MISSION ENTERPRISE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20114, 27 November 1928, Page 11

MISSION ENTERPRISE.

RALLY IN TOWN HALL.

HOME AND FOREIGN CLAIMS. VALUABLE WORK IN CHINA. The missionary demonstration organised in connection with the sessions of the Presbyterian General Assembly was attended by upwards of 2000 people in the Town Kail last evening. The Right Rev. Professor Ilewitson, the moderator, presided, and was accompanied on the platform by officials of tho assembly and of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union and by a number of missionary workers from the homo and foreign fields. There had been some misgiving about engaging so largo a hall, but the result proved that no smaller building would have served. The thrco addresses given reached a very high standard. The whole of the proceedings were broadcast by IYA. " Onward and ever onward in this great work of home evangelisation," was the final word and the keynote of a vigorous and stirring address delivered by the Rev. G. Budd, superintendent of home missions. He said ministers and home missionaries reported nearly 190,000 persons under their pastoral care. To keep in touch with ail these and bring the Gospel powerfully to bear on the life of each was no small task. The first steps to establish their Church were taken barely 90 years aero, and to-day they had 590 churches, 335 manses and hundreds of halls. Challenge to tho Church. Their colleges, schools and social service equipment made a goodly display. It was no f riHing thing that they conducted services in fully 1400 preaching places and ministered Sunday by Sunday to an average company of nearly 90,000. Nevertheless, tho multitude who called themselves Presbyterian but. remained unreached were a constant challenge to them. The drift could be stayed only as they worked together with God. Let them be bolder, more daring and more enterprising in responding to the urgent call for personal evangelism. A vivid picture of the debt of tho pakeha to the Maori people was given Iw the Dev. J. O. Lauchton, of Taupo. We had driven the Maoris back not only numerically but geographically into the byways of the country, lie said. The white man with his guns and powder and shot and with the fever and sickness that ho brought sailly reduced their numbers, 'then there was the ruin traffic that had sent so many a noble Maori down to tho ruin of the grave. If they were to-day a sparse people the blood of tho tribes now forgotten lay at our door. A Native Impeachment. A Maori chief had recently said, "We never get to know your best people." That was an impeachment of our best people and of our Christianity. There was but one answer to tho impeachment of the pakeha by this race and that was the love of God manifestly set forth by men and women in the midst of this people.

Tho scene was moved from the byways of Maoriland to the plains and fields around Canton by the Rev. J. M. MeKenzie, of Canton, who spoke also on behalf of the work of Iho Church in r lie New Hebrides and in the Punjab, India. To-day the Church in China was no longer an off shoot of the mission, he said. Tho misson was an auxiliary of tho Chinese Church. That Church now claimed the light to say whether any missionary going on furlough should return to them or not. As they now passed from the paternal attitude toward the young Chinese Church to a relationship of partnership they must realise that it must be an active working partnership. The Chinese Church was made up of men and women who were just as human as we were. The only difference was that their's was tho greater difficulty and ours the greater opportunity, and therefore responsibility, ffe pleaded with them to have deep faith in the Church in China, lie asked them to accept the assurance of their missionaries that not only would their support still be welcomed by the Chinese Church, but it would be a means of grace leading them to greater sacrifice themselves and blessing him that gave and him that took. Tho need of more workers and of more prayer was urgent. Tho missionaries in China to day lived in an atmosphero of hope, for the nation was rebuilding its life from tho very foundation. Parable of the Wool Sale. "If yon looked into the next building you would see one of the stiangest .sights ot modern civilisation." said Mr. McKcuzie. "It is the first wool sale of the season. You would see these wool buyers from every manufacturing country in the world not only spring from their seats and wave their arms, but shout and yell and bellow liko madmen. Why? 'I hat above all tho din they might be heard and get home their bid to supply tho waiting looms. Are, we ready to forget ourselves like that and with equal loyalty to our Master endeavour to secure for Him that matchless raw material—T use the term with no derogation—that in the looms of God it might be made over into tho fine garments of Christian life and character? The revolution is not vet complete," said Mr. McKenzie. "Will von still lend a hand'. 1 "

A Scripture lesson was read and prayer was offered !>y tho llpv, \V. V. Milne, of the. New Hebrides. A large, combined choir under the leadership of Mr. 0. D. Barker rendered the anthem. "Send Out Thy Light," Mr. E. A. Craston presid ing at tho organ.