MAPUA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 14 September 1936, Page 7

MAPUA

MISSIONARY WORK (From Our Own Correspondent) Last week the Dominion travelling secretary of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union, Mrs Waddell (Sister Christabel) paid a visit to Mapua, and addressed a good gathering of the members of the women’s organisations of the Tasman Presbyterian parish. Before the opening of the meeting proper, afternoon tea was served; and then Mrs Ferguson occupied the chair. After devotional exercises, Mrs Ferguson welcomed and introduced Mrs Waddell, better known to many as Sister Christabel. Mrs Waddell, whose engaging and friendly manner won the sympathetic interest of all present, gave a graphic and interesting account of the origin and growth of the various women’s and girls’ organisations of the Presbyterian Church for the furtherance of missionary work in our own country among our Maori sisters, as well as abroad. She congratulated the district on having sent from its own people “a real live missionary” of its own to the New Hebrides in the person of Mr Basil Nottage. who with his wife, was doing a fine work in that mission field. Mrs Waddell then described successively .the work of the P.W.M.U., inaugurated by Mrs Hcwitson; the Maori Mission Birthday League owing its existence to the enthusiasm of the late Mrs Venables of Christchurch, and now having n membership of over 20.000; thejjjumor branch of the M.M.B.L. through which the girls and moys maintain six or seven women workers on the Maori field, the Girls’ Auxiliary having 60 to 70 branches, and supporting a missionary in India; and the Busy Bees of which there are now 208 hives, working busily and raising considerable amounts for the mission funds. The speaker continued to describe vividly some ot her own experiences in visiting a number of mission stations, and also related accounts she had had direct from missionaries on furlough of adventures they had met with in the prosecution of their work. The intimate details of missionary life, helped her hearers to better visualise what was involved in the life of a missionary. _ A very hearty vote of thanks to Mrs Waddell was carried on the motion of Mrs Ferguson, and the meeting closed with the benediction.