METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12442, 3 March 1906, Page 7

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

(SPECIAL TO " THE riIESS.")

DUNEDIN, March 1. At to-day's sitting tlie following alterations 'were made in the first stations sheet: — Mahurangi, Rev. J. D. Jory; Upper Thames and Waihi, Rev. J. Dukes; Cambridge, Rev. J. R. Clark; Hamilton, Rev. T. Fee; Paparoa, Rev. W. W. Avery; Rotorua. Rev. A. J. Reed; Stratford, Rev. E. D. Patchett; Feilding, Rev. C. Penney; Palmorston North,- Rev. J. J. Lewis; Wellington (Thorndon), Rev. C. Porter; organ-ising secretary Young Men's Movement, Rev. H. L. Blamires; Hastings, Rev. W. Tinsley; Dannovirke, Rev. C. Griffin; Blenheim, Rev. C. E. Boecroft; Rangiora, Rev. T. Pinfold; Temuka, Rev. J. H. Haslam; Dunedin (Musselburgh), Rev. C. Eaton; Invcrcargill, Rev. A. Mcßean; Cromwell, Rev. A. Reader;, Waikato, Rev. Hone Hare. The third and final reading is fixed for Saturday morning. Tho Rev. E. P. Blamires, of Rotorua, and late of Richmond, preferred a request to rest for this year for tho purpose of visiting Great Britain, which was granted. The Rev. L. M. Isitt visited the Conference this morning, and was cordially received. Ho gave a brief address? in which he referred to the forward position of tho colonial Church on great social reforms as compared with what lie had experienced in England. He congratulated tho Church on the great work it had been able to perform. • The Foreign MLssion report and bal-ance-sheet were presented. Tho income •was reported as over £2000, being about £300 in excess of any previous year's return. The reported income from the, Canterbury district was £518. The following resolution was adopted:—"Tho Conference gratefully acknowledges the gift of a yacht by-anonymous donors in Uhristchui'rch as a most valuable contribution to our mission equipment, and tenders its heartiest thanks for the gift-" ~ The.report of the committee appointed by the last Conference to consider the subject of the relation of children to the Church, deal* with the subject of baptism, the institution of a "cradle roll," upon which the name of each child should be enrolled, attendance at church, junior members' Church membership, young people's society classes, and-the 'Sabbath school. The subject was regarded as of serious import, the neoessity being very apparent for a clearer view of the true relation of the children to Christ and to the Church.

At a meeting held in the Trinity Church, tho Rev. C. C. Harrison, of Waihi, described the revival which had been carried on in that town for some time. He said the <lifficulty there was not to got men to church work, but to get them to ease off; not to get people to church, but to find room for them; not to got religious meetings, but to close them. Several striking illustrations were given of the results of the revival, which he declared was still being carried on. He then moved the Conference resolution on the work of God during the past year. In this gratitude was expressed for the numerous signs of blessing and encouragement in tho several departments of the churches' work. Tlie Rev. W. Ready also spoke, and referred to tho Erst Belt (Christchurch) church as a hive of spiritual industry. The motion was agreed to. iPRISS ASSOCIATION TKLECRiv.) DUNEDIN, March 2. Home mission grants have been allocated to the following circuits in Canterbury :—Oxford and Malvern. £30; Methven, £20; Belfast, £30; Chriatcfturch South, £35; Amberley, £10, and special for last year, £10; Banks Penin,sula, £30. There was an animated debate on the question of separation from Australia. The report of the committee, which was presented by the Rev. S. Lawry, of Christchurch, contained the following findings:—(l) That provision be made for giving to the annual Conference of New Zealand full power of legislation and control of its Connexional funds, under the name of the Methodist Church of New Zoakind; (2) that provision be made to guard against hasty legislation by enacting -that all new legislation before coming into operation must be remitted by the Conference to the District Synods for consideration, and must be confirmed by the succeeding Conference ; (3) that interconferential exchanges of ministers, tho making of supernumeraries, the stationing of ministers, and the election of the chairmen of dLstricts be dealt with in the representative sessions: (4) that, subject to the foregoing oonstitutiraial changes, the laws of the Methodist Cbu-rch of Australasia at the date of independence shall be the laws of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. It was also proposed that

a separate supernumerary *-d foreign mission fund be established, that the independence take effect in January of 1910, and that the whole scheme be submitted to the September quarterly meeting of District Synods of 1906. The Rev. S. Lawry, in a speech of forty-five minntes' duration, moved:— '"That the desirabilty of the independence of tlie New Zealand Conference be affirmed."

Mr J. T. Smith, of Christchurch, seconded the motion.

The Rev. H. Bull moved as an amendment:—"That in the opinion of this Conference, without pronouncing for or against the principle of an independent Conference for New Zealand, it is inopportune at the present time to refer the matter for fnrther discussion to the lower Courts of the Church."

Tho Rev. J. J. Lewis seconded the amendment.

Messrs Hodgson. Harding, Penny, and Blackwell spoke in favour of the motion, and.the Revs. Garland, Fee, Dowsburv, Blamires, and Slade and Mr Hobbs against it. The Rev. Mr Garland gave notice that he would move, if tho Rev. Mr Bull's amendment was lost, a further amendment as follows:—"That until tho committee presents more satisfactory findings on the suggested constitutional changes, it is unwise to submit this question to the lower Courts of the Church." The debate was adjourned until Monday. During the afternoon deputations were received from the Temperance Reform Council of Churches and the Presbyterian Church. A largely-attended conversazione was held in the Garrison Hall in the evening, the speakers being the Rev. Mr Luxford and Mr J. T. Smith.