AUCKLAND CITY MISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 313, 12 November 1864, Page 4

AUCKLAND CITY MISSION.

' The ruKtrcil rock ofl holds within its Itfsom; Deep hidden,* n fount, of ;?\ve«t u»id living water. That. m-yds huttlic anft. power of some meet inllucjiee 'i?o nail Ugushinu forth—thus, too, the heart Ot many a, ron h, child ot labour. When jfcutly touched hy the mild words of kindness Is lound to he a s-ouree whence How Ml plenleouMy Trust, end truth,tuid .those sweet syn'patU'cs 'Muit nuifce ttiUti loved mid lovely." Folt ii twelvemonth past an institution, bearng the above name, has been labouring quietly uid unobtrusively in the good work of instructing the ignorant and reforming the vicious nnong the youth of this city—those whom the existing institutions have not reached, and who ire growing up, in our back lanes and alleys, idle, untaught, and reckless alike of either the present, or the fuiurc. As the half-yearly report lor the six months ending September, jstlt, has just been published, it may not be uninteresting to our readers if we furnish some information respecting the history and progress of the City M ission, and give a cursory review of the work that is being accomplished there, as furnished by the report before us. The institution, like many more of a like character in the old country, now numbering their subjects by (ens of thousands, had an humble beginning, giving hut little promise of that, greater usefulness which has subsequently resulted. A number of young men desirous of being engaged in this sphere of hibour and duty, met in a private dwelling in AVyndham-sireel, on the 24th .June, elected ollicers, drew out 11 programme of duties, rented a house in which to begin their labours, and passed the following among other resolutions • l'liat this worlc own 110 connection with any denomination ; that. the rooms bo open to orthodox Christixns of any sect, who will be heartily welcome lo labour willi us. --Thus commenced the Auckland City Mission. As the work advanced the premises were found to be extremely incommodious; it, was accordingly decided upon to lease a piece of land (a freehold not being obtainable) and commencc the erection of a sile adequate to their requirements for some time to come, which was accomplished at a cos! of somewhat under a thousand pounds. The new buildings were formally opened by a soiree, largely attended, and presided over by the Hon. *Wm. Fox (Colonial Secretary), who has always manifested a deep interest in Ihe welfare and prosperity of the institution, and the work of the mission has now for some time been conducted in the new premises. 'I'lie following duties n;'e undertaken by Ihe Al ission ; a free day school, numbering from to 1 111) scholars.as well as a night school; a Sal)bath school, numbering from IiJO to ]'!<>; as well as a series of devotional services. A Band of Hope, singing class, and penny Savings Hank have also been commenced for the benelit of the children. There is also a training class, consisting of teachers, for consultation and mutual instruction. it will thus be seen that the routine of duly is ample enough to gratify the most enthusiastic, and sufficiently arduous to tax the energies of the most industrious and persevering. 'Ihe operations of the respective schools are conducted by some lift ecu male and female teachers, comprising representatives of nearly cvciy Protestant denomination in the city.—drawn together in this common work of self-devotion, by no other bond than a desire to rescue these little ones from the mora] and social degradation in which parental neglect has placed (hem -looking for and obtaining no other reward than the pleasurable consciousness of duty done, and the approval of their own consciences. Of ihe 1 10 children attending, a considerable number owe their present condition to the intemperance of one or other parent, or both. Jt is the old old story of misery, wretchedness, and woe. Wherever we have public-houses, there have we intemperance, bringing in its train destitution and poverty; and where fhtve exist. there arc the elements ready to baud for an institution such as the City Mission to operate upon. Other institutions give similar results, and bear similar testimony. Of the slender finances of the Ladies' Henevolent Society, how large a proportion are absorbed in meeting cases of distress, directly or indirectly referable to intemperance, or the improvidence which it superinduces; how little left to meet, those cases of distress caused by the visitation of a I mysterious and inscrutable Providence. Is it • th sorrowful and humiliating fact to (-very 1 ."liceting mind thai, apace with the unparalleled [ prosperity of the Province during the past few years. !'■<■ amount devoted by the Provincial I Guvciiiment to the relief of the destitute hr.been trebled ; these cases having claimed large a portion of bis Honor's time and attention as io necessitate their being transferred tc j a subordinate. Jt would astonish our citizen* j did they know how much of the .{.'2.001) placed I 011 ihe estimates, goes lo meet cases of which inI temperance is the primary and relative cause j JN'one of 11s can desire to see reproduced in out adopted land Ihe mingled splendour and squaloi (which characterises the great cities of the oh' ; world, or sown among us the '• splendid vices' j and hideous crimes grafted upon an artiticia j and effete civilisation. In this "new bind o: j ours" honest labour need never go unrequited ; to industry and integrity the whole lield o( J social and political enterprise is open ; then i exists no barrier of caste or class, or those greal | chasms between man and man which inunensi | wealth and dire poverty have caused in Jiuropc | This being so. we regret to see from thereporto the City Mission that theprivileges of that institution have been, in some instances, abused ; thai parents well able to 1 ducate their children in tin usual way. are obtaining the benefits and occupying the attention which should be devoted ti: sivbje-. - '-iving more legitimate claims. Evi will b. ;:<■ -lav for England and .England's children .-ji the humbler classes have lost that manly self-reliance and independence of thought ' an I cliaracler which h.'tve hiiherlo ilisiinguishci; I hem —when the mute appeal, or the patiently [ barne distress, still more touching, is supplanted tiv the voluble importunity of the "" sturdy | beggar." j he records of our Police Court already show that the nucleus of a criminal class 0! Ihe "City Arab" stamp is being formed. That men devoid of all parental care and responsibility.and women from whose bosoms all womanly instinct and alfect ions are erased, are leti ing loosi • V-ir offspring to prey upon society -careless ol the grievous consequences, too • >I':i-n entailed upon tin; least guilty offender -. and the country is now reaping the bitter fruit which their criminal neglect has allowed to develop. in increased prison and police expenditure. The conductors of the Cil y M ission endcavoui to remedy, so far as in them lies, this crying evil. And 110 heller token of its usefulness can be given than the testimony borne from the 1 lend 1. 1 >3- our worthy .Resident. Magistrate, it will be seen from the range and class of duties undertaken, lliaf it is their desire not only tc instil into the minds of the children habits ol r -ctilmle. but lo malee them, as they grow up. ■■■""I men : id women, —good citizens, and good Christians, i laving sympathy wilh them, andfor them, knowi-u- it 10 be the great secret of all success, a« ntiincnt which thehimentedTalfourddied . Living utterance to from the Pencil, What h' wanted to keep together the bursting bonds ol all classes io each other in this country, is not c.titrifi/, but y>:mpailiij The importance of this worlc will lie belter seen if avc recount the experience and results of the first Ragged School, (now more appropriately termed Industrial Schools) an." the direct financial advantage accruing to the slate, to look at it from no higher point of view. In Aberdeen, in a period extending ov.er six years, the criminal expenditure had been diminished £'1<")0,000. This had been accomplished through the agency of the Uagged Schools, at an expenditure of £(JOOO ; the moral

