SALVATION ARMY IN AFRICA

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27909, 5 March 1956, Page 12

SALVATION ARMY IN AFRICA

“Becoming Strongest Missionary Field”

GENERAL HITCHING TELLS OF PROBLEMS

Now that India was largely closed to Western missionaries unless they were also qualified as social workers or in the medical field, Africa was becoming their strongest missionary country, said General Wilfred Kitching, world leader of the Salvation Army, on his arrival at Harewood airport on Saturday. General and Mrs Kitching, who have come to New Zealand for the seventythird annual congress of the Salvation Army, recently returned to Britain after a West African tour. The general was the first Salvation Army world leader to visit that part of Africa.

During their tour they visited the Belgian Congo, French Equatorial Africa, the Gold Coast and Nigeria. “In Leopoldville alone there are 6000 children in our day schools, while in Nigeria we have 100 schools and a teachers’ training college,” said General Kitching. “In the Belgian Congo, which is primarily a Roman Catholic territory, we have considerable assistance from the Belgian Government.” Christian missionaries in Africa, said General Kitching, had played a prominent part in educating the Africans, but that advancement had brought its own problems. “All this agitation—if one may use that word, I don’t like it—is surely the outcome of the natives becoming more educated. The Africans’ outlook is going to have to be taken more into account in the years to come. Africa is experiencing a series of growing pains.” he said. Difficulties in India

In India, on the other hand, said General Kitching, there was no formal restriction but “we sense a restriction in the difficulties we meet in getting our missionaries into the country, unless they have special qualifications in the fields of social work or medicine. In India medical work is the best way of making a spiritual impact on the people.” On their arrival at Harewood General and Mrs Kitching stepped from their aircraft, waving to the crowd of several hundred Salvationists, who greeted them with cries of “Hallelujah!” The general walked through a guard of honour of Boy Scouts, Wolf Cubs, Life Saving Guards and Sunbeams and heard speeches of welcome from Salvation Army officers. Later the general and his party left for Bethany Hospital, Paparoa street, where they will be staying during their visit. Salvation Army activities extended into 90 countries today, said General Kitching at a citizens’ rally in the Civic Theatre yesterday. Little more than 100 years ago the Salvation Army consisted of a small group of people under the leadership of its founder. General William Booth.

More than 1100 persons attended the rally. The chairman was the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.).

The Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) and Mr H. R. Lake, M.P., spoke briefly. Mrs Kitching will speak at a woman’s rally at the Citadel, Victoria square, at 2 p.m. today.

General and Mrs Kitching will travel to Wellington to-night where they will attend the Salvation Army’s annual congress.