'434 



A US TRA LA SI A ILL US TRA 77: / >. 







colonies. But when they were endowed with self-government, that question was handed 

 over to them, with others, and left to their own determination. The first colony to 

 move in the matter was South Australia, which, at the very first election under the Consti- 

 tution Act, returned a majority of members pledged to abolish State aid to religion. 

 Amongst the early immigrants to that colony there was a strong infusion of the Noncon- 

 formist element, and that gave 

 a tone to public opinion on 

 the question. The decision 

 arrived at, therefore, was never 

 reversed, and the other colo- 

 nies, though somewhat slowly, 

 followed suit. Saving the 

 personal rights of old re- 

 cipients of State aid, all the 

 Churches in Australia are 

 now, and have been for man)' 

 years, dependent on voluntary 



contributions. 



, 



The period from the foun- 

 dation of the colony up to 



DR. LANG'S t nt KCH, JAMIESOX STREET, SYDNEY. 1835 had not elapsed, how- 



ever, without certain unmis- 

 takable developments of the religious systems of the colony outside the Church 

 of England. During these forty-eight years the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian 

 Churches had established themselves and built up valuable interests. The latter, 

 under the vigorous direction of Dr. Lang, had rapidly grown into wealth and influence, 

 as the kirk on the hill to the left of Sydney Cove soon rose to witness. This old- 

 fashioned edifice still stands, a relic of the early colonial days. Dr. Lang's immigration 

 labours had also a very important influence in giving strength to his Church. He saw 

 what a fine opening the colony afforded for frugal and industrious Scotchmen, and 

 wishing also to balance the somewhat disproportionate immigration from Ireland, proceeded 

 to exert himself with great energy and success to promote immigration from Scotland. 

 The history of the Roman Catholic Church in Australia may be said to have 

 commenced with the arrival of three priests in 1799, Father James Dixon, Father 

 William Harrold and Father Peter O'Neill. The three priests named, did not come, 

 however, as missionaries, but as prisoners. They were transported under the penal laws, 

 with an Irish Protestant clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Fulton, during the Irish Rebellion of 

 1/98. Father O'Neill was released on a free pardon within six months of his arrival, 

 and returned to Ireland, but his less fortunate companions, who were also pardoned 

 after the lapse of some five years, ministered as best they could, during that period 

 to the prisoners of their faith, the majority of whom had been, like the priests them- 

 selves, transported for participating in the Irish Rebellion. From 1809 till 1817, there 

 was no Roman Catholic priest in Australia, and Arch-priest Jeremiah O'Flinn, who 

 arrived in November, 1817, to undertake the duties of chaplain, was, after a few months, 



