Seeking for Gold

To discover all the other exciting events happening in Adventist Heritage month, visit the Adventist Heritage website. 

Mark J P Pearce is director of the Ellen G White/Seventh-day Adventist Research Centre at Avondale University. Mark is from Queensland where he was born, grew up and worked most of his ministry. He is married to Paulene, and has two children and three grandchildren. James was Mark’s great-grandfather and was an early convert in the Mackay region.  

What is Adventist Heritage Daily Devotional?

Imagine a thriving Adventist movement in the South Pacific. Do images or stories come quickly to mind? This podcast recounts important events, stories and memories from Adventists throughout the South Pacific. These mission stories from our past are proof that the Adventist movement is alive and thriving. Listen to these podcasts and step out to join these pioneering Adventists with Jesus on His mission of making disciple-makers in the South Pacific.

The lure of the discovery of gold and the hope that a fortune could soon be made has been present in humanity for centuries. That possibility drew people to Broken River, inland from Mackay on the coast of North Queensland in the 1890s. This “gold rush” lasted for about five years and meant more people came to that region. This, along with it being a region ideal for growing sugar cane, meant other services were required and railway lines were soon built for trains to carry goods.

These two factors are likely what enticed James Pearce, with his wife Alice and family, to move to the Mackay region. James was a strong worker—and work on the railway lines was hard, physical work. James was someone who loved God. So, when Pastor George Hubbard came to Mackay in 1908 and held meetings about Jesus, James went along. He loved hearing about Jesus, how He loves us and wants us to show our love to Him by keeping the seventh-day Sabbath.

James knew that he needed to stop working on Sabbath. But his boss would not hear of it.

“You will work on Saturday!” his boss ordered.

James responded quietly, “I love my Lord, who is coming back soon. I will not work on Saturday’s again.”

“If you do not come to work this Saturday, you will not have a job!” his boss yelled.

James did not go to work on that Saturday, or any other Sabbath.

He lost his job. He still had a family to support. But he was committed to follow Jesus.

He wanted to be baptised. This was arranged for Sabbath, July 17, 1909. However, by this time James had moved his family out of Mackay and up the Pioneer River valley. He set out for the baptism, but the train was late. Arriving late in the day, he missed the baptism.

James asked, “What is there stopping me from being baptised?” So, the next morning, a Sunday, they went down to the beach and there James showed his love for Jesus and was baptised.

James led his family in following Jesus and choosing to do what Jesus asks us to do.

Verse of the day:
“Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.” Ezekiel 20:12 (NIV)