The Work In Hobart, Tasmania
About the middle of last year, I began to correspond with brother Rex R. Bullimore, who preaches for the young church in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, and whose address is 192 Collins Street. The church there hi young, and, in this brief article, I shall mention a few things about it.
But first, here are a few things about brother Bullimore. He is an Australian who was converted while in the United States after being a sectarian preacher. In his first letter, he says the following. "I returned to Australia just over two years ago, working my way back as Storekeeper on a Swedish ship. I came back here as a missionary, without support, relying on the Lord to oversee things — I realized now, that perhaps I should have tried to get some support before venturing back here on such a huge task alone". He is single, and is 32 years old. In order to get along, he gets painting and carpentering jobs. My impression of him is that he is a strong and a faithful Christian and preacher. He seems and I know that he is, to be a person that anyone would like — even children. "I too like kids, and on our church picnics etc. I am with the youngsters more than half the time joining in their fun and making some for them — consequently, they flock around me and there's always something doing."
He learned from a certain brother Smith in Sydney about the group in Hobart. After his arrival, he found them to be "earnest seekers for Truth". As a result, he began to teach regularly. "Then opposition came from the Christian Church who claimed the group; but I had just got in enough teaching to hold the group together and they decided to remain independent and follow out the N. T. pattern. This was a victory and we numbered 12 members. There followed a series of unpleasant incidents, threats, and attempts to undermine our efforts. This has eased now, and over these two years I've taught constantly".
Another one of their problems is to provide a decent meeting-house, not only for the members to worship in, but also to cause non-members to attend the services. "I realized the Bible doesn't say much about building meeting-houses — and I have been questioned whether we would be right in having one — I don't know; I hope it is not wrong or selfish. As a group and to grow, it seems we must have a place to meet (just as necessary as clothing, money, transport etc.) — just according to need I think of the practical attitude of people here; for I have made many valuable contacts and I know some of them will come to our meetings when we have somewhere to take them". The main difficulty is the financial side of it, and they are trying to have enough money in order to have a good meeting-house as well as to carry on the work of the Lord. I am sure that there are many persons who would be willing to help them financially, not only to help them to have a meeting house, but to help to spread the Gospel in that vast area where there are untold resources for Christ and the Church.
But if you can not help financially, here are other suggestions. The first one is simply writing to him, and encouraging him. Then there is the sending of literature. In his recent letter, he wonders "if the congregation there could spare a few of their old hymn books (Great Songs of the Church) ? We are very short here, I have a dozen and find it very difficult to spread them around, especially when there are a few visitors — and of course, such books are absolutely unobtainable in Australia — I must depend on someone over there in the church to send a few". "I ask for old ones, for I do not wish to take the best the church has there — we can repair them and be most grateful for them". The Palmetto congregation does not have Great Songs of the Church, but the Oneco, Florida congregation does and I am sure that there must be other congregations who use that particular collection of hymns.
My plea is simply to help them in any way that we can directly not through an organization so that the church there can grow, souls be saved and edified, and God be glorified. How about it?