CHRISTMAS CHEER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1476, 23 November 1915, Page 4

CHRISTMAS CHEER.

(To the Editor.) Dear Sir.—East year meals were given on Christmas Day to 6000 of the London poor and Belgian refugees, the money for which had been sent to Eondon to arrive during the Christmas week from funds generously given for the purpose to the New Zealand secretary of the Church Army, residing at Weber. After 12 mouths of war, the need is greater than at first, for the Poles and Servians are in as great distress now as the Belgians were then. New Zealanders have helped in so many ways that it is with very great diffidence that I make this appeal. Yet I am sure the patriotism ol each is stirred when the heroic deeds ot our boys are read out, and we feel we would like to do as much as possible for them, and for those of our Allies, who are losing their homes and all that makes home dear. Christmas Day —that day of good fellowship—is near. Shall we show such goodwill as last year, and provide meals on that day for say, 10,000? By sending 160 postal notes of 5s or 80 for 10s or 40 for £i, representing the self-denial of families willing to give up something of their usual Christmas cheer for charily and for the sake of Jesus Christ, an amount could be raised, which, in the skiltul hands of the Church Army would multiply to the feeding of 10,000 people and bring a ray of sunshine into 10,000 hearts made dark and sad by the awfulness of war. Good, thick soup and bread twice a day will be given in exchange of a id bread ticket which has itself been given to those needing help, by the police or from the Church Army rescue homes. In this and other like ways the Church Army spends ,£250,000 a year on its various philanthropic works, nearly all from voluntary subscriptions, to which New Zealand has added its mite each year since 1910 from the Weber district. The kindly people of New Zealand will, I am sure, again help to give brightness to the oppressed on the great day of brotherhood, the memory of which, as It will be prompted by the Divine Eaw of love, will help to enable all to spend a “Merry Christmas.”—l am, etc., F. W. Whibusv, Hon. Sec. Church Army in N. Z, The Vicarage, Weber. P.S.—Amounts received up to December 19th will be cabled Home on that date by me.