CHURCH BUILDING

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 January 1928, Page 4

CHURCH BUILDING

BY

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES.

In the far “outback” of South Australia is a fervent community of aboriginal Christians who. since the organisation of a Methodist Church at this lonely spot, have worshipped in the open, under burning skies or intensely cold starry nights. The blacks have not been disturbed by these primitive methods in the least, because it accords with their habits, but, being comparatively close to civilisation, they have caught something of modern ways.

i This awakening led to the desire to > build a church. There was practically no money or materials, but nothingdaunted, the blacks looked around for what might be available. The white people gave practical and ready support to the movement. First of all came a presentation of a supply of pine posts which provided the framework. They the surrounding country was scoured for petrol tins, and as South Australia has more motors in proportion to the population than any other part of Australia, a sufficient number was soon forthcoming. When the tins were cut and flattened and nailed to the posts, the church, to all intents and purposes, was complete. Red paint outside and white on the interior walls might give a garish effect to the quaint structure, but it is clean and tidy. There was enough timber left over to erect seats and a reading desk, and the blacks showed additional enterprise by providing a bedroom at the rear of the church for missionaries, and a small kitchen a little distance from the main building. The structure maw be architectuarlly bizarre, but it is remarkable what a solid and compact job has been made of these native pine logs and waste petrol tins from the rubbish heaps. The church was opened with due pomp and ceremony not long ago by the Rev. H. Lomman, the Methodist minister of the district. There was never such a community of proud people as assembled in this little church that day, and there were smiles of triumph on the faces of the black men, women and children, for all helped in the big effort. The Adelaide press wrote most enthusiastically of the achievement.