BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22, 1950 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 1, 22 February 1950, Page 4

BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22, 1950 WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Friday of this week is women’s world day of prayer. La'st century the continent of America was being opened up by pioneers. They travelled in covered wagons and on horseback, seeking a home, freedom, gold, lands, a new chance. To serve these newcomers, in 1887, one woman called all Presbyterian women in the U.S.A. to a “Day of Prayer.” This was the call of God and it prospered. By the early nineties, the idea had crystallised into an annual day of prayer for “Home and Foreign Missions,” held on the first Sunday in Lent. Sixty odd years have seen the rise and growth of this world fellowship. Today observances are kept in approximately 81 different countries embracing scores of thousands of supporters. The idea was adopted in New Zealand about 1927. A programme is compiled each year by one person or a group of persons, sometimes Eastern, sometimes Western, chosen for this task by the Board of Foreign Missions Conference of North America in New York in the United States of America. Women’s World Day of Prayer contributes large sums of money to the spread of the Scriptures and other Christian literature in the world, and supports kindred causes. On Friday, 81 countries will listen for the annual ' call to world prayer. No single flag can represent them. At prayer the world Christian community is one.

Some will pray who cannot read, some who are not fed. All will pray for health; for a better life for their children; for relief from soul destroying wars; and for inner faith that not shrink.

The chain of prayer that starts anew for another year begins as the sun rises in Fiji, then from island to island from continent to continent, until the united voices of His human children are wafted to the everopen ears of the Eternal Father.

RED CROSS APPEAL On Friday the Eastern Bay of Plenty Centre of the N.Z. Red Cross Society is holding a stall and street appeal for funds at Whakatane. Rural delivery drivers have agreed to co-operate and will bring into town country gifts of home-made cakes, produce or anything else for the stall packed and addressed “Red Cross” tomorrow. Cash donations may be sent to the centre secretary at Whakatane or to the branches at Awakeri, Edgecumbe, Te Teko or Thornton.

There must be few organisations in this district, and indeed, in the world, that do more real good than Red Cross. It is an international organisation working for the improvement of health, the relief of distress, and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world. It takes no cognisance of colour, race or creed, it’s sole criterion being the need for help. . -

The New Zealand Red Cross Society has the formal recognition of the Government —a signatory to the Geneva Convention.

Red Cross is represented on the United Nations Organisation.

The Joint Council of the Order of St John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society is the sole expending agent for the National Patriotic Fund Board on the care of disabled ex-ser-vicemen in the Red Cross Homes of “Evelyn Firth,” Auckland, “Mowai,” Wellington, “Rannerdale,” Christchurch, and “Monticello,” Dunedin. The Red Cross Society appeals for funds to maintain its organisation in New Zealand. To relieve distress within the Dominion and overseas, to fulfil its obligations to the International Red Cross and the League of Red Cross Societies to whom the New Zealand Red Cross Society remits £ISOO each year.