HOME MISSION FESTIVAL.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13795, 16 June 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOME MISSION FESTIVAL.

SUCCESSFUL ANGLICAN

GATHERING

.LARGE DONATION FROM MISS MARSDKN.

(From ' "Tho Colonist," June .3.)

The Drill Hall was the rallying point of Anglican Church people, clergy.and lay folk, in Nelson and neighbouring districts yesterday evening, when the Home Mission Festival was kept in a most successful manner. First came tiigji tea, and then a public meeting. For the tea there were tables, their names clearly placarded, set on the floor and platform." They were decorated by the ladies in charge of them according o their individual tastes, and the general result was extremely attractive. Overhead and on the walls, nags, arranged by members of the Church of England Men's Society, gave additional brightness to the scene. Before the appointed hour of 6 o'clock every seat at the tables was occupied j and it was necessary to have a second relay: Quite a thousand persons must have partaken of the tea. There was an abundance of suitable provisions — sandwiches, cakes, pastry, scones, fruit salad, and so forth—and the arrangements for attendance were excellent. The following i.s a list of.the tables and the ladies who presided oyer them:—Bishopdale, Miss Marsden, Miss York and Miss Max; Brightwater, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Rutherford and Miss Ford; Wakapuaka parochial district, Mrs. G. Wastney and Miss Barnettj Collingwdcd, Mesdames L. Kerr and A. E. Hedges; Church of England Men's Society, Mrs. Coote and Miss Richmond; Wakefield, Mris. Dint and Mrs. Wood; Tahunanui, Mesdames Wells and Thomas; Christ Church Ladies' Guild,"Mrs. W. Thompson and Miss A. Cooke; Riwaka, Misses E. Poole and Davidsen;~ Richmond and Appleby, Mesdames Carr, Cooke and Boyce; Stoke, Mrs. 3. Marsden, Miss It. Saxton, Miss Langbein and Miss E. Langley Adams; Christ Church, Mesdames Kempthorne and Mag'ihnity; All Saints', Mesdames Lucas and G.'flark-nes-s; The Port, Mesdames Hudson and Smallbbne,- Motupiko parochial district, Mesdames Green and E. B. Moore; The Wood, Mesdames C. J. Harley and Hair- Foxhill, Mesdames Palmer and Burge; Girls' Friendly Society, Misses Buchanan and E. ■ Stewart; Pelorus Sound, Mesdames A; E. Tasker and Crawford; Cable Bay, 'the Misseß Hair ; Taknka, JVlrs. C. Page and Miss Walker ; Motueka, Mesdames Sharpe and Thorpe ; the children's table, Mesdames Nancarrow and Redgrave, and Misses F. Cooke and Kitching. Assistance was given by the Girls' Friendly Society and friends from the country. The secretarial duties were carried out by Mrs. Melhuish, and the army of workers combined their efforts with capital results.

After the tea tables had been removed, the festival was continued in the form of a public meeting, when the opportunity was taken to vvelcome Bishop and Mrsj, Sadlier on their return from the Old Country. The seating roonj.,of the hall was taxed .to its utmost capacity. For the first part of the proceedings the Hon. A. T. Maginnity, M.L.C, Chancellor of the Diocese, presided, and explained the object cf the meeting. The Rev. J. P. Kempthorne, Bishop's Commissary, on behalf of the clergy and people of tho diocese, extended to Bishop and Mrs. Sadlier heartiest congratulations on their safe arrival in Nelson. Nine months ago, he said, when the Bishop was called Home to assist the Colonial and Continental Church Society, there was a great risk on account of the war. It was a very great trial to the Bishop and Mrs. Sadiier to undertake the trip, but they felt that it was the call of God, a-nd started on what was a perilous and dangerous journey. When he got Homo the Bishop found that the Society was in great straits owing to the war. The support of tho Continental churches rested upon the Society. During the time the Bishop was in England he travelled ceaselessly all over the country, and succeeded so wellj with others, that the society was able to meet all its obligations. Mr. Kempthorne said they were all pleased to see the Bishop and Mrs. Sadher looking so well. (Ap-_ plause.) .

