P.C.N.Z.

Evening Star, Issue 16351, 17 February 1917, Page 9

P.C.N.Z.

FOREIGN MISSIONS COMMITibt'E,

The Foreign Missions Committee of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand held, their first meeting for the year yesterday aUernoon. Seventeen members were present, also Revs, 0. Michelsen and W. Y. Milne from the New Hebrides. Professor Howitson. convener, presided. Tile Convener welcomed Messrs Michelsen and Milne, now visiting New Zealand on furlough, and it was agreed to hold over the Now Hebrides business till next meeting, when these missionaries will ■ give, somo account of the missions situated in tho Islands. Rev. D. Caldcr, a new member, also was welcomed. It was resolved to send a letter to Captain Strang, sympathising with him in his illness, A letter wap read from Rev. R. M. Rybimi, Moderator, in regard to a pastoral letter on the need of prayer, and the matter wan remitted, to a sub-committoa with power to net.

Reporifi were received from Mias E. E. Wright and Miss E. M. Prentice upon their deputation work during tho latter part of 3916, showing that Miss Wright hud addressed &3 meetings and Mias Prentice 27. The former wrote: “I found almost every where that the people were very interested in the story of our work.” iho latter reported: "At every meeting, almost without exception, everyone seemed keenly interested." It was agreed that Miss Prentice should go into residence at the Women's Training Institute during March and April, and Miss Wright during April and May, and that, while residing there they should lie .strictly forbidden to hold any meetings. An'itinerary for Miss Wright in Westland, Nelson,' and. Marlooycuiil; was approved ; also one for Rev. A. Mawson in Wellington Presbytery. Iho matter of deputation work by Messrs Miclielsuiy and Milne was remitted to a sub-committee m consultation with the missionaries.

ilie offer of Stirling congregation io support a missionary in place of Rev. P. Milns, juu., resigned, was referred to the convener and secretary to consider and report j St. Paul’s, Invercargill, reported their decision to contribute £llO annually fo r l h tl,e sa ' ar y of Miss Wright, and that £55 had just been rent for the half-year to December 31, 1916.

!hie Secretary reported that the cases of India mission study books ordered la&t August from bow \ork had arrived at Auckland and Wellington, but not yet at Dunedin; and a case of books from London is expected to arrive scon—the not cost of these consignments, exclusive of freight and other charges, being over £152, Payment was authorised for the hooks that, have arrived.

I.ho Secretary also reported the issue, on 12th inst., of 10, COO copies of the committee's annual report in popular illustrated form, under the title ‘ Our Fields -•Aar. 1916’; a further edition of 750 dozen Canton I illages -Mission post cards; and the early reprint of two books usod in tiio mission on Ain brim. The question of the .subject for mission study in 1818 was remitted to,a small committee to make inquiries and report. P.cv. Vf. T. Todd, convener of the Assembly’s Sunday School Committee, wrote that his committee have under consideration the introduction of regular missionary lessons for 1913, the increase of the circulation of the ‘Break of Day’ magazine, and the formations of “Busy Bees’” societies in the Sunday schools, linked un with the P.W.M. Union; the whole sub,jcct to come up for full discussion at the 1- milling Raster conference of teachers 'the committee received Mr Todd’s letter ydth great- pleasure, and promised'to assist in any way practicable.

J he following hooks were added to the committee’s library ; ‘ China Mission (.ear Book, 1916,’ ‘lslam and Missions,’ Missionary Principles,' ‘The Way of the Good Physician.’ “The Modern Missionary Unsis, ■ The Disintegration of Islam ■ Modem Movements Among Moslems.' ' ino Apostles of India,' ‘Mary Slessor 0 f Calabar, ‘ British and Foreign Biblo Society’s Report for 1916,' —China.— Letters were received from Rev. f}. Jl. M'Ncar covering minutes of Canton Council meetings. October 26. December 12, and January l n regard to the robdeues at. i..e Kong (. linen residences last year, the British Consul reported that eoinpvnsati-m is extremely unlikely. Die Chinese Government repudiating liability on the ground that no such‘obligation is expressly imposed upon them, bv Die treaties, m force, which merely provide Unit when loreigners have, been robbed local authorities shall bunt nut lire robbers and endeavor to recover the stolen property.''

