Fountain of Public Prosperity, The: Evangelical Christians in Australian History 1740-1914

- Blurb -

The official religion brought toAustralia with the First Fleet was Evangelical Christianity, the `vitalreligion' then shaping public policy through William Wilberforce and his fellowevangelicals. That it has shaped Australian history ever since, making asubstantial contribution to the public prosperity of the nation, is an untoldstory. Christian values and identitywere the main components of Australian values and identity. Evangelical`moralising' may be understood as a concern to address the `hard' culturesassociated with convicts, the liquor industry, and male misogyny. The movementprovided opportunities for women to work in reform, charitable, evangelisticand missionary organisations, thus laying strong foundations for feminism. Intheir concern for `Christlike citizenship', evangelicals cared for the nation'schildren in Sunday schools and its youth in societies for young people such asthe YMCA, YWCA, and Christian Endeavour. The major component of thehumanitarian movement, evangelicals ensured that the convict settlement ofAustralia was more humane than is generally recognised. They did most of theall-too-little that was done to protect the Indigenous population and toeducate settlers, keeping alive in the latter a conscience over maltreatment ofthe former. In a profusion of charities, evangelicals in the nineteenthcentury, as today, provided most of the welfare for the population'sdisadvantaged.The Fountain of Public Prosperity presents propositions whichrequire a radical revision of received understandings, an appreciation ofunmined riches in the Australian experience, and reconnection with an oftenburied past. Drawing on these untapped resources is the safest route toreimagining a future for Australia.