EGYPT GENERAL MISSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22069, 27 September 1933, Page 8

EGYPT GENERAL MISSION

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Egypt General Mission was held in the Y.M.C.A. Hall on, Monday evening, When there was a large attendance. The meeting was opened with prayer. The Rev. C, G. Wilcox (chairman) spoke of the absence of Mr John Wilkinson, who had held the office of chairman of the council of the South Island for about 30 years. He welcomed Mr D. D. Porter, general secretary (London), ; and spoke of his own knowledge of the mission, which dated back to its beginnings in the year 1898. Mr Wilcox then called upon Mr Porter to propose a resolution of sympathy with the relatives and friends of Mrs Jones, who had recently passed away in London. Mr Porter spoke of Mrs Jones as a highly valued mission ry, and one whose influence had been a spiritual driving force in the mission in Egypt. She had joined the society in the year 1910, and would be greatly missed. The financial statement was then presented by the secretary, showing that the sum of £155 6s 6d, plus a credit balance of £8 7s Id, had been received during the year. The statement of the Christmas Gift Fund was also ‘read, showing that a sum of £49 3s 6d, plus a credit balance of £6 3s 7d, had been received. The secretary then read the local report. Reviewing the history _of the mission in the South Island during the past year, he said there was reason for encouragement and thanksgiving. _ Fifty-two names had been added to the list of subscribers to the magazine. -Interest in_ the mission’s activities had been maintained in Nelson, Blenheim, and Picton. In Christchurch there were several prayer circles in existence. At Ashburton, Milton, Gore, and Invercargill groups of friends were meeting regularly for prayer and helping with gifts. Beyond the groups who met in this way there was a much wider circle of individual ‘ prayer-part-ners ”, and helpers, these being kept m touch with the work by occasional letters. The prayer circle in Dunedin met regularly, and the secretary of the Nile Mission Press also attended and kept the members well informed with regard to the activities of the press. Perhaps the greatest event of the year had been the “Call and Acceptance” of Arthur Sheets for service in Egypt. It had been am intense joy t ) those who had watched the development in his life and shared with him the trials and triumphs of faith. In'the financial statement it would be seen that the figures reflected the general financial depression. Our missionary, /writing from the field, had said: We meed your prayers more than ever, the Lord does bless and provide for us because of them.” The Christmas Gift Fund was well maintained, and. besides the monetary gifts, there were valuable gifts in kind from individual friends and generous parcels of guts from several groups of helpers. The financial statement and report were then formally adopted. The chairman expressed the thanks of the council to Mr H. C. Campbell for his m talcing charge of the cases of gifts for the field each year, < SECRETARY'S ADDRESS. Mr Porter was then called upon to give his address: — i r The lecturer first showed a few pictures of the monuments of Ancient Egypt, giving some facts of their antiquity and construction, and then passed to an explanation of the very efficient methods adopted in the present day for the irrigation of the country. A diagrammatic map of the last 500 miles of the course of the River Nile, which illustrated the working of the great dam at Assouan, was- also thrown upon the screen. Views of Cairo, and especially of the Moslem University of El Azhar, followed, accompanied by a short exposition of the faith and practice of the religion of Islam. The lecturer then proceeded 'to describe the methods employed in seeking to bring the Christian message to the Moslems. He told of the effort being made to produce different books of the Bible in the colloquial language of the country, and stated that these portions were being sold on the streets of Cairo, Alexandria, and other larger cities of Egypt, sometimes at the rate of .1000 a montL Another interesting development mentioned was The opening of a home for women and girls. The practice of early marriage, polygamy, and easy divorce tended to degrade womanhood, and many very sad cases could be told of its ’of the persecution which inevitably followed a confession of faith in Christ, there had been a number of converts, and a photograph of a group of 30 or 40 women converts was of special interest. The medical work was next described, views of a completely-equipped hospital of 40 beds and out-patients’ department being shown. During the past three years a register of patients who_ had shown special interest in the Christian message had been compiled which now contained upwards of 300 names. .There was reason to believe that a number of these old patients were true believers in Christ, though in secret. The hospital staff consisted of two foreign doctors and four nurses, who were not so exclusively engaged with their medical duties as to be prevented from assisting in the itinerant evangelistic work carried on in the district. , . , , , Views illustrating the social and educational work were also shown. The mission conducted a boys’ school at Ismailia which had been carried on for many years with such success that it now had 250 boys on its roll, including a boarding department in which Moslem boys were brought up in a Christian home. J.he mission was founded 36 years ago by seven young men from different businesses and professions, and now consisted of more than 50 workers, three of whom were representatives from the Dominion. The lecture concluded with an appeal to young people to dedicate their lives to the service of Christ, especially overseas. ,