MISSION LECTURE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14465, 6 March 1909, Page 5

MISSION LECTURE.

There was a good gathering in the Choral Hall last night to'lieur Mrs Mackenzie give a very interesting lecture, descriptive of her recent visit- lo India and to tin' Hamabai mission amongst tho childvidows. After devotional exercises, Mr J. Jnjflis Wright introduced Mrs Mackenzie, am! pointed out that the Mulcti mission coit about £f>oo per nicinth for upkeep, for there were 1400 souls io he maintained, anil the mission had ramifications that were extending into a. giwit Christian colony. Mrs Mackenzie, in her address, explained that the station at Mukli occupied 40 acres, and that Kaniabai her-elf was very grateful to those in Now Zealand who had so generously contributed to the work she had undertaken. It was, she said, wonderful lo see 1600 happy, well-fed natives worship (iod on a Sunday, and to remember that a short lime before these were iiogleelod, ill-fed, ami unhappy creatures. To manv of them the Bible was now their meat and drink, for Christianity had worked entire reformation in their lives. A description was given of tho industrial and devotional life at the Mukti mission station, all of which was carried on quietly and systematically. Mr Mackenzie also spoke, and described the earnestness with which the natives at the mission prayed, not only for their own people, but for other nations, and for New Zealand—not emotionally, but really and truly striving for a divine blessing. He described Ramal;ni as one of the mest intellectual women of the age, wdio understood- Hebrew and Greek, and conducted a printing establishment [or printing religious literature. At tho close of these addresses lantern views of various park of the Ramabai mission station were given, some showing tlio child-widows when they were first received into the institution, and others illustrative of the great physical improvement brought about by mission treatment and education. Tho industrial work in progress at Mtikti furnished good subjects for several pictures. A collection was made at the close of the meeting in aid of the mission.