A CITY MISSION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 248, 8 July 1918, Page 6

A CITY MISSION

t EXTENSION OF A GREAT WORK ADDRESS BY BISHOP SPROTT On Saturday afternoon another forward step was accomplished in connection witn St. Peter's Mission in Taramiki Street, by flic opening of ii substantial addition to tne brick llissioii .Hull, the tuumiittioi! stone of which was laid by Lord I'liinkcl in Igor. ■Since that time, the work, which the late Kev. G. P. Davys hud su much at heart, has prospered, and the 'latest evidence of it i≤ llie- addition of a , brick building containing eight rooms, in which the two sisters (ihss Dixon and Jlis. Burehall) are to reside 'and otherwise conduct tho day-to-day work of the mission. Tho downstairs rooms, three in number, are to be used as class and work-rooms, tlie rooms above consist oi two bedrooms, a liitting-room, kitchen, scullery, and bath-room, all compactly arranged. The little ceremony on Saturday afternoon concerned the opening of tho new addition, which ceremony was presided over by His Lordship the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. tiprott). Among those present were: Archdeacon Jieeve, of Wnngnnui; the Key. Mr. Walton (who was the firec missioner), and several members of the synod. After a short service, conducted by the Kev. T. M. Kem'pthorne, actiimvicar of St. Peter's, tne screens were drawn across the altar, and the business of the afternoon was taken. The Kev. Hi, Kemptiiorne said, in reference to tho Mission, that it had been initiated by the Kev. Li. P. Davys, some ton years ago, ami was duo to tlin enthusiasm of that gentleman, who luuKso recently been tailed to his rest, that sucli splendid mission work had been done in the district. Last year a splendid effort had been made to clear the debt on tho building, and it had been so successful that they were- uiow clear of debt. . lhnt beinj; the case, the trustees considered thoWion of extending the buildup- tne growth of the work having made it absolutely necessary that ■ 1 1 ""J,, accommodation should be »romade It provided for thico class-rooms and living quarters for t.iu two sister* ■ine acting-vicar also relcrred "to the good work which had bun dor,, by Mr I'hill.ps, ,r returned solder, who had termed a Boy Seoul 1r00,,, ~f which excellent examples were present in the front benches. Ho,had much pleasure in welcoimng His Urdsnip me bishop, and thejmem ben) of the synod who m X 'j' 1 " 1 expressed t,c hope thiu lliey I'oul use their eyw ; not only to see the byiW'iiß, .but to visualise the possibillties 01 mission work iu ,oie distnet. . »u. uios. iJalliiißer, who was closelv assocated with the Kev. Jfr. Davys hi the initiation of the Mission. unci has' >«n one of the trustees all alow extended a welcome to members of the synod _.and mentioned the. names of tho Rev. W. A. Walton and W/Eaine as gendemert who had l)een connected with the Mission, and who, with their wives had helped to make it the undoiibi' nr eS f h fS "\ M ways - il fact that Piovcd that the late Geor?o Paid Daws Had great foresight when he promulgated the work at a meeting of* St Peter's vestry on January 28, 190-1. After recountins the circumstances Jfr.Ballinger said that in 1907 an effort was made, and as the result, the sum of X2CO was raised, and the present site with- the c' rage m front was ieeural for ,£1201) ?hpn th' ,C i 1,l i l i ed T a »;ortga ß e of .£775. Since tnen tho hull had been erected, improvements made and the mortgage gradually paid off. The Mission people had all through worked well in every way, a nl n , ot b , e n cn a burden to St. Peter's Church. The progress of the Mission Sunday School had made it necessary to provide extra class-rooms, and the idea of building these, and also a residence for the two parish visitors, was conceived, and, after discussion, it was decided to proceed ')'! I , votk at the «stiuiated cost of iboO. lhey could to-day see the result, io hnance this projeci it was considered S t 0 a , rr -T n ,S e for a bank overdraft of and although they had spent about aw on alterations to the cottage they would bo able, thanks to some generous 6 c"-M Cn n<;F' to finish under the limit of ■km. lhe work had been carried out on Jhe day-work principle under the Mreful management of Mr. James Wilson. In reference to/the furnishing of tho living rooms for the parish workers, it Jaad been considered, and several ladies had promiseJ and given various articles Airs. Moorhouse had made what he con- ?! i-ii. a g , UO(I -susgestion, which was that the other parwhas in Wellington siiould bo asked to collect and each furnish a room. This lie earnestly commended to all present. Ho was sure Miss Dixon would be pleased to give a list of the articles required. The miestioii of repayment of the overdraft he commended to all present, to give liberally that afternoon, and afterwards to torward their subscriptions to Mr A Uichards, the mission committee's secretary He wae eure that with tbe , sale-of-work and jumble sales, the overdraft would be paid off in two or three gieat help to their finances. Before lie closed he wished to pay a tribute to the late vicar, the Kev. George Pnul Davys fM-JW. tllat missloi i. a n<l also that atMitchelltown and the Kelburn Church ,l,nJrf v OUC - great , work for Wellington tulJh ?