MELANESIAN MISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 225, 21 September 1921, Page 2

MELANESIAN MISSION.

THE MARTYRED BISHOP. TTIF. FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATED. On September 20, 1371, John Coleridge Pattesnn, the first liishop of Melanesia, was killed liy the natives of Nukapu, in the Sanla Cruz d'roup. Last evening a laro-e roiijjrof-atioti assembled in SI. .Mary's Cathedral, Parnell, to attend the commemoration service held on the fiftieth anniversary of that sad occurrence. That his death wits not in vain was shown by the fact that the occasion was taken advantage of to present to tlie .Mission the sum (if £2,500, the contribution from the diocese of Auckland towards the extinction of the debt. After service had been opened with a processional hymn, order of evening; prayer, and special psalms and hymns suited to the occasion, n prayer of gratitude for ilu- noble example of Bishop Patteson, Rev. .foscpli Atkin, nnd Stephen Taroa-ni-ir-i, nil uf whom met their deaths toj-otlier at Nukapu. was offered up by Dr. A. \V. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland. The Rev. .1. I, A. Kavll linndcd to the Bishop the cheque for £2,500. and stated that Auckland'!- contribution to the Mission funds had been fully subscribed, (bus oniililing the Southern Cross to leave fully equipped to carry on tlie work. Bishop Averill. in accepting the cinque, said ihe splendid response to the appeal for the Mission showed that deep in tin- h.-nrls of tho people of llie Church in .Vow Zealand was an abiding memory of th,- martyred Bishop and his follow HiifiVrcrs. The contribution -was then laid upon tho altar. Tho Rev. Canon F. T. William--, preached an appropriate sermon from the text. **"By the grace of find I am what I am." Tlie preacher referred to the life .■Hid work of Bishop Patteson. \lo said the Bishop was a humble scholar, unlike some modern ones who talked "of the historical Christ, and criticised the records relating* to Him. Tlie Canon said such modern scholars seemed to miss the Word of Cod. While at St. John's Col-let-re, Tamaki, Bishop Patteson lived in an old wooden house, sinrc demolished, nnd surrendered the best rooms to some Mcliinosinn** who were stnyinp. there. It was thut spirit which he later created at Norfolk Island nnd made him such a success in the mission work. Canon Williams moiif ionod that it was the labour tr.-UTic that was the primary cause of the natives killing the Bishop and his companion* - . An inspiring sen-ice terminated with Ihe siniriiiE. of "Te ])eui|i Laudamue" by the Auckland combined chairs. The offertory was devoted to the Mission funds. RESULT OF THE APPEAL. NEARLY £7000 EXPECTED. ißr Telecraph. —Press Association.! WELLINGTON. Tuesday. At. a service commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Bishop Patteson, of tbe Melanesian Mission. Dr. Sprott. Bishop of Wellington, announced the result up to date of the special appeal on behalf of the mission. The total received, he said, was £6370. with a probability of a further £500 at least coming in. The amount given in the Wellington diocese was £1200. |