MISSIONARY RALLY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 13

MISSIONARY RALLY

PRESBYTERIAN ASSOCIATION. A grand missionary rally of all the branches of the Wellington Presbyterian Association was held in tho Kent terrace Presbyterian' Church yesterdaj’. The Moderator (Rev. A. C. W. Standage, M.A.) presided over a good attendance. In introducing the speakers of tho afternoon* th© Moderator paid a tribute to the work done by the ladies for the church. In their missions, ho said, they would find it hard to do tho work they wore doing if it were not for the work done by the women. The object of the present rally was to stimulate an enthusiasm in the work of tho missions. They could not stand still—they must do more in the future than they had done in the past. , , . , , L . The Rev. J. Egerton Ward (of Tanmarnmii), in tho course of an address on “Work Among tho Maoris,” related the difficulties under which the back blocks missionary works. Unless a man could speak the Maori language, he said, and adapt himself to the peculiarities of the people, he was wasting his time. He dealt at some length with the character of the Maoris and tho difficulties of dealing with them. The trouble was that their susceptibilities were too keen, and they were easily offended. Their will power was remarkably strong, and the only cure that could he provided for tho evils arising from this was to convert them. The methods of dealing with sickness were crude and highly detrimental to the patient, and the Maoris were loth to permit them to ho taken to" the hospitals. The Rev. J. K. Elliott delivered an interesting address on ‘‘The Livingstone Centenary." Tea was afterwards served in the schoolroom. In the evening addresses were delivered by the Rev. J. Egerton Ward (“Our Maori Missions”), Rov. Dr Gibb ("Home Missions"), and Mr J. G. W. Aitken ("Xdvingstono, His Life and Work"),