Memorial Service For Congo Missionary

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30623, 14 December 1964, Page 12

Memorial Service For Congo Missionary

Tributes to the memory of Mr Cyril E. Taylor, the Christchurch missionary who was killed in the Congo recently, were paid by several ministers at a special service in the Durham street Methodist Church yesterday afternoon. The service was well attended. The secretary of the New Zealand branch of the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (the Rev. Ivor Davies), who flew to Christchurch from Auckland for the service, was the preacher. Mr Davies praised the work carried out in the Conjo by Mr Taylor, and the calibre of the persons with whom he worked. He said that the organisation was by no means thinking of closing its work in that troubled area because of recent happenings. Instead, its missionaries were hoping to move back as soon as possible. Formerly a missionary in the Congo for 20 years, Mr Davies said that the country had a population of 14m, of whom 2m were church members. This was not counting adherents who were not. “So, you see, the Church has a hold. We have quite

strong hopes for the Church in the Congo,” he said. Mr Davies said there was never any guarantee of protection in the physical sense for the missionary. The only guarantee was spiritual. The memorial service was conducted by the Rev. K. Matthews. The Rev. A. McLeod, minister of the Durham street church, assisted with the prayers. The Rev. P. Ramsey, of the St. Albans Methodist Church, who knew Mr Taylor in earlier days, also paid tribute to him and his work.