~ Jn r< -'l l| y T> a request from the British '.r'li.-siil that a member of t!ie mission serve o;, the British War Propa{.■an.da Committee. iiu> council dot ided • '■ i im misMoi! tvgrcl = that it is ninth!" p'-, nro-.-i-t thy invitation . . . l mt assures ii.1..0f. v'om-ui of our ioyalty to our King ami count "y, and our readiness to every reasonable _ opportunity of prosent-

HA: Uic ice- of Britain's r;>;.ns belli to tnc t.jiinese pcopir.’-’ The chief vi.i.s given to (he t misnl as follows:— ‘‘ In the ifjimuy 'nsmef.?. in which all our IV,; ’ 1,,n - iiT’-i- wh» have coiii-inn-to meet and refute (lie idea, lien we ao.- io this country as ihe paid seeiel age-uts of our ( Sovenimenl. This popular tdra is rcsjauisibli; f,„. a large megsairc oi opposition, and as a mission we, used 1,117 pnvilegu oi residence' in the. inter:-,r '•ud to iue people for |hc imruo.-e. ol .--vslematically distributing new<‘ of‘il : .> '-y.i \-iulcn ,I’oiu .>ur nalioual viewpoini, ,!Hs t'l'tt oi year being political propagau'!td.- would be. greatly strengthened, with 11 vorrespoiidmg diminution of our in,'in-

y 1 •'*'<!>’ J’-Iso le : " Von will uuti.o that -oe ioal,' Mien,o o'., <u (he mission of iniii.ary age, ; g8 to 411 have iieou called te, appear at llic (consulate lor registration ami medical registration. This does not mean that tlinv is ;; probability of anv of our number bring railed upon to serve, j No compuiM-ei i« possible in a. neutral j country, it simply moans that the British | trovci nmc-tr. '..ishes to know what possible ; lighting material it has in thc-e countries. Uur ( loverr.mee,; has al! along recognised the tact that certain of her nationals, eau t!o more die,,-live service for their country among neutrals by keeping 'up national prestige than in the. lighting line.'’ The council in in mm: d (hut Miss Annie .fames bad pas-c-d. Dor second year's language I examination very creditably,- -It was decided to congratulate .Miss James, and send a- copy of the language dim-tori full report to til. Aiiclre.w s congrcgatn.ii. Dunedin, of which .Miss James is, one of their “ own rni-siouarim..'’ -Miss Al'ixwan wrote that she bad been put iu ebavge of her old field, with ilm supervision also of Mi.-' Wright's, j[ c ,. Bibie-woman had t-oki Imr ‘‘ 1 lint it ri not now safe to enter in anv of the. village.-: I formerly visiloii, but' [ am hoping "to work my way in graduailv.'’ Of improvements on the Canton Bund sho ?e,vs ; *• I noticed that many large up-to-date Chintwi’ biiildinos had been erected dining unbsetice in Aig.v Zealand. Bomo of tig have,. a notice up saying that Ibcv arc mortgaged to a Japanese hank, a stari; affairs which 1 am sure the Cliinc.se ownc find Inimi.Ualing, for (he feeling agaij.Japan is strong ; but money has been, a still is, very scarce in tho city.” Dev. James Aitken. Gisborne, editor .ri ‘ The Break of Day, - reported that f amount, contribc.ted by readers for th.i schoolroom c 1 'dan Woh is £lo6.—lt v, decided that the secretary draw up appropriate nnnute thanking Die edit', ■ as well as the readers of the rnagarine for the good gift. Captain E. Vv. Kirk, R.A.M.0., v.-.-r/o j that bo had signed on for another W months, which will take up to Decern;:; 1 (S3He wrote from Franco and so ir “ 1 write to the accompaniment of gem; i and howitzers, but as long as tliesx/sic, | ours one disregards them 'as the ticj.'h.g i of a clock.” The committee minuted thanks for docations : Niagara Church, £2 2s for the C._\ .M. ; and Litmsdon Sunday School, fur ~>o, from a sale of work for die Yan Wuh schools. —lndia. -Mis-, Henderson wrote covering Mission Council minutes of meetings November 23 and December 13. Site detailed the plan begun January 5. for taking lads from the villages yyhero 55 people had recently been

baptised, and, after teaching at high, prev sure for a time, return them to the villagoi to teach others, teaching a second batch, and bringing up the first batch to learn more when they have taught all they know. Regarding the cablegram sent asking the committee to approve of the Rev. T. hj. Riddle going again on military dutv. Miss Henderson wrote: “The Army 'h in great need of men to officer Indian regiments. men who know something of the Indian nature, and who are acquainted with some one or other of the Indian languages. Mr Riddle had been posted to Peshawar, attached to the 50th Lancers, and left Jagadhri early on. Christmas morning. The rate of exchange pet rupee) was higher than it had been foi over r.2 years. M ord had been receiver that Nurse Milne had passed her thirc Urdu examination.”

The secretary reported receipt on January 16 of the plans for nurses’ bungalow at Jagadhri as prepared by Niaz Mohamed. These bad been submitted to Mr P. Y. Wales, who reported very favorably. Owing to very considerable rise in prices of materials, the cost of the building will bo over £IOO more than estimated. R was resolved : Approve of the plans anr. cable to Miss Henderson accordingly j in* struct Rev. W. J. Comrie, general treasurer, to remit to the council the sum of £914 5s for the building; thank Mr IVale. and send a copy of bis report to the council.”