out against the treatment of Aboriginals.

In a classic retort – when some scientist tried to dehumanise aboriginals based
on skull size, he asked if they had measured the pope’s skull size.

JOHN SAUNDERS (1806-1859)

The Sydney pastor Rev John Saunders delivered an important sermon on aboriginal
rights in 1838. The sermon gained a lot of attention, and from some extracts you
can see why.


The spot of blood is upon us, the blood of the poor and the defenceless, the
blood of the men we wronged before we slews; and too, too often, a hundred times
too often, innocent blood. ... the sin in which the whole colony has been
engaged and for which therefore the whole colony is answerable – our injustice
to the Aborigines. ...

It might have been supposed, that a Christian nation colonising the Australian
wilderness would have sough to bless the original possessor of the wild; but so
far from this, we have inflicted a series of wrongs …. We have robbed him [the
indigenous people] without any sanction … we have brutalised them. We brought
the art of intoxication to them – we taught them new lessons in fraud,
dishonesty, and theft …. We have shed their blood …

It is our duty to recompense the Aboriginals to the extent we have injured them.
It is true we cannot make atonement for the lives which have been taken, neither
can we make reparation for the multitude which have hastened to the tomb by the
profligacy we have taught them...It is at once our duty, and our wisdom to
humble ourselves in penitence before God
John Saunders
1836 Sermon - “Claims of the Aborigines”

ANNE CAMFIELD (1808-1896)

The orphan Anne Breeze arrive in Western Australia (WA) in 1838 with the hope of
supporting mission work. Soon-after she married Henry Camfield. Both were
distressed by the treatment of aboriginals. Anne started working with aboriginal
children by providing education in their home. Self-sacrificial and hard-working
she did this for many years without a salary. The home school grew, and soon she
was key to establishing the first indigenous school in WA. Under her care many
became Christians. A number were orphans like herself.

DANIEL & JANET MATTHEWS (1837-1902, 1848- 1939)

Daniel Matthews was disturbed by aboriginal treatment. In a selfless effort to
do what he could, Daniel (along with his brother) purchased land on the Murray
River (NSW/VIC border) and set up a home for aboriginals. Daniel and his wife
Janet aimed to make the property self-sufficient for the benefit of local
aboriginal people. They set up a school, taught trade skills, and provided
aboriginal employment. At times Daniel put his life at risk by rescuing
Aboriginal girls from abusive settlers.

Eventually, Daniel and Janet helped established a small village called Maloga.
Many aboriginals travelled significant distances for refuge here.

John Harris wrote that Matthews letters and correspondence “constitute possibly
the most eloquent, compassionate and persistent pleas on behalf of the
Aborigines in Australia’s history. The pleas came, not from the institutional
church, but from the church proper: an ordinary, compassionate and courageous
Christian who sincerely believed that ‘it is not the Government only, but every
member of society, that is morally responsible for the neglected and humiliated
condition of the Aborigines.” (One Blood)

The aboriginals called Daniel ‘maranooka’ or friend.

JOHN BROWN GRIBBLE (1847-1893)

As a child John Gribble was lost in the Australian bush. Aboriginals found and
cared for him until he was reunited with his family. After becoming a country
pastor, he became increasingly focused on providing protection and care for
aboriginals. A friend of Daniel Matthews (above), he worked to establish the
Warangesda (Camp of Mercy) mission in 1880 on the Murrumbidgee (NSW). He left
his pastor role (which he referred to as “very comfortable”) to dedicate himself
on the new mission. His work was largely on “rehabilitation” of suffering
aboriginals. Harris writes that “many of those who came were already sick and
dying, people with absolutely nowhere to seek safety … Many of those who died
glimpsed Christ in the love shown to them by John and Mary Gribble and died
confident Christian deaths” (One Blood)

The Gribbles left NSW in 1885 and took an appointment in the north west of WA.
Gribble was quickly vocal about the poor treatment of Aboriginals (horrible and
unfair work conditions, sexual exploitation, severe and unjust punishments). He
was disliked by local colonists who tried to get rid of him - shops would refuse
to sell him stock; “anti-Gribble” signs were posted in the town; powerful (and
wealthy) church members worked against him; he was physically threatened;
actually beaten up; and survived two murder attempts. But Gribble was a stubborn
man and wrote: “I shall make it my mission to reveal to the Christian world the
wrongs and injustices, and the cruelty obtaining under the British flag in the
colony of Western Australia.”


