MELANESIAN MISSION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 300, 12 September 1908, Page 6

MELANESIAN MISSION.

; « .PUBLIC MEETING. Tho Concert Chamber of the Town Hall was well filled last evening, when a public meeting was held in connection with tho Molanesian .Mission. The Venerable Archdeacon Fancourt, who presided, said that the mission had a foremost place in the hearts of all who sympathised with the Church's missionary work. It was necessary for the very life of the Church itself that it should put forth its life and strength to give life and strength to others. Never in-any modern age had there been greater activity or more love shown in extending tho influence of Christianity north, south, east, and west. . The Rev. C. C. Harper, who is tho New Zealand commissary of the Bishop of Melanesia, said that his interest in those islands began very early, the late Bishop Patteson, of Melanesia, having been his godfather. Mr. Harper entered into a strong de-' fenco of foreign missions, which, he - said, were not now decried to the same extent as' formerly. It was not true that the Christian missionaries deprived other races of their own religions. It was the contact of the commercial and political agents of Western civilisation which destroyed the native religions of other races, and it waß essential that the Christian Church should give them something 'in their place. Tho original religions of Melanesia, however, were almost wholly bad. Tho people lived in constant fear of evil spirits and their fellow islanders. Central Africa might show what the opening up of a country for commercial purposes without Christianity might mean. It was the disgrace of tho English native that where English people went for commercial or polititical purposes the missionaries found their work hardest. Mr. Harper referred to the refining influence of Christianity as it had been exhibited in tho South Sea Islands. . Mr. It. G. Coates, organising secretary of the mission, who is an unusually fine public speaker, mentioned that it was sixty years ago last month since Bishop Selwyn founded what was now the. Melanesian Mission. Mr. Coates contrasted the condition of the Solomon Islands as the speaker first knew them in 1892, , and as they appeared when revisited by him a year ago. In 1892 the islands were filled with. a savage cannibalistic population, but now the spirit of Christianity permeated everywhere. A series of first-class limelight lantern views illustrating the scenery Mid work in Melanesia was then shown, the views being explained in an interesting manner by Mr. Coatos. > A collection was taken up_ for the benefit c.f tho mission, and Molanesian curios were sold.