REPRESENTING THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF 2X2 HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET
Perry, Oklahoma Conv, 1942
Information welcome!
Sect was nicknamed the "Bluelights" in Tasmania.
When did the workers first arrive? 1908
Who were the first sister workers? Annie Smith and Fanny Carroll, PIONEERS
Who were the first brother workers?
Who was the first to profess, what year and where?
Who were the first native workers to go in the work and When?
First Native Brother Worker:
First Native Sister Worker:
When & Where was the first Gospel Meeting?
When & Where was the first Sunday fellowship meeting?
When & Where was the first baptism?
When & Where was the first convention?
1909, 1910, 1911 at Evandale
1912, 1913 at Springfield
1914, 1915, 1916 at Scottsdale
1917 at Ryndaston
1918, 1919, 1920 at King's Meadows
1921 until 1934 at Talbot's Sandhill
1935 at Relbia
Where is the convention now held? Launceston
Who have the Overseers been? 1909-1914: Wilson McClung; Adam Hutchison 1914 to 1922; Sam Jones 1922-1938; Chris Williams 1925-1955; _____? 1956-1961; Chris Williams: 1962-1968;
Native Language? English
From Ralph & Rene Beattie Account:
David Beattie and his wife Christian, along with their family of 11 children, Ralph being the youngest, left Kirriemuir Scotland by sea for Tasmania, arriving May 1884 where 3 more children were born. The farm that had been allocated to the family as new settlers was in Springfield. Nearby lived the Lester family which fact destined Ralph Beattie and Amy Constance Irene Lester to walk to school together and later to fall in love and marry. The mother Christian died in 1890 and the large family was brought up by the elder sisters.
In the year 1905 one Irish lady Annie Smith, felt the desire to leave her home in County Wicklow, Ireland and go wherever she was needed to labour with the gospel of Jesus Christ. She along with Fannie Carroll, arrived in New Zealand in October 1905. They laboured in Otago until after the conventions early in 1908 when Annie went to Tasmania.
Although details of those early days are uncertain, what is known, is that after joining with Ada Cousins in Melbourne in July 1909, they worked a mission in the backwoods of Northeastern Tasmania. Can you imagine the situation? The spirit of God moves the heart of a young woman to leave her land and people and go, relying entirely on her faith in God, to the bottom of the other side of the world where she likely would have known not one soul!
5 years later on May 2, 1910 aboard boat on her way home for a visit, Annie wrote these words in a letter. "True salvation is being brought to know God and allowing Him to work in you day by day. It's not a matter of how much we know in our heads, but how much true heart purpose that He is able to beget in us daily to live for and please Him,"
46 Years later in 1954 our Father and Mother, Ralph and Rene Beattie, were in a fellowship meeting in Tasmania and in his Bible Dad records---“Mission worked Springfield July 1909 by Annie Smith and Ada Cousins. 20 professed; 7 died in the faith; 6 turned back; and 7 still continue, of whom 6 were in the meetings today.”
The 14 who professed and continued were---Herbert and Mrs. Briggs + Mrs. Hilda Briggs and sons Arthur and Charlie + Horace and Mrs. Hingston + Clyde and Mrs. Lester + Mrs. Mongomerie + Effie Wright + Oliver Beattie + Ralph and Rene Beattie.
Read more about the Beatties preaching in Tasmania
Read Annie Smith's 1913 Testimony Letter
Annie McClung wrote in a letter dated Aug 31, 1913: My conversion, as well as my husband’s, took place in Galway in year 1898 through the preaching of Mr. Wm. Irvine in that town, and on my husband’s resignation from the Prison Service, we went out to preach November, 1903. We preached in Ireland for a year, then in England in Berkshire and Suffolk until our leaving for Australia in October 1908...Since then we have spent our time in Victoria and Tasmania, preaching the Gospel.
TTT Editor's Note: In the absence of a written account, the above information has been compiled by the TTT Editor from various sources. Corrections or additions are most welcome; as well as other historical accounts for this country Email TTT
