Papuan Missions Continued In War

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1947, Page 5

Papuan Missions Continued In War

Glimpses of missionary life and teaching among the Papuan natives were given by Mr T. A. Bruton, of the Unevangelised Fields Mission in the course of a lecture illustrated bv lantern slides, in the Church of Christ. Maunu Road, last night. The growth of Christianity among the natives, even while the European missionaries were absent during the war period, was stressed by the speaker.

When the missionaries left, said Mr Bruton, they had, at one particular station. 40 baptised natives.

These were left with one translated copy of a book of the New Testament. When permission was received from" the Australian Government for the missionaries to return, as many as possible went back. They received a wonderful welcome from ,the natives. A NATIVE TEACHER On the station where they had left 40 Christian natives they found hundreds who had received teaching from a senior native Christian, from the one translated book. During the fighting in the area the natives proved, stalwarts in assisting the sick and wounded Allied soldiers. Often they took considerable personal risk in going up into the front lines with stretchers. Many natives also served in the Papuan Rifles, which were responsible for many lightning raids on the Japanese. Scvdral received decorations The Australian Government, said Mr Bruton, had been most appreciative of the educational work undertaken by the missionaries.