A Tongan-born and influential Australian Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Pastor, Athal Tolhurst (82), was laid to rest yesterday in Cooranbong, Australia.

Tolhurst passed away on August 7 after being airlifted from Tonga after he suffered a stroke. HRH Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala sent a message of condolence to Toldhurst’s family which was read out at the funeral. “We lost a devoted Christian missionary, and a great friend of the kingdom of Tonga.”

Athal Tolhurst was born in Tonga in 1935 to missionary parents, before moving to New Zealand when he was 5 yearsold. He was ordained as pastor in 1963 and went on to become the Secretary of the SDA’s South Pacific Division, a position he served until 1991.

According to the Adventist Review, Tolhurst and his family arrived to visit Tonga on August 4. He wanted to share his Tongan heritage with his family but during the trip he was also given the opportunity to address a group of Tongan pastors and friends who had just finished an evangelistic initiative in Tonga.

Paula Latu, told the Adventist Review that Toldhurst encouraged them to be determined. “Don’t think for a moment that your job is finished. - We must go on until we finish the work. Then we can rest.’”