Praise For Work Of Mothers’ Union And Young Wives’ Groups

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28080, 22 September 1956, Page 2

Praise For Work Of Mothers’ Union And Young Wives’ Groups

**lf any of you have thought the Mothers’ Union* old and useless I hope I may be able to dispel these thoughts from your mind by telling you some of the quiet, continuous work being done so cheerfully by groups of faithful women,” said Mrs H. G. Norns when she spoke -in the Christchurch Cathedral yesterday afternoon on the work of the Mothers’ Union and the joung wives’ groups. “As might be supposed, the Mothers' Union was begun by the wife of a clergyman—a charming, shy young woman called Mary Sumner, who fell that the women in her village needed some help and encouragement in their daily lives and in the upbringing of their children. That was 80 years ago. Now the movement has a worldwide membership of 500.000 which is increasing all the time,” Mrs Norris said. The movement came to New Zealand early in 1887 and the first branch was formed in Holy Trinity Church. Avonside. Branches sprang up rapidly throughout the British Empire showing that the women found satisfaction and encouragement in the ideal of the sanctity of marriage which Mary Sumner placed before them, Mrs Norris said. “I think it is true and relevant to say that this women’s organisation forms a large part of the strength of the church, and there is no men’s organisation that can compare with it

for membership, loyalty, and high endeavour.” Mrs Norris said. “There are two criticisms levelled at the Mothers’ Union—that we are too old. and that we don’t do anything,” she said. “I would say it is true there are many old members, but it is equally true that there are many young members—so many, in fact, that a whole new department has had to be formed to cater for them—the young members’ department.” The keynote of the work of the movement was the importance of happy family life enjoyed in a Christian home, she said. All the activities, studies and talks had the one aim for young and old alike—to make Christ a reality. One of the chief activities of the movement was hospital visiting, said Mrs Norris. Older women visited sick members in hospitals and members of young wives’ groups visited mothers in maternity homes. Libraries had been formed in nearly all the branches. The young wives produced their own newspaner and had their own drama groups. In the mission field they supported a number of Mothers’ Union workers, and one of the pleasing results of this work was the formation recently of several small young wives’ groups in such places as Basutoland and Bechuanaland, Mrs Norris said. Retirement of Blair