METHODIST CONGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 48, 25 February 1910, Page 7

METHODIST CONGRESS.

QUESTION OF SEPARATION. (By Telegraph.—-Press Association.) DUKEDIN, Thursday. The 37th annual conference of the Methodist Church of New Zealand was opened this evening. The Rev. T. Fee presided, and there was a very large attendance.

In. the coarse of nis address, the retiring president' referred to the fact that an unprecedented number of ministerial brethren had been laid aside by sickness during the year. As there was bo efl'ect without a direct cause, the conference might deem it expedient to inquire into the reasons of so much sickness in the parsonages. Ministerial life was becoming increasingly strenuous, and it might be found that domestic worries were also on the increase, owing to the inadequacy of some of the stipends and the consequent impossibility of providing the necessaries of life, to say nothing of the comforts. During the past 10 or 12 years the cost of living 'had increased something like 25 per cent, while ministerial salaries had. either remained stationary or had not oeen raised in proportion to the cost of living. Church statistics for the year showed an increase of 740 church members, 72 Sunday-school teachers, 541 Sunday-school scholars, 13 churches, seven schoolrooms, and eight parsonages. Contributions to the foreign missions fund again constituted a record. On the question of the separation of the New Zealand Church from that of Australia, the Presidcst said: "The influence of the great meeting in Wesley's Chapol, City-rood, will certainly tend to the unification of Methodists in the Old Land. Indeed, the spirit and trend of the age is in the direstlon of union, and is it not' strange that the one exception to this should be found in the Methodist Church of Australasia? In New Zealand every great river has its backward currents here and there, and may not the clamour of some of our brethren for separation is but a temporary backward sweep, ■which will, by the irresistible force of the spirit of the age, turn again into .the main stream and hasten the time •when not' only solid Methodistism, buit the whole of the evangelical churches, will stand as a unit against the forces of evil." The speaker also referred to the questions of Socialism, atheistic and Christian, also to the liquor traffic, the latter of which he strongly denounced. Among the votes of sympathy recorded ■was one with the Rev. H. Bull, connexional secretary, in his temporary indisposition. The Rev. C. H. Laws, Christ/cbuxch, ihy practically a unanimous vote, was elected president. In felicitous terms the vote was acknowledged. Mr. Laws briefly referred to his lifelong association with the Methodist Church and the grand sphere it gave for service. He pleaded for volunteers for the ministry from the ranks of those fitted for leadership. He also referred to the coming debate on the separate conference, and feelingly assured them it would be discussed with the kindest brotherly feeling. The Rev. S. Lawry was re-elected secretary by a large vote. The first reading of stations will be submitted to the conference on Saturday.