PUNJAB MISSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 170572, 3 August 1921, Page 8

PUNJAB MISSION.

-Aj PRESBYTERIAN VENTURE. |

Xu Chalmers Rail afternoon a fair number of ladies, with jome I ministers and elders of the Pres Dy-1 tery attended tfie annual meeting ol' ; the VresOyterial Association of 'Vo-; men’s Missionary Unions. The Rev. Mi Usher, Moderator of | the Presbytery, presided at the ouu- | set and in order that those who had: to leave by trains might hear Miss : Henderson, "a missionary on a visit from the Punjab, he introduced this \ lady to the meeting. ] Miss Henderson,, a Christchurch' jady, spent some years as a missionary in Madras, and then ' revisited New Zealand on furlough, and gave ad- ; dresses throughout South Canterbury, as elsewhere, and on returning to foreign duty was sent to Punjab. Miss Henderson gave a most interesting ac- , count of the district she has been en- : gaged in, an area of 2000 square miles, containing about 2000 villages, at the j foot of the Himalaya. Her description of the mixture of races, religions and callings, was a tabloid ethnology of the district. Most of the people are poor farmers, and the account of their pn- ■ initiivn farming methods, crops, harvesting, threshing and payment of taxes, debts and rents “in kind,” was most interesting. When Miss Henderson came to tell of the mission work, j everyone present must have been struck with the hugeness of the task ■ assigned to a very few white missionaries and a merely less few of not too reliable native preachers. A remarkable statement was that a movement towards Christianity is sweeping over India, with a demand for teachers which it was impossible to satisfy. In the Punjab people come begging time after time for a teacher to be sent to them, and then become enemies, feeling slighted because po one was available. The station where, Miss Henderson is engaged has a hospital with a surgeon and a physician, two of the best men in India; the doctor has to leave, and the surgeon is in danger of >eing worked to death. A graphic picture 0 of the pressure of work on the lospital seemed to justify that fear, md Miss Henderson said slie hoped that whatever else was done another loctor would be sent out as soon as joßsible. There must be young men n New Zealand who would go if they ; elt God’s call to go, and she wished Fiends of the mission to pray that the all would be given. A vote of thanks for her interesting iddress was carried by acclamation.

P.W.M.U. ANNUAL MEETING. Tho business of the annual meeting ,f the P.W.M.TJ. was then proceeded dth. j The secretary, Mrs Steven, read the nnual report, which stated that the «.W. was making steady progress, ’here were twelve branches, all dong good work, and it was hoped that 11 South Canterbury would joing up,

and make the P.W. strong. The branches hail given more to the funds than in any previous year; and the following had been sent out: —Seven boxes valued at £45 2s, to New Hebrides, four parcels (£lO Gs ocl) to India, several parcels value £l6 15s to Maori missionaries, and 37 bags of second hand clothing were sent away, all branches contributing. A garden party for the Children’s Home realised £3OO. A drying room and other necessaries were added to the Home. Goods to the valu.e of £44 16s were sold for oriental work. There are six girls’ auxiliaries, who raise money for the mission fields, and send clothes to the Maori missionaries. There are also six Busy Bees and a Boys’ Missionary League working for mission interests. The value of missionary boxes was £64 13s 3d. The number of members was 504 and of subscribers 310. The following amounts were received for the funds named:—Home Missions £4l Is 6d, Maori Missions £2O ss, M.M.li. League £34 13s, China £225 11s 6d, India £33 11s Od, New Hebrides £2O Is 6d, Training Institute £2O ss, beneficiary fund £63 15s, total £459 4s 6d. Brief reports on the several branches were appended to the general report, which closed with thanks to the country branches for the willing help at all times. Rev. Mr Standage moved the adoption of the report with an expression of appreciation of the work done; the services and the enthusiasm of tins workers were an inspiration to all other members.

Confirmation of the appointment of officers by the executive followed, and this close'll the business. Refreshments were then provided and handed round by the ladies.