THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 170, 27 October 1910, Page 5

THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT.

DISCUSSED AT THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST SYNOD. There was a good attendance at the Fitzroy Primitive Methodist Church last evening when a missionary meeting in connection with the District Synod was held. Mr. G. Collingwood, vicechairman of the Synod, presided. The chairman referred to the early days of the Church, and the missionary spirit characterising the founders one hundred years ago. He urged the cultivation of the old missionary fervor, arid wave several illustrations of the methods of early days. The Rev. T. R. B. WooljjOxall, a former minister at Fitzroy, spoke on Hojne Mission work in the backblocks, relating a number of typical incidents illustrating the difficulties met with in the sphere of Christian service. He urged a deeper spirit of consecration and sacrifice in the interest of mission work. The Rev. John Nixon gave a telling address on the necessity of goodness. The purpose of the Gospel was to make men good. Anvthing short of goodness of neart and life must bring disappointment and regrets. Tlie Rev. W. Cat man made reference to the spirit of indifference so widely prevalent, and urged the need of continued self-sacriiieing efforts in the cause of missions, making reference to the heroic work of Paton in the New Hebrides, and Chalmers in New Guinea. ' Rev. LSasil Metson took as his theme "Qualification for Missionary Service." The- seriousness of the work demanded men fully qualified. In every walk of life men were required to qualify themselves for positions of trust and power, and the field of missionary effort must lie supplied by men who had qualification of heart as well as of brain. Our greatest ambition in church life should be to cultivate the heart and not to extol the brain at the cost of the soul. During the evening muiseal items were given as follows:—Song, "Nearer, mv God, to Thee," Miss Foote; quartette, Misses Foote and Charteris, Rev. H. Sharp and Mr. E. Foster; anthem, "I am Tie that liveth," the choir. The missionary tea meeting was held in the Fitzroy Hall- The tables were presided over by the ladies of the church.