FOREIGN MISSIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1913, Page 2

FOREIGN MISSIONS

DISCUSSION AT METHODIST CONFERENCE, The work of Foreign Missions during the year was brought before the Methodist Conference to-day by the Rev. J. N. Buttle. Dr. Morley, being invited to speak, discuesed the suggestion that New Zealand should confine its foreign mission work to a certain' area, which it should wholly take over. This appeared to him altogether impracticable. The Fijian Mission was now practically self-support-ing. The cost of the Indian work, some £5000, was. in excess of New Zealand's contribution. In two or three years the number of their agents to the Indians would- have .to be trebled, and the expenditure- would have to be at least doubled within that time. They were faced with the position that if they did not Christianise the Indians, the Indians would paganise the Fijians. The number of Indians -in Fiji'was now very large, and 1 Was increasing every year. Indians earned 9d "and Is a day in Fiji against 3d to 4d in their own country, so that they were not likely to leave the Islands. ' Soon tho number of Indians would exceed the Fijian population. - Speaking of 'Other, missions, Dr. Morley said that Samoa was self-supporting, but Papua was not being dealt with.gs it should be. The opening of the Panama Canal was going to make a very great difference to ,the Islahds, and especially to Fiji. If 'he were not - mistaken, Americans would exploit Fiji as Australians had not done. In conclusion, Dr. Morley spoke pf the value of a laymen's mission movement. B,r. Youngman said that what was needed now, even more than' money, was the service of men and women who would give themselves wholly to mis6ion Work. He agreed with Dr. ,- Morley that ministers devoted to mission work should .be placed under the charge of the New South Wales Conference. The Rev. C. H. Laws Was opposed to the passing of ■ a resolution which would 1 indefinitely postpone New Zealand's tak- ; -ing- upon iteelf a'definite field .for mission work.' If such a resolution were carried, it> would mean that New Zealand .would' have great difficulty in taking independent action at any time. He wished as 1 soon as possible to see New Zealand undertaking mission work in a field of ite' oWn. * - * . The Rev. W. Slade also spoke in fay- 1 our of New Zealand's independence. The Rev. J. W.- Burton, formerly pf the Indian Mission in Fiji, sjpoke in support of the resolution submitted by the conifnittee, ■ urging that a wider idea of missions should be encouraged. The Revl'S. Lawi-y said that, so far as ecclesiastical work was concerned, the dream of Sir George Grey was not yet dead^} they still •possessed the feeling of Polynesian kinship. He did not see that the missionary interest would be awakened if they scattered their representatives. Nor did he think it was necessary that they should, have expensive management because they undertook work on their own account. A smaller church than -their^ own in «New Zealand did far more mission work. They sent out the missionaries and attended themselves to the supply' of funds. The missionaries were left to carry on the work unfettered' by an expensive Mission Board. In the Methodist Church they interfered too much with their mission? aries. The motion submitted by Mr. Buttle, on behalf of the .committee, was to the effect that the time had not yet arrived when the Methodist Church in the' Dominion should assume the responsibility and, management of a , separate mission field, but that conference agreed- to 'support, a number of ministers (or other agents) to be, .agreed upon by the conference and, the Foreign Mission Board, such missionaries, -however, . tp remain attached to the New Zealand Conference. lhe amendment moved by the Rev. O. H. Laws was "That the present arrangements whereby the New Zealand contributions, are paid over to the Mission Board in Sydney be' continued for a period of at least three years, during which time representatives of the New Zealand Conference, appointed according to the provisions of the working scheme of separation from Australia, shall attend such meetings of the Mission Board as the conference may direct, take part in the preparation of the estimates Of, mission income and expenditure, and after consultation with the members of the Board of Missions advise the conference as to the future policy bf our church in missionary matters." « The amendment was carried on the VOIC6B. t . • • . •