Presbyterian Women’s Mission

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6841, 23 April 1932, Page 3

Presbyterian Women’s Mission

FEILDING BRANCH MEETING

At the monthly meeting of the Feeding branch of the P.W.M.U., presided over by Mrs. 11. G. Gasncll, Mrs. Bowman, president of the Hawke’s Bay P.A., of Napier, delivered an address on her recent visit to the Holy Land. The speaker dealt interestingly with the people and customs of Palestine. It was the newcomer, the Zionist, wno could not get on with the Arabs. The Jews of the country and the Arabs were friendly. The observing New Zealander saw tho handsomest women of her world tour in Jerusalem, and tho women still went to the wells of Jacob to draw water. It was an odd touch to see the petrol tins used instead of the old style pitchers. Tho Arabs w-erc handsome men and wonderful horsemen, superbly mounted. Palestine struck the visitor as a land of churches and the sects were astonishingly numerous, tthe was impressed by tho fine typo of Franciscan monks mot with. Seeing a notice on the wall, “Visitors Welcome,” Mrs. Bowman entered a Scotch mission hospital there one Sunday afternoon and found a large gathering of missionaries from the neighbouring districts. When she introduced herself, two of the stall' told her they had brothers living in New Zealand. In another Scotch hospital the chief medical officer was a New Zealander. Mrs. Bowman exhibited specimens of the wild flowers of the Holy Land and of the duel thorn bush similar to that from which the mock crown was made that was thrust on the head of Christ. A very hearty vote of thanks was given to Mrs. Bo'wman on the motion of Mrs. S. McDowall and Mrs. A. C. Buist.