SIDE NOTE: THE MISSION ORGANISATIONS

The initial Australian mission organisations originated (unsurprisingly) from
Britain. These included - London Missionary Society (LMS), Church Missionary
Society (CMS), and the Wesleyan Missionary Society (WMS). Much later two
independent organisations were formed – Aboriginal Inland Mission (AIM) and
United Aborigines Mission (UAM). Today, a few Missions Interlink
members/associates support indigenous ministries. Mission projects and Christian
workers can be found on our Indigenous Ministries page.

An innovative mission story occurred in the 1960’s with the Groote Elyandt
(Northern Territory) people. In a clever move, the mission organisation CMS
obtained mining rights for the local Aboriginal people. They set up the
ownership via a trust in which the aboriginal people both managed and received
all the mining royalties. To its credit, CMS intentionally did not gain anything
from the arrangement.


A BETTER FUTURE?

Some would say that circumstances have improved for indigenous people in recent
decades. However, there are still plenty of reasons to be concerned about the
future of Australia's indigenous people. The churches at large are still largely
indifferent to their plight. An NCLS survey of church members in 2018 found many
churches had little to do, or even any active interest in indigenous people.

While we do not know if the future will be better for indigenous people, we can
hope, prayer and take action. There is no intention here to trivialise or
overlook many of the deep ongoing issues experienced by Indigenous people in
Australia. Instead the hope is to provide glimmers of a better future.

INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP

The best people to lead indigenous people are of course indigenous people. For
the past 50 years, the Australian government has been encouraging and
(hopefully) enabling increased ‘self-management’ amongst indigenous people.

Similarly, the best people to do indigenous outreach work are indigenous
Christians. There has been movement by churches and mission organisations to
equip indigenous Christians to reach indigenous people. For example, the
establishment of Nungalinya College in NT (Mission Interlink member) to provide
training for Indigenous Christian leaders.


Easily the most important change …. in the fraught history of the Aboriginal
encounter with Christianity was the emergence of able Aboriginal Christian
leaders.
Piggin & Linder
Attending to the National Soul

Christian indigenous leaders arose in the 20th century to defend indigenous
rights. Many could be listed, but here are just a few.

DAVID UNAIPON(1872 – 1967))

David Unaipon appears on the Australian 50 dollar note. He was a multi-talented
indigenous man who was a pastor, an inventor (patented a number of inventions,
invented a sheep shearing device, and highly interested in perpetual motion
machines), a writer, and took many opportunities to speak on aboriginal rights
and culture.

SIR DOUG NICHOLLS (1906 – 1988)

Sir Doug Nicholls was another multi-talented man. He exceeded in sport,
especially as an AFL player (Fitzroy, Victoria state of origin), worked as a
pastor, governor of South Australia and was knighted. He stood up for aboriginal
rights and was involved in establishing the Aborigines Advancement League. A
number of aboriginals were ordained as pastors after Nicholls breakthrough.

WILLIAM COOPER (1860 - 1941)

William Cooper (who grew up at Malago) play an important role in establishing
the Australian Aboriginal League (AAL) in 1933. The AAL lobbied the government
for the Indigenous rights. Cooper was the first to flag that Australia day
(January 26) should be an 'Aboriginal Day of Mourning'.

WILLIAM FERGUSON (1882–1950)

Similarly, the Christian Presbyterian, William Ferguson started the Aboriginal
Progressive Association in 1937. He worked hard for aboriginal rights – once
saying: “To all you people of Aboriginal blood, I say…I am fighting for your
freedom. Aboriginals still live under laws meant only to control criminals and
lunatics: they are not allowed ordinary human rights… I can promise you nothing
but the will to work." Ferguson along with Cooper (and others) meet with the
prime minister Lyons to speak on Aboriginal rights.

