Florence Selina Harriett YOUNG

YOUNG, FLORENCE SELINA HARRIETT (b. Motueka, New Zealand, 10 Oct 1856; d. Sydney, NSW, 28 May 1940). Founder of the South Sea Evangelical Mission.

Florence Young's father, Henry Young, a gifted scholar, joined the East India Company and became the youngest judge in India. After his conversion and return to England, he married Catherine Eccles in 1838: both were Brethren. They emigrated to a farming life in New Zealand, and Florence's early years were spent in an isolated home, with no day school or even Sunday school available. She learnt much from her parents' cultured minds, and in 1871 went to England for two years' intensive education at a boarding school.

In 1874, Florence Young attended a prayer meeting where the words of a hymn roused fears that she was not ready to meet Christ. Then Isaiah 43:25 spoke to her heart, bringing lasting peace. In 1878 Florence, her three brothers and her widowed father moved to Australia. In 1880 two of her brothers, Arthur and Horace, began establishing a sugar plantation at Fairymead near Bundaberg in Queensland. After her father's death, Florence Young lived with her sister, Emily, wife of Dr John Deck, whose home was in Sydney. In 1882 Florence Young visited her brothers at Fairymead. A Mrs Brown encouraged her to pray aloud: a 'breaking of the ice' that proved crucial to future steps forward (Young, 1925:38).

At Fairymead Florence tentatively began a small class on Sundays for Pacific Island labourers on her brothers' sugar plantation. She aimed to teach Christian truths direct from Scripture, and persevered: she recorded Jimmie Aoba as the first convert in 1885. Wishing to extend the work to other plantations, in 1886 Florence Young founded the Queensland Kanaka Mission (QKM) and sent a circular letter to many Christians seeking support. While visiting Sydney, George Muller of Bristol, the first great exponent of 'faith' ministry, whose orphanages received huge sums in unsolicited donations, gave Florence's sister the first contribution to this new mission saying: 'Tell your sister to expect great things from God, and she will get them' (Young, 1925:43). With increasing support and a growing number of missionaries, the work expanded.

The QKM aimed to present the Christian gospel to the Pacific Islanders working in Qld. It was evangelical and unsectarian, accepting workers from any denomination, provided they were 'true and faithful followers of the Lord Jesus, and willing to work with other Christians on the common ground of faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ'. For support the mission followed the 'faith' model promoted by Muller and Hudson Taylor of CIM. QKM did not officially seek donations from supports, but wrote of depending entirely on God, trusting Him to supply what was needed. It emphasised the Great Commission. Prayer requests highlighted God's glorification and guidance the power of the Holy Spirit, definite conversion, and Christians who would 'walk worthy of the Lord' (Young, 1925:48).

Unexpectedly, in 1890 Florence Young was called to join the CIM as she listened to Hudson Taylor. She later explained her experience as an inward debate: 'Why don't you go?' Her protest that she could not leave the QKM work was answered: 'If I want you in China, do you think you will be any use in Queensland?' (Young, 1925-52). She spent two periods with CIM in China: 1891-94, and 1897-1900, terminated by the Boxer Outbreak. Her varied missionary experience left her deeply appreciative of the CIM and its leadership, and convinced that she could go wherever men could.

Meanwhile, by 1894 the QKM had a Council of Advice with nine members. The brief annual reports became a magazine called Not in Vain in 1896, celebrating 10 years during which 1089 converts had been baptised, many returning to their own islands to share their new-found faith. Throughout Qld many converts took Bible classes. All teaching was in Pidgin English because the islanders from many language groups came on three-year contracts, with little time to master English. Bible pictures and stories aroused great interest, converts learnt to read the KJV Bible and Sankey's hymns with surprising comprehension.

Young's return from China coincided with changing circumstances that spelt the end of the QKM. In 1901 the new Commonwealth Parliament passed the Immigration Control Act. All Pacific Islanders were to be sent home from the plantations by 1906. Many recent converts faced return into difficult and dangerous situations without guidance. Some had already deliberately returned home to share their new faith, only to be killed. From populous Malaita (Solomon Islands), in particular, came many requests for help and for missionaries to come. Responding to such appeals, four men from Australia went as missionaries unconnected with any mission, all became ill, and two died. The resident commissioner of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate therefore insisted on support by a mission society before allowing others to come. Islanders about to be repatriated prayed as never before for God's fire in their hearts, and for those already working 'with God in the dark' of their home islands (Griffiths, 1977:22).

For months Florence Young and others in the QKM prayed about how to respond to this call, culminating in January 1904 with the formation of the Solomon Islands branch of the mission. By the time the QKM concluded 25 years of service in Queensland, 2484 converts had been baptised. Now the focus shifted to the new field: the Solomon Islands.

With a woman companion and three male missionaries, Florence Young visited Malaita in April 1904. On the steamer they brought with them a house ready for construction, six months' provisions, and a small sailing ship. Despite suffering severe malaria and threats to their lives, they achieved their aim of contacting Christians who had returned from Queensland and left the first two missionaries to establish centres. The third man was too ill to remain and returned to Australia in May with the two women. By 1905 three mission centres were established on Malaita to provide the teaching and support the islanders had so urgently requested.

