WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8350, 8 December 1892, Page 5

WESLEYAN DISTRICT MEETING.

A : 4 r 6!ho_ Financial District meeting com-* 1 mencea its session in the Durham slreet i Church on Wednesday morning. In addi- ' lion to $ac ministers present the previous day Rev. S. Aldred took his seat. The ; following laymen were present, from Dar* ; ham street, lax 3. T. Smith; Sydenham, MrH.Bonnington; St. Albans, Messrs C E. Salter and B. C. Brown; Lytteltoa, Mr H, , S. Oliver; Sptingstonj, Messrs T. Lawry and H. W. Peryman; Kalapof, Messrs Q. H. Bkckwefl and J. Preece; Woodend, Messrs C. Skevingtoa.and J." Little; Rangiora, Mr J. B. Cbatterton -. Ashburton, Messrs T. Chapman and W. H. Collins j District Secretary of Church, property, Mr R. Dawson, Mr J. Rapley, Home Mis* - sionary, Methven. The Chaibmaj?, in reviewing the work ©f the year, expressed t-hanks ror success, and referred to useful work being done in the various circuits. Schemes for buildinff new churches in Clarkvilio and Dsn_andel have not been proceeded with ia oonsequeaco of financial depression. The church ah , Ashburton has been.-removed to a haw site, and a proposal is on foot to erect a new church at Greenstreet, The week of self* denial proposed at last Confareace had been taken up, and £550 had bean o_ which £150 have been raised in Canterbury.. The Sunday school Union Committee had' met and formulated and launched a schema; which promised to be acceptable to their schools. The Amended Act of Parliament, giving Conference the legal right to appoint its ministers for a longer period, haa neen passed. The Methodist paper has been reduced to a penny with gratifying results. The Committee appointed by Conference to consider the question of fire insurance would lay theift report before the meeting and it would bf considered. He trusted that they would have a pleasant and profitable meeting. Mr L. Lawry, on' nehalf of the laymen, congratulated the Rev. Geo. Bond upon hia election to the position of President of Con* ference and chairman of this meeting. Under the question of new erections and improvements it was reported that the school room at Lyttelton had been enlarged at thtf cost of £60, and the vestry at Rangiora enlarged at a cost of £100. Permission was given to build a new church at Sumner, and renewal of permission to build a new church at Clarkville. Pet-mission was also given to erect a vestry at Horrelyille, enlargement of church "at Willowby, and to sell schoolroom at St. Albans and church at Walthami The report of the Custodian of Deeds was presented and adopted. The sale of church aita at Aehburton waj.' reportedRev. W. G. Parsonsos gave a report of services being held regularly amongst the' Maoris at Taumutu, and spote oi very gratifying spiritual results. Mr 'JCijr___y also reported regular eervicesgiven to the Maoris at Raupafci. " Mr R. Dawson, District Secretary of Church property, 'presented the aunnajt report, 6ho\v,ing the total iaconio from seat rents, anniversary services and doaaf tions for church 'purposes is £3087 ; expeh* diture for light and cleaning, repairs, %a. s £3166. Debts have been reduced by £As 9, The total amount for which tho cburchef are insured is £32,600. Rev. W. Baumber proposed a very' hearty jvoto of thanks to Mr Dawson lot his able and clear report, which was unanimously, carried. Conference to be asked to re-apppint Mr Dawson. ■'.''■!'• The reports of conhexional properties - and the Principal of Wesley College, Thref Kings, .were read and adopted. ' The following resolution, proposed by Rev. VV. J., Willums, was agreed to.