THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 94, 14 January 1908, Page 4

THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

' CHmiOS' tfNION 'AND I TEMPERANCE '■ (DY association.) , 1 ' Dunedin ( January'l3. ■Several members of the Primitive Methodist Conference had oxprcssed the intention, owing to Saturday's sitting,, of-handing m. '■ .their resignations .owing'to what i th&y re- ' Warded as the, tindfihiqcfatio ftotion: of tha ; I majority; of ttllo .in' applyihg the . eloSUrfl to the Uttibh debate ,011 Friday, btifc i oil the Conference resuming this morning the storm had apparently air blown over, and ■ members settled down calmly to business.' t A deputation was received.from the. Metho- . dist Church of Australasia, consisting of the Revs. Wi 6lade (president), C. Laws,'B.A., > J. Ward, arid Mr, Caldwell. The deputation was welcomed. The Presidont (the' Rev. Wi Slade)j in referring .to Methodist union, pointed oilt that in his ohuroh there was room for every variety. Of Christian effort,; ThiiOnhad been Successful, lit Australia, as , " was evidenced by the Words of tho president of the New South Wales conference, who stated that Union W&S complete and tho fusion pbtfebti H6 ststfd-that while tho population of tllo Doniinibli Was . 900,000, . there Was Church accommodation for Only 375,000, arid only 520,000 ill fihiif.eh attenda,uce. . Hence- ho urged that tho churches should Wefeent a united front.' (the Rev. W. Hay, and the geritlemto ■ already named, represented the council ot tho Churches, and ivtrl Hay pointed .put that ' tho Christian Church is the one power that • niakes v for good! The trtte gehius of Chris. i tianity was to be in harmony With all that , helps Oii tho cause of God. The Rev. C. E. Ward and tho lion. C. M. Luke replied On behalf of tho conference. , ~ , A deputation, from tho. temperatico organisations'was received. . Mr. J. D. Adahls 0 urg«l that much practical, effort Was needed .to accomplish tho objects of the party*., Th(S ; IW. J. DftfrfcOn (chairman 6r-the executive 1 of tho Now Zoalifld Alliance) showed that, 1 much needed to bo done. Tho convictions for drunkenness were appalling in. number, those for 1904 being,96ls) for 1005, 8/07; i for 1900', 9210, Tho clubs were a senoua t poril to tho 'sobriety,of the community. The \V6fking Moil's Club in Wellington had . bar and other liciilor, receipts, for six month! , ortding Juno, 1907, 6f£fiSoo. Mr. W. Doom s said the laymen of tho Churoh wefo at on< with the ministers in this work. Tho afternoon session was taken up co» . sidering the. reports of. tho executive.