CHURCH ARMY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20648, 10 September 1932, Page 11

CHURCH ARMY.

EXTENDING WORK FROM ENGLAND. OFFICERS VISIT CHRISTCHURCH. The work of the Church Army -was explained in an interview with The Press yesterday by (Captain J. S. Cowland, chief executive officer of the Army in. Australia. With Captain W. K. Davey, the Army's international mission secretary, Captain Cowland arrived in Christchurch and addressed the Anglican clergy at Church House in the morning. Tho officers are hoping to arrange a team of workers to be sent to New Zealand to demonstrate methods of Army work, and ultimately for the foundation of a New Zealand Church Army. The Church Army, said Captain Cowland, was founded 50 years ago by Wilson Carlile. He was now 86 years. of age, and still hale and hearty. The Army to-day was the largest home missionary society within the fold of the Church of England. It had 1200 officers and sisters, 65 departments of work, 6S caravans constantly travelling through the country districts of England, and at least 170 homes for children, adolescents, men and women, and old people. The social work was carried on on what was called a "work-aid" basis. All inmates were paid Trade Union rates of wages during their period in a home. They were each charged 12s a week for board and lodging and allowed 2s a week to spend. The balanco of their earnings was put into the bank so that when they were able to iind j work after three months in the home each one was able to face the world with a bank account of £ls or £2O or £25. Work in Wartime. During the war, he went on, the Army had over 2000 huts at the front, although many people did not realise that theso belonged to the Church Army. Six hundred of these huts were blown to pieces war years. Even when the Armistice was signed, the Army did not cease its work among the soldiers and sailors. It had established a large factory for disabled ex-service men and also built 600 houses for lease to returned men with four children or more for anything between eight shillings and 10s a week. Sixty-eight social centres had also been founded on the lines of the war-time huts, these being commonly called "dry pubs," since they were centres of social intercourse without drinking. "The Church Army is the only society in England allowed to do mission work in his Majesty's prisons," added Captain Cowland. "We have 10 men j permanently stationed in the largo J prisons as chaplains, and are given the j privilege of holding a ten days' mission in every prison in the country once a year. The Army is now extending its borders to every English-speaking country in the world. We have now a training college in the United States of America and another in Canada. At present a team of eleven people is working in Australia under my own leadership demonstrating methods of Church Army work in the hope that an Australian Church Army will be founded." Object of the Visit. JPaptain W. K. Davey, who accompanies Captain Cowland, is the international mission secretary of the Church Army and is also in charge of all ahort missions and of prison work. Ho was the first, officer to conduct a mission in one of hia* Majesty's prisons in 1897, and through his good offices tho Army has been permitted to work in the prisons ever since that date. "The object of our visit to New Zealand," said Captain Cowland, "is to discuss -with the clergy the possibility of sending a team of six men and two women to the Dominion to demonstrate methods of Church Army work, and, if the demonstration is successful, to start a training college and found a New Zealand Church Army. The Army is already at work in Napier, having sent three officers to the diocese of Waiapu for special work after the earthquake. The Archbishop and several of the Bishops have expressed keen interest in our proposals, and it is quite possible that they will send a formal invitation to the Army to send the team to New Zealand."

Bishop West-Watson, who presided at the meeting at Church House, said that they wanted a visit from the Church Army Column and then, if possible, the establishment of some permantnt organisation. It was decided to send a mossage of appreciation to Prebendary Carlile for his kind thoughts of New Zealand. The clergy fully discussed the work of the Army with the two visitors.