MISSION WORK IN INDIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9610, 2 October 1909, Page 6

MISSION WORK IN INDIA.

A very interesting account of mission work in India was given yesterday afternoon in St. Matthew's Schoolroom by Dr Hooper, and his

wife. Dr Hooper, who is Canon of Lucknow Cathedral, first went to India 48 years ago, and since then has spent 35 years of active work in that country, where he has assisted in translating the Holy Scriptures into native languages. He spoke of the u-irest iu India, of which so much has been heard lately. The acts of violence that had occurred were de-

plorable, said the speaker, but there was behind them a very real and feelim amongst the people for native government. This was inevitable. It was necessary for us to promote the education of the people. We could not honestly have done otherwise and to a certain extent this desire for native government was one of the results. But it would be manv years before it would be wise to allow it. To-day it would mean but the tribal warfare that existed before our rule The best way

to promote the Safety of the land was

to teach the Christian faith. One of the most hopeful signs of progress in mission work was a native missionary movement, organised and worked by the natives through native agents. For progress there certainly was. He (Mr Hooper) had been asked since he came to New Zealand whether mission vntk was making any progress in InJia. He emphatically answered "tfes."

Amongst the educated classes, through the influence of schools and colleges, the truth was making its way. It was an illustration of the parable-of the leaven. With regard

to the educated classes the picture was rather that of the rapid and Vigorous growth of the mustard tree. Whole villages were clamouring to be admitted into the Christian Church.

Mrs Hooper described the life of the Indian women, and the work of the girls' schools, and gave severcal instances of the way that the Christian faith had brought light and peace into their unhappily lives.