REV J. TAKLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 91

REV J. TAKLE.

A good audience assembled on March 22 in the Hanover Street Baptist Hall to welcome the Rev. John and Mrs Takle, of the New Zealand Baptist Missirnarv Society, who are at present on furlough after a second term of six years' service at Brahmanbaxia, in Eastern Bengal. The Rev. E. Herbert Hobday, president of t'.o Otago Auxiliary of the Baptist Unior. occupied the chair, and after a hymn had' been sung and Mr H. H. Driver had led in prayer, he referred to the distinguished services which Mr Takle had rendered to the cause of Christian missions in India. Mr Takle had made a special study of Mohammedanism, and had displayed great ability in various departments of missionary activity.

The "Revs. C. Dalaston, W. Hay, D. S. Mason, G. BoyalL, and F. A. Buckingham addressed a few words of welcome to Mr Takle.

After refreshments had been supplied by the ladies of the congregation, Mr Taklo replied to the hearty Welcome which had been accorded him and his wife. He was glad to renew early friendships. He had often felt when in India that friends at home, were praying for him and Helping him. It had teen his special aim to influence the students and the educated Bengalis of the district in which he worked. Since 75 per cent, of the people wero Mohammedans, he had made a special atuily of the Koran and the Mohammedan r - ligion. During the political unrest try lives of the missionaries had been gravely imperilled. Agitators had inflamed tk> minds of the common people agamet I;k» Europeans and had slandered the Jfcssionaries with all forms of abuse. »•> :S while the high-caste people were hostile, the pariahs) and the -Xamasuaras wews eager for schools and Christian He felt that missionaries must touch th© natives in many respects, political an** social, as well as evangelistic. »© believed that among the Indian Chnstum?, would arise a Luther, a Wesley, or an Augustine, who would mightily influence the native Church. He was eager to open, up new stations adjacent to Brahma tibana., and to erect a church in which he might do better work among the students. Foreign missions appealed to men as well as women, and statesmen like Roosevelt itid Taft and Winston CharchiJ "Were always praising the men who weiv carrying on this great cause. Mr Tekl&S address was closely followed and faeartiij] applauded.