MISSION WORK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 632, 8 October 1909, Page 8

MISSION WORK.

; BEGINNINGOF A LAYMEN'S MOVEMENT. A;men's meeting, was held at the ,Y-M.CJu Eooms'at lunch time yesterday, when'.the'Ber. ; G.-J. Williams,.Australasian representative oi ;the London, Missionary Society, gave a brief ' address .on-the Imperial and commercial'value of the missionary, movement." ■' .!■ The Hon; George Fowlds presided, and .'wel- . .corned; the. Rev. .Mr. Williams as the. representative of the-; London Missionary." Society, which society,.from.its earliest days, had been represented in,all parts.of .the world by men iof the highest intellectoal; and' moral; worth. . .In:.' Mr.' 'Williams -they-.met- a: .groat-repre-sentative .of/a. great; missionary organisation. (Applause.)'.;., .' .7 '..'•".. r. :.:''-. Mr.; Williams remarked oh '■■. the almost revolutionary changes .:which had come, over missionary, .work ..during'' v the.' past" few years,. the powers;which .had devolved upon the mission-, ■ary, who was, a great force in the world today, and a force which stands for the' uplifting. o.f., hn ln".anity1 n ".anity the' ; wide world oyer;.'. The Speaker' alsoVdwelt' 'oh ; . the,..great chahgei' , 'iii .the. attitude of .public men: towards'the mls.sionary.rnqvement. At first 'there was .ho& .tility to. the .movement, then'indifference,"! but how,; on .all; hands, the movement '.won'), symi pathy- and .admiration,, .and ''testimony;'was available on; all sides as to the,value of missionary .wort. Mr. "Williams' maintained that the Imperial valne.bf the' missipnary was : siich ;that'. the ...British , Empire '■ corild- not be -ade-qn'ately.-maintained without his: efforts. ' Great had- been brought to the Empire by the; enterprise of ;the ' missionary,' without any cost whatever to; ;the Empire. 'Wherever the missionary laboured, ■" civilisation "followed, and an impetus was igiven . to> trade,'which amply repaid the."cost of, .the- missions. l In fact, it looked somewhat'as 'though missionary enterprise was'organised by ..bnsihpss..meh to .bring .them..back big profits.■'':. It was' not the bnsiness ; man,'- however, .who..supplied '.the ■ fnmfe, for the* work. 1 Trade.'.was.- stimulated ???<fe.py,;'the- missionary, who is really, the pioneer;of trade, wherever ho,goes: .The mat-ter-.of rajsag; funds, for-missions was left too' muphl .to-the >women folk- and .children, but'it .was time, the men tooka hand in the work • Xhe speaker -'quoted "a parody oh Longfellow to ;tne following effect:— ..'■■.••. .'■-•..•■'

■ Ini the. world's broad-field of battle, , r! In the'bicouac of life,. -.: , : Youcan find the 'Christian'! helper ' " ';'.-;' :.In' 'America, ..continued the .speaker,, a lav. men s, inissionaryAmnvement:hid-.been started witt •,success...-Vfle: considered 'a'"' representativecommitteeAmight be''set up' in the room with the object'.of forming a laymen's missionary society :- He. (the speaker) .would :be pleased to .give ■ sucH' a movement alLihe.'help; inhis power,' and wl ,vide.? a U; necessary -information: Such"-a com-' W^5 e ''^&& : *o'«W-comprise' roprei 3;^any,;diffcrent,denominatS ; f: P?M)?k:*m the' 'movement -was :I quite ,iindenqminat)onal..;Af.ter theiraain b'6dy\ad been cSh'--'* '* ;?lie,lt^ ■■ Mt *«Wiy i* ea b

Dr.• Gfibb• explained that'Vsnch a already mU< started "inW lington. It was, first intended -to mate Atbe movement a general: one, tut at .present it' Wat »"d the :i Hon.,_GeorKe..Fow]ds, was wt m tn furtherAthevlaymenV missionary lociSyA s^ ■;:.-■.:■ iliw'tli.'. ■■ -■ ■;■::■■■ ■ :;, ■. . ; ui.i