Fifty years later a Christian minister gave the first service on Australian soil. The Rev. Richard Johnson was recommended as Chaplain to the first fleet, because of his religious fervour, by men such as William Wilberforce and John Newton. At this service Johnson spoke from Psalm 116, Verse 12 "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me". Almost 200 years earlier Pedro Fernandez de Quiros had named Australia "Australia del Espirito Santo" - the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit and earnt the Holy Jubilee which the Pope had conceded to the expedition. Fifty years after the arrival of the first fleet, the Governor of N.S.W., George Gipps, a Christian, proclaimed Sunday, November 2, 1838 a national day of fasting and humiliation because of the severe drought. Within two days heavy rains began to fall causing many to come down with the flu! (At one stage N.S.W. governed most of Australia and many of the South Pacific islands including New Zealand.) Fifty seven years later on the 11th September, 1895 a day of prayer
was again called in similar circumstances. Three weeks later a day of thanksgiving
was proclaimed to thank God for the breaking of the drought.
During this time Christians were coming together to discuss the Federation Movement and many were desiring to see God acknowledged as the ruler of the nations and so it was acknowledged in the preamble to our Constitution "...humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God..." (Even the Sydney Morning Herald's Editorial dated 14th April, 1897 stated "no Christian could in conscience vote for a Federation Bill that did not recognise God"!) Churches also called for the Governor General to be empowered to proclaim National Days of Prayer, as well as opening Parliament with prayer each day. The first Sunday in the 20th Century was proclaimed Commonwealth Sunday and Christians were called to pray for the Nation. During the 1940's as the second World War began to take its horrific toll and Australia was being threatened, particularly after the bombing of Darwin, several days of prayer were held. One of these was called by King George VI throughout the Commonwealth. Within another fifty years we have arrived at Australia's Bicentenary of European settlement and another National Day of Prayer has taken place. It will be of interest to see the outcome of the National Gathering. There were numerous National Gatherings in the Old Testament which had ramifications for many years. For instance in 2 Chronicles 34 the nation followed God for a generation. In Nehemiah 8 when they gathered in the capital their repentance led to national reform and restitution of godly traditions. Whether it was in ancient Judah or Israel or in gentile Nineveh, when the nation gathered, repented and worshipped God, great blessings always followed. So we can see that a gathering of a nation's people before God has deep roots and proven blessings in Biblical history. For example, at the dedication of the first temple under Solomon, the
whole nation gathered in Jerusalem and offered sacrifices with singers
leading great worship to the Lord (I Samuel 7:4-10).
The result was God's glory coming down on the temple. We know that God will hear our land if His people humble themselves, seek his face and turn from their wicked ways (2nd Chronicles 7:14). In the time of Asa, the nation assembled in the capital, offered sacrifices, covenanted to seek and follow God and worshipped joyfully, with the result that God gave them rest on every side (2nd Chronicles 15:8-15). In the days of Jehoshaphat, they gathered, fasted, prayed, the prophetic word came, they fell down and worshipped, stood up and praised the Lord, so that they saw victory in battle and rest on all sides (2nd Chronicles 20:1-19). When Hezekiah was king, he called the people to the capital, though some of them mocked, some came. They prayed, offered sacrifices, rejoiced and worshipped to see God answer their prayer and national reforms (2nd Chronicles 30:1-27). During the reign of Josiah, the nation gathered and God's word was read out and the people covenanted to follow God so that the nation followed God for a generation (1st Chronicles 34). In the book of Ezra we read (Ezra 10:1-17) that the nation gathered in the rain and the leaders prayed and wept and prostrated themselves before God due to the nation's unfaithfulness with the result that behaviour changed throughout the land. Again, in the days of Nehemiah, the nation gathered in the capital and fasted in sackcloth and ashes, confessed their sins and their fathers' sins and had God's word read aloud for three hours, then confessed and worshipped God for three hours. The result was that the nation covenanted to follow the Lord. But this national humbling followed by the great blessing of God was not confined to just ancient Israel and Judah! We know from the book of Jonah that the gentile city of Ninevah was
saved from the severity of national judgement when the Ninevites responded
to Jonah's call, fasting in sackcloth and ashes, believing in the true
God and calling earnestly on him and turning from their old ways.
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 612 WEDNESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER. 1895 DAY OF HUMILIATION AND PRAYER NEW SOUTH WALES, ) Proclamation
by His Excellency The Honorable
(L.S.)
