Morning journal and courier., 1884-04-12
Center Church.

Singing, Remarks By pr. W. w. Mc-
 Lane and Captain Bray, of the MOrn-
 ing Star-A Large Gathering.
 None of the public services held in this city yesterday in observance of Fast day were more impressive and interesting than the annual childreh's missionary meeting, which was held at Center church at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Shortly after the clocks had rung ont the hour a small army of children marched, four abreast, under the generalship of Evangelist John 0. Collins, of English Hall, from the North church to the Center church, and proceeded to fill the body of the latter edfdus. The children were representatives of various city churches and mission schools. They came from the fani- lies of the rich and sho poor. They were bright healthy children, upon whose plump faces the bloom of health and good care was evident, and children with sick!y 5onnte- nances. pinched faces, who looked as if they, in their early Hves had known deprivationa, want and sorrow. There were white chiI- dren and black children, chubby children and lean children, bright ohes and dull ones, roguish, nasschievous little fellows who couldn't sit still moment, beside staid de- AAANAS 0AN hoAJ RAOPoE A6Ac S4EIS WAO uhO every word of mammals last injunction as to behavior committed to memory, and were properly obedient. There were little boys who knew great deal, with their exercises all learned, who arose and recited them properly during the concert exercise. and baskful lit- tle boys who looked as If their little heads didn't have sadch of anything in them as they hang tken down and looked away when any, one looked as thsm. There were tittering little girls, just old enough to see or to i'm. agine themselves Rs seeing wonderfully large amount of things Imaginable, even in a church and during miseiehary meeting But the children all eeened to be impressed with peculiar dignity for which the fact that tke meeting was theirs and theirs alone was responsible. About six hundred were present. They joined in the singing freely and listened as intently as could have been expected during the remarks that were made. miniature 'Morning Star" which was the platform was an object of much scrutiny. A map and 8 picture of coral island also held the waver- ing attention of the young minds. The adult part of the congregation were crowd ed in the galleries and in such spare seats as they could ind. The exercises opened with singing by the children Rev. Dr. w. W. Mo Lane of the College street church read se- lection of scripture, and Rev. Dr. Newman Smyth offered prayer. A seni-chorus of ten boys with solo eb1igato by Miss May Mansfield sanS ''Go ye into all the world, " very creditably. Dr. tMcLane made few remarks and said that two lines of thought were suggested by the meeting, one was suggested by the day itself which was an appropriate one fof such meeting. The second lino of thought was suggested by the occasion. It is our duty to go out into all the world and tell the people of Christ and to love him.
 After more singing and reeitations and concert exercise on. Micronesia Captain Bray of the Morning Star, delivered a short ad- dress. He told the children that had he ex- pected that he would be called upon to ad- dress so large an audience he would have felt like declining, but as the children were his ship owners he felt it his duty to give an &C., count of himself He said that between one and two hundred thousand children wers the owners of ths "M0fning Star" He was glad to sae the children knew so much about Micronesia, as the concert exercise showed. The Morning Star" v as entirely built by children. The first ship of that name was built twenty-seven years ago. and 1t rendered ten years effective service. 1t then grew old and too feeble for the service required in long ocean voya9es and was accordingly sold sec. ond ship was built of the same name and that was wrecked after four years' service. Mir Bray has been captain of the vessel for six years. It sails from Honolulu and makes one trip year to Micronesia. Capt. Bray related many characteristic incidents and anecdotes of the people in the islands, and told of their customs and habits in such g way as to interest the children exceedingly One story was illustrative of the ignorance of the natives on the subject of communica- ton by written characters. One of their natives was sent by missionary to his wife with chip on which were written few words requesting her to send him some article he desired The native delivered the chip and when the lady brought out the specified article he was unable to comprehend how she knew what was wanted. Afterwards he kept the chip as g valuable memento. Another native was sent with two watermelons to be delivered to 8 mission ary. note saying q send you two melons" accompanied the two melons. When he delivered the note the missionary said, "Where is the other melon? The note says there were two" The native was thunder struck and admitted that he ate it. q knew you did, '" replied the missionary. q don't see how that note could tell you, for when I sat down to eat the melon I hid the note under a stone," said the native, looking very sad. Many other descriptions of the islands and their inhabitants were given.
 Captain Bray said 8 new steamer was being built in Bath, Me, which would also be called the ''Morning Star.' It will be fin ished next September and it may be sailed along the coast of New England to New York. If 80 it will stop at New Hasen Ger tifcates of stock can be had for 25 cents apiece.
 The meeting concluded with singing and the benediction.