ST. PETER’S MISSION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 219, 10 June 1921, Page 7

ST. PETER’S MISSION

CANON TAYLOR’S ANNUAL REPORT.

The following are extracts from Canon F. Taylotr's <report on th© work of St. Peter's Mission in tho To Aro district. of tho city:—

"A great stride has been made in the acquisition of property. I now sit in a residence purchased so that tho mission should own a niissioner’e residence; next door is an eight-roomed house, destined to bo a boys’ hostel, next door but two is the boys’ club, to which on officers’ hut from Featherston Camp has just been added, next door again is the section on which tho Mission Hall stands, and also a cottage destined for the girls’ club. We havo now all the land we need for future development and work. At the Mission Hall every Sunday wo havo two celebrations of tho Holy ComI munion, the attendance at which reI mains very steady, but it is evident that modern church life is non-communi-cant. A boys’ Bible class meets every Sunday at 10 a.m., tho average attendance is 20, but wo have 50 on the roll. This class is really the backbone of the boys’ club. At 2.30 p.m. every Sunday wo havo Sunday School. At 7 p.m. every Sunday we have our mission service at tho King’s Theatre. The attendance is as great as ever, sometimes taxing tho accommodation. This service supplies the sinews of War, a platform from which to propagate our needs, and an opportunity to express in simple language what true religion is as it affects modern life. Tho great feature of this weekly meeting of 1000 people is their opontarieous response to all appeals. Wo believe firmly in self-help. There are boys and girls who allow opportunities to slip, or who, through sickness, have failed to advance us otherwise' they would have done. To these we offer free tuition, and have now 110 regularly attending. The night school meets once a week, and is staffed by volunteer teachers, nine in number. The pupils do most of their work at home, and so we obviate interfering with their home life. Tho Junior Boys’ Club meets every Tuesday, at 7 p.m., in tho Mission Hall. Its members are boys of 12 to 16 years of age. Last year the club had an excellent football and cricket team. There oro about 50 members on tho roll, but tho club is hindex-ed by lack of accommodation and appliances, and of course money. The ladies’ Sowing Guild numbers about'4o women, who meet every Thursday all the year round to make now articles and repair old ones for iho fortnightly jumble sales. Besides tho two salaried visitors attached to tho parish of St. Peter’s, who do invaluable work in tho mission district, wo have eight ladies who voluntarily visit a street each to seek out the sick and the needy. This is the work for which we find it most difficult to obtain workers. We | need 24, and we cannot adequately work I our dense jtopulntion without visitors. I The Girls’ Club is a growth of the past I year, and has justified its formation, ! but it will not bo able Io really f-v ; pand until it can secure a club-llduse?’