The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Harley) said it was indeed a pleasant function thay were performing. Last year the Bishop and Mrs. Sadlier left for England. In jordinary times such a jourrifey was not j thought anything of, but at that tune, owing to the terrible war, the voyage was a perilous one, and there tvas great danger. The danger on their return was even greater than on the homeward voyage, owing to the presence of tho enemy's submarines, two of which were sighted from the ship in which they travelled, but he was glad to say they ha-d returned safely. On behalf of the citizens he expressed gratification at Bishop and Mrs Sadlier' return. (Applause.) Mr. T. A. H. Field, M.P., on behalf of the people of the district, expended, a cordial welcome to the Bishop and Mrs. Sadlier on their return to Nelson after a voyage attended with perils and dangeuSj and lie congratulated them upon their safe and happy return.

The -chairman, on behalf of the audience, .then tendered to the Bishop and Mrs. .Sadlier congratulations on their return, and at his call they were accorded three hearty cheers.

Bishop Sadlier, who was received with applause, thanked the speakers for their kind remarks. He could not tell the debt of gratitude he owed to Rev. J. P. Kempthorne, who, as Bishop's Commissary, had been true and faithful during his absence. He expressed gratification at the presence of the Mayor and Messrs. Field and Hudson, M.P.'s., who by their attendance showed that they were in sympathy ; with the object for which they had gathered together. He noticed when in England that the leading public men showed by their presence at meetings, that _ they, were not ashamed of being associated with religious efforts. As for. their expressions of good-will, he could only say that if God supported him he hoped he would give his life work amongst the people cf this diocese. (Applause.) He valued the expressions that had fallen from the Mayor as the representative of the citizens, and to Mr Field1 as representative of the-district'he also tendered his thanks. He (the speaker) was not a politician, and .moreover he did riot intend; to be one. He was set apart for one special, work, and lie trusted with all humility that he would be able.to carry out the Apostolic example. Bishop Sadlier -tlv?:i thanked those who had worked in connection with the Home Mission Festival, and in conclusion, "on behalf of Mrs. Sadlier and himself, again expressed gratification for the kind remarks that had been made.

Mr. Maginnity then vacated the chair and the Yen... Archdeacon Baker took charge of the gathering.

The liymn "The Church's One Foundation" having been sung, and prayer offered, the chairman addressed the meeting. He said hhat the safe return of the Bishop and Mrs. Sadlier might be attributed" to the leng arm of the British Navy, but they looked beyond that —they looked to the outstretched arm of God —He was the protecting Power. The speaker then made a powerful appeal for support for the Hcme Mission Fund, and said that, although at the present time there were many calb on the people, they might compete but they did not conflict with the Home Mission Fund.

The Hon. Mr. Maginnity was the next speaker, die said that in spite of tho troubles they, had . goae. through since the' last festival, they were still able to support the Church. He had not heard a single complaint that anyone had suffered financial loss through the war that was now raging. To those who had .suffered loss in the deaths of their immediate relations their hearts went out to the fullest extent. Regarding the Home Mission Fund, its object was to enable the Bishop to send preachers to distant parts of the diocese. That was not an unreasonable thing to ask them to support. In the cities tliey had every convenience, but many who' were now fighting our battles, came from the back-blocks and had never had an opportunity of hearing any clergyman. Was that state of affairs going to continue? He thought net. He was satisfied that the gradual increase in the Home Mission Fund had come to_ stay, and that year by year i was going to Jbe built up without encroaching on other funds, and without distressing the supporters of the Church. He. was satisfied that they were going to see the same religious benefits for their brethren in the backblocks as were enjoyed in the centres, and he asked them to support the fund to the fullest extent.

