www.monumentaustralia.org.au

First Christian MissionariesPrint Page Print this page

First Missionaries Inscription Plaque / May 2013
First Missionaries Inscription Plaque / May 2013

Photographs supplied by John Huth

The monument commemorates the arrival of the first Christian Missionaries in 1871.

The first Christian missionaries to establish a presence in the Torres Strait were associated with the London Missionary Society. From 1871, as the first step in bringing Christianity to Papua/New Guinea, the Society began to land its Pacific Islander teachers [mostly Loyalty Islanders] in the Torres Strait - at Erub [Darnley], Tutu [Warrior] and Dauan [Mt Cornwallis] islands in July 1871, and at Mabuiag [Jervis], Moa [Banks], Massid [Yorke] and Saibai islands in 1872. These lay teachers brought an indigenised form of Protestantism to the Torres Strait, reinforced the status of the Strait's Pacific Islander maritime workers, and paved the way for European missionaries.

Location

Address:Douglas Street, Quetta Precinct, Thursday Island, 4875
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -10.584273
Long: 142.214964
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Culture
Sub-Theme:Religion
Actual Event Start Date:01-July-1871
Actual Event End Date:01-July-1871
Link:https://heritage-register.ehp.qld.g…

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:1961
Front Inscription

Plaque :

Thank God for the first Missionaries who, on 1st July 1871 at Darnley Island brought the Light of Christ to the Torres Straits

Plaque :

Four Gospels in eastern and western dialects from 1871

These books were printed 1902

Lord it is done as Thou has said and yet their is room

 

 

Source: QHR, MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au