METHODIST CHURCH.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15219, 5 March 1915, Page 3

METHODIST CHURCH.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

SIXTH DAY'S SESSION

Tho New Zealand Methodist Confer-' ence continued it.< sittin2s yesterday. J Tho Rev. J. Dawson (president) was in > the chair. - » ' f A sacramental service wa,= held be-' foro Conference assembled, and was at-' tended hy most of the minister.* and representa tires. veteran \s on eetl\,g. A leite r was road from the Uov. Wm. Kirk. 01 IVtone, :i sniv-rnumorary. in tho 70th year of hi.< ministry, and SO years oi' :ijr» x - It w*s derided to send 1 the Rev. Mr Kirk a lof.c-r of. and a group <'t members of Conference- . niVICfi.VKD TO ACTIVE WORK. The Itcv. .Tolla Nixon thanking Conferenco for p! ;i -'' n = n ' ui a«ain in the ranks of the nctive ministry after n term oi" .-.upeniiiincrai-yahip. ; TJie president oxpresacd pleasure at I M.r Nixon beiny: able to resume his places in fhoir nink.i. and referred to his ex-it-client work diii-ing his previous term j of active. !ah<j::r. j CHURCH WEI.FAHK. ! The Hoy. S. Griffith. cotiV"or of the I Wellari) of the f'hurcli Coniniittec. subIniittod the committee's report. anJ ! uiffved n advocating'a "p:o-to-I church" movement, and efforU to fitrI thfr clmreh work by distributing tracts land leaflets, specially drawn up to meet (the ncv'tl of the present day.- Mr Grifiiith reforvetl to hi* experiences in conI nexion with llethodism in the Old I.unJ his recent .visit, and to the spiritual and philanthropic izrorrth ot th« Methodist Church in this Dominion. Intensive and extensive spiritual cultivation must be their goal for the com-

ir.£ year. / ; jlic l!ov. W. Sla<].\ r.lio also spoke, wa? abio tn Cmitrrenoo ou vrhal he had sfn>n durimj; a recent visit to England. Ho could not liclp noticmjj the "real amouiu of money and tnne devoid to pleasure. Uo was sure that the. war was having a «ood effect in drawing away the minds of Ine people from these things and tuminjr them to thought on religion. Ho had noticed, too how poorly the . churches were attend*!. People' had got out of the wav of going to churdi. -bat since the 'war commenced a great ftliango had come al.-out. # and the churches were being fkled with all sorts ar,'d conditions of men. The war was the churches' s;rcat opportunity, not only in Kugland, but in New Zealand as well.' • ... i The \ic\-. S. Lawry read an interesting- letter from his eon with the Expo-, ditionarv P'orcc. The report . and recommendations iverc adontod. " UETIRIXG MINISTERS, lle-o'.ntions of appreciation of the services of the following .ministers- retiring on superannuation were passed: The Tiers. Geo.' Bond (Auckland)..!. G-Carr (Vfaihi). Joseph Sharp (Bluff). Joseph J. Mather (Ilangititeil. H.- R. Dewsbury (Auckland , ). C. H.-Standaw? (Carterton), Cornelius Griffin (Auckland). Eulogistic' i-eferer.ee was made tip the-'careers of tJieso men by several 'ministers and laymen. " " GREETINGS FROM CHRIST- " CHURCH MJNIsJTERS. A denutation front the Cliristchurch Ministers' Association waited upon Conference to convey the fraternal greetings of the Association. The deputation consisted of the , Rev. J., J. North .(president of tno Association), arid ■'the Tier.'. J. Paterson, .who gave short addresses to Conference. The Rev. C. 71.; Garland (Auckland) and Mr J. J. W'esney (Irivercargill) replied. HOME MISSIONS' BALANCESHEET. Mr J. Veale presented the balancesheet of the Home Mission Fund, which showed the total.receipts for the past, year to havo been £5605, and a creilit balance of £159, after an expenditure of £5416. The estimates for the coming year were set down at — income £5792. expenditure .£5978 Its, with a deficit of £22G Ms. ■ Exception was taken to various proposed grants, which were referred back to the committee for further consideration, j Mr J. .Veale, who is retiring from the offico of treasurer' of the Home Mission Fund, was accorded the- bestthanks of the Conference for his services, and was appointed a life member of the Home Mission and Church Extension Fund Executive. . ORGANISING SECRETARY. The Rev-. T. G. Biooke was appointed organising secretary for Home Missions for one year, and Conference placed on record its senso of . nis ''earnest, devoted, and successful work" in connexion with Home Missions in the past. GENERAL TREASURER. The executive of the Homo Missions Fund recommended Conference, in consequence of the difficulty in securing a competent'layman to- undertake the duties of general treasurer! and as the Rev. G. Bond was retiring from active work, that he be appointed general treasurer, and that an allowanco of £100 be attached to the appointment. Mr J. Veale was appointed hon. treasurer of the Homo Mission Fund. EXTENSION OF ITINERANCY. The Itov. C. H. Laws moved the following resolution in connexion with the extension of the itinerancy: "That th«> majority of votes to carry such appoint men ts'of ministers by conference for a longer period than five years be reduced to oo' per cent." The proposal was carried by 1-11 votes to 4. COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS. Conference wont into committee to appoint a committee of complaints and appeals to consider an urgent case of discipline. . , . . MISSION ADMINISTRATION. Various recommendations in connexion with Home Miction administration were introduced by the secretary (the Rev. T. G. Brooke) and discussed. WOMEN'S AUXILIARY. A meeting of tne Methodist "Women's Mission Auxiliary wao held in the Durham street Schoolroom yesterday afternoon at which an address on Foreign Missions was given by Dv. Georgo Brown, F.K.G.6. Dr. Brown advocated the eetablish- ! tncnt'of a home for training missionary sisters, as no sister shouid bo sent out without training in the work sho was 'to undertake. Many women were attracted to the missionary In© W its romantic tios. and it was better to have empty stations than unsuitable agents. , , Sister Keith, who recently returned from the New Britain station, described life in that part oi the globe, and gave hor experiences Conference adjourned till 9 a.m. today when the intercessory service in connexion with the war which was to have been held yesterday, will take place. ' '