A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP BADDELEY.

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 June 1933, Page 4

A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP BADDELEY.

"Joy m the Lord" — that, I am coming to believe, is the keynote of the work of the Church here. You find it everywhere — among the white priests and men and women workers; among the native clergy, teachers and people; m the schools. "Joyful through hope"— you must pray that this grace may continue to be ours, both white and native. We do need your prayers, real prayer, not a prayer for missions just said. For, remember, we are wrestling here with principalities and powers — the forces of evil are all about us, about our young teachers m their villages, about our boys and girls'. And they have the right to expect your help m this way. For they are our brothers and sisters. The boys and girls here are just like those m Leeds, m South Bank — just the same, full of fun and friendship. But the battle for them is a sterner one, and (God forgive us) they have

by no means the same opportunities of Grace. Miss Florence Smith (N.Z.C.M.S.) writes from South India: Miss Sowry and I have just returned from a month of steady teaching m the villages of the Nidarnapuram pastorate. At N — — we met with an agreeable surprise when we were there last year. Though more than 100 had been enrolled as inquirers, they seemed to be utterly careless and indifferent, and we were horriUed a few months' later to hear that a large number had been baptised and fifteen confirmed. This year we found that an almost unbelieveable change had taken place. Every morning I had a class of 30 women, spotlessly neat and clean, with shining hair and radiant faces, and all most responsive and ready for all the teaching I could give them. At night I had the whole congregation, usually about 140, equally encouraging. As the only place large enough to hold such a number was a new cowshed, the children were on "magic lantern" nights packed into the manger, a long earthen trough running the whole length of the building.