MISSION WORK IN PAPUA

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11338, 30 April 1912, Page 6

MISSION WORK IN PAPUA

AN INTERESTING ADDRESS

The Methodist Church was well lilied lust, night, when the Rev. J. T. Field gave an address on -'Personal Experiences among tho People of Papua." Mr O. K. U. Praguell occupied the chair, and briefly introduced the speaker. Mr Field, who was very cordially received, had much that was interesting to say concerning mission work in the South. Sea Islands. Twenty 3'oars ago Papua was peopled by a race of fighting cannibals, who were living in the darkness of heathenism, and whose practices were unutterably cruel. Tne intrusion of the missionaries was looked upon with suspicion, for in those early days every stranger was a enemy. But gradually this suspicion hud been removed: tho people had been Christianised, and to-day there are -274 churches, with 24,000 worshippers, in this al'oretimo cannibal stronghold. The lecturer's address was lightened by many am using anecdotes, and proved to be exceedingly interesting. In closing. Mr Field made an earnest appeal for assistance in extending missi n enterprise, stating that there are still --272,000 natives in Papua who have, never heard the Gospel. The call is an urgent one; much has been done, but very much more, remains to be done, as so far only the fringe of the work has been touched. During the evening the Rev. S. .J. Serpell read tlio annual mission report, which showed that during the past year tho Masterton Methodist Church had sent away tho sum of £42 2s (id on behalf of foreign missions. It is iioped to considerably augment this sum this year.