/ 5 ' nc » mbenc 3"' an <' he would suggest that a brass tablet be erected in tie r Mission to his memory. (Applause.) Jf it f fr Butt , on exprcsSed t!mnks oi behalf of tho workers connected with the Mission, gave „„ outline of their activim=, and spoke of the district as the test mission field in New Zealand the rW? « P ?"V aid that he "'l' made the visit that afternoon with some trepidation as he was not at all sure of tlie character of the reception he would get ™ ''iTf tu , ke ? their vicar from them W." h ° lild seon two lil,es of eali,e thn, h[ S / lra l? UP at the c,ltra he thought for the moment that they any apology for having taken away their vicar (the Rev H. Watson). He lad found out that he had undertaken a very difficult task in nominating for the Government the chapnms for active service. When the hospital ship Maheno came back from her second trip, someone very maicl, 0 - cenied and whose views had to be co - Biilorwl mentioned that the vicar of S He felt that .he had no alternative but t0 »* the.near, and he roadilv consented. Ho had made it a condition that he should secure help from other, ishes, and they had the Kev. Mr. KelnpThorno, who wlis a host in himself. Ho wished o toll .them that if Mr. Wafeon <ad not gone Mr. Kempthorne woul have gone. Ho could assure them tla the absence of the Rev. Mr. Wa son would not altogether be a loss to St Peters, as it would give him the opi portunity of seeing the head of Ho Church Army, Prokndary Carl.vle, b whom they had written two. venrs Vo asking for the best man ho had for the jmtton, and he had written, but as the former had received a reply and he hn<i not ho assumed tlt.it his letter was foniewhere at the bottom of the sea. The repl.r ivns that it wm iinposaible to spare a Clnn-ch Army man at tho present time, as they were all needed in France, and there would bo no chance of getting oho jinlil after the war. What had happened Jltot yw, however, may have made him \7aLT 1 ' \l lOlp ' fo '' "OffthG militery ChuS, r ,mit h 0f th « Cll,,rch aI1( l the s w'n „ ' y had CO,nD ,n S etl,er ,lfl f«r mnnn H of P T c . ol,ccrnK '' This would nioan that Prebendary Ciwlyle would get 0 know more about New Sfaland, and a the same time Now Zealand would (rot to i™ , more nlont the cLrch Aiiny Ue did not Hihik it was cenoriilly known that when U w senl Home «l b> he Chnrch Arl.iy pound for pound. (Applause.) The Mission might Ut. be always especially associated with St. lyttvs pansli. It was'the hope of Mr }] n rS",?." (I 1,15 lon (aml 'x , W ' lS "in-.. Ihal Mr. 1 Unllingcr hnd I hi? soiup di«.n:M. lint the Mission would cease te bo SI, Peter's 1 he idea was that it should Wong to the' whole of Wellington, and become the centre of mission work in Wellington for nil time. (Applause.) The day would come when every ppvi&h would feel its obligation to help lhe Mission. The forces of evil were bunded .-.ml organised, iinfl the fnrec* uf good must bniui In! gether and organise in order to get the

best and truest ou: of life. There might be, and were mills that could venture alone through life, but the vast major® ?'J»°" lilted social sympathy. S wanted sympathy as also did the Lord Jliniself. lhe Mission was established to tirovido that tellowship and sympathy, to make a highway, dean and pleasant for tlie wayward and the wilful. It was going to grow into a great mission-a great central mission, which would perpetuate for all time the splendid spade work of the Kev. G. P. Davys. He was reminded 01 those lines in the American national song, some of (.he finest lines, in his opinion, which had ever been written— John Brown's body lies a-moulderin" in the grave, lint his eoul goes marching on I All that wiis mortal of the late Mr. Davys lay at rest in a peaceful country chnvo'hyard in England, "but his soul goes marching on!" He had much pleasure in opening the new building, and he Ijopwl that from it would pour streams o'i pur- , ily .mid life and health in the best Christian sense. (Prolonged applause.) Mr. Bailinger (hen put Ins two proposals to the gathering in the form of motions—first, that the parishes, should each furnish one of the now roams, and that a brass tablet should be erected to I the memory of Mr. Davys. Both were carried unanimously. Afternoon tea was served by l.he ladies, under tho direction of the Sisters. The collection realiGed-.,C13 -is. Bd.