MISSIONARY WORK

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVIII, Issue LXXVIII, 14 June 1919, Page 5

MISSIONARY WORK

REV. F. C. LONG'S LECTURE.

The Itev. F. C. long gave an interesting lecture on the enurch's missionary work in India las; night in St. Mary's Memorial Hall beiore a small but thoroughly appreciative audience. ■Jhe Key. <J. H. Grant Cowen who presided, extended v cordaal welcome ■to Mr Long, and lie incidentailv reierred to tne loyalty of the Indian people to the British Crown. Mr Long thanked Mr Cowen for his warm welcome, and' congratulated the Hawera parishioners upon th e erection oi the fine memorial hall. The lecturer then took his audience on a railway journey through India to the ± mi jab, where he graphically described the work of the Mission amona the Hindoos and Mahommedan peoples' He showed, by the aid of interesting slides, the piC2K.s.j being Ins.de in this good work and m leferring to man" of the diineulTies which had to be overcome by the Mission, particularly mentioned the ca-stom of cm.d marriage, a custom which was a curse to the people. Themissionaries found it extremely hard to shake this custom off, because it was I-art of the natives' religion. The missionaries had first to bring the peouie under Christianity before anything could be accomplished to break thia custom. Pie spoke of the widespread demand for education among the wo•iien. who had always been denied the same privileges ?.nd opportunities as chu men folk. He dwelt upon the work amongst the poorer classes of natives snd showed how Christian influence* and teacning was uplifting these people to better and higher ideals. In this connection the mass movement where ' great masses came forward for baptism and learning, was playing an important oart in the work. Much had been done but a great deal .still required to be acl comphshed m order to reach the many thousands which had not received the j P j • Ore missi(>naries were wanted, and in conclusion he made an earnest appeal for assistance. He said he hoped his address would be the means of inspiring som c young people to offer themselves to God for that great and important work. People here could help the mission by prayer and subscriptions, and taking of one or other of the many missionary publications. In the course of the lecture a number of interesting slides were shown of the localities where the present trouble is taking place. On the motion of Mr Cowen a hearty vote of thanks was accorded*Mr l<ong. a collection was taken up in <ud of the mission