LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 7

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

LOCAL AUXILIARY MEETING. - INTERESTING FIGURES.'. A most''interesting local - auxiliary meeting was held in .the Newtown Congregational Church on Thursday, there being thirty members present. Tne president, 'Mr.' F. Meadowcroft,' was in the chair. 'The. ministers 'submitted a draft of a circular' letter, which is to be sent to the churches. It puts forth the ur-gent-needs, for funds for the L.M.S. .The treasurer's report showed that the amount raised by ■'tho'■•Wellington; Auxiliary was £303 16s. 3d.' for'tho year - endmg, I'JO9. The chairman emphasised the.fact that "the local auxiliary should endeavour to raise the sum to' £450 for the L.M.S. for the year 1910. Hence the special efforts to be : put forth. A report was received from tho Ladies'' Auxiliary that they had .decided to hayo a missionary box on their table, and that a bazaar is'.to be ield m June to augment the funds. ' It was decided that the book "The 'iteproach of Islam" bo tho'book adopted in connection with the study circles for the.coming winter.. The Income and Enlargement Committee decided that the ministers exchange' pulpits once" a quarter, and preach a sermon on misi sionary. work. The next meeting of the auxiliary will be lipid on Juiie 15. During the public meeting whichr followed, tho Rev.' B. Harris showed how immense, is the field, how urgent " the opportunity, how great tho responsibility resting upon member's to do all they could on behalf-of tho society. 'He gave some figures relating to the five prominent Protestant denominations who contributed to. missions: last year. The sum of £15,000 was given by 685,807 adherents, an average of less than one-eighth of a penny per week. If id. per week were contributed, a sum of £37,147 would be raised instead of £15,000.' The proportioii worked out per denomination as follows:—Anglican,- ■ 368,065/ £4734, or one-sixteenth average per week; Presbyterian, 203,597, £3795, loss than one-eighth per weekMethodist, 89,038, £2915, less -than three-sixteenths per week ; Baptist, 17,747, £2000,. less than Jd. per week; • Congregational, 7360, £1500, nearly Id!per week. The'deficit last year was £40,000, and as a result ..work was cur't»iJe'd," and fields-were waiting to bo reaped besides which calls for teachers had to go unheeded. Yet in the same year there passed through the totalisator l £1.900,000. Money was found for the Rod of this world, for tho pleasures of life, while.the propagation of truth languished because the people as stewards of I pod's country failed to.riso to their privileges.