MISSIONARY LANTERN LECTURE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17323, 24 May 1918, Page 8

MISSIONARY LANTERN LECTURE.

There was a large attendance at the Chora Hall last night, when Mr Robert J. o well, of tho China Inland Mission, gave ills farewell lantern lecture 011 "Missionary Jixperjence Among tho Miao (or aborigines) of China. Mr John Gibson presided Mr Powell gave an interesting description of life among the. aborigines of China, and explained that the Miao wore quite a distinct race from the Chinese. He stated ■that the latter s occupation could be traced to the time of Abraham. There wore two distinct tribes of aborigines. One occupying the centre of China, were docile and were almost serfs, while those living in the south-west were independent and were known as the Black Miao from the sombre nature of their dress. Where ho and Mrs Powell were stationed was 700 miles from Shanghai, and the only means of communication was bv a flat-bottomrd boat navigated up a river, the journey occupying nine weeks. The dangers incidental to the journey were great, and it sometimes required from 40 to 203 men to dra"- the boat up the rapids. Tho country was° of a t ir rLa^ure —he had not seen more than half an acre of level ground in all his travels. The aborigines were altogether different from the Chinese in looks, manners ,and customs, and the two peoples lived entirely apart. Tho aborigines had no written _ language, but they had a most interesting folklore. Missionary work among these, people was carried out under extreme difficulties, and what was wanted was more missionaries. He made a strong appeal to young man and women to enlist for the work. At the conclusion of the address, which most interesting and instructive, a series of beautiful coloured slides were projected from the lantern, and met with warm aDpreciation.