PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16878, 15 December 1916, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

FOREIGN MISSIONS COMMITTEE. The .foreign Missions Gominmeo oi tiie Presoyteriiui Uiurcn ol New Zicalaiia iielci its monthly meeting on xuesday aitornoon, froiossor ncwicson presicinii;. It was resolved uat a memorial minute on tho late Kev. James Uhishonn snould be drawn up ana a copy sent to Mrs Cmsnolm; a,lso, that a letter oi sympathy be aaic to Mrs D. Borne. The convener reported that the Assembly had adciod the Rev. JJ. Laktc-r and Uaptam Strang to tho committee; also, thai tho Assembly had pussed in full the recommendations ot ttic committee in connection with its annual report.

GhXJiBAL. The application ot yba A. jM. Boniface, Southlaua, as a missionary candidate was received, and pleasure was cxpressea at mu prespect of lier ungagoinent if the way should open up alter her course in tile Women's Training Institute. St. Andrew's church, Duncdin, reported its decision to continue its contributions as formerly although i>r K W. Kirk is on military serv.ee. —'lhe congregation to bo thanked lor continued generosity. The ltev. J. L). Webster, Stirling, wrote asking if Dr Robertson, ol India, could be allotted as their •• own missionary " in place of tho Kev. P. Ivlilnc, jun., who hau resigned.—it was decided to accept the suggestion and thank the congregation ior continued support. In regard to missionary deputation work for 1817 it was resolved that tile secretary arrange with the missionaries so that Aljss Wrignt might visit tho P.W.M.U. branches in Westland, Nelson, and Christchurch presbyteries, and Miss Prentice those in Wellington and Wairarapa, and, if possible, Taranaki; Mr Mawsou's programme also to l>r) arranged; tho deputst.on work to close six weeks before the date of leaving lor return to Canton about August. Tho Rev. W. Mawson submitted a report of deputation work since October 1. He had held 39 meetings, mostly in the Clutha presbytery, and had received £50 lis Id in collections and donations ior the Canton Villages Mission. The secretary reported having received by post an advance consignment of Indian mission study test-books iroin New York. Owing to increase in the published price and in the cost of transit, it v, onlii ti;. , necessary to charge 3s 6d for tins cloth bound and 2s 6d for paper covered copies of "India Awakening" in order to make the books pay for themselves.—llia committee- resolved to sell at 2s 6d and Is 6d respectively, and to issue gratis with each copy a ""Study Programme." thus standing to lose froin £50 to £75 on the wholeorder.

The matter of publishing the annual report in popular illustrated form was remitted to a sub-committee—lo.ooo copies to be issued of 24 or 32 papes, and to be sold at Id per copy. Four books wen: submitted and added to the committee's library—-" .Missions and Leadership," "The Gospel in futuna." "Ihc Most Vital .Mission Problems," and " Nathan Sites—An Epic of The East." On behalf of the P.W.JM.U. t-outh Island Oriental Depot, Mrs Allan handed in ioO obtained from the sale of Oriental goods for mission purposes.—Received with thanks. XEW JIEBHIDES. The Rev. O. Michelsen wrote from Tonga on October 26 that he had a very severe attack of fever, but had recovered, and expected to leave for Dunedin about November 23. The convener reported Having received a cablegram from Mr Michcisun at Norfolk Island, dated December 5: " Serious relapse; slightly improving." It was expected that t.iif "missions party, the Rev. O. Michclscn and the Rev. W. Milne with their families, would arrive in Sydney about the 11th inst, and in Wellington on the 18th. Messrs Struthers and Co. advised receipt of 12201b of arrowroot made by the natives of ISiguna lor missions purposes. CHINA. Tho Rev. 11. Davies reported arrival at Canton on October 23. The next day he had taken a run uo to Kong 'isuen, Ko r Fong, and Yan Won. whore he found everybody well and the countryside quiet and peaceful. lie expected to move into tho Woh manse on the 27th. Donations were reported as follows: — Druinmond branch oi P.W.M.U., £5 for Yan Woh fund; Oarnaru Office-bearers' Association, £80 for Yan Woh fund; Kte from "Y. Z.," Edendale, for C.V. Mission; St. Mark's S.S., Rakaia, 7s for a prize for a boy in China. 'The convener reported that the sub-com-mittee appointed had recommended, and tho Assembly hud approved, "' co-operation with the Union Theological College, Canton, instructing the F.M. Committee to arrange for the appointment of a man on the staff of the college or for a grant of £120 to its funds annually." INDIA.

Miss Henderson wrote on Odobe* 14 that there had been a severe opide'mie of fever .'it Jasjadhir, / from which Dr .Sadiq and family had all suffered, but tho m ssionaries were well.

It was reported on November 28 a cablegram was received from Mi.ss lienderson stating that the Rev. T. _E. Ri.ldle was accepting an army commission, ' and that the Mission Council recommended the committee to cable sanction; also that after consultation with the members of committee individually tho re-ply wat> cabled on the 30th :" Unwilling unless Government urarcnt."

The convener read in full a long letter ' from Dγ Robertson, who stated that there I was great interest in Murreo over tho fact j that Now Zealand Presbyterians have a 'mission hospital in India; Colonel Handley l.«ui written to him stating that he wished him to continue in the; Government service : til! the end of the w;ir, and he could do i no other than agree; he expected to return to Murrre next hot season, but could not 101 l where hn would bo stationed for (he ; winter, though it might be at Ambala, only ■ 30 miles from Jatradhri. —It was resolved ' to approve of Dr Robertson's action. 1 Miss Salmond reported her arriv.-il at Jagadhri. She is io live for six months with Niirs<- Mihio .".t Jasradhri. and afterwards go to a language school at Landour. I The Rev. J. A. Ryburn sent copies of tho

printed annual report of the Saba&a Leper Asylum, of which he has charge, with 95 native inmates and 11 Europeans. Hβ 13 intensely interested in "the treatment of the lepers by a mixture of chaulmoogra oil, camphorated oil, and resorcin, which had been used with good results upon the lepers in the Philippine Islands.