RAROTCNGANS IN CAMP.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1275, 14 March 1918, Page 8

RAROTCNGANS IN CAMP.

LETTER TO CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

As evidence of the far-reaching work of the Congregational missionaries amongst the Islanders, the following letter from the 150 Rarotongans in camp at Narrow Neck, Auckland, was read to the Council of the Congregational Union by the Rev. G. H. Eastman yesterday:—■ "To you our friends, the people of God in this assembly, greetings. May you live in the great love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. "We are your children who have come from Rarotonga to learn the work of soldiers, and to go forth to help the root of our life, that is our great earthly kingdom, Britain. These are the verses we address to you, I Thessalonians v, 25-28. "RUI AND RERE." The following reply has been sent from the council:— "To you our children and brothers in the faith of the Gospel. Greetings to you in the love of the true God, our Heavenly Father, and of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. "We, the ministers and delegates of the Congregational Churches .of New Zealand met in our assembly at Christchurch, have received the friendly message which you have sent us through your chaplain, the Rev. A. E. Bridgev, and your missionary, the Rev. G. H. Eastman. "We thank you for your affectionate greeting. We do pray for you, and shall pray for you, that you with us may grow in the faith and in the love of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. "We have heard with rejoicing of the courage and good conduct of the men of the Ist and 2nd Rarotongan Contingents. We hope that you all, like them, both while in camp and when you go to the front, will be good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and will seek in all things to do the will of God. "We wish that all the soldiers of the Empire whom you will meet were servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if it be that you meet some who may try to lead you astray, or to tempt you to drink intoxicating liquors, we strongly urge upon you to resist those temptations, and to have nothing to do with strong drink while you are in eamp, when you go to the front, and when you return home, that you be blameless and keep an honourable name. "This is the message we send to you from God's Word: 'Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ,' 2 Tim. ii, 3. "We commend you to God and to the Word of His Grace. May God keep you aud bless you all, now and always. From your teachers and friends, the Council of the Congregational Union of New Zealand."