I am here as one of the representatives of the Federal Conference of the Churches of Christ in the Commonwealth of Australia, comprising twenty thousand Disciples and with three thousand more in the Dominion of New Zealand. Time would fail me to relate the history of the origin and progress of the movement we love in my native land. Planted some sixty years ago by sturdy, faithful brethren from Great Britain, and watered by the eloquence and ability of gifted American preachers, God has richly given the increase.

      My confidence in the future growth of our plea beneath the Southern Cross is based on the following considerations:

      1. The unity of the brotherhood. We are to-day united as never heretofore. All the churches co-operate in Home and Foreign Missions, through our Conference Committees. No burning questions such as destructive criticism, on the one hand, or anti-co-operation in mission work, on the other, disturb the peace of our Zion.

      2. Their loyalty to the old plea gives promise of greater progress. With all our hearts we Australian disciples believe in the ancient gospel. We believe that Jesus is the Christ; that he died for our sins and rose again; that his own self in his own body bare our sins on the tree; that we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; and that in all matters pertaining to salvation and fellowship, where the Scriptures speak, we should speak, and where they are silent, we should be silent. Australian Disciples are loyal to the New Testament, and consequently loyal to the plea of the Campbells and their faithful coadjutors.

      3. Their recognition of Christian liberty will doubtless be a factor in their prosperity. While loyal to the truths most surely revealed, they stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made them free, and refuse to be again entangled in the yoke of bondage. They realize that the "unity of the Spirit" does not involve unity of opinion, nor necessitate uniformity in methods of work and worship. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

      4. But, above all, the spirit of aggressive evangelism, which within the last few years has become so marked a feature of our Australian work, gives assurance of future success. But a few years ago we embarked in foreign mission enterprises, and since then our home missions have taken on new life and were never so vigorous as now. The work has advanced by leaps and bounds, and as the prosecution of our propaganda is accompanied by a spirit of healthy optimism, we can not doubt the continued and increasing prosperity of the cause we plead.

      In the light of their love, their loyalty, their liberty and their live aggressiveness, am I not justified in concluding that the success of the past is but the prediction of future achievements beside which that will pale into insignificance?

      As the secretary of our Federal Conference, I convey to this magnificent Convention the fraternal greetings of the Australian brotherhood, and trust the coming years may draw closer together the mighty hosts of all lands who are laboring for the union of Christians, the salvation of sinners and the [225] glory of our Christ--"that in all things he may have the pre-eminence."

      Mr. Mathieson said: "I am glad to bring greetings from New Zealand from three thousand Disciples of Christ over there. The hearts of our people are with you. We have nine hundred thousand people in that little country, after only sixty years of colonization, and those nine hundred thousand people we hope one of these days will be united under the banner of King Jesus.

[CCR 225-226]