NEW ZEALAND WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2646, 29 January 1874, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

The first New Zealand Confercncdlncollection with the Australasian Weelnu Methodists was opened yesterday, at tin Durham street Wesleyau Ohurch. Theroi»M a good attendance of ministers from tk various districts. The Conference,!»% been opened with devotional exercises Ua election of officers for the session, > irae $& ceeded with, when the Key Thomas Busj|j was elected as the first President of tie Conference. • INAUGURAL ADDBEBS. ■ The President having taken the chalipm. ceeded to deliver the following ' •:,-"•! ' '•■•.'" ": ■' ADDRRBB. '/ > :; ?- 'v* ' The President on rising, said—-If lifforato epitomise my thoughts, I should cipiat them all in three words—gratitude, conga, tulations, and responsibility,' - , My flnt thoughts are of God s goodness. TshtUlie excused if I indulge in a few poreoasl ferencee. I feel very grateful t<> for 19 early conversion. When between Wveatea and eighteen years of age God, brought aa to a saving knowledge of the tf uth ia'nd shed his love abroad in my heart. 'I look back on forty-five years of membership 1 in Uμ Methodist Church with much gratitude to God. The interval is' filled with inewoiia that humble mc, and; with remirilecenca that are very precious. I feel very grateful for the, honor of a place in this minify, Soon after my conversion the- Lord 'ca!W mc to preach his Gospel by aoali eoclssi that I felt woe is mc if I preach noitks Gospel. In 1836 I entered my probatisi, and in 1839, at the Centenary Conference it Liverpool, received ordination. This m ference completes my thirth-ninth year ii the toils and trials, joys and sorrows, failna and triumphs, of this ministry. Thomenii whose hands I received ordination are gos%, Thcophilus Lossy was, president, Dγ Hotel \ Neloton, secretary. They, with Drs BunSas Buchan, and Hannah, Beye Jos. T»ylor,B, Jeffrey, and Thomas Jackson—the last of & band to enter into "rest, and only just gonfwere the .men who officiated. It wan solemn season, never to be forgotten. Tin ' ordination charge was addressed to ns tj Thoa. Jackson, and is found in the Centenirj volume which he published. The Validity 0! our Methodist orders is denied 1 'Wjr bi|i churchmen, but I am better satisfied will an ordination; by . such < honored ee> vants of God, than I could be witi . the ordination of a Bishop iwho f traraii through a long line of wicked Popes to M a connoction wtith'the Apostles, and thnete prove the validity of his orders. I prefer to find the ; succession' in 5 'Apostolic docttins, Apostolic faith, and Apostolic euccesa ratb than in the historical line of the Popes ssd the absurd idea of a; direct succession tm Peter. The fathers from whom ■ we recejnsl our ministry gave the proof by the jHoctrJoa they preached, the holy lives they lived, td the successes of their ministry, l that win in the true.3criptui;al eijcceß3ipn. Qod| seal was upon them, though men ae&j their righj; to minister, in holy things, I Id th*t 1 have been permitted to witness the triumph.B of Christianity' in Ne? Zealand. My mind is carried bficjc to (li« days when the was first planted is New Zealana; when tho Yon. Marsden brought down the fjrfjj; baud d Missionaries and opened theJGospel ooma* eion iri this land of heathen darkness, as ii then was. Only 60 years ago, on r <JEristaa day, 1814, that devoted servant ofJCKriet cad in the seed at the Bay of Islands. With tM Union Jack, a precursor of the civilisatiM and Christianity which was " W take poes» sion of the land, floating «« fruit of that seed has illustrated theßs«M" parable of the'kingdom—it haa'lfecom* , large tree, and ia extending its bwoeMi through alljthe land. I think of theds/i when Turner and Hobbs pitched their tent Among the cannibals whb had murdered ana eaten the ere* of the Boyd at Whang«p»i and contrast their flight fromthjitfelece «w their lives in; their hands, with tke peaceful labours of our Missionary on v* . came spot, where a European (drcall is nm To these beginnings, combined with f> labours of the agents of the Church Mim I Bociety, we aro indebted for state of New Zealand. -Some pf those 9§ have been mogi nnjuetly.tradacjaiaEaW names cast opt as eyjl bf WB»W service in tftecaqeepf C*rW Vjf jSpjS are not worthy to qnloope their shoe UtCBW Time will do them juetice and names among the beat benefactor £« «£. Zealand. Do we see this country a ing dependence of the British Crqv n .