Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1901-03-22 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

CHINESE MISSION AT  NELSON.  CHINA AND THE TEXTILE • TRADE. WHAT WILL PAY LANCASHIRE BEST. ALLEGATION AGAINST ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES.  The annual meeting of the London Missionary Society was held in a Manchesterroad Congregational schoolroom, Nelson, on Tuesday evening. On the previous Sunday morning the pulpit in the adjoining chapel was occupied by Rev 1). Muxworthv and in the evening by Rev M. Ure: Stirring sermons being preached, collections afterwards being made in aid of the missions. At the annual public meeting on Tuesday night, Mr L. Clement, J.P. presided, and he was supported by Mr Gill, of Burnley, mid Rev Mr Claxton, a returned missionary, There was a good attendance, Councillor Atkinson and Mr Le Gendre Haighton being amongst those present. The Chairman, in formally opening the proceedings, referred to the influence of missions, and contended that such events as those now happening in South Africa and China only indicated the greater need there is to send out more bit, and missionaries into those places. In fulfilling the Bible injunction to send out the Gospel to every creature they wished to do even that in the bed, way possible. There was one way of conquering a nation, and that was by force, another way of doing the same thing was to spread civilisation by commerce, and a third say of spreading civilisation was to take the Gospel to the people, and he claimed that as the highest and best way of civilising the nations of the world. He asked them not to heed the complaints of the critics about their missionaries and leave the Chinese alone. We had the highest and best religion in the world ,and it was our duty to tell the people of China the grand story of Christ and the redemption, and to spread amongst them the light of His Gospel. He appealed to people to be more vigorous and more selfsacrificing in the missionary cause than ever. and not to allow the Chinese war to abate their efforts either in China or elsewhere. Nay, Mr Clement continued, rather take what is occurring in China as an encouragement in your missionary effort:, regarding it as an indication of the enormous strides the Gospel is taking there. Mr Gill, of Burnley, the son of one missionary and the nephew of another, next addressed the meeting in a most interesting manner. He reported that the Nelson Congregationalists had during the year collected £2O Gi lid for the London Missionary Society, of which the scholar,' cards produced LG 104, and that was an increase of 21 per cent on the collections of the preceding year (applause). He then told the story from intimate personal knowledge obtained during his residence in the South Sea Islands of the native who gave him,,lf to God while yet a boy, and who afterwards became a native teacher and converted the • murderer of the great pioneer missionary, John Williams. . . .  On tho invitation of the chairman. Rev Mr Claxton. with a few kindly words of appreciation distributed book prizes to the fol.  BnAZAAR PROGRAMMES tastefully printed and artistically illustrated at the -Ontometa" Printing Works, Broad Street, Nelson.