When radio was in its infancy some far- v sighted workers in Newfoundland saw its tremendous possibilities for giving the gospel. A small transmitter was set up under the direction of Harold N. Williams. Its influence helped a great deal in establishing the work in the city of Saint John's.
The old station has been replaced by a new Gates transmitter with 250 w. maximum output. Excellent quality is obtained with the new equipment. Surveys show that 75 per cent of the homes with radios are regular listeners to the VOAR radio programs.
The schedule for a week of broadcasting is as follows:
Sunday
12:45 P.M. Sacred music
12:55 P.M. Religion in the news
1:00 P.M. Voice of Prophecy
1: 30 P.M. Sunshine Hour
2 :00 P.M. Quiet Hour
2 :30 P.M. Request program
3 :30 P.M. Sign off
Wednesday 9:15-10:15 P.M. Midweek prayer hour
Sabbath 10:45 A .M. Church broadcast
12:00 A.M. Sacred music
The Sunshine Hour is one of the most popular of our broadcasts. The Newfoundland Academy principal, E. Hillock, utilizes the youth of the school to sing favorite hymns and choruses. They also have a story period and a Bible quiz.
The Sabbath morning worship period is a constant reminder in thousands of homes that God's peculiar people are inviting them to worship "him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water."
A report has it that the university, in checking the value of radio programs, credited VOAR with broadcasting the most helpful in formation. It was also voted that the most popular song around town was "The Love of God," as sung by Del Delker. The Voice of Prophecy transcriptions provide the station with the kind of music the people love.
The effort held during the past winter gave evidence of the power of the radio. Two theater meetings were to be held with the plan to change over to the church as a meeting place. The theater rent was one hundred dollars a night. However, the turnout was so large that 'we continued for eleven nights. The offerings amounted to one thousand dollars.
When we transferred to the church the crowds followed, and it was necessary to hold two services in one night in order to accommodate the interested people.
Elder Williams, after more than twenty years, still follows his labor of love with a good deal of interest. Recently he made available to VOAR a new tape recorder with a series of forty sermons.
Through the years it has been a struggle to meet government standards, make modern improvements, and secure studio equipment. However, we are seeing the dreams of the pioneers realized.
The harvest is ripening, the church is crowded, the academy has an enrollment of 182, and we are waiting for the right arm of the message to come in and help reap the harvest.
We need a doctor to give health broadcasts. The broadcasts would make a doctor prominent almost overnight. The full value of the only Adventist-owned commercial radio station in the world will never be realized until we have a doctor to give the health message. The city has lost several valuable doctors in recent months. Thus the openings and opportunities both cry for a doctor to supply the need.
