CHURCH MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13794, 15 June 1915, Page 3

CHURCH MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.

The annual public meeting in cpnriec-. lion with the Church Missionary Association was held..in tho Shelbourne street Schoolroom last night, when the Bishop of-Nelson presided over a good attendance, mostly of ladiefe. Prayer was pffcred by Bishop Mules. Bishop Sadlier, in the course of an interesting address, said he believed that throughout the diocese the sympathy of their people was being awakened towards the Church Missionary Association. He described a, visit which he paid when in England to, the headquarters of the parent society, the Church Missionary Society,■ and gave ksome particulars of the extent of its work and the thorough way in which it wa>s carried on. He was struck, he said, by the fact that the . committee work was attended to by the very best men who could be selected for the purpose. Dr. Eugene Stock, he mentioned, had specially desired him to convey his greetings to Bishop and Mrs. Mules. He had been pleased also to meet the Rev. J. W. Pratt, a cousin of the Rev J. P. Kempthorne, and like him a descendant of the Rev. Josiah Pratt, one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society. A portrait, of the Rev. Josiah Pratt had been presented to him, and he hoped to place it in the Diocesan rooms. He had not been able to see the Rev. Stanley Kempthorne in London, but he had since- learnt that he ! was at the front of the Gospel war, helping Dr Melville Jones on the Niger. They had with them that night Miss Opie, who intended to go as soon as possible to work in Ceylon, thus adding one more missionary to the workers they had in the. field. Their native churches were developing wonderfully, especially in India, where a native bishop had been appointed. In conclusion, the Bishop touched on the relation of the war to their missionary work. Were they as a nation," he asked, depending upon God? They each had much to thank Him for. Were they doing enough for Him?

Miss G. Opie spoke of the importance of mission schools as a powerful instrument for winning an entrance to the hearts of people at present practically untouched.

The Rev. 0. J. Kimbei-ley, secretary of the association, gave an address, illustrated by means of a large map of the world, in which he urged the necessity for more missionaries and of increased support for these who were already at work. He specially referred to the value of medical missions, and outlined a scheme for helping efforts that were being made in Persia.

Apologies were received for the unavoidable absence of the Yen. Archdeacon Baker and the Rev. W. S. Lucas.

Hymns were sung during the meeting, which closed, with the Benediction.