DEDICATION OF A MISSIONARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2955, 2 November 1910, Page 43 (Supplement)

DEDICATION OF A MISSIONARY.

On the occasion <jf the departure of Mies Jean Begg to take up foreign missionary "work under the London Missionary Society, in .Samoa, a dedicatory service was had in the Moray Place Congregational Church on the 20th. The large audience which gathered included numerous representatives

of other denominations, and bore dequeue j testimony to the widespread esteem that Miss Begig has earned during her connec- | tion with religious work in Dunedin. Mr Peter Barr (president of the Otago | Auxiliary of the London Missionary Society) presided. After the Rev. H. I'. I Schlencker had led in prayer, Professor I Hewiteon read the closing verses of the last chapter of Mark.

Miss Moore, who is on furlough from the Samoan minion field, gave a description of the work to which M'es Begg was goinig back with her. The girls that were to be under Miss Bcgg's charge, she said, travelled far and wide throughout the islands of the Pacific, and would carry hor influence with thorn. There was no island called Samoa: that was the name cf the

whoie group. Speaking of the commencement oi this particular mission, M.s.s Moore told how l Mr (now Sir) and Mrs Albert Spicer had reported to the London missionary' Society that while the men cf Samoa were becoming whole-hearted and devoted Christians, the. women were being almost totally neglected. She and her

colleague were at first warned that it was impossible to do auvthinar to holp the

women, but after years of struggle th mission for ginls became the most popular institution in the whole of the islands. The natives themselves eagerly contribute!! to the support of the girls' schools, which were cften crowded far beyond their capacity. She was exceedingly thankful to have a colleague like Miss Begg to go back with her to assist in the work. There was still a very groat -deal of darkness and

Jegrada.tioin and superstition to be overcome, but that was mamlv among the olckr people, and a younger and purer generation was springing up. They tried to teach the girls all that would be useful to li;t2.*n, but above all t.hov sought to teach thou what it meant to bo a Christian. As scj.i as dhe entered a native house she could tell whether the woman in it had been to one of the schools or nor, for the

training received there always made itsc>f felt. The missionaries were supposed to be doctors and nurses, too, as weJl as teachers. one related several most interesting incidents in her work among the natives. Miss Begg said that she did not quite, know why she Should be asked to give her reasons for going to the foreign i'l2'.d. It seemed to her that anv one of the Christian people pie.-ent might just as well give their

ri.es ii-3 for serving God in the particular work to which they had been directed. &ho went on to refer to the various influence*? that had combined to brin-j her to mission work, mentioning particularly her home, her pastor, the Otago University Qanetiafl Union, and the Prtefcyt.onan Missionaiv Training Institute, to each of which sho paid a, graceful tribute. She was going. *hc r«i:i, tc try and pav back in son:.'

measure their debt and h-rr* to heathen womanhood. The Rev. G. J. Williams spoke on some aspects of Christian work. The induction charge in. the name of the church was then impressively delivered by the Raw W. Saunders. In urging Mies Bcgg to cultivate the sense of a Divine call lie traced the various stages in her preparation, and wv.it on to warn her of

tiw spiritually enervating atmcsphere of the place to which she was going. He ooni']udc<! with an inspiring picture of tho goiatnavi of her work and opportunities. Appropriate prayer was then offered by the Rev. W. M. Grant, who was for many years th:; pastor of Miss Begg's parents, and the proceedings wero brought to a. ckce with the very hearty singing of a 1 farewell missionary hvmn.