In 1907 the mission took the new name of South Sea Evangelical Mission (SSEM) and acquired a yacht named Evangel. This facilitated transport of missionaries and islanders, and became a lifeline providing communication and supplies. On her annual visits, Florence Young travelled to numerous centres, examined baptismal candidates, settled trouble, and encouraged the growing church. It was mostly Christian islanders converts who went out as agents of the local church sharing the gospel with their fellow-countrymen, but they requested teaching and encouragement. A growing number of missionaries fulfilled that supporting role through SSEM. Among them were five children of John and Emily Deck: Katherine, Constance, Joan, Northcote (q.v.) and Norman (q.v.). These nieces and nephews of Florence were unquestionably influenced by the family's close and longstanding interest in the mission; indeed, three members of the next generation also became SSEM missionaries, as did another niece, Constance Young.

In 1925 Young published her autobiography, Pearls from the Pacific. By that stage, a further 3716 converts had been baptised in the Solomons and a growing number of mission centres were operating. Florence Young herself lived in Sydney and ran the SSEM office and mission home. Assisted by other dedicated staff, she superintended the work, dealt with missionary candidates, accounts correspondence, printing of teaching materials, sent out annual reports and quarterly letters to supporters; and dispatched goods required by missionaries. On occasion she travelled overseas, sharing news and interest in the SSEM with a widening circle of Christians.

By 1927 Young had suffered a slight stroke and subsequent retinal damage to one eye, and was feeling her increasing age. Consequently the SSEM invited William Mallis to become its general director. A seasoned missionary with many years' experience in India, he devoted over four years to the SSEM and was greatly appreciated. However, he later returned to work in India, perhaps because Young found it difficult to hand over the reins she had held for so long. By 1934 the mission had representation in two major Australian cities, three New Zealand cities, the British Isles, and America. Young remained honorary secretary until the age of 83. There was never any doubt who controlled SSEM. It remains an open question whether her style and judgement sometimes weakened the Society's work.

Given Young's forceful personality and strongly held opinions, there is no doubt that her views markedly influenced the policy and principles of the mission from its inception until her death. Consequently, the stated principles of SSEM reveal much of Florence Young. By the 1920s, the mission had crystallised its 'Principles and Practice' into a typed leaflet with that title (undated) which amplified the earlier aims and character of SSEM. This leaflet varied somewhat over the years, but certain elements were seen as essential, including those that follow, which focus on its character, objectives and administration. Regarding the character of SSEM, it stated: 'The Mission is evangelical in that it accepts the full inspiration and authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, and is concerned to propagate the Gospel of the grace of God revealed therein; evangelistic in that its members regard the winning of souls to Christ a primary objective; interdenominational in that they are drawn from many denominations, recognising that the points on which they differ are less important than those on which they are united.'

The mission's objectives emphasised its indigenous principles: 'to bring into being churches which from the outset are self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating'. Its main goal was to bring people to a 'saving knowledge of Jesus Christ' and to build up 'His Church through the teaching of the Scriptures'—by instructing believers and training church leaders. Principles and Practice also stressed that mission administration was to be 'conducted on the basis of full and free discussion and unanimity' at all levels of decision-making. Any lack in such unity 'would constitute a call to delay action until, through further prayer and discussion,' unity could be achieved.

During the 1930s the mission work continued to develop, fostering indigenous principles of church government, yet conveying a negative view of Melanesian culture. Islanders themselves began schools for children; and island women took over the new idea of Women's Bands which ultimately influenced the homes and lives of countless families. In 1934 Afio Girls School opened up new possibilities for young women who later proved themselves staunch Christians, carrying on with services after World War Two disrupted life for all. In April 1940 Florence handed over to others the active direction of SSEM. The following month without illness, she fell unconscious one evening and died the next morning.

In the 1940 July-August issue of Not in Vain, tributes by those who knew Florence best reveal the woman she was. The Rev Hugh Paton (q.v.) spoke of her forceful character with great driving power, her well-balanced mind, her courage, and the way she radiated joy and hope. Others told how she spent hours in prayer for missions and for loved ones especially the children. She loved her Bible and read it through twice a year. One missionary recalled Florence's loving care of them all like a mother. Aged 66 she once travelled by train to Brisbane to visit one who had left the Solomons desperately ill, been wrecked en route, and was hospitalised far from home.

Kathleen Deck, her co-worker since 1892, told of her aunt's firm dealing with problems in 1907. Islander workers wanted SSEM to pay them like other missions. 'You are not sent forth to teach by man but by God,' she answered. 'Freely have you received, freely give.' Islanders were to be co-workers in the cause of Christ, not employees of SSEM. Hard in the short-term, this policy built long-term strength in the churches of the Solomons. Kathleen summed up Florence's Young's lifework most aptly: 'God taught her to build wisely, having a vision of an indigenous self-supporting church in the days to come'.

A Griffiths, Fire in the Islands! (Wheaton, 1977); Not in Vain, 1896 to 1940; Queensland Kanaka Mission Annual Reports, 1888 to 1895; David Hilliard, 'The South Seas Evangelical Mission in the Solomon Islands: the foundation years', J Pac Hist 4 (1969)

SELECT PUBLICATIONS: Pearls from the Pacific (London, 1925)

ALISON GRIFFITHS