WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3286, 25 August 1871, Page 3

WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

A highly interesting meeting was held in the Wesleyan Church, Manners street, on Tuesday evening last, the Hon. GL M. Waterhouse, M.L.A., presiding. The Hevs. James Paterson, James Moir, W. J. Dean, W. 11. Wear., and Q-. S. Harper, with G: E. Eliott, Eeq, addressed the audience, and a. report was raid by the ilev. Thos. Buddie. Tho report was that of the Wesleyan Auxiliary Missionary Society fov the Wellington district, in connection with the Australian Society under tho direction of the Wesleynn Conference. Ib commenced by stating the object of the society — to sustain mission churches and extend the work of evangelisation in these and other islands — and gave an inteiWtine record of the progress of that work from the landing of missionaries in New Zealand more than forty yearn ago, up to the present time. In connection with the results of early missionary labor, reference wns made to Tamati Wuka Nene as having been among the first, with his relative Putuone, to join the mission churches. " From that period to his death," said the report, " W«ka continued his adherence to Christianity, and was the unflinching promoter of peace and unity between the, two races, as well as between conflicting tribes of his own countrymen. His loyalty to the British Crown was unquestionable, and in every time of difficulty ho was ready with counsel and his aid. His name is worthy of being montioned with profound respect." Tho report continued by referring to tho several periods in tho history of missionary effort, and ' in the history of the colony, concluding with references to tho more recent incidents by which missionary work, had been disturbed. It gratefully acknowledged, however, the exceptions to this disturbance — to tho loyalty of the JNgapuhi tribe, and the continued existence of tho mission at Uoltianpn, to the success of tho Kiiipitrn mission, and the influence of tho missionary, and to the indefatigable exertions of the missionary and native teachers at tho Raglan station. As to tho present condition of the mission in Now Zealand, the report concluded by stating: — "Wo havo now employed in the nntivo work m New Zealand throe European mis-t-ionarics and five ordained native missionaries, tho latter at Knipnrn, Wnipti, Canterbury, and tho Chatham Islands. The nulives in Wellington, and at tho Hutt, aro attendod to by the Superintendent of the Wellington Circuit at present, ns far as oilier duties will permit, but tho native ministor at tho Chatham Islands, Hetaruki Warihi, is appointed to the native work in this circuit, and is expected to enter upon his duties shortly. The native work in New Zealand is now depending on local resources. Tho parent society having nursed tbo child for half a century has decided that the time has come when tho child should pvovido for itself ; and honcefortli tho Maori work in Now Zealand will depend on the New Zealand churches. Tho dui.y and obligation resting apon tho churches will not be questioned. To allow it to further decline, and at length die out, would bo gross dereliction of duty, and a direct denial of tho traditional zeal of tho Methodist Church. Such '.in idea is not to be entertained. If the nutivo raco bo fast declining, as we fear it is, then tho necessity for exertion is the more urgent sl.ill, and ' to work while it is yet day' should be the motto of this Society. Tho cost of the Maori work, at present, will amount to about £750 a year ; part of this will bo obtuincd from the natives, pay about £200, and a sum of about £300 from rents of mission property, leaving a bulanco to bo provided of about. £250." The other paragraphs of the report described the progress and position of missionary effort ut Samoa, the Friendly Islands, tho Fijis, and among the Chinese in Victoria ; and as an interesting supplement to tho report tho Rev. Mr Buddie read to tho meeting, from the annual report of tho Australasian Society, a s.at-mcnt of tho results achieved at tboTubou L'ollego, on tho Jiriondly Group.

At the meeting a collection was made, which amounted to £11 11 b Bd, making a total of £44 2s from the Wellington district for tho present year.