{ *J , we count nine dietinct provincce Wl "\£ ; toany principal towns, namberiug wp"r" of Baropean families. . plying homes and employment for thonWJJ of the surplus population of tries, and a profitable outlet for Bntm®?' merce? Are Boglish ahipsiretatWS "rj with wool grown on the plains, metal the hills of th&S«JJ; , Are the representatives of Britißn,<3J»n» establishing their ordinances ™f>W\ Z length and breadth of the land? people living in comfort, and of complaining in their streets 7 we iw» all these : results, fruits of the taWwn;* jj , first Missionaries to this country.. ~v* men hive , laboured ; we have en|erea» their labours. , ! I am grateful that •. initted to'see the progress of the -MFiU civilisatifln ap4 ch i rfs{,ianity, APT , of Gqd an 4 his goodD^, claim for Christianity the cpnqufW .... ZeaW, field for British gg?f% , and a home for British institutidns. * , grateful that J live to see a New a*»j Conference. It has been my hononr happiness to represent New .;„ dism in connection with other rep tatives in the Auetralaaian Ganfereiw** : • their formation in 1855. I f*™ $i , migeed mariy OodferencesSSee" cc ' first wag held in ' .Sjdaey-JnLtijflSi was pleaaant, the intercouwe ./■ profitable. Many useful ;j and much valuable experience . 0D <; but I feel much greater pleftaoie » \\

— Zealand - brethren in &~conf of oar own. • Stall! cannot but refer to some of the honored: iiamee with whoml ebciited at tbe Australasian ConfcreDce ' —men who have since then entered into i—t. Manton, oar first elected president, is 1 cone, end Draper finished hie useful career ?n ttie Say of Biscay, preaching Christ to his perishing fellow travellere, as the illfated London sank into the deep. Lewis, Hurst, and Tuckfield, Innes, Whiteley, Bubones, are all gone home. Eggleston and Gaud are the only two beside myself remainine in full work. I cannot but feel that my flgt Iβ far spent. I shall follow them by-end-bye; but my liope is full—a glorious hope of immortality. For the honor which too have now conferred upon mc I cannot but feel grateful. :I receive it as a mark/of : and esteem, and trust 4,1 f" shall have grace to ; prove that yonp confidence has not been misplaced. My.jiext- words are words of congratula- * ' tion. 1 congratulate - you, my brethxea in the that a New Zealand Conferli ence is at length an accomplished fact. . eotoe pf Bβ ha^ e for eeveral years laboured earnestly to secure this, and to eeeourlabouif tiiie day crowned ,with success is matter for congratulation. We. have.long felt 2JB^»eei of greater freedom intheadminietration of our local affairs. Great inconvenience on the subject of appointments, and to the application of funds, has often been - Mt,7*B d epmetiniesi though not often, un- ' nte«(aßt coUipions have' occurred. And the jepzefentatives to Australia have often had >)MeUhat they.could not please everybody. ' And'to be able to discuss and determine the affairs of the New Zealand churches in New Zealand by the representatives, jof the' _—--chiwehee,- ie-« consnmmation- that was dei rduily to be wished, and 'that is now realised. ■ A* t&*«one time we are bound to record ouz gratititdeto the Australasian Conference'for ' 5l" the consideration and assistance we have deceived. It will be our most sacred duty to give them all the aid we can in their missionary operations among the islands of the ■>.