-r----"This meeting expresses ita thankfulness at the .encouraging tone of the report, and especially, of the promise which it gives of providing Additional .agents for the Maori jj-issions. In view of the need of increas* ing: .such agents, especially ,on the West Coast of tbe North Island and in the South Island,,the.meetjng expresses,the hops that candidates for the Maori .ministry will.bu found in growing numbers among the atndepts at Three Kings." The following amounts have been raised i» the circuit for the Home MissionFuud:-— Durham atreet £IQQ, Sydenham £15, St, Albas 3 £60, Lyttelton £27 lOa, Springstaa £25, Leeston £48, Kaiapoi£27, Woodend £17 10s,'Bangiom £23, Timaru J6O, Waimate £10, Temuka £10, Ashburton £43163, Malvern £3, Methven,.£3, total £474 10e. The estimated income from tho circuit was J_4_l. Grants, were recommended to bo made by Conference from tho Home Mission Fund tot-he following circuit and home.Hussion stations—Ashburton £25, .Malvern £25, Methven £30. The report from the home mission station* was read and adopted, the meeting axprew* sing its satisfaction with tho work done. Rev. G. H. B-ackweij, moved, and Bey* Wm. Tinsle. seconded—*«, That a Maori minister be appointed to work amongst tho Maoris of Canterbury, and -that a aamoienfe sum be allocated from the Homo Mission Fund'for that purpose." The Revs. W. Tinsley and! W. Patsonsaa were appointed a Committee to draw up« Esportto urge Conference to.give oflfeptt- ' feheresoiution. The circuit reported the following amounts raised for the Foreign Misstoa ®und :—-Durham street £39 6s 4d,-Syden-ham ■-£10 15s lOd, St. Albans £171Oa0d. Lyttelton £7 10s, Spring3toa £5 _5a 9d, Leeston:£B 17s, Kaiapoi £15 7s Bd, Wood-end-£4 18s 9d, Rangiora £6 3s 3d, Timaru sB2G lis 9d, Waimate £35, Temuka £7 13----10 d, Ashburton £24 6s; total,-£243l#_ lid. -.In addition to the above tho Durham. street and Kaiapoi Sabbath schools rsspee* tifcely undertake tho support of a aativ. teacher in the mission field. The following resolution was agreed to— " That this meeting expresses its atose of the. value to the e-ux-e of Foreign Missions of the recent visit of the Rev. Geo. Brown, • D.D., General Missionary Secretary, -and-' hopes that the colony .will-be favoured as soon as possible with another deputation sent by the Board of Missions." The.reports of the Supernumerary, CKifdren's, and Contingent Funds were read and adopted. A -resolution from the Kaiapoi Circuit 'was .adopted—"Tha_ this meeting reeora* mend Conference to make ths imntster*re>- > 3 ,- maval expenses a charge npon the Contingent Fund." ' The statistical returns show that-the*** are £7 churches and other preaching -places, 20 ministers, 1 home missionary, 572 Sunday school te_che r s, 91 local preachers, 71 (stem leader., 2260 church members, 282 ec-roam*. nicanta, 281 catechumens, 54 Sabbath ■ s-hoole, 5416 Sabbatli ncliool scholar©, 13>9_0 attendants'upon public worship. The statistical returns of the Sabbat-* Schools and tho iiabbath School U_ki_ were presented and adopted ; £660 ha*v» been raised for Sabbath School work*** examiners bad been appointed tcpropawr papers and -the dates ior exatninatioa Stfed. The-lev. J. N. Bottle this meeting cordiaHy approves tho acton' of last Conference ia ths inauguration of a Gonnexional Sabbath School Union -anS --presses a hope that the efforts will •facontinued until the Union shall have becoms thoroug'bly established." The resolution was unanimously agreed: to. The Rev. H. Dewsbury was appointed torepresent the district with the Chairmaia upon the Stationing Committee in Conference. The Key. J. N. Bdtt_b read the temper* ance returns, which gave 22 temperance societies sod Bands of Hope, having a membership.of 2280. It was further stated that the Methodist Church is doing -gaod temperance work, with other diurchea. A. long conversation took place in relation to the circulation of the Methodist. The following resolution was agreed to—" That this mc» ting exprct sea its grattficratiaa that . the New Zealand XlethodisS has been issued as a peany paper ; it ia glad to learn of ita increased'cix-culaticn, and trusts tbe eaccesa oftbe paper may bo greater still l*y the adoption of such means aaahaS securo that endT" The Conference then adjouraed tUJ to-day. ißimwiiiM-iwliirM iwi iiwMmKiwmiM