The Missionary Cause.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XII, Issue 2, 1 August 1921, Page 301

The Missionary Cause.

A non-missionary church is a dying church. How many recognise that it is impossible to build up the church at home, unless at the same time the missionary cause is put m the forefront 1 Selfishness must kill all spiritual life, m the parish as m the individual. Missions are the only reason for the Church's existence. Yet hoAv many parishes make missionary work the most important work, ana not treat it just as an extra for those to take up who have a taste m that direction ?

The Bishop of London says: "We are the only Body Christ has on earth; if we do not speak, He cannot speak; if .we do not stretch out our hands, He cannot stretch out His Hand; if we do not go, He cannot go. ' ' How sad our trifling with missionary woyk must, make Him!

Our Cathedral Chapter has recognised this, and has decided to try and see that the Missionary cause is kept m its right place. ' With the Stall of St. Columba (Canon Rice, chairman, Archdeacon Chatterton, Canon Clarke and Mr B. Crompton-Smith) there has been associated a Diocesan Missionary Committee consisting of Mesr dames Sladden (Napier) , Douglas Williams (Havelock North) and Burr (Tomoana), Nurse Sanders (Hastings), and Messrs H. J. Hull and H. J. Savoy (Napier). * This Committee, with v the help of the Rev. W. J. Durrad, is nQW endeavouring to call the Church of the Diocese to realise mere fully its missionary responsibility. It has decided: (1) It is most urgent that some Missionary Association should be formed m each parish, so that the urging of the claims of Missions should not be left to the Vicar alone; that members should meet regularly for prayer, preferably of course,, with the Vicar. • - 1 (2) Education work is urgent. (a) Vicars should press the missionary claims of the Church , by sermons at least once a quarter. (b) Missionary magazines should be circulated more widely, by l obtaining more subscribers; and by handing round magazines, on the system of Magazine Clubs. This would be done by the Parish Missionary Association. « (c) Missionary Missions are urged, by, say, Mr Durrad and a neighboring missionary-hearted Vicar, lasting, say, over Sunday and Monday, with sermons, lectures, and special attention given to' children. (3) Different kinds, of appeals should be made m a parish. (a) Missionary. Boxes. Hastings parish raised over £200 m this way last year. (b) Envelopes sent out halfyearly. Haveloek North raised several hundred pounds last year through them. (c) Boxes at Church door asking people to give a penny a week. St. Augustin'e's, Napier, raised thus £25 a year. (d) Sales of Work. Taradale and Haveloek North raised over £100 m this, way last year. If you want your parish to be a live one, done say, "Oh, when we have got this and that for ourselves, we will see what we can do for Missions. ' ' Your own needs won *t suffer if you put Missions first. ' ' Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over."— E.D.R.