Retta Jane LONG

LONG, RETTA JANE (b. Sydney, NSW, 5 April 1878; d. Normanhurst, NSW, 18 Oct 1956). AIM missionary to Aborigines.

Retta was the eldest of three children of Matthew and Matilda (Brown) Dixon. She became a member of Petersham Baptist Church, after accepting Christ under the ministry of the Rev W G Taylor (q.v.). Through Christian Endeavour, Retta Dixon made contact with Aborigines living at La Perouse on the outskirts of Sydney. In 1879 she became a resident missionary there under the NSW Aborigines Committee. She also covered both the near north and south coasts of NSW, and the Hawkesbury River area, seeking camps of Aborigines.

In 1905 she resigned from the La Perouse work and moved to Singleton, NSW. In August that year, with a committee of local Christians, Retta Dixon formed the Aborigines Inland Mission of Australia. In January 1906 she married Leonard William Long of Sydney. He was 34 and she was 27 years. He became co-director of AIM. Seven children were born through the marriage, but two did not survive infancy. Three of the seven became missionaries with the Mission.

The work spread out from Singleton to Karuah and many other communities in NSW. Aboriginal churches were formed and pastors appointed. Each church was independent members were allowed to control their own affairs, which was then unknown. Around 1911 attempts were made to establish work in N Qld but were later abandoned. Similarly work in WA was also given up. However, Qld, NSW and NT all saw many missionaries of AIM serving among the Aborigines, even through World War Two.

Retta Long had tremendous faith in God and an enormous capacity for work. When her husband died in Dec 1928, she again became sole director of the Mission. She gave strong leadership to the work until ill-health forced retirement in Nov 1953. A large Children's Home in Darwin and a Bible Training Institute for Aboriginal young men and women were established during her time of office.

Retta Long published several books including Providential Channels (1936) and In the Way of His Steps (1937). In 1937 she attended Keswick Convention in England and did extensive deputation work there. She was also editor of two magazines: Our Aim told of the work of the Mission, The Evangel was one of the first magazines published for the Aboriginal people.

EGERTON C LONG