METHODST CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 6 March 1912, Page 9

METHODST CONFERENCE.

FIFTH DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

'.'At the annual conference of tho New Beabind Methodist ihurch ycstcixLiy afternoon the rppnrt nf the Row \V. A. gneJair, acting -Principal of the TheoWical and Training Institution, was yead, and stated that ton students had in residence during the year. ft Jttd been "■ matter "f thankfulness that the president had rc-'n able to meet all the demands lor supply without calling Out any of the students. It eoui.l not |* regarded as satisfactory that second «tarstudents were not further advanced than preparing for matriculation. A higher standard of educational attainments should be required from candidates so that they might profit to the full extent by their residence in the C-ol-]ep>. It would be a wise policy, now that so man-,- candidates were offering, to delay theis acceptance until they had approximated to the matriculation standard- The students had preached regularly, with much acceptance and appreciation, in all the Auckland city and suburban circuits, and numbers of conversions hsd resulted from their preaching. The wisdom of the appointment of jßesiden! Principal was admitted by all irhohadany knowledge ot the inner life »nd worliing of the College. The rfport was adopted, a hearty vote Of thaiks being accorded the actingjPrinciptl. The Auckland Synod's recommendations that candidate-* ifyr immediate trainia;. who have uo circuit claims, be insnictcd to proceed without delay to the Theological Institution, and that studs ts on the president's list of reserve, who receive money from the TheoIngial Fund, he required to sign an Sj-ierment to refund the amount received jnlae event of their resigning before the- enter the institution, were adopted. ?he Revs. f. 11. Garland. \V. A. Sinand A. B. ( happcll were appointed acommittee to make a full report on the eirriculum of the institution at the next onferenee. The report of the Rev. J. H. Simmonds, Principal of Wesley College. Three Kings, stated that the total roll this year was 33. tire number at present in I&S&aKC being -JS. - The funds* for new J iwiiingß now amounted to £2797. Ontiie motion of the Rev. .Ino. Burton the report wa.-, adopted. A vote of thanks Was accorded the Principal, who was again appointed to tho position. The Board of Trustees was instructed to obtain legal advice as to whether Mr. Simmonds could retain his seat on the Board, ea well as fill the position of Principai of the College. The Auckland Synod recommended that the Trustees of the Three Kings (Endowments be congratulated on the passing into law of the Methodist and Educational Trusts Bill, The Synod especially recognised the untiring efforts of the Eev. J. H. Simmonds in connection with the promotion of the scheme embodied in the bill, and the magnificent service rendered to the Church in the batter.

A discussion took place in committee tapon legal points connected with Wesley 'College and, upon the conference resuming, it was decided that further consideration of the matter should be deferred. ; SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

At the evening session 'the Gonnexional Sunday School and Young People's Board reported that during the past lyear the Board had held four meetings and had on a number of occasions brought before the schools of the Dominion, information and suggestions relating ■to Sunday-school work. Although progress appeared to be slow, it was conbelieved that a steady advance iwaaieing made in this all important department of the Church. The use of jJiewer methods was growing in the granary-department and this year would **« the adoption by a considerable number of the school* of the new graded Sessions. It could, be -wished that the waeher training work and home dejpartment bad made more progress. In $1» fanner- there was a large number of who bad, no doubt, benefited % the study of the Text-book, but very Jew had presented themselves for examination. Sixteen teachers had been •warded the full diploma and a number |M others had completed the-first section, of vital importance which tie 3o*rd -wished to bring- -before the Contistf Tehvting to junior membership. The matter required the most wraest consideration as it was believed ™at it concerned the highest interests <-rf the churches. It appeared that only Jne in three of the schools had any junior members. It appeared that there no proper provision made for keeping the junior membership roll nor for revising it. The Sunday School Jenuns this year showed onlv'a small grease ™ the number of scholars, but ™ u W« probablv due to the fact that ™£the first time the number of Bible ™»ool members was asked for and some «rcool 8 h« d returned the number of *£olars on the roll exclusive of Bible 3nno* m^ beTi who numbered nearlv f w The Cradle Roll movement had **en adopted by about one in four of ■«« schools and there was a total of ™At members. Only a little over one in IW the schools contributed' to reign Missions, and only one in three ™|~°™ e Missions; vet from this small §°P«non of the schools was oonrribntPhilanthropic objects. One of the 2°* important of the new returns was \ r !ri*f ,w ing the number of scholars '*eT!r fnD m «nbership. the num- * •» received being upwards of 300. p£°\ the most notable features of the to «. CTU * returns was the increase •<*tm* n ' ,ml, * T of **Hars who were Over »nru\ <^ n * M ' rs Pr!fl '" nior members. n|_ jgi Junior members were supplied jjtlzf "wools «T>d it was a verv siffni"lssT«? I** 111 "' 30 ° ■*•»«■ Tswrwrf '*nJ*£ T -i ** «*«reh membersfcip .t&^TT** ft1 ™°*t entirelyfrom ttiose i < jy^i^ ,, ' tere thero was a junior mem-

On the recommendation of the Committee on Institutions it was agreed th*t a grant of £2O for immediate expenses should be made to the Board from the contingent fund, and that a special grant of £2O be made for the liquidation of the deficiency on the expenses incurred in the publication of the report upon the Dominion School Convention. It was proposed by the committee that the next Dominion Sunday-school Convention should be held next year. An ; amendment was moved and carried that it be postponed until 1913. A further amendment was carried by 64 votes to 43 that the convention be deferred until 1914. Upon the amendment being put a. the substantive motion, however, it was defeated by 49 votes to 47, the result Debit; that no decision was arrived at. No convention will take place this year. A MINISTERIAL SESSION*. During the afternoon a Ministerial session was held, and the following Minis. ters (who will be ordained this evening) were admitled into full connexion: Edwin Cox. Chas. B. Jordan, 8.A., J. F. Martin, F. Rands, R. B. tinsltey, and N. Turner. The following probationers passed in their year: J. D. McArthur. J. B. Beeche. A. F. Burchell. W. A. Burley, M.A., C. Holds. J Richards. R. B. Blackmore. \Y. .T. Entieott, A. Hopper. H. H. Marshall. L. B Neale, H L Richards, W. Rowe. S. J. Werren. The following were received on probation : C. L. Carr, H. Serivin. R. B. Gosnell, \V. Lee, F. B. Lawrence, ,T. E. Parsons, W. Walter. Candidates were received for theological training as follows: A. Gordon, A. J. L. Minifie, S. J. MogTidjre, W. S. Neal, H. J. Oriell, K. T. Olds. \V. .1. Rlade, W. S. Smith The Revs. W. A. Sinclair and J. .T. Mather, who have been acting as supernumeraries, have been returned to regular work FOREIGN MISSIONS. The Auckland Ladies' Auxiliary entertained the members of the Conference at afternoon tea yesterday. The president, Mrs. H. C. Pacey, was in the chair, and welcomed the members of the conference. She stated that during the year she auxiliary had raised the sum of £397 for home and foreign mission work. The Rev. .T. jf. Bnttle, treasurer of the Foreign Missions Fund, announced that the contributions to the fnnd during the past year exceeded those of the previous year by £-inO. New Zealand had been requested to the amount of £3600, but he honed that £4OOO wonH be collected. The sum of £lO was .collected in the room on behalf of the fund. DEPUTATIONS. The conference decided to receive a deputation from the Ministers' Association on Thnrsday at 10 a.m.. and a deputation from the Primitive Methodist Chupoh at 11.30 a.m. on Friday.