■■■ bml ID congratulate the Wesleyan churches in New.Zealand on this important change. Oar respected laymen have hitherto been prevented by distance from, taking part in ' conference business. Never but once has" the~~K6W- —Zealand laity-been represented fiu-aa Australian Conference. . we hope to see our laymen occupying theirplaces on 1 : . all oar financial committees, and before long 1 tepreSentiug.the churches in conference pro- ,"' per* The subjectof layrepreeentation ia one of Borne difficulty. The imatter was discussed in the.last general Conference, and "tberprinciple was unanimously approved-aud affirmed ; the only question , remaining for solotion ia the form it can legally take. The .poll, deed made by our .founder may raise " Borne legal' questions thafwill reqfiirje to be ■ettled, and possibly fresh legislation will ; have td be sought ; but I may say all the Jofithodist ,Cpnferences : - in the world are tiding tlfe'\imp6rtance of the subject, and the _n«sessity_ for jstich a .change, and the matter cannot he. allowed to Vv aleejT I .congratulate: our "Wealeyan = < dnirchei tnat' easy access to, the highest Church Court will now be afforded them on alj matters 'affecting their interests. . I con- "' !!feaiiu)ate theJOanterboiy churclies that the ■ V7.hw?rhas fallen to thenj-ito have,-the first Sid ia3t&£capital;os tiUs province. In point-of seniority perhaps Auck-i'-i 1 iand'ihad prior claim, but Christ-: church was first to send a cordial and hearty invitation to the Conference to hold its r first eessibn -here, and to secure this local manage- . J n: maat the circuits in this disferict , 'hav&labored with more zeal than .other districte,!and ■ '■-' ] jieAftps Methodism .occupies, a'more influential position id this province than . .O-ii-iifcfiieK others—-ite , .progress here ha* j ; befeati ■ greater, and r itfc--lenergy : and , liberality., are. . r recpgniqed. in ;;ajli - ''■■'- ; the lafidl/ Of tiaese matters' I bavp personal ; Jknqwledge, haying spent four hapsy years pf v * : i»suß^ r i^t ;a^Jl i4 mon set you;' Thave nodpubfc _~j j OQ p Q the form .the New " Zellana" Conference has taken/ "WeareiOpt -~1 eevered from"~the Methodist world. We; ! J ,*,. retain, our with 1 the 4ustralasian. ',-■ ofae geieral conV "redWtiQti-. *Us e . niore important finan- ? *": Vj^^iaOmatferff^; wel teniani asl before. \ The "*-,/.. fiUp^rotiDij6raTy'and i widowk , .fupd,, the chil- • '' *' ittndsj are still conneiionar funds, .6ii ",,' which, weihave,equal claims dtnef" '* conferences. J ln docfanne, and forms of .worffiip we,are et|ll_one ;,,preaching s .. ,T i;ne same : old uilng;'the'same;hymn Tv: -; l^|:7 l goyefe"e3 : ;Dj ; the.. same laWsi'arid for r ' purposes meeting in general pon~ fexence once, years, 'the general . " &iiirer^|&e 'beibg purely representative. In. gzetiijl rejoice, 0 aud ihoPQ-rthe far distoatrwhec; i%i functions will be chiefly administrative. We s ehall have full power to brdftin ittfld "appoint rW.d tninisters, to maintain the discipline <of the church over both ministsers and meEabere, G and to manage biir bwb'£Wuice.' T congratulate *7oi 'bn '■ the prdgresa of our churches, ■ -: i Jwnich haß^necessitated*this change. Twenty H Tears ago our churches were all more or iejgs! . ;^fip "received:"f^9 m - Q,ur Mis- ; rl Jaonfcty Society fn New Sgnth ..Wales, then had only' 33 Mvtxsifirs, ! 109'| ' lt,'now 81 -'Sputh Australia 112, now a&j Tasmania 8 t now'ls ; New Zealand 21;. , 'Jw& u sf. ObV church . mqmbers rthen; jjtjnibered l^o , novf 69,819; New Zea- .,, '.» numbered . thefl. , > ? 1: 1 tftejnsfe \ ( m»ub>rs r ', now ■ 'neaTlf ! 3000;; / has' xepdered necessary the ..;.' :change rwe.'haye made, hsoA. it is ■ C Pleasing'J to look baolc from advanced r.'- the church with which we has grown in these colonies. f "•> -jjhe wori was becoming too beayy and toa - —"widely-extended to be reviewed-and-euperin- ;.'. > tended by ttw>nf thonsande of HA) milefi distant ifrom-many of [ its|chiirches.. beenjent)ert»ine4;leist the smallness of out number, and the youth and inex.v.; patience of the majority of our ministers, ehotld not l command the respect of the n?" or make oar administrative: power — "~wealtrandinefficienir7 but we-ehatt-bjs quite " ; *' eqokl 'some of , ther£ariy;con-' ferenccs. Weonly numbered fortjj: the first' in Sydney^iwhen thei strength of the celofiiee'waß ! "bttidght together, and but twenty-seven at'the Melbourne, and! udder' ai-Hobart Town ; and the French. "sv* 10onference does not' number > than twenty.; Itrdst by the good hand