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Published on: 04-29-2021
George Leighton Sterling and his wife, Maybelle, were pioneer missionaries who established the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Cook Islands and the Marquesas Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean. They served there for 30 years, and also for 12 years in New Zealand and Australia, making a total of 42 years, followed by 18 years continued dedication in retirement.
Early Life
Born on December 27, 1885, in Otsego, Michigan, as the eldest of three sons, George Sterling grew up in an Adventist home and community. His grandfather, James G. Sterling, was a minister of the Church of Christ. He and his family met with Ellen and James White during their years in Rochester, New York, and in 1853 accepted “present truth.” From his grandfather and from his parents, Harvey and Emma Sterling, George grew up hearing stories of early Seventh-day Adventist history.