Some background info from here; http://edenchristianhostel.nz/about-us/
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The story of the Eden Hostels began on the 14th February 1906 when Abram Gardner Compton was born in Ahoghill, Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
He and his family settled in Edendale, Southland and he farmed there with his father until 1928 when he planned to join his Uncle in New York and to work his way to the top of the business world.
But plans changed following his spiritual rebirth and his aims changed from seeking his own fulfilment to being available for the benefit of others and this developed initially as a missionary to the Maoris for 4 years travelling by horseback through the dense virgin forests to the remote home of the Maori prophet Rua and from Gisborne to Matakana Island.
Then it was back to the printing ministry in 1929 and to supplying thousands of the Good News publication and 5000 monthly magazines free of charge and all this during the great depression.
He married Dorothy Squires in 1934 and they both committed their lives to the service of others, settling first in Edenvale Road. Mount Eden, Auckland where their home became a place of homeliness and hospitality as they entertained missionaries on furlough all the time depending on their God for their needs.
After coming to Auckland Abe Compton founded Wentforth Press and being a man of Faith and of vision he took this name from his namesake Abram of Genesis 12:5 where it says Abram went forth to go to the promised land and so the name of the press ‘Wentforth Press’ was born.
He edited and published youth publications (The Young Believers Paper), a Missionary magazine ( Workers Together) and missionary books (Pioneering on the Rivers. Smith of the Amazon, Sturt of Mongolia, Children of the Wilderness, The Open Door, etc etc
As demand increased they then moved to a larger house in Brighton Road, Parnell and their ministry continued there till 1958.
While there Abe Compton received a legacy from his New York uncle Robert Gardner’s estate and they were able to purchase a larger property at 96 Esplanade Road, now the Eden Hostel at 9 Lovelock Ave, Mt Eden to extend the ministry of caring for missionaries. The single storied house was enlarged with the addition of another story which accommodate 12 bedrooms and here in a Home commonly called the “Missionary Home” the Compton’s continued their ministry, with Abe away during the war working with the Everyman’s Hut providing counselling and Spiritual help to the Soldiers before their departure to war and during leave breaks.
The Compton’s then decided to gift the Missionary Home properties to the Christian Brethren Assemblies and these assets were placed in the Assembly Missionary Home Trust to protect the ministry for perpetuity. Later two Trusts, the Missionary Home Trust and the Workers Together Trust were combined into the Eden Christian Trust who carries on the ministry and is responsible for the Eden Hostels. The Rosadene Trust continues as a vehicle for the assistance of Eden Christian Hostel and for providing funding for special needs subsidies etc.