of God ~np7m us fqr good,,we shall be found equal to the ' Vrork''that is given us |to 'do. k« 1 Seeoonejbilitj is the next ifgrd, feu*6 i 'i my thqugh.ta. 1. As regara*| ourtneb- , iea.ding iourrial in ParisJspinitime ..... , ; »go in one fif its brilliant and able that John Wesley had exercised a larger influence on the, destinies of hie counr try, than "any -piv.hia, contemporftTies^ ; | i H except perhaps William Pitt." And those ; , 'Lwhp Vhow how much more powerfully the - destinies of a nation are' offected by ita re- j ' ligiona life than by its politics, will not j shrink that the influence of j "our founder has not been surpassed by that J of lacy man of his time. And thisiufluence 1 was exerted by the doctrines he preached, and by his mode of preaching them. Nor is «„ there anyphenonsenon <tf our history- more ?f * ; jemartable than our doctrinal unity. Some' Ci l phases of faith and A&r ~;.--tl We believe in the eternal, im- ; of the truth of God. We put ' if - " forth no .pretensions to; inf allibaity, but we . claim greater credit for -the ■ - Resent of St Pete? at Borne, •2;: »whp has just added to-the cardinal doctrines of his changelesa creed that of hie own.Tpe£ 8)nal infallibility.. Our creed varies not a fair's breadth Irpm the iormal expoaitiOp , , , E. Ten ol It in, the yeair, 1744, the 1 '"~ Wealeys and their ; fell6w-!a|bourers apttieq i (he questions—what to teach, and }iqw tq ~"'- f and what to do ? , Tbe pp,wCTvested.in ' oar trustees and also itf the -htrmbleet quar- . terly meeh'rig to bar .our pulpits againfit " unsound■ doctrine, is a gaarantee tijatithej fora of sound words shall be maintained. ~:" doctrine and practice there.ia a cloJe. connection, and thegroW&of Chrißr ~ ~ Mm experlence"and the development of the ' « Christian ilife aejpenad roni thei purity: of '■ r : •--' Christian ; and; be qoriie-; ' i: #pbnsibility to see i that 1 one ■ systemi; of : fiieologyi is preserved, and sdue \ ppgwai* - ■''- neuceUgiyen to i out difitinctive teachingThe purity and efficiency of the ministry

forme another graye responsibility. Tire stability* ofobrcharteheS and the extension of the works of God will mainly depend under God's' blessing on the character of the ministry. We who are soon to put off ' l the harness' look 'upon on* rising' ministry with gratitude to . God ;. thatkf al that we see men to whom we cap; confidently commit the ark of the Lord " as unto faithful men." We claim for Methodism the position of a New Testament-Churchi We affirm the validity of our orders, as being in accordance with apostolic precept and example ; and maintain that the government of a charch by a hierarchy composed of three orders —bishops, priests, and deacons, the bishops being a separate order , to whom falone belongs ; the, right to ordain—has,,no support in "the New Testament. We,subscribe,, to ttiedefinifcion of our founder that "the word bishop includes all the Presbyiers, the names bishop and presbyter or elder being promiscuously used in the first ages; arid we believe the uninterrupted succession to be a fable and claim the.right to. ordain, and >to do this without acting unfaithfully toward the name and memory of John Wesley, notwithstanding the assertions of the Bishop of Lincoln in hie late pastoral addressed to the ;Wesleyans of his ; diocese. We recognise the responsibility of onr position and must guard the purity :.and efficiency of our ministry. A true conversion, spiritual growth, communion with the Holy Ghost, must still be our first demand. Men of robust piety are wanted ior New Zealand work. Sturdy, zealous workmen to; break ap the fallow ground,, and hardy reapers to gather in the harvest. 