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Adventism On The Move4: The Pacific Islands
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Nov. 8 - Adventism On The Move4: The Pacific Islands

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Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands. Isa. 42: 12.

The Chudney disaster and the frustration of John Tay in not being able to find a ship to take him to Pitcairn Island reoriented the General Conference to the need to build a seaworthy vessel for service to the multitude of South Pacific islands.

That mission boat was a project that stirred the enthusiasm of the Sabbath schools across the United States as nothing had ever done before. Adults brought their quarters and dollars and children sold baked goods so that they might have a part in buying the needed nails, boards, and canvas.

Sabbath school members were even invited to suggest a name for the ship. Some opted for Glad Tidings, but others finally decided to name it for the island that had stimulated the project. Thus Adventists christened their first missionary vessel the Pitcairn.

In October 1890 the 100-foot, 120-ton, two-masted schooner set sail with a crew of seven and three missionary couples. The first stop, appropriately enough, was Pitcairn Island, where E. H. Gates and A. J. Read baptized 82 of the islanders and organized a church.

Several weeks later the mission ship moved on to the Tahiti, Rarotonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Norfolk island groups. At each location those aboard it held meetings, distributed literature, and awakened interest.

After two years the Pitcairn returned to San Francisco, its first voyage a success. But there had been a cost in human lives. John Tay, who had remained to pioneer the Adventist mission in Fiji, died after only five months into his work. And Captain J. O. Marsh had passed to his rest while his ship was being refitted in New Zealand.

But the work went on. Altogether the Pitcairn made six voyages between 1890 and 1900. At that point steamship schedules had improved to the extent that the denomination no longer needed its mission boat.

But in those 10 years not only did the church establish itself in the Pacific islands, but the adventures of the intrepid Pitcairn inspired Adventists toward missions and mission giving more than any other single thing in their history.

 

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He longs to have you expect great things from Him. He longs to give you understanding in temporal as well as in spiritual matters. He can sharpen the intellect. He can give tact and skill. Put your talents into the work, ask God for wisdom, and it will be given you. (COL 146).
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