INDIA, AFRICA AND HOME.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 26, Issue 8, 1 August 1936, Page 4

INDIA, AFRICA AND HOME.

From Bishop Norman Tu'bbs. — From the Church Overseas, fronr Africa, India and the Far East, comes inspiring news of Christ changing men's lives. What a story the Bishop of Dornakal has to tell! Last year half the communicants of his diocese gave up a whole week to a special Evangelistic Campaign, and it cost them a week's pay! The Bishops m Africa have much the same story to tell. So, too, m the Home Church, we see a new spirit of Evangelism, and, whether we are "Groupers" or not, it is only fair to say that the movement has opened our eyes to the needs and possibilities of evangelism. In almost every diocese news-teams are springing up. They are not galvanised into life by headquarters, but are springing up as naturally as water bubles from a spring. The Parochial Church Councils are breaking away from the old idea that their only concern is business or finance. In missionary week-end campaigns, and m evangelistic crusades, they devote hours to house-to-house visitation, and m many cases are prepared to give personal witness. Now that laymen are realising that to give witness does not mean giving a sermon or an address there is a release of power and persuasion.

Situation m Palestine. — The Right Rev. Bishop Norman Tubbs, who was leader of the Society's Commission of Inquiry to Palestine, reviewed the situation and put before the meeting some of the recommendations of the

Commission. The Bishop complimented the. Society on its missionaries, men and women who were utterly devoted to their work of reaching the Jews with the Gospel. They were all face to face to-day with the astounding progress of the Jews m Palestine. And m God's inscrutable providence the British had a peculiar responsibility m regard to the Holy Land and to the Jewish people. There was freedom there for the proclamation of the Gospel, and what an amazing opportunity that was. "Speaking quite frankly," the Bishop said, "you are not doing your job m Palestine. We are doing less m Palestine to-day for the 375,000 Jews there today than we did for the 55,000 Jews who were there at the end of -the war." Jerusalem was the heart of Jewry. The Bishop knew that they had a deficit; but could they not venture forth and trust Christ to meet the need? They must strengthen their staff m Palestine. It was also most important that the missionaries should learn the Hebrew language.

Not Crisis, but Opportunity. — The Rev. C. H. Gill (secretary), who is also a member of the Commission, spoke of the Jews who were now going into Palestine, many of them not the old orthodox type, but a keen, enthusiastic, nationalistic, non-reli-gious type of young Jew. Were they at home going to take up the challenge that was presented to them?