CLAIMS OF THE HEATHEN

North Otago Times, Issue 13236, 6 March 1915, Page 3

CLAIMS OF THE HEATHEN

■ . » PLACED BEFORE BELGIANS. MINISTER'S STRANGE VIEW. CIIRIBTCHURCH, March 2, The serene calm of the Methodist uouferencc was ruffled yesterday, when ike Rev. S. Lawry, iu emlcavouiiiiy; to persuade tlio conference to appoint a -oerctary for foreign missious, put the mission cause before that of Belgium's starving people. The speaker said:'I know there are claims upon us for the patriotic funds and for the Belgians, but the hungry.Belgians have no more L'all upon us than the spiritually destitute heathen." A Conference Member: The Belgians first! The' Rev. S. Lawry went on to emphasise the claims of the "spiritually destitute heathen." pries of "Belgians first!" came iu several voices. / The llev. H. Lawry did not heed thd interruption,. While lie was proceeding to close his address,he was again the. target of remarks from one'of the side benches, one of which was, "Yours is an undefined religion." The Rev. S. Lawry did not refer again to the Belgians. , later in the discussion, the Rev. W. Ready urged that the money .which! it was proposed to expend' upon a new appointment should be kept for the Belgians. "That's foreign mission work," lie said, Voices: Hear, hear.