THE MEMORIAL SERVICE OF THE "PITCAIRN."
THE departure of the missionary ship Pitcairn on its third voyage to the South Sea islands was the subject of a farewell memorial service at the church in this city on the evening of the 10th inst. The occasion was one of profit, and the exercises were of a most interesting nature. The meeting was opened by singing, "Father, We Come to Thee," by the congregation, when Elder M. C. Wilcox read the following selections from the Scriptures: Isa. 48:1–4; Mark 4:35–41, and Matt. 28:18–20. Elder M. H. Brown offered prayer, and the song "Missionary's Farewell" was sung by the choir. An address was delivered by Brother C. H. Jones, giving a brief review of the outfitting of the vessel for former voyages and the work in the islands. Brother H. H. Winslow sang a solo entitled "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep." Elder E. H. Gates, who went out on the first voyage and returned with the ship from her second tour, delivered a short address, partly in the nature of a charge to those going out as missionaries, laying special stress on the importance of revealing Christ to the people. Many of the islanders are already nominal Christians, but they do not know Christ. He also referred to the vast field as yet untouched by our workers, and in some parts of these fields the people are still cannibals. Yet somebody will have to go to these fields. The choir then sang "Hark! Hark! My Soul," after which remarks were made by members of the ship's company—Elder J. E. Graham, Brother W. G. Buckner, Brother J. R. McCoy, Dr. J. E. Caldwell, and Brethren Wellman, Hicks, and Owen. At the close of these remarks the choir sang the "Pitcairn Missionary Hymn," which appears on this page. The exercises were closed by prayer by Elder Wilcox and benediction by Elder Gates. There go out with the vessel this time twenty-seven persons, of whom nine compose the crew, fourteen are missionaries, and four are children from ten to fourteen years of age. To the names heretofore published there have been added those of Miss Maud Young, who returns to her home on Pitcairn Island, and Brother R. G. Stringer and wife, who arrived from Michigan on the 10th inst., prepared to embark on the ship. It is not expected that the Pitcairn will be gone longer than about six months, when she will be fitted out for a more extended voyage to entirely new fields, and carry a larger number of missionaries.