GROWTH OF CHURCH IN AFRICA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 15

GROWTH OF CHURCH IN AFRICA

The developments taking place in the newly-awaken-ing African nations were today creating, for the church, equally great opportunities and challenges, the visiting Bishop of Southern VictoriaNyanza (the Rt. Rev. M. L. Wiggins) said to delegates at the annual Synod of the Diocese of Christchurch last evening. In an addresss on the work of his diocese in Tanganyika. Bishop Wiggins said it should be emphasised that the work of the European was now in its last stages in these areas.

‘‘We don’t need Europeans in our church there, now. Those of us who are left are just trying to complete the task of evangelism in these countries. Our job is done there, now.

“I hope myself to be the last white Bishop of Southern Victoria-Nyanza,” he said.

“Although we are now a self-supporting church the money which we now ask from you is not to support this, but for our newlydeveloping mission work. “There is a tremendous job to be done among our neighbouring tribes. We are just asking you for the tools of our trade.”

Bishop Wiggins said he would like to acknowledge the tremendous help already given by both New Zealand and Australia to his church during its recent appeal.

So far the church had only just been able to keep up with the tremendous speed of developments in all other fields of national life. Numbers of clergy and Christians generally had more than doubled in recent years. Inadequately-trained and educated leaders were creating a tremendous challenge to the church. The number of new Christians in the average congregation was remarkably large. One might well find that at least half of those present had been members of the faith for less than five years, he said.