“FRIENDLY ROAD” TOUR

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 122, 16 February 1935, Page 8

“FRIENDLY ROAD” TOUR

Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour’s Visit At present on a lecture tour through both islands, the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour, founder of “The Friendly Road” movement in New Zealand, is visiting Wellington and has made arrangements for a meeting in the Town Hall on Wednesday, February 27. The Alayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, will preside. Recently 15,000 people attended a meeting in Carlaw Park, Auckland, to listen to an address by Air. Scrimgeo ur. Less than three years ago at Auckland, with a broadcast of a quarter of an hour weekly, “Uncle Scrim,” as he is known in his movement, commenced his activities on the air, directed toward “radiating kindness, cheerfulness, calm courage and goodwill.” He undertook the task of constituting the Fellowship of the Friendly Road because he was convinced of the possibility of dealing with the broad subjects of life and religion with sufficient tolerance to be helpful to all shades of belief. Leaving technical and theological teaching to the Church or other medium of the individual’s own choice, he has been issuing a general invitation “to all human beings” to help build “on a foundation of friendship a world of happiness.” The organisation’s attitude is that no person is excluded or can be excluded from it; everybody naturally is a member; there are no dues, regulations or obligations; and the only reward for membership is the happiness which accumulates according as one is a “friend to man.”

Interest in the fellowship has so grown that few persons in the Southern Hemisphere can handle a larger, volume of correspondence or distribute so much advice in reply as “Uncle Scrim.” Last year he received an<f. answered 20.000 letters, conducted more than 1000 Interviews, officiated at 209 weddings, more than 300 christenings. and about 100 funerals. Beside this he delivered 300 odd radio addresses to his fellow travellers on the road of life, making humble appeal to his friends to live “without hate, whim, jealousy, envy or fear, and so widen the space in their hearts for deeds of kindliness and friendliness.”