SUDAN UNITED MISSION

Evening Star, Issue 19196, 12 March 1926, Page 11

SUDAN UNITED MISSION

ANNUAL MEETING MISSIONARY ADDRESS Mr G. W. Gibson presided at the annual meeting of the Sudan United Mission, which was held yesterday evening. The annual report stated that a movement was started during the year to form an association of interdenominational missions, of which there were found to be twenty-five represented in Dunedin. Later in the year the first meeting was held, and was pronounced to be a great success. Mr G. AV. Gibson was appointed chairman of this association. A very successful sale of work was held at Hroonilands in September, the very satisfactory sum of £SO being realised". The executive desired to express its thanks to the many friends of the mission who had, by their continued support and prayers helped to make the past year the very successful one it had proved to be. The adoption of the (report was moved by the Chairman, who referred in complimentary terms to the excellent work done by the Ladies’ Auxiliary in regard to the finances and in seeing that gifts were sent to the missionaries in the field. The motion was carried.

The Treasurer (Mr H. H. Driver) stated that the credit balance carried forward from the previous year was £lB 13s. The receipts for the year were £276 13s Bd. The church collections amounted to £36 3s 3d, and the contributions to £147 Is, while the Ladies’ Auxiliary raised £6l 3s 4d. The. Oamaru branch had sent £44 4s. The sum of £235 had been remitted to Wellington. The year was closed with a credit balance of £27 15s Bd. They were very hopeful that they would raise £3OO during the year, but they looked forward to collecting a larger sum this year. Since the hooks were closed ho' had received _ £IOB, mostly as the result of collections at Mr Dl'Diarmid’s meetings. There was £7B in hand, and this would bo sent to Wellington at an early date. The election of officer-bearers resulted ns follows;—President, the Rev. W. Walker; vice-presidents—the Rev. Dr Herrington and Mr W. Gow; secretary, appointment to be left to the executive; treasurer, Mr H. H. Driver: committee—Messrs G. F. Tuglis, H. F. Graham. J. L. Waters, H. A. Rnsevcar, R. Duncan, F. Rawstorn, the Rev. Dir Malcolm, and three ladies to bo elected by the Ladies’ Auxiliary. Dir M'Dinrmid said ho proposed to deal with four matters—the Government of the Egyptian Sudan, the attitude of the Government towards missions and missionary workers, the result of the missionary work from the standpoint of the Government official, and the results from the standpoint of the missionaries on the field. Britain was quite agreeable that Egypt should have an equal share with her in the Government of the Sudan, and they worked together quite amicably for a considerable time, but when'Egypt secured her independence she claimed sovereignty over the Sudan, and sent troops to foment trouble amongst the primitive tribes. Egypt played false in this matter, and the result was that the Egvptians were sent out of the Sudan. " There were two distinct types of people in the Sudan. In the northern part the people were of Arabic origin, while in trie south they were quite different from the others. r Jho vast majority of people in the north believed that British rule was far preferable to that of Egypt. In the south the people were divided up into dozens of languages, and it was quite impossible to get an opinion from them. These people had never heard of England, and did not know that the Great War had been fought. Britain must continue her work in the Sudan. Ho was sure that if Egyptian rule wore in force slave-raiding would be as nfc in fire years as over it was. Where the Government was free it encouraged missionary work in every way, and the Government officials were very, helpful and courteous. There was an opening for missionary work in a new district, but the trouble was to find men to undertake the work, and there was a clanger that the people in that region would turn to Mohammedanism. ' It should be not only the duty, hut the privilege of the Christian church to provide men for, such work. there was every reason to be exceedingly thankful for the manner in which God bad blessed their work in the Sudan. The work had developed greatly, and he believed that this year- would be the greatest in the history of the mission. The interest in the work was growing apace. The Scriptures _ were being translated, and the children were being taught to understand them quite well. It was only where the people had the Bible /in their own tongue that Christianity had survived In North Africa. Every month thousands of people were being treated at the mission’s medical stations. A great many Im-s had been saved, and immensely valuable work had been done in the way of relieving -painful tropical diseases. There was a marked difference physically, mentally, , morally between the boys who attended the mission schools and .those who lived out on the hills. In conclusion, Mr M'Dinrmid asked for their continued support and prayer for the advance of the work, to which he and ■ Mrs DPDiarmid were returning with a spirit of great hopefulness. Mr J. B- Waters moved a hearty rote of thanks,, to .Dir DPDiarmid for - his helpful and inspiring address, . fie believed the time would come when

they would realise that what they had was a trust and not a possession, and he hoped they would be true to their trust. He assured Mr and Mrs M'Diarmid of their continued support and sympathy. The motion, which was seconded by the Tier. Dr Currie, was carried by acclamation.