PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19699, 27 July 1927, Page 14

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

MISSIONARY ENTERPRISES.

CAMPAIGN IN AUCKLAND.

SUCCESSFUL MEETING HELD. LARGE CLOSING DEMONSTRATION. Hie chief day in Auckland of the missionary campaign conducted by the Presbyterian Church throughout New Zealand was marked yesterday by a series of largely-attended meetings. The object of tho campaign is to arouse fresh interest in and enthusiasm for all the mission enterprises of the Church at home and abroad. The effort came to a climax and conclusion at a public demonstration in Scots Hall last evening, tho Rev. G. Budd referring to tho gathering as the largest the party had had without exception in tho course of its campaign. An all-day conference in St. Andrew's Church began with a devotional hour conducted by tho Rev. W. L. Marsh, and an address by the Rev. J. G. Laughton, of the Maori Mission followed. About 150 look part in the luncheon provided in St. Andrew's Hall by the ladies of the Auckland Presbyterian Association. Tho afterlioon' was occupied with a two-hours' conference at which statements were presented by leading speakers regarding the various aspects of the mission work of the Church in the back blocks of tho Dominion among the Maoris, and in China, India and the New Hebrides Islands. A women's tea in St. Andrew's Hall was addressed by women missionary speakers and at a laymen's tea and rally in Scots Hall the Moderator of Assembly, the Rev. G. H. McNeur, and other visiting missionary delegates were welcomed to Auckland.

At the evening meeting the Rev. J. L. Gray, of the Punjab, India, spoke on the question : "Is the evangelisation of India a necessary undertaking ?" Ho believed in the evangelisation of India because only Christ could ultimately heal India's internal wounds—notably the open sore of the fierce strife between the Hindu and Mohammedan communities. Only Chi'ist could liberate India from the bonds of caste on which the whole Hindu system was built. Only Christ could bring India's womanhood into her own, and save her from the cruel bitterness of her lot. Only Christ could lift the 50,000,000 outcasts of India, who were looked upon as really lower than the beasts. Hinduism could never help them. "Cloud and Rainbow in China" was the subject of an address by Mr. McNeur. He described how, in 1911, the oldest of empires became the newest of republics, but the high hopes then formed were quickly disillusioned. China was left bankrupt of the machinery with which to carry on national government. Missionaries were meeting the present difficult situation by placing the responsibility just as quickly as possible upon the Chinese themselves. One thing for which they were all grateful was the generous conciliatory attitudo of Britain toward Chinese nationalist aspirations. China had been enjoying a less measure of self-govern-ment than we had had in this Dominion, and it was quite evident that things had been wrong. They were grateful that this trouble had stirred the Chinese Church to a greater measure of activity and independence. The missionaries never knew they had such splendid friends among the Chinese until trouble came. To-day the mission delegates will take part in a conference and a series of country meetings radiating from Papakura. To-morrow Pukekohe will be the centra of similar gatherings. On Friday a number of other country centres in the Auckland Presbytery will be visited.

MAORI MISSION WORK.

OUTLINE OF ACTIVITIES.

NECESSITY FOR MORE MEN

The obligation of the Church to the Maori people was the subject of an address given by the Rev. J. G. Laughton at the Presbyterian Missionary Conference in St. Andrew's Hall yesterday morning. Mr. Laughton outlined the work being done by the Presbyterian Church in Taumarunui, Taupo, in three stations in the Hawke's Bay field and in seven stations in tho Tuhoe country. In the latter field the missionaries were face to face with Ringatuism, a religion founded by the rebel Te Kooti. To Kooti said he would havo no Christ in his religion because he had been too badly treated by Christians j and, indeed, he had been very unjustly treated before he became a rebel. He was punished for a crime he did not commit, and was banished to the Chatham Islands without trial. Tho religion founded by him, which professed to worship God but refused to acknowledge Christ, now had a strong hold on many of tho Maori people. At Maungapohatu Rua was regarded literally as God, and the natives had implicit faith that ho alono could save them in the end of the world, which he predicted was about to come. Ringatuism was a gross apostasy which lifted its followers little, if any, above the original idolatries and superstitions of tho race. The speaker paid a tribute to ( the splendid pioneering work being done in far-back districts by women of the Church, who were carrying through tasks that should have been undertaken only by men. Much help was given to those suffering from sickness, and often converts to Christianity were won by this means. Teaching had been the genius of their mission work and schools which had been opened in tho Urewera quickly became the centre of the life of the district. It was a priceless opportunity to influence those young unwarped lives, and the older generation were quick to appreciate the benefits not only of education hut of the Christian faith for their children.

It would bo impossible to speak too highly of tho service that had been rendered to Maori girls by tho Tiirakina Girls' College, ana the need of a similar school for boys to produce Christian leadership among their own people was urgent. The last year hfjid been one of great hope and encouragement in the mission work, and they had now in Nuhaka a little Christian church won out of Mormonism. In the Urowera they had another church won from Ringatuism.

The one weakness in their Maori mission was the need of men to conserve tho results of what had been already done. As one Maori chief had remarked : "Your church seems to bo all women."