Methodist Church Faces

Crisis in Fiji

TTNLESS £6OOO is contributed by Methodist churchgoers in Australia before November 30, the Methodist Over seas Mission will be compelled to make drastic reductions in its Fiji staff, de clared prominent churchmen who took part in the Centenary Cruise to Fiji, on their return to Melbourne on October 25.

Under the chairmanship of Rev. A. J.

Barclay (President-General of the Aus tralian Methodist Church), a committee met in Suva after the Centenary cele brations to consider the position in the light of first-hand knowledge gained during their visit to the group. As a result of the meeting the following cable was sent to Methodist churches in Aus tralia : “Deeply impressed with the work the Church is doing in Fiji, the committee views with grave apprehension the possi bility of a withdrawal of European mis sionaries, and urges the home church to support to the utmost the appeal for needed funds to prevent threatened re trenchment.”

Formerly of Fiji, Rev. A. Wesley Amos (Victorian secretary of the Overseas Mis sion), who took part in the Katoomba cruise, stated that unless at least the additional £6OOO was forthcoming, it would be necessary to withdraw seven missionaries. This would mean the tem porary closing of several missionary institutions.

Members of the Mission board, he said, were much impressed with the vitality of the Methodist Church in Fiji. Several new church proposals and plans for the extension of others were under considera tion to meet the growing needs of the Fijian Christians.

“I noticed a remarkable development in both the religious and commercial sides of the work in Fiji since I last visited it,” he remarked. “Those who took part in the cruise were greatly pleased with the , attractive personalities of the Fijian natives, and the urgent need to continue the church’s work among them on an effective basis.”