THE CHURCH ARMY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 106, 21 May 1937, Page 12

THE CHURCH ARMY

Grawth and Work During ! 60 Years HASTINGS ADDRESS The work of the Ohurch Army in Engjand and New Zealand was interestingly described in an informative address given by Captain David Nee, of the Church Army, in St. Jam:s.i Hall on Wednesday night. His address was illustrated ■ by coloured lantern slides. Formed by Prehendary Wilson Carlile, C.H.D.D., nearly 60 years ago, | the Ghurch Army has grown from very I small beginnings until now there were i branches the whole world over, includ- | ing Britain, Australia, TJnited States j of Ameriea, Oanada, New Zealand, In- i dia, South Africa, Tanganyika, Hono- j lulu, West Indies, Japan and Siberia, j said Captain Kee. Now, in England j there were 1200 trained Church Army j officers, about 50 per cent of whom were women, administering Army departments embracing every phase of social service work. The Church Army, Captain Kee explained, was motivated by Carlile's desire that the Church of England should do more work among the poorer classes. "Let me stress this point," said the captain. "Although we cooperate w© have no connection with any other Christian social army, but are simply one of the organisations of the Church of England. "The Army takes young trainees usually at the age of about 20," said [ the speaker. "They have only two weeks' training in London before being sent out to certain parisbes under an experienced officer where they get practical experience in church work. After about nine months of this they are called back to London, where they [ receive their l^eoretical training.'5 He outlined the training received, and said that services were held* in Hyde Park each night, after which the cadets returned to their chapel, during which certain trainees were instfucted to go into the streets to incite people inside. "I assure you this j is no easy task," he said, "although it J has been the means of bringing back I thousands into the church." The majority of the work was done by those mission vans that travelled over the country, continued Captain Kee. Th© Army now owned sixty of these, which worked all over Great i Britain Work in Slum Areas, Speakjng of the Army's work in the slum areas, he said that Captain H. Sutclift'e, C.A., who had worked for two yearsi in these areas, had detailed some of the strenuous work that oue encountered. The Army's sisters did an amaziug amount of work, and the tasks set before themi were some of the worst one could imagine, he said. Captain Kee described the labour j | homes that were established by the i [ Chui'ch Army. One such home, on the j i Thames Embankment, has helped 1 thousands of mCn every year. "At i this home we provide hed and break- I fast for the down-and-outs. It is es- I pecially the homeless we aie able to I help," he said. "After breakfast tho 1 men are asked to chop wood in return a for the service and comfort alfordetl I them." § Referring to the Army's work in London among, the unemployod boys, he said that they had put thousands of boys on the first rung of the ladder of indptry, as they taught boys who had been in blind-alley occupations. Captain Kee outlmed the Arlny's prison work, which had been started -y a Captain Davey over forty years ago. The encouragement received in their first efforts had resulted in the work spreading all over England. "When a man goes to prison the real suiferer is his wife," added the speaker, "and we are able to help the wives of the prisoners besides the men themselves so that both man and wife cease to worry aobut e(ich other. "The medical mission hranqh of our organisation is doing much good work among the undernourished slum children," he said. "We have a big( sanatorium in Surrey, and since it opened in 1920 some 700 boys suffering from tuherculosis have been treated. Of these all have been cured with the exception of 27." .Work in New Zealand. Referring to the work in New Zealand, the speaker said that it was always the Army's aira to get the natives of the country in which it was established to staff its ranks. There were _ now several New Zealanders working for the Army here — in fact, more New Zealanders than English- I men. I The Army was first established in S New Zealand at the time of the Hawke's Bay earthquake, when a centre was sent up in Napier. After that a column was invited to New Zealand and first started its work as a separate organisation from that in London on November 1, 1935. the first caravan being dedicated in Christchurch j'ust tliree years ago. Captain Kee colicluded by inaking an appeal 1'or funds, saying' that on May 30 a special appcal day would he held in all Angliean churchcs, when money would be 'collected for tlie Church Army funds in New Zealand.