NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 77, 31 March 1924, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND.

I "RIOHE3T COUNTRY IX THE ! WORLD." I At the Missionary Society's autumnal ! meeting - at Northampton, the Rev. Lionel B. Fletcher (Minister elect, of Beresford Street Congregational Church) referred |to the overseas Dominions. He said l Britain spilled out nations all over the world. Great nations were being formed. Tlie resistless tide of emigration was I flowing. Thousands of magnificent young (men were setting their faces towards j the rising sun, where a man counted be- | cause he was a man, where there was no grim hand of a dead past, and where "what he is, counts for more than what his father was." Dealing with New Zealand, Mr. Fletcher said it was in some respects the richest country in the world, where there was a population of one and three-quarter millions, and an export trade to Britain of £30,000,000. Mr. Fletcher said: "In that land where we ought to be strong, we made no advance, but there was gradual decay for years. Up and down the land churches were closed, and others were just struggling along." Mr. Fletcher related how the Colonial Missionary Society had decided to give up the work, but three young fellows fresh from college had stood up in the union and pleaded with the people to try it once more, and the Colonial Missionary Society had promised to stand by them. Mr. Fletcher said he was going to New Zealand to help to build tbe walls of Jerusalem. If those at Home would help he would be able to bear their witness in that Britain of tho Pacific. The challenge was thrown at their feet to do something more than discuss the world's call for Christ—to answer it and answer it now.