DARLEY, Knight, Lieutenant-Governor of the
WHEREAS in consideration of the very serious calamaties from which the Colony is now suffering, by reason of the protracted Drought, it is proper that a day should be set apart on which all persons may unite in Humiliation and Prayer to Almighty God to obtain, through His Divine Mercy, a mitigation or removal of these calamities: And whereas it is right and expedient that an opportunity should be given to the Clergy and Ministers of Religion of all Denominations, and all others, Her Majesty's subjects in the Colony of New South Wales, to observe such a day of Humiliation and Prayer: Now, therefore, I, the Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales, with the advice of the Executive Council, do hereby direct that Sunday, the fifteenth day of September instant, be appointed for the purpose of aforesaid, and express the earnest hope that all classes of the community will join with reverence and humility in this solemn appeal to the Divine Mercy. Given under my Hand and Seal, at Government House, Sydney, this eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five, and in the fifty-ninth year of Her Majesty's Reign.
By His Excellency's Command,
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN! SYDNEY: Printed and Published by Charles Potter, Government Printer,
Phillip-street, 11th September, 1895.
In 1986 the National Alliance for Christian Leadership was established, comprising a diverse range of theological persuasions. At one point during its first assembly, delegates broke into small groups for intercession. The Lord soon made clear that a large national Christian witness was to take place in 1988. At the conclusion of the assembly, a prayer chain was established by Youth With A Mission, Intercessors for Australia and others to pray continually until the end of the bi-centenary year. Shortly afterwards Des Higgs, from the Ministry of 10,000 Men, took up the challenge to gather people from across the nation and to join with Fusion. The Fusion group had prayed around Parliament previously and had determined that May 7 and 8, immediately prior to the opening of the New Parliament House, was the most appropriate time to stage a huge Christian witness, to proclaim Christ in the capital and to pray for our government and nation. The evening before the "Big Day", we gathered to share and exchange final instructions. It was pouring buckets of rain, but none of us on the Executive ever doubted that we were to have pleasant weather. We remained confident in God, whatever the outcome. At the same time, we were well aware that we needed to raise $45,000 next day to meet our financial commitments and knew that the offering would be a disaster if there was consistent rain. That night we listened to many of the workers sharing about God's miraculous provision regarding items required for the event, and all felt a little humbled as a result. Rain was still pouring down as we closed the meeting and prepared for our last sleep for some considerable time. We woke next morning to a gloriously sunny autumn day, with not a cloud in the sky! After the March round the New Parliament House, people assembled on
the "Federal Mall", as it had just been named. (A full account of the National
Gathering has been recorded on video and in a paperback, "With One Accord".
These are available from the National Gathering, PO Box 622, Kingston ACT
2604). It was intensely moving to view the 35 to 40,000 people from
our "Treasury Office" - the O'Connor Uniting Church double-decker bus!
Toilet facilities had to be provided for the expected crowds at the Opening on Monday, May 10th. By the Grace of God, the authorities decided to have them functioning two days earlier, a huge saving for us. Over $80,000 was donated in free printing, stickers, letterheads, ribbons and so on, and 32,000 apples (from Orange!) were provided at less than 3 cents each. Canberra Christians opened their homes, acting as hosts to thousands of interstate people. Y.W.A.M. and Fusion personnel and Logos Bible College students provided thousands of voluntary man-hours in labour. Groups such as Calvary Chapel, Christian Community Schools, Kings Kids, the International Institute of Creative Ministries, put many hours into rehearsals. It was interesting to see how the theme changed throughout the week-end: starting with the March upon Parliament House - to prayer, reconciliation, celebration and worship - to the evening prayer vigils of concern for the nation - to intercessory prayer leading to repentance - and finally, at the N.A.C.L. Assembly on the Monday, to humility. "If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves..." A little weary and dishevelled, I stood on the platform at dawn on Sunday,
watching the sun rise in the North-East, aware that, in a very real sense,
God was birthing a New Day in this nation of Australia.
Photo to be inserted Looking toward New Parliament House from the National Gathering Stage.
Photos to be inserted Christians surround New Parliament House with Prayer on the 7th May
1988. State Circle, ten abreast, for 3.5 kms! Both these photographs
enlarged and framed were presented to Federal Members and Senators during
the First National Prayer Breakfast in the Great Hall, October 1988, by
Dr. Graham McLennan on behalf of the Executive of the National Gathering
with the reminder that God will "Bless this House" which became the theme
of the Prayer Breakfast.
Photo to be inserted Reconciliation celebrated with the Aboriginal Christian community.
Photo to be inserted
A New Day Dawns
Photo to be inserted New Parliament House finally opened with prayer. "Jesus is the Light
of the world" declares Rt. Rev. Owen Dowling, Bishop of Canberra-Goulburn.
Photo to be inserted Double the number attended the National Gathering as attended the official
opening of New Parliament House. A service for employees working on the
building was conducted by a chaplain later in the week and a Christian
service of Parliament in the Great Hall to mark the beginning of the first
session of Parliament in the New Parliament House was attended by over
2,000 people.
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