In Apia

New SDA Church In Apia Marks 50 Years of Mission's Work in Territory

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Aug. 6.

THE Seventh Day Adventist Mission has, during the last few years, suc cessfully extended its Mission work throughout the Samoan Group. It had been the desire of the Apia congregation for some time to erect a larger and more beautiful church to replace the small un pretentious wooden structure in the shade of Vaea Mountain, but war and material shortages prevented it until this year. On July 1 the attractive new church was consecrated in the presence of a large congregation and many representative Apia citizens.

During the service, at which Pastor H.

E. Piper, special delegate from Sydney, represented Australian headquarters, Pastor H. B. Christian, the present head of the Samoan Mission, gave a sermon in English, while Pastor R. Reye spoke on the history and development of SDA Mission work in Samoa, and a Samoan Pastor gave a sermon in the Samoan language.

The sucessful completion of the new church is, in a great measure, due to the hard work and practical knowledge of Pastor H. B. Christian who gave all his time and strength to the task. But the success is due also to the whole hearted devotion of the members of the

Apia congregation who, men and women alike, give freely of their labour and time to asist in the building operations.

The new church is built wholly of con crete, but with an inlaid wooden ceiling.

There is a spacious vestry in the back of the church and a large basement which will later serve as a school.

The erection of this SDA church is the culmination of 50 years of hard pioneering endeavour in Samoa. It was in 1890, with funds provided by the North American Sabbath Schools of the Church, that the Mission ship “Pitcairn,” a brigan tine of 200 tons register, was built. The ship made five extended voyages to the South Seas in its ten years of service, carrying missionaries to Pitcairn, Tahiti and other islands of the Pacific.

In 1896 she called at Apia, leaving Dr. and Mrs. F. Braucht who commenced medical missionary work. A large two storey building was erected at Tufuiopa, Apia, which became known as the Sani tarium. The site is now occupied by the residence of the Hon, Fautua Tamasese.

A small Mission press was also operated at that time.

Dr. Braucht, who showed much skill in the surgical treatment of filarial de formities, was later succeeded by Drs. B.

H. Kellog and A. Vollmer.

For some years the medical work con tinued until the arrival in 1909, of Pastor J. E. Steed who was followed later by Pastor H. T. Howse. At that time the well-known Mission dwelling and church at Lalovaea which now have been re placed by the new church were built.

In 1925 Mr. R. Reye, son of the late Mr E. F. Reye of Apia, returned to Samoa to take charge of the Mission after having servedl in the South Australian Conference of the Church on completion of his theological training. He is one of three brothers who have entered the ministry of the SDA Church. Their only sister is married to Pastor R. N. Heggie, superintendent of the SDA Mission in Tahiti. , . „ In 1928 work was commenced at Vailoa, Saluafata, on the building of what is now the Vailoa Missionary School.

From 1942 to 1945, J. T. Howse, Samoa born son of Pastor H. T. Howse, mentioned earlier in this account, superintended the work. He is now in charge of the Mission’s interests in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. . J . , .. 0 The present superintendent of the Samoan Mission is Pastor H B. Christian, from Murray Bridge, South Australia, under whose leadership and supervision the new Mission headquarters at Vaea have been erected.

Apart from the stations on Upolu, the Mission has interests in American Samoa and on Savaii, the largest island of the Samoan group.

The New Church.