LECTURE BY REV. W. J. DURRAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2473, 29 August 1922, Page 2

LECTURE BY REV. W. J. DURRAD.

Last night in All Saints’ Schoolroom, the Rev. W. ’J. Durrad, of Melanesia, delivered a short lecture on the work of the X.Z. Board of Mission in Melanesia, that group of islands lying about 1,400 miles to the north and west of this Dominion. He referred briefly to the life and work of Bishop Patterson among the people of these islands and his ultimate death at their hands. Bishop Patterson, lie said, was a highly educated man who had devoted his life to this work and had. by arduous study and perservoranee, translated the New Testament into one of the native dialects, thus making it possible for the inhabitants to hear the Gospel in their "Wn language. The lecturer showed lantern views of the Bishop’s house and it- surroundings and memorial erected to his memory. Views were also shown of the mission steamer, the “Southern Cross," showing the saloon arranged as a place of worship with its Chancel and Communion Table. The lecturer’s own house was also shown and scenes amongst the different islands, native villages with their heathen shrines, the landing of missionary parties and their means of intercommunication with the islands of the group. The customs and characteristics of the natives were briefly outlined and illustrated by slides. Reference was made to the terrible hurricanes which so frequently devastated the islands and views of luxuriant bush were shown which tic lecturer said were convened by these tremendous visitations into scenes resembling our own native bush after a lire had swept through it. He aroused the sympathy of his hearers by his description of the hardships and sacrifice the missionaries are • ailed upon to face and concluded with a stirring appeal for assistance to enable the work to be carried on. He suggested that his bearers and all interested should keep a box in their homes into which small sums could be placed from time to time which in due course would undoubtedly amount to a very acceptable gift. Mrs Trueman volunteered P> act as secretary to this scheme.

The Rev. W. H. Walton thanked the lecturer for his interesting discourse and expressed the belief that his parishioners would rise to the occasion. He hoped the Rev. W. .T. Dumul would visit Foxton again and deliver an address on China as he had promised to do at some future date.

A collection was taken up as the audience retired.