'Merr with deepexpeTience-Toftbc~things of God—men of prayer and zeal and spiritual. I power—men of reading, thought, obser?a--!sion,:able to grapple! with<the: phases of, modern thought, and ever ready to meetthe enemy in,the muet seek among the young men of ourchurches such instruments„ •for God'swork; and we must at once arratfge f. efficient plans for training our candidates, v Bo that we may be able to send.forth out young men fally equipped for,their spiritual w&-, fare. It is matter of grateful record that God has-never left our churches without a, supply of efficient ministers ; but let .us pray | the Lord of the Harvest that He will thrust forth more that we may reap the fields already white. We are also charged with I the maintenance of our Church's disci- j pline. We hear a great deal about;adapting ' Christianity to the times and the progress of society, and we witness v many attempts to throw down the old landmarks, to cast down the fences, and let a food of worldliness into the Church; but New Testament precepts are intolerant of sin and of worldly conformity. The high uncompromising demand is, " Oome out from among them, and be ye separate." The._discipHne of the__Churcn whose interests are committed to us is in perfect hannopy witl( and the I inspired command is laid upon us, ", Take; I heed to yourselves and to all the flock Over the whichfthtt;Hqly Ghost hath made you oversee^* , " /TheTqnestion affecting our •Kst now agitates the both >at home and abroad; and the Sacrament of the t Lo.r<3;V Supper, is j considered by». many to be a sufficient test. I have never been able to see that it>id so regarded in the New Testament. The Lord's Supper appears to be ftlßJgn and eeal of'a membership already recognised. Our Lord administered-only to those,.who were recognised Apostles, and' His to such as had entered their ' fellowaliip arid had been added to the church. ,And,i; find this principle,recognised by all Christian churches. The Episcopalians requires the rite of confirmation as a condition of f admissionto the r lord's Supper.! The . and., Congregational Churches atl Ifcavej their. separate, i preparatory; to ..admission, to the, Table qf.the Lord. -None jof; them appear,tp, treat the Supper as a test, npk'cjouXd we fi.n,d. a better than our! class [ ioeptingaffords .£ and. hi. the jwords of' the Pfe'sideftt, of : the ; British Conference, i I am to !' We must, ptand fast to the oliLclass meeting..; f.-believe if we forsake ..wisV .'we. shall lift ora anchor and j drift: away." The case' of • those wJio are communicants without meeting in class, mky require to be it is to be hoped that means, wiri*pie'devised'to-give them euch mimsi' tferiaVbvereight and Sacramental recognition as , will make ,: the'm ;; amenable toHhe dis- ; cipline of the church, but without this latter* mere Sacramental recognition^-would; place us on a level with the-churches ,that can exercise no discipline/ at all.oyer those to whom they administer the Sacraments. The class meeting' slands\ related to all that as vital. and >active^:ih;bttE:.churches, with our spiritual life,,; our. nriity, Our ageociee, all. : our workers', .are. trained here, and I, do, trust it will be maintained with increased spiritual power .and efficiency. !We shall now be held responsible' for the qopporfc of the Maori Mission.: Our churches at home for many years sustained -mission j' and ,contributed towards 'it :many thousands 'of' pounds. New Zealand owes theniOa'.debfof <gratitude~which will be best >paid by efficient support given to the mission that has been committed to our care; Our fathers are Baying to us, "Freely ye have received, freely gi?e." And they will hold us responsible for carrying on the wojrk they began. The.remnant of the Maori tribes will I;look to us, and*they have aTrighttQ doeo—they have a plaim on our Christian sympathy, have given them the ligh.t—-we have opened theU cpQntry;t»qoloni^at^nj—and it wiU be the epiemn.du«T of, onr Zealand chajCchesVto keep up aod increase the work of: evaßgelisatien among them. It is; a pleasing fact that they are manifesting aldisposi : tion to come back to the true light and to iseek the guidance of their, old,; teachers, Our brethren engaged in the Maori- Mission shave .strong, claims: on our sympathy and liberality and prayers, and they must be succoured. We shall'have to's'eeK~out arid train young' ; ineri-from our Maori churches' for the native-ministry; at the-same time our Buropeanr probationers should study the Maori| tojn'gV?? an& 3*f qualified for the full work *o£ New" Zealand* circuits, which „in both ■races." I trust the day will ■ hever r dawn on >H&k Zealand when;,tbe Maori will, find himself, like the natives of Australia, as : sheep without a shepherd. The great; Head [of the Church will hold us responsible j 'for supplying this portion of the population 'I I With-the means of salvation. Then, lastly, I we have a great responsibility resting upon us in connection with bur youth. If jwe are to have eecttlar syetems of education brought | into 'operation in this .conntiy—Which I, as j ■an individual, sincerely hopS may aiever take talce place. For the sake of the welfare of our adopted country, in the interests- ofj social progress and domestic happiness, and in the interests of our holy religion, I earnestly pray that it never may. But. Whether or not, our churches have solemn responsibilities relating to our youth; and oul , Sunday school system must be efficiently worked.- I hope to see before long the establishment of a Sunday School Union for bur New Zealand churches; with' itp central depot For the issue: of Sunday school litera-; tureaad other material and furnishing all the necessary'appliances £9 render .the Sabbath school asinsef ut asit jean be maae,3Nor must we overlook the of the pastorate in relation to the lambs of the flock. Our youth must be diligently tended and taught by tie ministry, by meims Of pastoral visitation and catechumen classes. The 1 revailing scepticism, and worldliness of the times demand it. I think I have now indicated our chief responsibilities, and earnestly .pray that we may -realise themi and ;have grace to discharge tb.em your indulgence for the length,at which I have, addressed you, but I felttbat ojar new and position demanded/! these references. And now X must cast injyself Oα your prayers and your forbparance. I cannot doubt but I have your confidence, and J feel persuaded I shall hare jour cheerful aid m conducting the busiftess of opnference. At the conclusion of the address tife session eloeed with prayer, an, adjournment being made to th<a *f terpoon.

•-] APTEKNOON SESSION. - "■■ Bevotlbnal exercises were led by the Rev W. WatkihV 06 the motion of ttoe-Secretary of the name of Hhe Rev C. W. Iligg was ailded to tbeuaetn«rial'committee. Alter disposing of seferal iaatterg

-relativetotireorder bnsim?e»Tof Con-ference,-thequeetioriiwis considered, "Who are now admitted as ministers into full connection with?-the- Conference 1 " The Auckland district recommended the Revs ;J- J. Lewie and ' W.J. ; Williams;'the Otagd trict, the Revs F. W. Isitt and W. H. Beck ; each of whom "had fulfilled the nsa'al term of a four years' probation. The reports nfrom the districts showed that these ministers had been carefully exatnided by written papers in Theology, Ohureh History, in Greek (the Epistle to the Bphesians), and other subjects. They had passed through a course, of general reading uuder the direction of their district meetings, and in every respect had proved themselves worthy of the status of fully accredited ministers of the Church. Their formal reception and recoguition was deferred for a few days. ; ■ The following ministers were reported as yet being on trial: —Keys G. Bond, W. S Harper, ■ arid F, Devrsbhry, iir the Canterbury district ;.Revs Carr and H. Dewsbury,. in the Auckland: district'; Re»s Reeve and" Marten, in the Wellington district; and Rev G. E. Hewlitt in Otago. Reports were read to the Conference respecting their studies and general conduct. The next question coming under review of the Conference was, " Whom do we now receive on probation for our ministry ?" The Wellington district recommended, after careful enquiry and examination, Mr Hammond of the -Butt circuit. His case was under consideration at five o'clock, when, on the motion of the Rev J. Crump, the Corw ference adjourned, the president pronounc- . ing the benediction. :., , ; ;; EVENING SEBVICE. A good congregation assembled in the Durham street Church last evening.jit 7301 JThe pulpit ,»waa-occupied by-thjs Rev W. J. tjDircuit, who preached from .HebJi,, "v. 16. The »Rev J. Crump preached at Kaiapoi at seven o'clock. The Conference will re-assemble to-day.