First to Take the Gospel to Australia & New Zealand
In the 1780s, a small but well-connected group (The Eclectic Society) of evangelical Christian men met to discuss how to promote the spread of the gospel around the world. This group included William Wilberforce (who fought against the slave trade and who was a good friend of British Prime Minister William Pitt) and Rev. John Newton (ex-slave trader and hymnwriter). This group would later form the Church Missionary Society in 1799.
One of the group's ideas was to include a mission-minded Chaplain on the First Fleet to the Colony at Botany Bay. Through Wilberforce's influence with Prime Minister Pitt, a 31 year old Yorkshireman, Rev. Richard Johnson, along with his wife, was appointed to take on this role.
Born in Norfolk in 1753, Richard Johnson had studied at Cambridge after which he was ordained, having come under the teaching of some sound evangelical preachers. He was then appointed to a rural parish in Hampshire before being given the chaplaincy position.
Richard Johnson's responsibilities were not easy as on arrival he had 1,100 convicts, soldiers and settlers to minister to. Everyday he was aware of the needs that surrounded him.
By 1792, with the population of the Colony still on the increase and with no way to reach everyone, he wrote and published a booklet to all the inhabitants, setting forth the gospel message and calling the people to repent. Johnson's clear evangelical preaching brought him into conflict with the Governor, who wanted Johnson to stick to 'moral subjects'.
Johnson set up a number of schools and a fund to care for orphans. Along with his wife, he also had a special heart for the Aborigines, who were dispossessed of their land by the white soldiers.
In terrible conditions and with the authorities often in opposition to his work, for the first six of the twelve years Johnson was to spend in Australia, he ministered alone and personally paid for the first church building. The task was much too large for one man as the population of the colony continued to increase. Extra help was desparately needed.
Samuel Marsden arrives The first reinforcement to come was Samuel Marsden (1765-1838), the son of a blacksmith from a small town called Farsley (near Bradford) in Yorkshire.
Having been given the opportunity to study at Cambridge through the benevolence of the Elland Clerical Society, a group committed to promoting the gospel which included Wilberforce, Marsden didn't wait to complete his degree. Given the urgency of the situation in New South Wales, Wilberforce persuaded him to join Richard Johnson as an assistant Chaplain. Not that Marsden was reluctant to leave behind him what was familiar to him in England as he had a passion to see men and women come to know Jesus as their Saviour, and he knew that the only way they could believe was if someone took the gospel to them.
The voyage lasted 8 months and their first child was born during a storm on the way.
For a total of 44 years, Marsden ministered throughout the colony, preaching the gospel and warning of the dangers of living an ungodly life. The Colony was a very rough place in those days and little spiritual growth was seen. Several trips were made back to England to raise support and recruit additional chaplains.
Marsden was well respected by the authorities and was appointed a magistrate, although this was perhaps detrimental to his evangelistic efforts. He also became a very successful landowner, farmer and breeder of sheep which drew much criticism from those who thought this conflicted with his Christian duties.
However, Marsden's heart was to see the gospel proclaimed and his vision was that Australia might become the base for outreach to the Pacific Islands.
Although less successful than his predecessor Richard Johnson, Marsden's biggest impact was with the Maoris in New Zealand. Even today, Marsden is remembered in New Zealand as the "Apostle to the Maoris". Marsden organised teams of missionaries to go to New Zealand and also made several trips himself, establishing 11 mission stations and 51 schools, served by 35 missionaries.
Main source: Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia (www.acl.asn.au)
Born in Norfolk in 1753, Richard Johnson had studied at Cambridge after which he was ordained, having come under the teaching of some sound evangelical preachers. He was then appointed to a rural parish in Hampshire before being given the chaplaincy position.