METHODIST MISSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 24, 22 July 1911, Page 6

METHODIST MISSION

VISIT OF THE REV. J. G. WHEEN. On Sunday the pulpit of the Whiteley Memorial Church will be occupied by a distinguished visitor, the Rev. J. G. Wheen. Mr. Wheen is one of the secretaries of the Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia, and comes with the reputation of being an eloquent advocate for foreign missions. His special abilities of organisation have been fully employed in putting the home department of tile work on a better basis; and one of the results of more modern business methods has been the increased income of the Society. The Methodist Missionary Society is easily the largest in the Pacific, There are 1700 churches and preaching places; 65 missionaries (of whom 38 are ordained men); 106 native ordained ministers;! 1400 native teachers; over 40,000 members of the church; and nearly 150,000 attendants at public worship. " Schools and colleges are in full swing, and a special regard is now being given to more I practical forms of education. ,

The sphere of operations includes the work in Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Rotuma, New Britain, New Ireland, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, India, and the Chinese in Australia. Most of the effort is spent among the dyjng races of the Pacific, but there is no 'real reason why they should die, if by sensible and sympathetic training they can be fitted" to compete under the new conditions of their life. This the Missionary Societv attempts.

The income last year wns over £35,000, of which sum the native converts themselves gave no less than £12,000. The expenditure was a little over £34,000: but there is still a deficiency accumulated of about £4OOO. It is hoped that the income this year will reach £41,000, but even then it will not be possible to enter into all the openings of usefulness on the wide field. A new Pacific has arisen, and much money, brains and service will have to be expended if the standard of the cross is to be kept flying in the breeze. The inrush of Asiatic and non-Christian races means effort on a new scale and in a more disciplined spirit.