MISSIONARY UNION

Southland Times, Issue 20613, 11 October 1928, Page 3

MISSIONARY UNION

WORK OF METHODIST WOMEN. CONFERENCE IN INVERCARGILL. “Blow, blow thou winter wind” was the quotation uppermost in the minds of those Methodist women who, on Tuesday evening, thronged the Invercargill railway station to welcome the delegates arriving from every part of New Zealand and, further, to attend the annual conference of the Methodist Women’s Missionary Union. The welcome extended to them at the opening session in the Jed street hall yesterday morning was warmer than that provided by Nature.

Mrs Duke, of Dunedin, opened the conference with a period of devotion rich in thought and spiritual tone, setting a very high standard for the conference to maintain. This concluded, Mrs Pacey, president, extended to delegates a very hearty welcome. These members, numbering between 40 and 50, include Sisters Jean Dalziel and Lily White, of Solomon Islands, and Sister Eleanor Dobby, of Hokianga, North Auckland.

Then followed an inspiring report of the year’s activities read by the secretary, Mrs Hodder. The outstanding feature of this was the increased interest in the work in the Solomon Islands. Already ten sisters are actively engaged on this field; a medical missionary is quite established and another, Dr. Clifford James, formerly of Southland Hospital, and his wife, leave this month for the same field. In this connection a hospital, the “Helena Goldie” Hospital, is shortly to be erected; this will bring about a need for more trained nurses on the field. The report on Maori work, too, was most encouraging, but the best news of all was the knowledge conveyed that everywhere interest in every branch is deepening and that increasing numbers are offering for the work. It remains only for the church to provide the means with which to send and equip these people who have beheld the vision and realized the need.

After the luncheon adjournment greetings from kindred societies were received, and the bearers of these entertained at afternoon tea. The day’s session closed with an interesting discussion on the future policy of the union.

The conference will be continued on Thursday, commencing at 9.30 a.m., the day closing with a lecture by the Rev. Le C. Binet, of the Solomon Islands.