CHILDREN'S MISSIONARY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 192, 8 May 1908, Page 4

CHILDREN'S MISSIONARY.

* v ; COFFEE PLANTER: .EVANGELIST.':. ; ' ' ' '■ : ■ '■' ■ .r ■; -' MK. W. H STAXES'S STORY. 1 ' Mr,.''!Yß, H;:v Stanes,'-; who;:! has; come; to! : vr 'Wellington to. conduct a- children's mission, -\ 1 lias had.a'most interesting.life-stbry: ; -.'Boi-n ::1 in India, yof. English-American parents, Ihe , became'a highly successful rcoffee planter v' ; in thev Nilghiri Hills,, of Southern-India, " : and . might,-' presumably, have'made his'-for- v . 1 tuno .'long ago .if 'he had. not been seized ■" With , the conviction that, he: was divinely , . „ ? intended; 'Jiot for. a ; .coffeo,.planter, .but' for. ■, 'an. evangelist; Tho'-cdlivictioil dame when " • > she.; was; attending pne. .of D.vL; - t •: /great; . . Forthwithj.Mr.. Stanes. got,,nd ,of,.his coffee f/u; aide<l ..byjrhis '.knowledge <.ofc-' • jth'e Oiiative ; * languages, .'-'commenced - mission- • .•» ' • ary.H'o'rk' iii' India." In 1397 ho found "■ . ' Way 'tb;': 'Chicago,. where ,a second:' sudden conviction .changed tW .course..oft his life's-, . woi'k, .once. more. . He was : irresistibly lm-",-pressed with tho idea that he must bccome .*■; a' children's missionary.'.. -He \ took ;up the 1 work,'not .ivithojut some;misgiyings, and ,has '>. carried it 'on''Cver-i since, 1 unpaid by - any ' society, and deriving no financial benefit" '' from , his meetings. Having concluded -a: ~// tour'of the.'Commonwealth, he ; has beeli" invited by the Wellington Sunday; School' iUnion to hold his ■ characteristic- meetings' • |n this district. ! • ; Original Methods. :. / Explaining his-mefchods tp- an interviewer, ' Mr. Stanes said : 1 " Most: "evangelists and •• school jteachers among . :childreii ! along' - •i the lino of heart and ihind—things whicii '' the child ,'mind .doesn't . always ..grasp. I ■ work along the line ' of f sigHt>!, v l catch thejreye, with r striking :objcci' blackboard.. sketches,, and ' ; lantCTi : ;.ipicture's.-,-:'' ; 3ly:^scaf- : ---..' folding consists of three niain planks. ,i Upon ' these I . ;build. rvFirsty,. I,''try.'»to.':.acquaint-• • little.-people with a:peitception:,of'.'sin, what.it: is, ' They quickly. : grasp <'avj clear knowledge of • that \part; of my;;teaching; only', little sins,' ■ of - course—angeri -: untruthfulness,'' disobcdi--• . once. iThose loom' black i enouglv uponV small 1 i consciences''when th£y ar B sliown up strongly"... .....against- a clear/'background; .Then-comes'- ■ V plant ; th'e'• .Saviour, '•from'' sin; • i and, plank ..the ;third--h6w:: to. be saved .from . •; sill.''". Alb kinds' :bf' curious, objects' t'cqme to Vmy 'aid; paper' hearts (black'-for;''sin; red, ~i ■ .their , Saviour's . sacrifico' ; of '• blood ;: wliito, • the' sigu of' purity),;' hands,' 'flags, .'.ropes,- '. fishingi-rods.: They.': all helpy.ia, holding,.thor gaze-and .. interest ■ of.' cHililren...' Here is.,a •- ' perforated slip of paper. ; On'one iside aro > '. blanks-for :■ tho name, hirtihday) and: other : particulars of the child s -.'together;, with' its-;.-. • declaration- to jtand'.-for: the' right. ' The -, ; other;-half is in .duplicate.; , I give, these> to ' ; • the children, tell them to •go home-.. and n Study the matter. .If Ithey; . feel,", after '■ a ' day's thought,; that: they :'wou3d liko to make ' a public profession r'of.-'.their,./faith,■; and if their parents havo consented, they may ; pign tho slips.. Thousands'.pf vthese - slips 1 ore returned to me to bo handed on to.. 1 tho teachers. I never lose tcnuch with thorn., ' I enter tho names m books,' ■withparticulars,and I can always write'and find- out... ' how-they are keeping..■.■ Sunday..-: school - r , superintendents, and . ministers of. churches find-, thb lists of : great value," to. hold- v iho children; ,Ivwrito 'a general, letter t0... ' || •my little converts each • month. ~'This letter is printed 'in .thousands' at'itho■[expense,, of : a wealthy friend .of mine 'and.< theirs -in India." '■■;/. ■ ■'/' .Work in India. i ■* ' Mr; .Stanes l .is a missioner .of "the .India'-'*--. Sunday School Union, wmcn..is .an inter-..:'- , ' denominational toody; working, ■ with", the help " "of 12,000' t«achers; among 500,0Q0f- childfim. v of bveryj type in/India:;- The • Union's help-",' : ers'-havevto employ; their knowledge-of 32- ■; different speeches and,dialects. . : MK..SUnes' - . statos that Christianity -is.; progressSng won- *• '• ' , : derfully 'in India. ' j Mntiy of-;--tfcJe ; - r young : . 1 people leiirn with; surprising: quickness,. " Mr.' . Stanes tells of a '.Hindu ; bby, aged 12; who- , i can repeat tho wliolo of .the' Gospel :of ■ St. i. 'Jolm without a mistake. '• Native Sunday ■ ' School .scholars 1 often"'know?tho:.tunes and "• .. . words of 100 hymns by'.heart. Tbcflisands; of tho children arc allowed .bv their • parents'to profess the Christianity iui. which. . thoy -sccretly believe, biU Mi'. StsaiL's .is . con'fidont that among tho half million cf 1 children touched by the ;..Uniohi;tharo is ft strong nndercurrent of Christianity..' Tliero is certainly tbe••knowledge, of - tho BiVp and ' of the' Christian religion, and suretfj. this , ; 1 nuist'-toll miglitily in tlio rapidlx api/foacli-- . lng day when Christianity will have to , Wge' ;.a'• "struggle."to : .tho death'.-with.. t^Jia: - r forces of Bud&ah and Mohammed. , '.>'■ Mr. Stanes will commer.co liis Welliii'jton V ■ mission in the Newtown- Congregational Church next Monday, \ J- ; ' , ,