WHERE DO MISSION COLLECTIONS GO?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18015, 27 November 1926, Page 2

WHERE DO MISSION COLLECTIONS GO?

To the Editor. Sir, —Whilst not wishing to enter into correspondence, we feel very keenly the fact that your correspondent “ Free Faith” should write publicly and practically challenge the honesty* of several of our leading citizens in their statements that have been made at the mission meetings, that not a penny of the collections go to Gipsy Smith. We, as treasurers, give your correspondent’s statement an absolute and unqualified denial, and accept his-challenge to disprove his statement if he will only make himself known. Gipsy Smith does not receive one penny in return for his services other than the free-will offerings of the congregation on Sunday', December 5, and from his own lecture on Monday, December 6. This free-will offering on December 5 and the proceeds from his lecture on Monday, December 6, will be handed to Gipsy Smith just in the same way as the retiring collection for the unemployed funds taken, last night was handed to the Unemployment Committee. Every other collection is taken charge of by us as joint treasurers immediately* after it has been taken up, and if your correspondent wishes further information he can communicate with us and personally inspect the details of every payment we shall make, also the balance-sheet that will be submitted to the general executive after the mission is closed. Further, no ehjirches have been asked to guarantee any' money excepting for hire of building and general expenses in the way of seating, advertising, printing, etc., and certainly not for the salary of the missioner.—We are, etc., F. H. CHRISTIAN, O. M. JONES, Joint Treasurers.