Te Puke.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume III, Issue 10, 1 April 1913, Page 146

Te Puke.

Vicar: lieio. J. Hobbs. To the Parishioners, — My Dear Friends,— Lately a letter arrived from Mrs. jLangley, mother of our friend who died, here last August. She says, "Could you return thauiis m the Magazine for myself and my iamily. it is a great com Il'ort to know he was amongst such good .Kind friends, and we are quite convinced that if dear Albert had been at Home more could not have been done for him." It will be a reward to his friends to feel that their Kindness was such a comiort to his distant relations. jOut Lenten Wednesday evening sermons on the subject of "Sunday" have been fairly attended, considering especially the number of unavoida&fe competitions against them, and personally I have reason to be gratified at the expressions of kind appreciation by those who have encouraged me by regular attendance. I have to record my gratitude to the members of ail the choirs, and to feel thankful that, if nothing else had been accomplished, we have taken a real step towards the reunion of Christendom m this little sphere. We have aiso had a real Missionary meeting. Unfortunately, other fixtures prevented the exact date bejig decided m time for advertisement m the local paper, but we did our best to make it known. But then the rain arrived, and against rain no one can compete. .However, brave souls did come out, and were rewarded by the "plain unvarnished tale" of "Heroism m the Isles." I do hope that another Missionary will soon follow Archdeacon TJthwatt to Te Puke, under more favourable weather conditions. However, we will do our best to help the Mission, and contribute special offerings on Good Friday towards the purchase of the Waiapu motor boat. In this we hope to, have the \jaluable help of our Bishop, who is consecrating the sacred hours of that Holy Day to our benefit. In deference to Melanesia, we were reluctantly obliged to put off a visit from the Key, Fred.

Spencer, who so energetically travels round. Mr. Percy Steed has written to me from S. Augustine's College. He is m every respect delighted with his first experiences there, and more than ever earnest m his desire for the Ministry. Yours sincerely, J. HOBBS. N.Bi— So thankfully did I notice that the money is running freely towards the direction of the new S. Matthew's at Hastings.