WESLEYAN HOME MISSION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 24 October 1882, Page 3

WESLEYAN HOME MISSION.

The annual meeting in aid of the .above mission took place last night in the Trinity Church, His Worship the Mayor presiding. The attendance was not numerous. Hymn 741 (" How beauteous are the feet ") having been sung, the meeiing was opened with prayer by the Bey. W. Bowse, of Marton. The Bey. W. J. Williams then read the annual report of the New Zealand Wesleyan Home Mission and Church Extension Fund forthe year ending 31st December last, remarking that as it had been presented to the conference there might possibly be some things in it which would seem to belong to the antiquated past. The report detailed the receipt and expenditure, and showed a balance due to the treasurer of £85 4s od, due to a varipfy of special causes. The work of the society had been vigorously carried on in all its departments during the yoar, and the Maori, Scandinavian, and English Home Missions, with the work done in regard to aided English circuits and ministerial training, were described in detail. The new mission in connection with the Patea circuit, comprising .Manaia, Normanby, and Opunake, were spoke of highly, the cost being put down at £173 15s 9d. Towards the society's income of £2439 Us 9d, Wanganui contributed ±'50, made up of church collections (Trinity Church, £Q fa's 6d), Christmas cards, Sunday Schools,, and donations. Mr Williams, after reading the report, explained that the conference always expected a circuit to give more this year than the last, and that therefore Wanganui was asked to raise £58, towards which £37 had already been contributed in church and other collections, including £6 7s 3d collected by the young people (to whom a debt of gratitude was due) upon Christmas cards. The other £21 would have to be met by the collection after the meeting that night, the services on Sunday next, at which ihe President of Conference would preach, and donations. Hymn 744, " Jesu thy wandering sbeep behold." The chairman then delivered his address. He eaid that he was exceedingly glad that he had been asked to take the chair that night, and to be able to be there, beoause the particular work commended itself to his heart, and represented the great power and aggressive character of Christianity. He had tbe more heart in it, because it was Home Mission -work rather than something merely directed at the native race. Charity began at home, but although it should not remain there, it was a natural feeling that the waDts of one's own family and our church had the first call. That man would do little anywhere else who did not first attend to the claims of his own race. Therefore was it incumbent upon them to recognise the wants of the scattered population ns well as those who congregated in large cities. They should not forget that those who went out as the pioneers of settlement needed the Gospel, and that it would be a comfort to such men to know tbat they could appeal to a powerful organisation when they wished to do something for religion, but were not sufficiently numerous to support a minister of their own. iSucli an application, for example, was that which came from Manaia, the result being that the society had built a little church, in which he believed the president preached last Sunday. It was a weakness of other denominations that they had no such organisation and no aggressive power beyond the cities. At the same time the scattered population should not be helped too liberally, or led to think the organisation had inexhaustible funds ; but as claims on the society wero likely to increase they should remember that, as Christians, they should be prepared to help people and congregations requiring it. He had been interested in seeing that last year the Wanganui district contributed within £'2 of the rich Wellington district, although the latter included ■ all the Wairarapa and even Napier. In i the estimated income for tho present year Wanganui was even asked to give , £20 more than Wellington, the con i fcrence evidently believing that this . West Coast was destined to be a pros, i perous and wealthy district. He ob.---i seryed also that a large proportion of the , Trinity Clmicl), contributions were iroai

the Sunday School, which had a record which no other part of New Zealand possessed. But, on the other hand, Wanganui was behind in donations, an additional 9s being actually put in to bring the amount up to the exact £50. In other places there were long strings of guineas and half-gaineas, and there was no reason why such should not be the case in Wangauui, where the many friends of the mission should not be behind other towns in their contributions. The Bey. W. Bowse then addressed the meeting and laid great stress on the fact that the Home Missions were for the benefit of the Maori race as well as for the settlers. A Mission Society should be a Joint Stock Company, with limited liability perhaps, but ore in which all would take shares and reap rich profits by-and-byo. He then spoke ot his 14 years' experience in mission work and its early struggles and the prosperous churches which now were the results. He also referred in eulogistic terms to such old pioneers as the Revs. Hobbs, Buller, Buddie and Wallis, who had greatly advanced the Wesleyan Church, and prepared the way for colonisation. In those early days the labours of those holy men were blessed and their stations became centres of light and civilisation. Mr Rowse then related several instances of the beneficial dealings of the missionaries with the Maori chiefs, many of the latter being converted to Christianity and to friendliness with the Europeans. Great was the responsibility laid on the Church at the present time in connection with the mission. Still they had men, young men especially, whose heart and soul were iv the matter and seemed specially raised up for the work. The chairman, whilst warmly supporting tho last speaker in his remarks as to the missions to the Maoris, confessed that he could not feel enthu- | siasui about them when he saw such failures recorded all along the line. Moreover, Maori claims were not likely to be remembered, if those nearer home were forgotten. Hymn 870, "Those whod Almighty Word." The Bey. J. A. Taylor, President of the Conference, then delivered an interesting and eloquent address. He remarked that there were some subjects political, social, or even religious which, if introduced, would prove but apples of discord at that meeting, but no such difficulty existed in their object that night. The very name "Home Missions" was attractive, and pleasingly suggestive of associations of an endearing character, and of the noblest selfsacrifice and the most self-denying men. Their Home mission was deserving of the greatest support and the highest advocacy. The Church of Christ had been charged with liberally supporting foreign missions, which were somewhat heroic and romantic, and neglecting Home Missions which were commonplace. But this charge Wesleyans he wholly denied. That Home Missions should be supported by Methodists was according to the fitness of things, and to Wesley's remark that " the whole world is my parish." Without disparaging any other Christian Church, Methodists distinctly claimed that theii mission stations girdled the earth, and that the sun never set on their ecclesiastical empire. Methodists should have the mission spirit ardent in their breasts, and warmly support such a movement as tbat which they were advocating that night. The source of England's greatness was the amount of true sterling piety in her midst. New Zealand was making history fast, but she would never be truly great unless she was based on the imperishable principles of true religion, for righteousness exalteth a nation. Mr Taylor concluded with an earnest appeal for liberal and cheerful contributions to the mission funds. Tbe collection was then taken up, and realised £2 8s 4d. — The chairman remarked that the many absentees should not be neglected, but should be called upon in due course, which seemed to be the fashion with societies in Wanganui. Hymn 731, "My heart and voice I raise." Mr John Eose then spoke a few appropriate words on the necessity of each and everyone doing all they could to remove the painful stigma upon Europeans that religion decreased amongst the Maoris as they came into contact with the superior race. He reminded the meeting that they could not wash their hands of responsibility for the native people. The Bey. Mr Williams, in moving a vote of thanks to the chairman, exj. ressed regret at the small attendance that night, and said that it was evident tho Home Missionary cause was not so popular as it ought to be. The vote of thanks was carried by acclamation. The meeting concluded with Hymn 732 ("Saviour we know thou art in every age the same"), and the Benediction pronounced by the Bey. W. Taylor.