FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXI, Issue 254, 26 October 1897, Page 2

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

THE REV. B. DANKS ON NEW BRITAIN.

Ihe annual meeting in connection with the Australasian Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society T.*a3 held at St. John's Church last evening, and was well attended. Mr Snodgrass, who occupied the chair, briefly spoke of his goodwill towards missionary enterprise, and also of the responsibility that devolved upon civilised men in regard to this work. The Society was indeed fortunate in securing for deputation work in New Zealand the Eev B. Danks, formerly a colleague of Dr George Brown, in Jestablishing mission stations in New Britain, and thus from personal experience well qualified to speak on all aspects of pione.i- work in that benighted The rev. B. Danks first mado reference to the needs of the Society, which was supported entirely by the contributions of the Australasian Churches, and they had done well. Thoy now had 7 missions in 11 different languages, 1500 preaching places, all built up within the last 65 years. These were tinder the control and guidance of 21 English missionaries and their wives, 6 sisters, 1 lay missionary, and aided by native teachers and local preachers. .Mention was also made oE work among the Chinese, and testimony of experts was nob wanting that great results wero being obtained by evangelising the Chinese in the colonies and sending them back to their own country as "Preachers of. .Righteousness." This was also being done in connection with the coolie mission in Fiji, and it was hoped that out of the 10,000 coolies engaged on the sugar plantations a large number would be sent back to forward mission work in India. Mr Danks, afler soliciting the practical sympathy of all, stated that £20 ' a year would support a splendid evangelist, £10 a native teacher and his wife, while _C 3 would train a student for the work. Eeferring to " Mission work among the savages of New Britain," Mr Danks desciibed some of the initial difficulties of the work, especially speaking of the malarial fever from which all missionaries suffered in common with the natives themselves. He mentioned the various products of the islands, cocoanut, banana, pimyann, taro, and mangrove, also speaking of the rainfall, which was marvellous, no less fchan Sft -tin sometimes falling within threo months. The natives i as he found them in 1878 were repulsive, most treacherous, ignorant, cruel, diity and for the most part troubled with a contagious skin disease, the product of filth. Successf ul treatment of the disease was a great help to the missionaries in winning the confidence of the natives Of home life they had no true conception as we havo ifc ; they lived pot as separate families, but rather as communities. Their houses were small and strong, the inmates being well protected from the surprises of enemies. He next referred to their food ; the manner of working their plantations, a great deal of tho work, though nofc all, being done by the women. Their social relationship and life were commented upon. A man may marry as many wives as he can purchase, and he can do as he likes with a wife. Their relationships may be best described as that of a dog and cat life ; no love exists between them, no peace, joy or trust, each is suspicious of the other ; Under such conditions tho women often lead lives of indescribable misery, and ifc was a happy day to many when death relieved them from their bondage. Mr Danks here piteously alluded to the fact that whatever may be said to the contrary, woman was the weaker vessel, and that ifc was only by and through the proclaiming of Christ and his touching of men's hearts with His love thoy were able to obtain those rights to which they were justly .entitled. The oppression, cruelty, superstition of the people were next described. There was no chance in an heathen land for the growth of the mind, the peoplo were bound in an iron chain of snperstition, and ifc was nofc until Christianity was preached and practised thafc thero was any liberty or life in its truest and noblest sense. As a result of mission work tha people were being educated, the precepts of the Gospel were being practised, law and order were observed, evil habits were overcome, good habits, and character being formed in their stead Largo numbers of tho children could now read and write. Some fifty young men had been trained, had married and were sent out as preachers among their fellowmen. With a splendid illustration of one of tho native teachers to sacrifice himself wife and ohildren, for tho sake of others, a quahtj unknown previous to the advent of missionaries, Mr Danks, having spoken with interest and instruction for about two hours, closed hid address, hoping that a strong missionary spirit would obtain in the Nelson Methodist Church. A collection having been made, tho singing ofthe Doxology and the bonediction concluded the meeting.