Pioneer Ministry in the North

As already indicated the first appointment in the north was at Saddleworth. The work had commenced there in 1869 after the Rev. J.M. Day of Kapunda on a casual visit found some Baptist families there. Before the building of a Baptist Church, the Primitive Methodist Chapel was made available for services. The foundation stone of a new chapel was laid on 24th June, 1869 and a Baptist Church was formally constituted on 18th August, 1869. The new building was opened for worship on 9th January, 1870, but the cause had languished until David's arrival in February 1873.
During their brief stay at this town there was a near-tragedy when one of the young boys (probably Herbert then nearly 6), in playing around the home, ran over a well-cover. A board gave way and the' child and lid fell to the bottom of the well. David and one of his neighbours descended the well and rescued the boy. A report of the incident appeared in the Mt. Gambier Border Watch of 12th November, 1873.
Another item of interest was recorded in the Kapunda Herald on 2nd December, 1873. It was reported that the Sunday schools at Saddleworth had united for the purpose of studying music on the Tonic-Sol-Fa system and that the Rev. D. Badger had offered to explain the method.
As proposed at the time of his appointment, David made periodic visits from Saddleworth into the northern areas but this was not sufficient to satisfy those who wanted to see new churches established there. At the half-yearly meetings in May 1873, the Rev. J.M. Day presented a paper entitled 'Planting Baptist Churches in the Northern Areas'.(Notes and References 14.) He stressed the need 'to get as soon as possible the right man to be the Baptist Bishop of the Northern Areas'. Urged on by Mr. Day the Baptist Association decided that a minister should be sent into the new areas tp establish churches where they were needed. It was this task that David was then asked to undertake. From 1874 to 1879 he threw himself enthusiastically into this work.
To appreciate the scope for Church extension in the northern areas at this time it is necessary to take note of certain political developments. The discovery of gold in NSW and Victoria and the consequent influx of population into those colonies led the SA Government to promote the growth of wheat with a view to becoming the grainary for the rest of Australia. The colony had been producing wheat since the early 1840s on the fertile regions of the Adelaide plains and the Lower North, where suitability of soil and climatic conditions and proximity to the seaboard had enabled the industry to become well established.(Notes and References 15.) The expanding market for farm produce led to a demand for more land for the extension of wheat growing. In 1867 three million acres of mallee land were made available, at low annual rates, for selection by farmers. Then two years later the Waste Lands Amendment Act (popularly known as the Strangways Act after the Premier who introduced it) made it easier than hitherto to acquire small farming blocks.(Notes and References 16.)
The cautious approach of the Strangways Act, which tried to keep agricultural extension within the Goyder line of rainfall,(Notes and References 17.) came under criticism and in 1872 a new Act came into force. This Act removed the restriction limiting credit sales to the designated Agricultural Areas and allowed any of the farm blocks to be sold on credit. Two years later a further amendment opened for credit selection all unappropriated lands south of the 26th parallel of latitude, i.e. the whole of South Australia. By 1875 South Australia had over one million acres under wheat, two thirds of the Australian total. But a nemesis was to follow. During this period the Government proceeded rapidly with the establishment of new towns and the development of railways. In the years up to 1879 a hundred new towns were surveyed, mainly in the mid-north district. Northern towns were planned for about every ten square miles. It was in these new towns that David saw the opportunity for establishing new churches. He described this opportunity in an address to the 1873 annual meeting of the Baptist Association, excerpts from which are reproduced in Appendix A. Although the towns were small, with populations of about 150, they were expected to grow.(Notes and References 18>.)
Early in 1874 David moved to Georgetown. This small township had the distinction of being the largest in area of the new towns surveyed in the north with a total acreage of 5523. Its layout imitated that of Adelaide with the streets bounding the central area being named North, East. South and West Terraces. It was located on the Adelaide-Gladstone railway and the townsfolk were convinced that it would become the trade centre of the north. There were three retail stores, two butchers. two blacksmiths. a baker, a hotel and a Roman Catholic Church. Before leaving Saddleworth David had begun conducting services at Georgetown. Services were first held in a store but steps were quickly taken to erect a chapel and the building was opened for worship on 25th October, 1874. In 1875 a branch church was established at Clover Hill where a building was provided by the local residents to serve both as a school and as a place of worship

All Ihat is known about the Georgetown manse is that it was about a mile from the town. It is on record that on one occasion one of David's flock pick-a-backed him through flood waters so that he could stand in dry boots to preach.

In March 1875 the Rev. Stephen Howard, who was appointed to assist David, took up residence at Jamestown and in June the foundation stone of a church building was laid there. In the same month David began to conduct regular services in a home at Laura where services had been led by a local preacher since 1872. A building site was obtained there and a new church was opened in 1876. A third man, the Rev. J .B. Sneyd, was appointed to the northern areas and took charge at Georgetown in December 1876, the Badger family having by then moved to Laura. On leaving the Georgetown - Clover Hill area David was presented with a Family Bible, which he, in turn, presented to his son, Gibson, on the occasion of his marriage in June 1878. This Bible is still in the possession of the family.

With the arrival from Europe of Rev. J.H. Shallburg a further temporary addition was made to the team. Mr. Shallburg began work in the Terowie district in December 1876. It was reported in February 1877 that a small building had been lent by the Wesleyans and that voluntary work had commenced on the erection of a chapel. The report stated that the people were poor because of a bad harvest and invited contributions which were to be sent to Mr. G. Badger. The chapel was opened on 4 March 1877 and David preached at the opening service. Gibson reported that the building had cost £172 and that the outstanding debt was £67. On 29 July the church was formally constituted with 12 members.
In April 1878 Rev. F. Page from Morphett Vale accepted a call to Laura to replace David who then turned his attention to Port Augusta which was expected to become important following the establishment there of a railway workshop. One of David's sons, Herbert, described this period in the following words:
'Lived at Wilmington. Hard times. When came home from trips all boys would sit put on highway to meet him. Would bring lollies for all. Used to dance Scotch reels and tell stories and yarns.' (Notes and References 19.)
After twelve months hard work it was decided to withdraw from Port Augusta and David thereupon resigned from the position of denominational evangelist and made his home at Black Rock Plain. His work in establishing new churches continued, however. Services were held first in the Pekina Creek Station homestead and then in a blacksmith's shop at Orroroo. A church was established there in June 1880 with 12 members. The centenary booklet of the Orroroo Church(Notes and References 20.) reports that congregations at harvest thanksgivings in the early days sat down to a knife and fork dinner, with sucking pig, turkey, chicken, Christmas puddings, pies, etc. on the menu. The first Harvest Festival realised £100.(Notes and References 21.)
Truth and Progress of 1st August 1880 reported that David had opened a new station at Petersburg [later changed to Peterborough during World War I as a result of anti-German sentiment). United services had been conducted there in 1879 by Rev. J. McNeil, the Presbyterian Minister at Jamestown, with a congregation of Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. Early in 1880 the Methodists withdrew and Mr. McNeil also withdrew because of the pressure of work at the other end of his parish. At this point David was invited to conduct services and did so regularly. With his coming the work took on a distinctly Baptist flavour. Three years later a new Church was built and as time went on additions had to be made.