MISSIONS TO SEAMEN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 565, 21 July 1909, Page 4

MISSIONS TO SEAMEN.

f ANNUAL REPORT. "Most satisfactory," is tho roport of the ;Wclhngton Committee of the Missions-to Seamen on-the work of the'year ended March 31, 1009.' V:-

''•'The 1 ' serrices ■ on Sunday -and !on Tuesday evenings, with a monthly celebration of the Holy Communion, the concerts and ambulance meetings on Wednesday and Friday.: evenings, •and the opening of the institute 1 as a 'sailors' parlour-on Sunday afternoons and on other week evenings, have been well maintained during thq, year, ,Tho\attendances. of seamen at the church services have- reached the unpre-, : cedented. number, of 27,991, while the fact that 37,773 have attended the concerts and"ambulance meetings constitutes a record for Wellington, in addition to the-thousands who have frequented the institute on other occasions. The boys on the training ship, Amokura at- v tend the'.Sunday morning" service whenever thoy are in Wellington. . The work done by the missioner year by year necessarily increases in this ■ growing: port:- ■ sHo has this year hold 75 services and Bible readings afloat, and paid no fewer than 1663 visits to ships in the harbour, ■ while the enrolment of 503 seamen under the banner of total abstinence by his exertions speaks for itself., , /-The number of letters (9134) received at the institute for seamen greatly exceeds all previous records, while 119 fewer , than -9819 vero written and posted by them in the institute.' As many as 211 copies /of tha Holy Scriptures have been sold to seamen during the year. The seamen's welfare has been cared ; for on CTery public holiday, when excursions:' have 'often ■ been arranged during tho 'day, and tho men always entertained until, after the hotels have been closed' for the' night. Also, on most Saturday afternoons cricket or football games have been: arranged irnd heartily appreciated. The balance-sheet shows that the mission are in ;a -healthy, condition. Tho chief feature is the purchase of a pipel organ, for ,£2lO, which was paid for by special donations for the purpose andrby. legacies, from the late Miss Spinks.'and Mr. W. ,R. B. Browne, acknowledged in last year s. report. The committeo gratefully acknowledges; further legacy of £15 from; the late WilliamWhite, as well' as the continued contribution of JB7O per nrihnm: towards the missioner s salary by- tho parent; society, in , England. ■Gifts in'kind have been given with extreme liberality by all classes-of the community, the supply of no feweHhan 7028 bnttonholes for seamen by the Misses Kreeft and Morrah, and the provision of flowers' each _ week for the tables in the institute by Miss L. Powles, calling for special appreciation.' The. committee also highly appreciate the provision of concert programmes and refreshments for the seamen's entertainment by a- large number of friends. . — -