New Secretary Of Bible Society Arrives In N.Z.

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30594, 10 November 1964, Page 6

New Secretary Of Bible Society Arrives In N.Z.

The Rev. E. H. Moody has arrived in Wellington from London to begin his duties as general secretary in New Zealand for the British and Foreign Bible Society. He succeeds the Rev. P. R. Thomas, who has been appointed the society’s secretary for Europe. Mr Moody received his theological training for the Methodist ministry in England. He offered for service overseas, and in 1932 was appointed to China. After studying Chinese for two years, Mr Moody was sent to work among the Miao, an aboriginal tribe in south-west China. When Mr Moody was in charge, this work was spread to another tribe, the River Miao, many thousands of whom became Christians. With the help of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the earlier converts already had a New Testament in Miao, and soon the River Miao were eager to have one in their language. Mr Moody was responsible for the final stages of the new translation.

During the next few years China was disturbed by roving bandits and Communist Army movements. Several times Mr Moody and his family had to leave the village where they were living and were hidden by the friendly Miao Christians. In 1938 their home was attacked by a band of armed brigands, but Mr and Mrs Moody escaped by hiding in a loft while their home was ransacked, other buildings fired, and a missionary colleague stabbed to death.

In 1946 Mr Moody was moved to the provincial capital, Kunming, where he was the official representative of the Methodist Missionary Society in China. Large-scale evacuation of missionaries became necessary as Japanese armies over-ran the country, and he was re-

sponsible for receiving missionaries in Kunming and arranging for their transport over the Himalayas to India. With the ending of World War II a further evacuation of missionaries became inevitable and he was again responsible for meeting the new

situation, finally leaving himself in 1950. After four years in a Methodist church in Stoke-on-Trent. Mr Moody was called into the service of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He was the society’s representative in Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire for seven years before being asked to take charge of London and the south-east region of England.