LEAGUE OF MOTHERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 211, 6 August 1937, Page 11

LEAGUE OF MOTHERS.

ADDRESS BY IMISS R. FAWCETT. The monthly meeting of tho Palmerston North branch of the League of Mothers was held in tho Empire Hall, yesterday afternoon, Mrs G. G. Hancox presiding over a large attendance. An enjoyable programme was presented, and included an interesting talk by Miss Ruth Fawcett, the new organiser for the British and Foreign Bible Society in tho Manawatu district.

The beautiful flowers which decorated the stage proclaimed the presence of spring, daphne, violets, blossom, hellebores, bulb flowers and asparagus fern being arranged with charming effect. The ladies responsible for the decorations were Mesdames R. J. Melvcr (convener), J. Candy, E. W. Drake, and G. H. Barrett. A posy presented to Mrs C. Waters was the artistic work of Mrs A. A. Graham. Mesdames F. Wilkinson and E. Herron, the door hostesses, greeted the ladies on their arrival. Mrs Hancox welcomed members and viistors, and the following new members: iMcsdiunes L. R. Casey, Robb, Bedinfield, K. Riches, O. Stevens, Larson, and N_ Britton, and Mrs Carter, a member transferred from Auckland.

Ino Singing Circle opened the programme in a delightful manner with “Greetings to Spring,” a song very appropriate to the occasion, and .“Trees,” which was chosen in view of Arbor Day falling next week. Mrs O. Christiansen conducted the items, and Mrs C. Grover was at the piano. Two enjoyable vocal solos, “Coming Home” and “1 Passed By Your Window,” were contributed by Mrs F. Coupe, her accompaniste being Mrs S. A. Bond, accompanisto being Mrs S. A. Bird. Pat Penney, a pupil of Miss Freda Whittaker was applauded tor an elocutionary item in character, “Grandfather Clock,” and responding to an encore she .contributed “Bird Among the Blossom.”

Tlie happy thought for the month was supplied by Mrs E. T. McKain, as follows: “Never to tire, never to grow old, to be patient, sympathetic, tender; to look for the budding flower and the opening heart; to hope always; like God, to love always—this is duty!” Mrs Hancox announced that since the annual meeting last month several slight changes had been made in the officers. Owing to the forthcoming departure for Wellington of Mrs C. Waters, Mrs 0. Christianson had been elected to take her place as a vicepresident. Mrs A. A. Graham had been appointed assistant-secretary; Mrs K. Clarke treasurer, Mrs R. Currin assistant-! reasureiq and Mrs D. E. Dredge would give help in this direction when required. The following subcommittees had been set up:—Social, Mesdames F. Wilkinson, D. E. Dredge, E. Herron, 0. Christiansen ; entertainment, Mesdames G. G. Hancox, T. Daley and 0. Christiansen; tea, Mesdames W. Petrie (convener), J. Marshall, W. Paseoe, K. Dempsey, L. Duffin and W. Whitehead; decorating, Mesdames R. J. Mclver, F. Anderson, and J. Candy; cards. Mesdames W. Miller and A. Livingstone; seating, Mesdames V. Stagpoole (convener), M. Smillie, W. Child, and G. Jarrett; magazine and finance, .Mesdames K. Clarke, R. Currin. and D. E. Dredge; recipes and magazines, Mesdames E. T. McKain and C. Thomas; information officer, Mrs A. McPherson.

THE BIBLE. “The Bible” was the subject of Miss Fawcett’s address, which wa~ followed with close attention. The Bible, she said, was the most travelled book m the world, the best selling, and the most widely circulated. The Gospel of St. Luke had appeared in Maori in New Zealand in 1835, and in the Bible House in Wellington there was one of the original copies. The translation had been carried out by Rev. W. Williams, afterwards Bishop Williams, and Rev. W. Solcnso had printed and published it. The Maori people had been so grateful for the translation that they had sent gifts of maize and potatoes, etc., which had been sold, and the money forwarded from New Zealand to London to help the work of the society. The first donation from New Zealand towards the work had. therefore. been from the Maoris. In 184 C a branch of the society had been formed in Auckland, and Sir George Grey had been the president; and in 1848 a branch had been started in Wellington. The -work had grown in Now Zealand, the headquarters being in Wellington, where a fine Bible House was located, and it was interesting that portions of the Bible in 25 different languages had been sold there last year. The work of the British and Foreign Bible Society was world-wide ; the headquarters were in Loudon. Over the main entrance of Bible House. London, there was an open hook, written upon which was “The Word of the Lord Endureth for Ever.” Appearing in the corridor was if bust of Lord Shaftesbury, for many years president, and on a frieze inside was the text: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” In the corridor appeared a pair of elephant’s tusks which were sent by tho late Emperor of Abyssinia, together with a letter of appreciation, upon receipt of a portion of the Bible translated into the Amharic language. After the death of the late King George V, Queen Mary had presented the Bible House with his Prayer Book. King George had set an example by giving the Bible a place in everyday life.

The Bible had been translated into more than 700 different languages, continued the speaker. A tremendous amount of work lay behind these translations, but it was a great thing to be able to present the Bible to people in their own language. Miss Fawcett pointed out how the Bible was helping to educate people, and related an incident which occurred in Egypt where only three women in every thousand could read and write. In translating the Bible, more than 400 languages had been reduced to writing for the first time. Speaking of the difficulties that had to be overcome by the translators, Miss Fawcett referred to the work of Miss C. Waterston, now retired and living in Auckland, who did missionary work in the Solomon Islands over 20 years ago, in translating the Bible into the Malu language. The Bible had a wonderful transforming influence and had triumphed far more in the hearts and lives of people than any person was able to. It was a wonderful thing to place for the first time literature in the hands of the people. Concluding, Miss Fawcett told of how Dr. Temple, an official of.the British and Foreign Bible Society, had met a Chinese gentleman who had been so impressed with the work that he had bought hundreds of copies of the Bible and distributed them among Government officials, army officers, and his many friends. Inside the Bibles, in beautiful Chinese block characters, he had inscribed, “This is the greatest book in the world,” which was the thought she wished to leave with her audiencel „ , ~ Afternoon tea was served by Mesdames AV. Petrie (convener), E. Ashcroft, AV. Allan R. C. Atkins, Whitehead Duffin, AV. E. Anderson, E. Atkinson, C. Bierre, Morrison. Dempsey, Marshall, R. Allen and A. A. Gritham. Mrs J. Candy thanked the speaker, and Mrs E. AY. Drake the performers and hostesses, Mrs Hancox adding her appreciation.