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Record rewindLester DevineFirst missionary to the PhilippinesRobert Caldwell and his motherbecame Adventists in the late1890s while Ellen White was livingin Australia. After some timeas a student at Avondale, Robertentered the literature ministry ofthe Church as a colporteur. Hemust have done well because by1900 he was publishing secretaryfor the West Australian Conference.In 1905 he accompanied Captain/PastorG F Jones to Singapore.He visited Java and stoppedat North Borneo on his way tothe Philippines, where he soldSpanish language health and religious books in Manila. He worked almostcontinuously as a colporteur there until 1919.While he was the first Adventist missionary to the Philippines, he wassoon joined in 1906 by Pastor J L McElhany (who was to later serve as GeneralConference president, 1936–1950) and others. He also worked in Chinaand visited Japan. He was preceptor (dean of men) at AvondaleCollege in 1920 and then worked with evangelist Pastor Smart for a time.Caldwell married Mary Showe in 1908 and she accompanied him on hisreturn to the Philippines. They had two children—Adventist educator David“the Cello fellow” and Frances.As one account puts it, Robert Caldwell laid "the foundation by thesale of books for the later quite spectacular growth of Adventism in thatarchipelago. . . He was a true pioneer of worldwide Adventism."* Caldwelllived long enough to know that there were nearly 100,000 church membersin the Philippines; spectacular growth in just one lifetime from the seedwhich he had planted 60 years earlier. But he was not one to talk about hisachievements, even within his family, for that was not important to him.But it's a little sad that his name is not included in the biographies of thestalwarts of the faith in the two volume Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopaedia,though he is listed as the first missionary in the history of the work inthe Philippines (SDA Bible Commentary, Vol 10–988). The important thingthough is that the Filipino people themselves have kept his memory alive,and appropriately so, for he achieved much in his faithful service to the Lordhe loved.Today there are nearly 750,000 Seventh-day Adventists living in thePhilippines. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord . . . they will find restfrom their labour, for their deeds will follow them” (Revelation 14:13).* Seventh-day Adventists in the South Pacific 1885 - 1985, p 74Lester Devine is director emeritus of the Ellen G White/Adventist Research Centre at AvondaleCollege of Higher Education.