CHANGED LIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 12

CHANGED LIVES.

WORK OF MISSION.

MELBOURNE ACTIVITIES.

HELP FOR THE HOMELESS.

Stories of lives completely changed through the work of the chain of charitable institutions under the control of the Wesley Church Central Methodist Mission, Melbourne, if revealed, would make a graphic chapter in the history of Christian transformation. The magnificent scope of the work, all made possible by the generosity of Australian people, was described to-day by the superintendent of the mission, the Rev. C.lrving Benson, who is visiting the Dominion at the invita-tion of the Methodist Church here, to represent Australia at the New Zealand celebration ot the bicentary of Methodism.

Renowned as a prolific writer and a fine s[>eaker, Mr. Benson has directed the mission's activities since he assumed charge of Wesley Church, the cathedral of Methodism in Victoria, 1.1 years ago. The mission is unique in that it is. not operated by the Methodist denomination as a whole. The work is carried on by the congregation of the Wesley Church.

For 40 years this church has quietly fulfilled, year after year, its programme of good works. Girls have been taken from the streets, the police courts, vice dens and harmful surroundings, placed in the mission's home at Fairfield and re-educated in Christian citizenship. Five deaconesses are employed by the mission in slum work. "At Fairfield," said Mr. Benson, "we care for many unmarried mothers. We take them in and steer them through their troubles. We believe that there is no need for lectures; our job is to help them in their difficulties." Given Real Chance. The extent and 'Variety of the mission's work is unique. In addition to the Fairfield home, it maintains at ' Tallyho, at the foot of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, a home for over 100 orphans and "flwoblem" boys, who are , being given a real chance in life by being taught farming. This scheme has ! progressed so well that to-day many of i the boys taken from the slums and trained by the home own their own properties. The mission cannot keep pace with the demand for boys for farm work. Homeless men, another of the problems of a great city like Melbourne, are accommodated in the mission's hostel at North Melbourne, where every man is given a change to work and to earn the prevailing rates of wages in useful occupations. All kinds of interesting industries have been found for the occupations of the men, and in some cases the raw material is collected from the, surpluses of city households. The men are given this chance to show their mettle by working, rather than remaining the recipients of character-destroying charity. Psychological Training. In an, the mission controls nine social institutions, which require 120,000 a year for their maintenance. It haa no endowments. All the funds are subscribed by people interested in the work. Mr. Benson claimed to-ds-" that no greater programme of social worlc had been undertaken by a: Chui<ck in'the British Empire. He hopes, in the near, future, to institute some -kind of psychological training ln the mission's homes.'i-~ "Our people come to us with all kinds of problems," he said. "X am now hoping to secure the services of an English doctor of medicine, who is also a trained psychologist, and with his help we could start a psychological clinic. Complexes, frustrations and temperamental peculiarities make many of our people difficult to understand. Melbourne needs such a clinjc." In view of Mr. Benson's reputation as one of the most eloquent speakers in the Southern Hemisphere, special interest should attach to the addresses he will give in Auckland to-morrow. In this morning he will speak at the Epsom Methodist Church; in the afternoon he ■will be thp" principal speaker at a rally in the Town. Hall and in the evening he will speak at the Pitt Street Methodist Churcn. On Monday he will address a Rotorua congregation. He is due to return to Australia on Wednesday.