METHODIST CHURCH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1938, Page 4

METHODIST CHURCH

MASTERTON MISSIONARY AUXILIARY

The monthly meeting of the Women’s Missionary Auxiliary of the Masterton Methodist Church was held in the Kuripuni Methodist Church. Mrs F. J. Parker presided over a large attendance. Members of the Eketahuna branch were present.

The devotional period was led by the Rev F. Parker. An excellent afternoon tea was served by the Kuripuni members. A solo rendered by Miss V. Jackson was much appreciated. Mrs H. Speight was the accompanist.

Mr Parker then welcomed and introduced the Rev A. H. Scriven, who is visiting Masterton, and was the speaker for the afternoon. Twenty years ago said Mr Scriven, the first pioneer missionaries to Bougainville, Solomon Islands, were five natives. Today there were in the Western Solomons, 162 teachers, 136 churches, 122 schools, 2784 adherents and 16,000 members. The medical unit, which had been closed down during the slump, had been re-established, and Dr Rutter, of Masterton, had reopened the Helena Goldie Hospital.. Here native boys and girls would be trained as medical students, who would go out to the various stations to heal the sick and establish hospitals. Eighty boys were being trained as theological students to go back to the villages and build churches and schools. Since the return of the Doctor, the hospital had been filled rapidly. Speaking of the conditions obtaining in the islands, Mr Scriven stated that for two years at a time, the missionary’s wife would not see the face of another white woman. The mission stations were very isolated,’ making communication difficult. While the missionary was away visiting the villages for weeks at a time, his wife was caring for the sick and doing the work of teaching and preaching at the station. Some very fine work was being done among the young men, but the work for girls was not so far advanced. As it was so necessary that the native teachers should marry trained girls to help with the girls’ and women’s work at the village, the Foreign Mission Board was aiming at establishing a training school for girls. At the conclusion of his address, Mrs F. G. Rutter proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Scriven, and the benediction brought the meeting to a close.