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Last week (article in local newspaper in 1980s)
we begun the narrative of Emma Burton, wife of Captain Joseph
Burton, missionary of the Latter Day Saints Church sent to Australia from
California in 1884.
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Tuncurry as the
Burtons Saw it |
We learn from the diary of Mr. Charles
Snape that on the visit of 1886, the Burtons left Tuncurry on August
31 and a departure that was regretted by the many friends that they had made
here.
However they returned here prior to their
final return to their home in the United States of America in 1888 ...
Let us read on this from Beatrice Witherspoon .…
"After the branch was
organised, the Sunday School was remodelled. It had hitherto been a Union
School I believe ..."
By Union School she refers to what we term a public school -
and when the "new" school was completed in September 1886,
Angus McMullen was placed in charge and moved across into the new buildings.
The old school built by John Wright in 1881 and leased
to the department for one shilling a year and now empty was taken over by the
Latter Day Saints. Some believe it was moved across to the present Wharf Street
site, others say not and that a new church was built there.
But among the papers of John Wright and in his own
distinctive handwriting we find the following note:
"As I understand it
will be left in your hands to call for local tenders to shift the school and
house, I shall be much obliged if you will let me know as soon as you are
ready to do so ..."
Unsigned and not specifically directed to any particular
person, this note is written on a page from a publication of 1889. It may
mean nothing yet ... well, that is one of the multitudes of little mysteries
that beset the historian.
HOWEVER, TO CONTINUE WITH Emma's Story:
"Those who represented
different faiths became united in the one faith and the school became a
union school indeed, after the order of the Latter Day Saints; the most
interesting Sunday School of its size I ever attended. All these things did
not take place during our first visit to Forster; we were there three
times."
(1888) –
"During the following week the saints from various localities gathered
at Forster for a conference, shortly after which came the sad parting. Among
those who gathered for the conference were the recently arrived missionaries
from America, Elders Wright and Butterworth, also Brother and
Sister W.T. Smith from Victoria, and all enjoyed the
conference."
"In fact Sister
Wright's had been more sad than joyous for a week or more in
anticipation of that coming hour until the saints commenced to gather and
our time and thoughts were occupied with the conference. I scarcely knew
which I most desired, to go home or to remain. Had I been asked the question
two and a half years before, that is, after being in Australia for about a
year, I would have had no hesitation in saying 'home'."
"But I had lived down
my homesickness and had become warmly attached to the people of Australia,
and it was very much like leaving my own people. And again since
reinforcements in the missionary cause had come and the work could move on
more rapidly I desired to witness the ingathering of souls, both in new
fields and where the gospel seed had been sown."
"But, alas, Mr.
Burton had not been sufficiently sparing of his vocal powers while
sowing the good seed and overtaxed them preaching in a high tone of voice on
street corners in the keen night air, then contracted a heavy cold which for
a time had deprived him of the power of speaking audibly."
"And though he had
recovered it sufficiently to talk we deemed it necessary if he would have
more years of usefulness in the ministry to return to California where there
was a more even climate."
"It was on a dull,
cloudy, windy morning before light of the day had dispersed the loom that a
tearful band marched solemnly from Brother Wright's House to the wharf where
a miniature passenger boat was bobbing about on the slightly disturbed
waters which indicated a rough sea outside the bar and took the parting hand
at the water's edge."
"Doubly sad was this
parting for Brother and Sister Wright and family because their son Sidney
was going in company with us to America. By the time our little ship was
ready to pull away from the wharf daylight was making inroads through the
morning fog and before we rounded the point we had a clear view of the quiet
little village of Forster and the comfortable, hospitable home of Brother
and Sister Wright, just as the sun was gliding it o'er."
"Our baby steamer ran
along nicely while in the lee of Forster Point; but as the day advanced the
wind and sea increased causing both anxiety and discomfort. There were other
passengers besides ourselves."
"But passengers were
simply an auxiliary to this ship; her real business was in fish, and since
baskets of fish were in every available place there was little need of
having a cook on board as far as the passengers were concerned. The day wore
slowly away, the little ship being tossed and pounded by the waves."
"Oh how glad we were to
get into Newcastle harbour just as the shadows of evening were gathering
about!'
The party made visits in Newcastle and for the rest of the
journey to Sydney, took the train, in a few days they left Australia aboard the
'Almeda' set for San Francisco accompanied by Sidney Wright.
Sid Wright, the eldest living son of John Wright,
spent some two and a half years in the United States at Nauvoo in Iowa, where he
studied at a Latter Day Saints Collage.
While there he met and married Ina Inez Smith, the
granddaughter of Joseph Smith founder of the religion. On his return to
Australia he took charge of the new venture 'Avalon' being established by
John Wright, just this side of Krambach.
Sid Wright eventually left 'Avalon' to a
younger brother and moved out to farming land he had at Silverfern. Here he and
Inez reared their family of ten children.
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