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2011 - Theses - Flinders University

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Grote St, Adelaide, May 1929Jim Page stands in the rear vestry of the Church of Christ, quiet, head bowed, as the preacherprays intently at the patterned carpet between them. Jim hears the organist warming up for thefirst hymn, and shuts from his mind the bright sunlight of Grote Street outside the church’sdoor. He too concentrates on the pattern of the carpet and the heavy promise he is to make tobecome inducted a fully accredited Missionary of the UAM. Visions of Will Wade’sexpansive hymn singing and Iris Wade’s pursed lips and crossed knees come to him:missionaries. Before doubt clenches his stomach, another image tumbles in, of desert oaksand rocky outcrops, long-limbed men shining in morning light, women folded to the sandyground with children curled between their angular knees. Hobbling smelly camels with hidesrough and soft at the same time. Washing the slurry of sweat and dust from his face with thesweet water of a spring that leaks unbidden from the rocks. A warm certainty sinks into hisguts, and he mouths what he knows it to be: ‘Ye have chosen me,’ he whispers, unheard, asthe preacher maintains his monologue to the fleur de lis print. Then the prayer ends, and thepreacher’s head lifts up. The organist’s hands fly in triumph as the service begins.It is not a large congregation, but Jim is grateful to each one of them. 123 Grateful to, to hisfriend from Rev Barnett’s College, a Mr Stirling, who breathily enthuses about thedegradations along the East-West line and the demonish interventions of anthropology amongwhat could be Christian ‘natives’ as he preaches to the converted. It seems Mrs Daisy Bateshas not taken kindly to young Mr Stirling and his zeal for the Gospel along her stretch of thetrack.69

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