MISSION TO CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13226, 11 July 1906, Page 6

MISSION TO CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS.

STATEMENT BY BISHOP WALLIS.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.]

. Wellington, Tuesday. The spiritual welfare of the co-operative workers on the North Island Main Trunk ' ( railway was referred to by the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis) in his address to the Anglican Synod last night. He said: :" We have to begin a mission to the cooperative workers, of whom there are several hundreds on the new railway line between Taihape and Taumarunui. The vicar ■and assistant curate of. the Taihape, district have lately paid "ft visit, at no little trouble "to themselves, to the various centres of work on this line, and will tell you that it is utterly : impossible for the regular 'clergy of the Waimarino' to minister to ,_the«e workers!, seeing that they are already .more than.fully occupied by their ministrations to the settlers. The area is huge, and travelling is always slow, and often difficult. Another of our clergy, the youngest of our number, has spent several weeks amongst these railway workers, and probably knows most about their life ajnd character. The workers welcomed his ministrations most cordially, and sent me a petition that I would license him to remain permanently among them, but he had already accepted, with, my full concurrence, the offer of an assistant curacy elsewhere, so I was obliged to refuse this request. It seemed to. me best to have a trained evengelist for this work. I have, therefore, communicated with two .societies in-England, who h'a.vo a supply of fmch workers, and have asked them whether either of them can send us a man. They ha,ve' replied promising to give me a definite answer by the mail which is due this week. If we cannot get a trained worker from Home, we must use the best man we can find amongst ourselves. There are no funds in hand for his salary, except • a few pounds which were given me' by volunteers encamped at Wanganui last Easter, and a small sum which Mr. Sprott and I have decided to allocate to this purpose from your Lenten self-denial offerings. Promises of further help will be gratefully received. The call is so clear that we can't choose but go forward, certain that God will help us." •