THE BUSH MSSIIONARY.

Colonist, Volume L, Issue 12159, 6 February 1908, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE BUSH MSSIIONARY.

Mr Mailler, a New South Wales worker ii^the "out baok'" has been giving a Sydney audience his experience. Tramping out from civilisation, he had to crush his way through grasshoppers. Arrived at' a station, he found a boy sweeping the insects off the verandah, but said Mr Mailler, he might just as well have essayed the task of Sisyphus. There was not a blade of grass nor a leaf left, even the pot plants in the house had suffered. The stock, which were then fat, were left fooctless, with no bopn of relief unless rain quickly fell, because trucks to convey them to pasturage could not be obtained. Still striking on, the missionary arrived at a sheep station placed in ' a remote corner. Shearing was in progress, and he was—tbiri he might camp near the creek. There was no room in the homestead. A meeting was finally arranged, hat no shearers attended. It was eighteen •years since a bush "missionary bad visited the place. Farther ' west hie struck a rabbitter's camp, it bad been there for some time, and was well established. 'The rabbitting industry," said Mr'Mailler, ''was most demoralising. % A toddler could catch a rabbitjand kill it with the greatest unconcern. The children at the camp had never heard of Christ, ! and tt»e name of the Deity they i only heard uttered in oath by their i father,." At Balladoran Mr Maili ier struck a timber-getters' camp. (There seemed to be a condition of extreme ignornce outside the craft of the woods prevailing among its ! I occupants. One stalwart "bushie, " examining a Testament, save it as! bis opinion that it was a good sort of a book— contained some useful information. Critically turning over the leaves, he came to St. Paul's Epistle to the 'Romans. With a look of disappointment on his face» the timber-getter handed the book back. ''This is a Roman Catholic book," he said. "We don't want any of this." At one town the missionary found a "fanoy fair" in progress to provide funds for the restoration of the church* Raffles, guessing competitions, and even a horse race were among the attractions. The fair realised £QG, and the church had cost but "; £4o to build."