PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1026, 16 January 1911, Page 9

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE.

THIRD DAY. The Primitive Methodist Conference resumed its. sessiou 011 Saturday morning; Tlio Furnishing Fund Committee's report showed tho valiie of-, the'-furniture at -the parsonages in tho various parts of the Dominion to be ,£2l-11. Upon this there was .111 insurance of =£1790. Tho chairman of the committee (the Kev: Knowles-Smith) intimated that before long a very, serious position would have to.'bo faced. Probationers were being ordained. ministers, and they must be provided with homes, as they were entitled to the right of matrimony. After a lively discussion a motion was carried, . that .stations having, probationers shall have'.tho amount required for the furnishing fund added to their taxation, except where provision has been made to raise the necessary amount of money by other means. On the recommendation of tho Stationing Committee, a student will be selected and sent Home to . the Hartley College at Manchester next year. The Examining Board reported the following ■ passes for probationers:—Candidates for ordination; Rev. D. B. P. Carlisle, -185 marks (possible COO); F. A. Thompson, 475. Second year probationers; ft: Cottiim, 499; E. Bandy, 512; J. -Suckling; 515; A. H. Fowle's, 428. First year probationers; H. A. Sharp, 482; A. Harris, 499. Candidates for the ministry: N. Hyde,GG2 marks (possible, 900); J. Charteris, 690; F. Frost, 721. : The. conference went into committee to deal with further business. ■MISSIONARY GARDEN PARTY. A missionary gardon . party was given at' the residence, of Mr. R. Keene, it Island Bay, on Saturday afternoon, and was' attended by a large number of the adherents of the Primitive Methodist body. . Mr. J. Watkinson, missionarv treasurer, presided, and the Rev. W. Laycock delivered an address on "African Missions." He described in detail the work done by. tlio bands of heroic, self-sacrificing missionaries; both men and women,-who peiietrato the,-dense forests aud.-fever-laden swamps of equatorial Africa to ' try and substitute the Gospel for tho idol worshipping and witch-craft which is rife among the tribes of these parts., He also appaaled to those present to generously support the Foreign Mission Fund, which' enabled this labour of love to be carried on. The Rev. R. Raine and Mr. W. Phillips spoke 011 tho. New Zealand Home.missions, emphasising the fact that these were just as important, if not more so, than tho missions to foreign lands. ■ The Central Mission Band was in attendance, and gave a programme of music which was much appreciated. Yesterday special sermons were .given in all the churches, and in many cases the pulpit was occupied by a visiting clergyman; In. the afternoon an open air service Was held at Newtown Park.- ' TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME.' Tho. conference will sit again to-day at 9.30' a.m., and in the, evening there will be'a Young Peoples' Demonstration in -tho Town Hall Concert Chamber. The speakers will bo the Revs. G-. H. Manii and J. Guy. There will bo a special choir, consisting of over one hundred juvenile and adult voices. . "CHARACTER AND DUTY." - ADDRESS BY REV. C. E. WARD. Last evoning, , in. the Sydney Street Church, the Rev. C) E. Ward presichcd on"Character.and Duty." 111 the-course of liis., address Mr. Ward i said :—The great business in this world is the building of character. Moral character is tho niea-' sure of real worth. Such is the transcendent importance of- character-building Ihat the chief glorj-- of Christianity is in relation to it. Hence Jesus Christ constantly • spok6/i.-aC;;r,character—was-i ever,"warning inen of the' false and urging them to tho true. Wo should teach children tho value ol truth, purity, simplicity, conrage, industry,. kindness to animals, courtesy, the best material to make character. Actions, words, looks, thought, habits, spelt character. Character was built slowly,- and very much as tho sculptor graduallyfashioned his work. Mr. Ward added that during the week ho had visited the Assembly Library, and-there In saw excellent busts of Sir. Harrv Atkinson, Sir John M'Kenzie, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, all' men of strong character. These were not struck at 0110 blow nor a. hundred. It took thousands of acts of -thqiight and will, and effort to shape tli9 feature? and expressions, of the . soul. Habits of reverence, courage, generosity, gentleness, truth,, fidelity, honour, selfreliance, or habits of falsehood, passion, selfishness, impurity, ' moulded men's character. The repetition, of an act of virtue produce a tendency to continue the repetition. Character, iii fact, was consolidated habit. Speaking of tho gospel of' duty, .Mr. -Ward sfiid: "Duty is"tho thing which is duo to God, ourselves, and our fellowmen. A moral or legal obligation to pay, to do, or to oerform—a debt which every man is.bound to discharge. Duty is the essence of true religion. The principle is interwoven with all the teachings of the Bible. Obedience to duty at all costs and risks is tho very essence of true life. Nothing was more beautiful than doing our duty. It was while standing on .the deck of his ship in the fierce fight of battlo that Nelson received his mortal wouiid. His last word was 'Thank God. I liavo done my duty.'" "Not once or twice in our fair island's story Tho path of duty was the way 10 - glory." It was Nelson talisman at Trafalgar. It was tho guidiug star of Wellington. Engraved on the tomb of one of tho heroes who saved India at the Jlutinv is "He tried to do his duty." In the long story of tho making of the British, nation no word has' exercised a mightier influence than the Word "duty." , AVe. English like its iron ring. It was a stimulant that never failed—tho sublimest word in opr strong, language. Duty must, be the aim-of overv manly life. It was the. path of progress, : success, honour. Tb do our "duty and to make the best of life should bo the aim of every Christian. There is little pleasure in lifo that is. so tr.uc, so lasting, and so great, as tho pleasure of doing our duly. _ Do the duty which lies nearest to you: in tho home, the, ship, the market, the street, the.'voting table, just as faithfully as if you stood in the .front rank of a great battle. "It is to him that is faithful unto death that is. held out the crown of. life." Mr. Ward then asked his hearers to remember that the Tiattern of our national flag was based on Christ, and it contained tho symbol of tho Cross. One hundred years ago tho whole English-speaking people numbered less than 25 millions" To-day they numbered 130 millions. America and England with their depeni dencies numbered 522 millions. It was I tho duty (if these two great Protestant English-speaking nations to -secure the peace of the world.