New Guinea and Zenana Missions.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1579, 4 March 1887, Page 2

New Guinea and Zenana Missions.

[COMMUNICATED.]

Arrowtown, February 25, 1887.

On Sunday last the Presbyterian Church here was well filled at both morning and evening diets of worship by most attentive hearers. Devotional exercises were conducted in the morning by the Rev. E. Walker, of St. Clair, Dunedin, who thereafter, in a few neat and appropriate terms, introduced the Rev. H. Scott, one of the London Missionary Society's agents from New Guinea. Mr Scott read from John's Gospel, "Take ye away the stone," not, as he said, with the intention of preaching a sermon from those words, but rather as the inspired comment on all he had to say about New Guinea —in other words, the moral of his tale. He then referred briefly to the extent, geographical position, climate, soil and natural productions of the country, and as his remarks were based upon the experience of a three years' residence in the country they are of great value. Hitherto, the information contained in our standard works respecting that country was of the most meagre and unsatisfactory kind, being collected from the notes and observations of persons paying visits to the country for trading purposes at the most favorable season of the year. Mr Scott's experience affirms very clearly that New Guinea is altogether unsuitable as a home for Europeans—agues and kinred diseases, so enfeebling to the human frame, being as indigenous to its soil as the grand luxuriance of its tropical vegetation. Summing up the remarks made on the manners and customs of the natives, and the results of missionary labors among them, he said, that while polygamy, cannibalism and infanticide were of frequent occurrence among them before the arrival of the missionaries, now those crimes were disappearing fast, and the little groups of young and old gathered around the missionaries were distinguished by the same marks as the Gospel has always and everywhere produced. Mr Scott left in the afternoon for Frankton and Queenstown, where he was expected to address meetings. At the evening meeting the devotional exercises were conducted by the Rev. D. Ross, minister of the congregation, who afterwards introduced Mis 3 Linley, an agent of the London Missionary Society's Zenana Mission at Calcutta. It was pleasing to mark the sympathetic attention the audience accorded to this lady, who seemed to hold them from the beginning to the end of her address iu rapt attention. Towards the close of the address Miss Linley exhibited specimens of Indian jewellery, charms and articles used to mark or distinguish wives from widows. One of the most hopeful features of the success of this mission appears in the employment of ladies who are natives of India, and whose superior knowledge of the language and manners of their countrywomen give them far greater power in dealing with them than can be readily attained by Europeans. Miss Linley had the pleasure of telling her audience that there are some excellent native ladies already doing good service in this most interesting and hopeful cause. The collections at both diets, on behalf of the funds of the Society, amounting to somewhat over £4, speak well for the sympathy manifested by the people of this district in the work in which the missionaries are engaged.