MISSION WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 36, 12 February 1940, Page 5

MISSION WORK

MUST STILL GO ON

APPEAL BY BISHOP

The mission work being done by the Anglican Church throughout Melanesia was of such importance that the effort being made could, not. be relaxed because of the war, the Bishop of Melanesia, the Rt. Rev. W. H.Baddeley, stated when speaking in St Peter's Church yesterday, and he appealed for continued support for the work. The Bishop also spoke at the mission ship, the Southern Cross, oil the afternoon, and at St. Jude's, Lyall Bay, in the evening. At the beginning of the war, the Bishop said, he had to think out what might be the course of events. One thing ne recognised was that the great assistance which the mission had been receiving from the people in England could not continue to the same extent, because the burden of the war would fall more heavily on them during the early stages than on the people of New Zealand and Australia. He had to think where he could retrench. The Church was not a house of many rooms, wherei part of it could simply be shut up without, perhaps, very much inconvenience. The mission field was like a tree, and. if one were to economise by cutting off a branch, the branch would die and the rest bf the tree probably suffer. DEMANDS ON MISSION. Whatever retrenchment was made now might not necessarily be felt immediately. At present the persons leaving the mission schools were just sufficient for replacements. In some cases the mission was unable to meet the demands of native chiefs for teachers, and now it was faced witb further cutting down. All that was received from the natives war personal service and gifts in kind. It should be realised that the medical work was not something , additional tb the Bible work The Word of God had not only to be preached, but to be lived. Each year the Melanesian Mission spent £3000 on medical work, and could spend two or three times that amount without any trouble. In the Solomon Islands alone there were 900 lepers HELPING LEPERS. Some years ago the medical officer was alarmed by the increasing number who were suffering from ■ the terrible disease, and asked the Bishop what could be done. The Bishop said nothing could be done, because there Was a big debt. The doctor felt impelled to do something, and, with the assistance of the Bishop and other members of the staff, built dwellings where 90 to 100 lepers were able to receive attention. Eventually the Government felt that it had to do something, and a man was sent to report on the matter. The report was made two years ago, and still nothing had been done. The Government had not spent one penny in any year to relieve the suffering, and the work was thrown back on to the Church of God.

Four out of ten babies born died during the first few years of life, and tlie' mission was trying to get together groups of young women so that they might be taught better ways of living and help the other women by their teaching - and own -example. The mothercraft centres would have to be cut down unless the mission could get some assistance.

If people would only give as readily as they gave ten years, ago, the work Of the mission could be maintained.