MISSIONARY WORK.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 135, 8 May 1933, Page 10

MISSIONARY WORK.

SHORTAGE OF VOLUNTEERS. WELLINGTON, May 6. Great difficulty is being experienced in obtaining missionaries for service in Southern Melanesia, and although an appeal for volunteers was made in New Zealand by the Anglican Church last January, up to recently no appointment had been made. The appeal was for three priests, ono layman for teaching at the Vureas hoys’ school, ono woman teacher for Torgil girls’ school, and one nurse for district work at Oaba. A priest has offered to join up for service in about one year’s time, but the work of the white staff ip Southern Melanesia will practically cense next year unless the vacancies are filled immediately. In the latest issue of the official organ of the Wellington Anglican diocese, Rev. R. Godfrey, Bishop’s commissary for Southern Melanesia, says:— “There are now only three white priests left for the fifteen islands in the south and only one of these priests, Rev. A. Butchart, is doing district work. Mr Butchart is now in his sixth year without furlough. He cannot go on much longer, ltev. A. E. Teall, who has charge of the Vureas School, is due for English furlough not later than next year. The school must close then unless priests can be found now. Does the Church in New Zealand care? Is the spirit of self-sacrifice dead? Have our young priests ceased to be_ mission-ary-hearted ? The writer joined the mission in 1918 and he is the juniorNew Zealand priest on the staff. I blush for shame when I think of this terrible lack of missionary zeal on the part of New Zealand priests. The call is ‘Come and help us.’ Who will re spond and take away the reproach?”