Inspired by Philip Reekie, a group of cyclists and their support crew embarked on a 1160km journey from Brisbane, Qld, to Eugowra, NSW, over seven days, riding up to 200km each day. Stopping to talk with people along the way, they shared the story of cyclist Philip Reekie, and gave out copies of The Great Controversy and Your Bible and You. As a result, hundreds of books were distributed in the communities that they cycled through.
“People are just so receptive to a chat and receiving all that we had to give them,” the riders shared at a visit with the Narrabri, Dubbo and Narromine churches in Narrabri. “Don’t be afraid to use every opportunity to connect with people and share Adventist literature.” They concluded their ride at the old Eugowra Adventist church, welcomed by family and friends.
Philip Ainslie Reekie, born in Scotland in 1846, immigrated to Australia in 1888 after being widowed and divorced. In 1889, he encountered an Adventist book, discovering Bible truths and leading to a personal encounter with Jesus. He had not only found a new country, but a reason to live.
Wanting to share his new-found hope, he left his work as an engraver to etch God’s word upon the hearts of others. On dusty roads throughout regional Australia, Philip rode a bicycle many miles, distributing Adventist literature.
One of the properties Philip visited near Eugowra belonged to Tom Kent. Tom had recently lost his wife Mary to pneumonia. She had made Tom promise that he would ensure he and their 11 children would meet her in heaven. Tom had no idea how to keep that promise until his encounter with Philip Reekie, who shared with Tom The Great Controversy. After studying the book, Tom accepted its teachings, was baptised and shared his new faith with family and neighbours, leading five of the neighbouring families to baptism.
These six families—Chatman, Gersbach, Grey, Kent, Packham and Thompson—built a small mud-brick church, which was dedicated in June 1904. It was the first Seventh-day Adventist church west of the Blue Mountains and the first in the current South NSW Conference. To commemorate 120 years since its dedication, more than 130 descendants and friends of the pioneering families gathered in Eugowra on June 1 to celebrate.
Pastor Andrew Kingston led opening Sabbath, recalling stories from his grandfather, the youngest of Tom and Mary Kent’s children. Sabbath was opened with Psalm 23, a tradition of the Eugowra families.
On Sabbath, Dr Anthony Kent from the General Conference spoke about the pioneering families‘ passion for mission work and their significant impact. There have been 17 ministers among their descendants who have contributed to tens of thousands becoming Seventh-day Adventists, through church plants and evangelism.
Pastor Gary Kent reminded those present that the Eugowra church was built as a memorial of Bible truths. Those families chose to make a stand for their new-found beliefs rather than join existing congregations.
On Sabbath afternoon, attendees gathered at the old Eugowra church, where Calvin Drinkall, SNSW Conference general secretary, discussed the Eugowra church‘s significance to the Adventist Church in Australia.
Shane Haynes from The Eugowra Progress Association welcomed the group, noting the community‘s pride in maintaining a significant site of Adventist history despite the devastation from the 2022 floods.
Pastor Tim Kingston concluded the weekend with closing Sabbath. He challenged the attendees to move forward with the same commitment of the Eugowra pioneers and finished with reading Psalm 121, which was also a Eugowra tradition for closing Sabbath.
Philip Reekie would never have imagined the effect he had on so many people throughout the South Pacific by selling that one copy of The Great Controversy to a heartbroken farmer at Eugowra. Or perhaps he did. He wrote a letter that appeared in the Union Conference Record on November 15, 1903:
”I put in months and years of hard labour with The Great Controversy, and I knew I was sowing seed that would one day bear fruit. Our rejoicing now will not compare with the joy we shall feel when we meet in the kingdom of God those for whom we laboured.”
Rob Hansford is an elder at Eight Mile Plains Church in Queensland.