A REVIVED INDIGENOUS POPULATION

After a dramatic population drop between 1788 and the early 20th century, it was
once feared that Aboriginals would die off. Thankfully, the Australian
indigenous population has now passed 800,000 (approx. 3% of total population)
and continuing to grow.

LARGE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

There is a considerably higher proportion of Christians amongst Aboriginals than
the general Australian population. This is despite the many self-acknowledged
failings of the Australian church and mission organisations with the aboriginal
people. The 2017 census found that 90% of Indigenous Australians claim to be
Christians, while the number for the general population is just 52%.

YOUR HELP

Can you help provide a better future for Indigenous Australians? Can you support
the work with indigenous Australians? If so, please check out some of the
indigenous projects and indigenous Christian workers needing financial support
on Givehigher. Please considering supporting of one our members/associates who
works with indigenous Australians. Please prayer regularly for indigenous people
and increasing awareness and concern at your church


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


References
 * Aboriginal Protection Society, “Parliamentary Select Committee Report on
   Aboriginal Tribes (British Colonies)”, 1837
 * Bevis, S., Pepper, M., & Powell, R, "Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Relations
   in Churches", Occasional Paper 33. NCLS Research: Sydney., 2018
 * Harris, John, “One Blood: 200 Years of Aboriginal Encounter with
   Christianity: a Story of Hope”, Albatross Books, 1990
 * Piggin,Stuart & Linder,Robert D, ”Attending to the National Soul”, Monash
   University Publishing, 2019
 * Piggin,Stuart & Linder,Robert D, "The Fountain of Public Prosperity:
   Evangelical Christians in Australian History, 1740-1914", Monash University
   Publishing, 2018
 * Reynolds, Henry, "This Whispering in Our Hearts Revisited", NewSouth, 2018
 * Saunders, John, "Sermon - Claims of the Aborigines", Given in 1838 in Sydney
   at a Baptist Church


CAN YOU SUPPORT A INDIGENOUS MINISTRY IN AUSTRALIA PROJECT?

INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN MINISTRIES

DISCOVER WAYS TO SUPPORT INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN MINISTRIES



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RELATED POSTS

INDIGENOUS MINISTRIES – UGLY PAST AND THE BIBLE'S INFLUENCE (PART 1)

Jack Liddell
09 Nov 2020



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RECENT POSTS

PRAYING FOR REFUGEES

Jack Liddell
05 Sep 2021

COMPARISON OF CHRISTIAN CHILD SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS

Jack Liddell
21 Aug 2021

CHILD SPONSORSHIP - A ROUGH OVERVIEW

Jack Liddell
15 Aug 2021


Shares
Share
Tweet
Pin
Email
Share
Share



INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN MINISTRIES PROJECTS

HELP FUND ARNHEM LAND'S "FLYING SCHOOL BUS"

SCRIPTURE MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION IN REMOTE CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

INDIGENOUS MINISTRY IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

View More Projects



INDIGENOUS MINISTRIES – UGLY PAST AND THE BIBLE'S INFLUENCE (PART 1)

Next article

CHILD SPONSORSHIP - A ROUGH OVERVIEW

Previous article

PO BOX 5214, Pinewood VIC 3149, Australia

+(61)3 9037 6417



Contact Us

SUPPORTING

 * Christian Causes
 * Mission Projects
 * Christian Workers
 * Fundraising Events
 * Mission Organisations

LINKS

 * Giving Challenges
 * Sitemap
 * Privacy Policy
 * Terms of use
 * Agency Login

A ministry of Missions Interlink

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright © 2024 Missions Interlink. All rights reserved.    Website: Krupa
Innovations



Missions Interlink is a registered Business Name of Australian Evangelical
Alliance Inc. ABN 54 056 007 820


Tweet
Pin
Email
Share
Share