Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/81

72 sold out of a claim on Lambing Flat and went to New Zealand, was unlucky, and returned, the change of climate and sea air must do him good, and although his pocket may suffer, still he is the gainer of something. Yates arrived here this afternoon from Kiandra, having closed the agency there. He is off to New Zealand. Remained with us for a few days, then took his departure for Sydney. How, when, and where I next met him will be seen in a following chapter.

A large population, comprising men of all creeds, and almost all nations, reckless in the extreme, and ready for any emergency, many of whom were without character, while on the other hand there were hundreds of honest, hard-working men, determined to put down ruffianism at all risks. Such was the state of affairs at this human hive in 1861. All the Australias were casting a longing look at this far-famed goldfield. Men from each colony were arriving daily, and early in 1861 there could not have been less than 13,000 (thirteen thousand) souls located within the radius of the goldfields. The first gentleman, or at any rate, one of the first that appeared amongst us to teach us to “love our neighbour as ourselves,” and to inculcate divine knowledge into the hearts of the multitude was a diminutive cleric hailing from the ranks of the great John Wesley. He took up his quarters at the Great Eastern for the night, and was accommodated with a shake-down on the billiard table. Next morning he sought shelter under the wings of the camp, and announced that divine service would be held there on the following Sunday. Only half-a-dozen attended. He then and there bade farewell to the unruly flock. The next clergyman that arrived displayed far more tact and energy. He quietly took all the jibing that was indulged in at his expense with good-will. Nothing daunted he made arrangements for a service on the vacant ground near the Great Eastern; got some temporary seats erected, and on Sunday morning started the bellman round the town to announce that divine service would be held at eleven a.m. Some 120 to 150 availed themselves of the opportunity of listening to good solid truths. Soon after this we were favoured with occasional visits from clergymen connected with the Church of England at the neighbouring townships. The Roman Catholics were, however, the first to build a church at Lambing Flat. The honour belongs to the Congregational body for having first established a Protestant church. This came about in the following way:— The Rev. J. D. Thane, formerly connected with the Mariners’ Church, Sydney, resigned his charge there, and determined to establish a cause at Lambing Flat. On his arrival at Goulburn he met Mr. Henry Greig, storekeeper, of Lambing Flat, who drove him in a buggy to the diggings. Letters of introduction brought him into contact with Mr. William Bigg, a storekeeper in Main-street, with whom he remained for some weeks.