MISSION MEETING.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7253, 8 March 1889, Page 5

MISSION MEETING.

A meeting was held at St. Michael's schoolroom last evening under the auspices of the Church Work Society, when addresses on the subject of Missions were given by the Kight iievs. the Bishops of Melanesia and .Nelson. There was a large attendance, chiefly ladies, and the chair Was occupied by the Most Rev. the Primate. On the platform were the two chief speakers of the evening and several clergy of the city and suburban parishes. The proceedings were opened by the singing of " From Greenland's Icy Mountains." after which tue Primate oilered up prayer. He then went on to point out the duty of Christians in regard to missions, which was to assist with their alma, prayers, and sympathies, and so help to gather others into Christ's fold as they had been gathered in themselves. The Bishop of Nelson was the first speaker, and the 6abject of his address was the " .Relation of the Lambeth Conference to Missionary Work." He spoke of the importance to the Church of the Conference, and explained the reasons why it was constituted. He mentioned the Colonial Bishops who took part in it. and referred to the manner in which they had been received at Home by the chief Missionary Societies. As subjects discussed by the conference as bearing immediately on missionary work, he mentioned intemperance among the heathen nations, polygamy, home reunion, extension and organisation of churches in foreign lands. He then briefly gave an outline of the manner in which the subjects were discussed and the decisions arrived at. He referred briefly to his visit to the islands of the Pacific, and spoke of the Christianity of the deposed King Malietoa, of bamoa. He advised his hearers to read and study the sermon of the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered at the opening of the Lambeth Conference, and concluded by an exhortation as to the manner in which they could assist in the extension of missionary work. The Bishop of Melanesia prefaced his remarks by saying that one of the chief reasons that had induced his visit to Chris tenure h was that he might address a meeting with his father's friend and his own old friend, a Primate, in the chair. (Applause.) tfb then went on to refute a ! statement contained in a Press Association telegram, to the effect that he had come into a legacy of between £50,000 and £60,000. He called on the Press Association to refute that or else to make it good. (Laughter and applause.) As to another statement that he had received £5000 to build vessels with, he explained that there was a remnant left of a fund raised by his father in 1854, which, was in the hands of trustees, and which with interest now amounted to nearly £4000. His father had drawn on the fund to build two ships, and Bishop Patterson had also drawn upon it. He (the speaker) hoped with the money to build a good fehip. He then went on to spefak of his work in the islands. He mentioned that the natives had fear of their own gods, and their migratory habits kept missionary worK from going foryvaid. He gave numerous instances showing the effect of the teachings of Christianity to the natives, and related anecdotes to show the character of the work that had to be undertaken in order to preserve peace and harmony among the natives themselves. He referred to thefalling away of anativeteacher who had been with them for 22 years, a loss, he said, which was the greatest he had experienced in his missionary work. He gave an encouraging account of the work in some of the Islands, and showed the progress the schools were making. In conclusion he said they had failures, but what they tried to impress upon the natives was that the power of Jesus Christ does raise, help and strengthen people, and when they have embraced him they could tell them of a power that helps and never fails. j The Pbimate said they would join with ■ him in according a hearty vote of thanks to the Bishops who had spoken, and to the Bishop of Waiapu, who was also on a visit to Christchurch on his return from the General Synod. The vote was accorded by acclamation, and the meeting then closed with the singing of the Doxology and the prono unciati on of tne Benediction.