MISSIONS TO SEAMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 89, 11 May 1909, Page 4

MISSIONS TO SEAMEN.

(Contributed). The l/mdon Missions to Seamen, which is the largest organisation of its kind in the world, working under the. Flying Angel Flag, has an institute In Swanson-street, Auckland, which is open every evening in the week from 7 to It) o'clock. Seamen of all creeds and nationalities attend the many institutes i throughout the, world, and many a man I blesses these clTorts on his behalf. The missioner in charge ot tho Auckland branch of the Scamcn'ts Mission gives a I summary of the work accomplished :.y | himself during the year 1008 in the port of Auckland. Tf two hundred church-people alone could only give .£l each a year, the work could be carried on successfully, and then one would not so often read of seamen appearing in the Police Court, or of having been found drowned in tho harbor. The London Missions to Seamen have 137 institutes throughout the world, where seamen can attend whilst in port, and where they can play billiards, cards, etc., and have smoke concerts, also where navigation classes and "first aid" lectures are given, also whore they can write letters homo and have a quiet | smoke and a road. During th L > ye:>r 1008 the seamen's missioner. Mr. A. P. Cowie. visited 552 vessels, including 424 steamers nnd 128 s'ailing vessels; 117 men were assisted in various ways; 05 men had employment found for them; seamen were visited eight times in the Auckland Hospital: 22 letters of grati- ! tudo wore received from firemen and others; 10 drunken seamen were escort- | ed safely to their vessels and put to I bed: one cricket match and two football .matches were arranged; 15 temperance pledges were signed against strong drink: 17 services wore conducted m the institute since the opening in August. 1 DOS. to 31 st December. 1008; three funerals; 50!) parcels of magazines and useful literature were distributed: throe seamen wore ( .nrolled as members Of the C.K.M.K.; four visits wore paid to waterside workers' sheds, wh.MO gambling often was' rampant, but which has now boon abolished. During the month of March, 1000. no less than 127 seamen have been assisted in various ways. The work is growing to a great extent, and needs the hearty support of the general public. Tho institute acts as a labor bureau in the morning and a* a post ofiieo and concert-room at bight., where clean and healthy attraction is liehl out to the "toilers of the sea." On Sunday evening the institute is packed with men. Mr. Cowie is giving lectures at T e Menui Parish itlall on Wednesday evening, at 8 o'clock; and at the ftmata Hall on Thursday evening at 7.30 o'clock. A collection in aid of th 0 Auckland branch of the mission will be taken up at each lecture. The subjects discussed will be '"Lite va the Forecastle," "The Ship's Lawyer," "The Escort to the Ship," "A Bright Evening Spent in tho Institute."