“Highlights” from Recent Addresses

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 8, 1 September 1948, Page 5

“Highlights” from Recent Addresses

Miss Rita Grey, speaking at Ponsonby Union meeting, asked all members to stand by the work of these Hostels for Maori Girls ?nd Boys, especially by praying for them who live there. She said, “God has a plan for every man, and surely He has one for these young people.” Special mention was made at the Napier meeting of the fact that Queen Salote of Tonga, at the banquet she gave in honour of the visit to Tonga of Their Excellencies Sir Bernard and Lady Freyberg, provided fruit drinks, orange, lemon, pineapple, coconut and grapefruit. At the July meeting of the Sydenham Union a very inspiring address was given by Rev. F. G. Reddell based on the vision given to Moses by God during the time of the captivity of the Israelites in Egypt. Even as Moses was used by God to sa\e His chosen people, so today God works through human agency, and according to the measure in which we dedicate our talents to Him, so we too can be instruments in the tremendous fight against the evils of our day.particularly the liquor traffic. Mr. Reddell also stressed the wonderful power of prayer, and the fact that each and every one of us, whether our talents he great or small, can do our part in this way to help the forces of righteousness. Mrs. Kasper, speaking at the Auckland Union meeting in August said: “The women of America are not daunted. Prohibition was not a failure, and in spite of all the evil attempts of the liquor traffic to thwart them they are going on to victory.*’

At a home meeting held by the Onehunga Union Mrs. Pulling, an exmissionary in South America, spoke of the power of prayer as she had proved it in her work which had begun in Peru. After her marriage she had gone to Chile., She described the drinking habits there as terrible, and said that all did it. The usual practice was that when they received their money, the first and second days they just drank and drank till they passed through the merry stage to the quarrelsome one, when fighting and murders took place. On the first day there of the speaker, 26 murders took place. Occasionally the police would made a raid and empty the liquor into the street. Then the children would run with plates, saucers and dishes trying to catch some of it, which they drank, dirt and all. Mrs. Pulling gave many instances of God’s answers to prayer when sirange and difficult circumstances had arisen, showing that God’s power could not he limited. She was a fully qualified nurse, had been a hospital sister, and as a trained midwife attended the people in their illnesses, having many horrible and distressing experiences caused by all the sin and ignorance. The priests led very evil lives, drunken and immoral, and if occasionally one ot them should become converted the other priests w’ere certain to kill him. They do not study the Bible; yet, though evil themselves and capable of any sins, they rule the natives, who must obey them. This was an interesting and instructive address, though very saddening.