Mr. R. P. Hudson, M.P. for Motueka, prefaced his remarks by extending on "be-half of the pai-b of the diocese he represented, a cordial welcome to the Bishop and Mrs. Sadlier on their safe return. When the Bishop first came to Nelson those on the other side of the Bay recognised in him an energetic man and hoped that his visits to Motueka would be frequent, but they had not seelv sc much of him as they desired, because he "was attending to his duties in the back-blocks. He had always felt that they could don, little more for the missions at home without slackening on their support of- foreign missions, and when, the Bishop started the Home Mission scheme, it had his fullest sympathy. He felt they had a mission to support ;where they would see the result. The Bishop had started it for the-■benefit, of the district arid the backblocks, and if they only realised how smuch their help was needed he felt sure they would support the mission more than they had done. He concluded by extending a cordial welcome to the Bishop and Mrs. Sadlier. The hymn, "Thy Hand, 0 God, has guided" was then sung, and the Bishop, who was received with prolonged applause, rose to reply. He explained the obiects of the Colonial and Continental Church Society in connection with which his .visit to England was made, and said that during the time he was in the Old Country, five months and one day to be exact, he preached and lectured one hundred and twenty times, an average of six times ,a week including holidays, which were at Christmas. During this oeriod he visited Ireland, and went to Tipperary winch was full, of gallant soldiers, who were ready to go to ""'the front. (Applause.) He travelled all over England and was in Dover, which was a hive of soldiers—they were in every house, and every street was guarded. When lecturing, the Bishop said he always tried to represent New Zealand in the best possible light. In England the one thing that was hard to understand was the appalling ignorance with regard "to the oyerse-as Dominions, and as an instance, he said that Mrs. Sadlier was ! asked how they had got to England— had they come by train? The Bishop said he told the story of New Zealand from the political, social and public point of view, and pointed out to the people that there were no suffragettes in this country, as the women had been, punished long since by granting them the franchise. (Laughter.) H© explained to them the military system of the Dominion, in which they were much interested, as they did not understand the difference between our military training and the conscription system of the Continent. He also explained the immigration system, and the class of ; immigrant that was required, and bei lieved he had done some' good as an immigration agent.- (Laughter.) He paid a tribute to the splendid work that was being done by the High Commissioners of New Zealand and Australia in bringing the Dominions before the minds of the public. The Bishop said he also described to the people the city of N.elson,..its streets with their historic namesj the Cathedral, the educational institutions, and matters of social and religious life, and at the conclusion of one meeting a gentleman called upon him and as the living representative of Captain Hardy, expressed gratification that his name had been perpetuated. Referring to the Government as it was constituted when he left England, "the Bishop said that there were four men Who stood above all men and who were trusted from end to end of Great Britain. They were Jung George, Sir Edward Grey, Lord Kitchener, and Sir John Jellicoe. When he left England there were 200 vacant seats in the House of ...Com. lions, and 186 members of the House of Lords were at the front, co English legislators were doing \ their duty. Speaking of the Navy, Le ■ said that it was because of the Navy that we were at peace in New Zealand, and it was because of God and the I Navy that he and Mrs. Sadiier had been able to go to-and from England. Referring to the Home Mission Fund, Bishop Sadlier said that he had brought] out a number of .slides collected while; in England with the intention of givingj lectures in aid of the fund, but owing to the splendid loyalty of the people this would not be necessary. He hoped i instead to give one or two lectures in aid of the patriotic funds, and thus in | some measure express his gratitude for what had been done by the people. (Applause.) As to the result of his visit, in connection with the supply of clergymen for the diocese, he expected within the next two months, four men from England, before the end of the year two more, and by next year three more, making nine altogether. Many men from the back-blocks had gone to the war, tthich would mean a decline in income, but he looked forward to the future with hope. The Bishop then announced, amidst loud applause, that Miss Marsden had made a gift of £5000 to the fund. He said they did not know how thankful to God he was for tsuch a sift, and how grateful and thankful they were to Miss Marsden tor her kindness in helping the fund. At the call of the Bishop tln^e hearty cheers were given for Miss Marsden.

Aiv.anthem was then sniig by ;fche choir, and the gathering concluded with the Benediction, and the singing of "God Save the King."