METHODIST MISSIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 118, 20 April 1931, Page 2

METHODIST MISSIONS.

REV. J. R. METCALFE’S VISIT. Rev. J. R. Metcalfe, Methodist missionary from Bougainville, in the Solomon Islands, who is visiting Palmerston North as a foreign mission deputation, occupied the pulpit at St. Paul’s Church yesterday morning, while he was also the speaker at Longburn in the afternoon. Speaking at the Cuba Street Church in the evening, Mr Metcalfe said that at the present time they seemed to be almost overwhelmed in the matter of finance in connection with the foreign missions. Those at the conference decided that they must not withdraw from the missions. New Zealand took over the districts in a great wave of optimism and no one doubted that they would have the money. They had the men and women, but there was no money. When the speaker went out in 1921 there was an income of £IO.OOO. They had increased their staff two and a-half times, but their general income had increased by only one-fifth. Either the home church must increase its giving or there must be a withdrawal. Dr. James had done more work in three years than the Government staff —there was no Government official stationed on Choiseul. Mr Metcalfe described a typical native village and said_ that the people needed an uplift. They appeared to have ceased progress at the Stone Age. “The Government officials pass on, but the missionaries stay on. There is need for an intermediary between the officials and the natives. The natives need us and tnev want us. They are keenly interested in ns. The villages have been greatly cleaned and the people are much cleaner. We had to promise that we would return ; I have pledged our word,” concluded Mr Metcalfe.

The collections during the day were devoted to the foreign mission funds.