METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13363, 3 March 1909, Page 7

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

(press association T^EUiIAM).

WELLINGTON, March 2.

Tlie following recommendations were made at a pastoral session held j in connection with tho Met ho- ' dirt Conference:—That the Revs. F j Copeland, A. C. Rar.derson, and IX. \ Ricuaids be received for ordination; I that the Revs, J. It. Clark, P. 11. Paris. ] C. Roberta W. H. K. Abbey, W. W. ) Avery, C. Eloir. H. A. G. Keck, W. S. Maslin, W. B. Scctt, G. Swadden, E. Cox. C. B. Jordan. J. F. Martin. F. Rands, W. 11. Spier, R. B. Tinshy. and J. B. Boc-chc. para in their refcpoctive If was uvcidv-J that M«*>sr.i A. F. Burchell, C. L. Clyde, N. Turner, M. J. Evans, R. GosweJl. G. B. Hunter, W. Lea. A. H. Scriven, a,n.:v W. A. Wateou, be received as tuhditlattv for the ministry, Messrs Bircheii ar.d Turner to be given ihiineciabo employment in the circuit work. Mces-rs Goswell. Scriven and Carr a desire to ent>er tlie foreign mission field Mr D. Wik-ox was received as a native minister on trial. The Rev. A. J. .v.-aract «,M transfeiTt<i from tlie Mtiari to the European work. Applications lor «.ui>eranniuit_on of the Revs. W. C. Oliver, D. McNicholl, S. J. Garlick. and T. E. Thomas, were approved. A special committee wn;s set up to j consider tlie interests of the work of ] the denomination at centres aion;; the Main Trunk line, to make recommendations regarding thi» san-.o and l to report to the Conference. It was divided that- the Huntly circuit be made a rniesicii station with a grant of £20. The coiitmittoe appointed to consider the position of tho Rev. A. J. Seamer recommended as follows:— "That iv accordance with the views of his niecical adviser, the committee does not recommend Mr Seamer's employment in foreign mission work, but at his own reqtwst recoiumendis hi.s appointment to a European circuit." j The committee took the opportunity of | recognising -the earn-cvtn«:v> and fidelity with which Mr Seamcr had for four years discharged the duties of a minister to the natives and Europeans in the North. The recommendation was a Uopbed. Appointments were sanctioned as follows: —Manakau circuit, probationer ; Hamilton, home missionary (if one is available); Napier, probationer; Richmond, homo missioner appointcdito work Motupiko, Tapawora, Stauley Brook, Tedmor, Shlsry, Kiwi, anil Wangiipeka, with a suitable grant from the home mission fund'; Blenheim, home missionarj* appointed to Flaxwith homo mission grant of £50; Greymouth. home missionary ap- j pointed to work tho outside district in tho circuit, with a suitable grant; Canterbury, home missionary appointed to St. Albans. An application from Wanganui dibtrict for tho appointment of an additional Maori agent to work the W-aimorino district with a home mission grant of £75, was referred to th* homo mission executive for consideration, during the coming year. The Rev. J. H. Simmonds was reappointed principal of the Native Training College at Three Kings, a j special vote of thanks being accorded j him for the splendid manner in which he had carried out his work during the past twelve months. The Rev. W. A. Sinclair moved:—"That the Conference notice with pleasure the indication of an upward movement amongst the Maoris, and urge its ministers wlierever possible to hold' services amongst the natives in their circuits." The Rev. J. H. Williams, in seconding the motion, urged that they could not regard their work as being complete until tbey took up the training of Maori girls, and he hoped that ore long they would have a Training College for girls similar to their institution at Three Kings for th© Maori youths. Tho motion was carried-.

(SPECIAL TO '«XHE PKESS.")

"WELLTNGTON, March 1. The alteration of circuit or district bcundaries was an important subject before th© Conference to-day. With regard to districts a committee consisting of Chairmen of Districts and a layman from each district, was appointed to consider the alteration, of bcundaries and report to the Synod and next Conference. Mr J. A. Flesher waa appointed the Canterbury, representative. The Rev. H. Bull presented the report on Church properties. Thi» included the enlargement of Durham street schoolroom, tho enlargement of Heathcote Sunday School, the erection of the Bible Class Hall at Now Brighton, the enlargement of Sydenham Sunday School, and tho erection of a parsonage at Waimate. Twenty-four sites have been secured. Seven churches and three parsonages were built during the year. Tho Fire Insurance and Connexrional Secretary's reports were presented and adopted. Mr Bull received a special and hearty vote of thanks, and was re-appointed Conncxional Secretary, and Authorised Representative. Mr E. C. Brown also received hearty thanks for services to the Connexional Secretary's committee, and the Hon. G. J. Smith was appointed his successor. Sir R. M. Cress-well was appointed to tho Loan and Building Fund committee, and Mr A. K. England to the Fire insurance committee. Mr C. E. Salter was re-appointed as district secretary of the church properties for Canterbury district. March 2. An important and animated discussion took place this morning upon the proposals from Christohurch to reunite the Durham street South Mission with the Durham street Circuit, a probationer to take the place of the married minister at the Mission. This condition was the crux of the question, and led to the lengthened debate which ensued, many speaking for and against. An amendment was proposed by the Rev. S. Lawry:—"That, in view of the probability of a Central Mission being established in Christchurch in the near future, no alteration take place at present; a Home Mission grant to be given in aid." Other amendments wero also submitted. Ultimately it was decided, if the exigencies of the stationing permitted, to carry out the proposal ; failing this, the present position to remain unaltered. Tho secretary of the Conference intimated that in all probability the second reading of stations would take place on Thursday morning, in the ministerial session. Tho resignation of Mr A. Hardy Couch, Home Missionary at Oxford, who was accepted as a candidate for the ministry last year, for personal reasons, was tendered and accepted with regret. Great interest was taken this evening in tho discussion upon the report and balance-sheet of the Young People's Bible Class movement, the latter reporting a serious deficiency. Many ministers spoke enthusiastically of the work that had been done during the past year by the organising secretary .'the Rev. A. B. Chnppell, M.A.). The Rev. H. R. Dewsbury referred to the magnificent conference of teachers in Christchurch last year, and strongly supported the continuance of the movement. Mr G. H. Blackw*.!] dwelt upon the importance of looting after the youth of the Church. This was a movement that had como to etay. Mr T>. Jones thought the financial position was the weak place in th© report, and feared that the movement was not appreciated as it should be. He %uxgested that the committee reconsider this aspect, with a view to suggesting means whereby the position might ho relieved. Mr Burton, Auckland,

thought that at this juncture tho t-boiud be given up, ami tho xninist«" l j\ and laymen in tho various circuits t*K _ ;i det-per and growing interest in. thisfS important work. Rev. W. A. Sinclair"* wm i»un> the youth oi tho Churcu hod a __ro:u interest in tho financial positron, and wt-rc prepared to work for ilu< lii]-.iidatio!i of the liabilities. Tho Revs. Messrs J. J. iAuis, C. Porter, fl. L. Rlaimres, and. J. N. Buttle, apoko o:it>!U:>in=-acnlly in support of tho report, which was adopted by an unanimous vote. The Rev. A. B. Chappell wes accorded a special vote of thaulce and re-appointed to tho office of organising secretary. .Sunday schools were strongly urged to support th© movement. In addition to the contributions from Bible Classes, donations are alio to be eolioited from the congregations throughout the Ikiminion.