agiTiey-by thelospcr.fum, < rug -prevention of crime and re fcrm of ihe criminals—the State I'J the greatrr Mini, when it, had done with then), but' le/t them hardened and incorrigible offenders. With regard io the financial position of the City Mission, there is but little to stale. Firm the report we gather, that during the past half year over £"'!(;() have been received, besides a considerable number of contributions in kind. That the weekly expenses a:re;GJ3, and a debt, of some amount, is still existing 011 Ihe premises, 'illeve one peculiarity connected with its financial airahgements deserving of notice. The conductors of this institution do not adopt the usual method of raising funds. r J hey depend exclusive]}' upon the unsolicited and voluntary j donations of (he public. When we remember ; thai some of them have given up positions , of emolument and assured advancement in their professions, to engage in this useful work, we cannot but perceive that they have applied the severest of tests to their own belief. They adopt as nearly as possible Ihe system of the celebrated George Midler, founder of the Orphan School at Halle, Germany, and of the still more recentlyerected Orphan Houses at. J3ristol, where some 5000 children are fed, clothed, and educated, through monies obtained in the same manner from every quarter of (he civilised world. 'flic City Mission is unsectarian in its character and its aims. AVe commend it to the kindly sympathy anil personal co-operation of all the true friends of suffering humanity who desire lo see the neglected children of our poor made happy and useful members of society, and who, b;,- aiding this, and similar works, may escape those regrets and reliections so powerfully expressed by Hood : — " 'I'lii' wmiiiils I illicit liavc lii-aIM '. Tin- 111! mil 11 sorrow .-mil smart: Ami yet it never wns in my soul To 1 '1.-iy so ill :t part : lint ,-vil 1- wrought by w:tnt of thought. As well ns wimt ot lieiirt