METHODIST UNION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1030, 20 January 1911, Page 9

METHODIST UNION.

A RETROSPECT.: 'PROGRESS, SINCE 1884., At the request of a. Dominion, reporter, Mr. D.-'Goldie, oh Tuesday, brieily. re-. viewed past efforts that have, been made to promote -Methodist union. . "i'"irst of all," said Mr. Goldie, "you must understand tho differences separating Primitive Methodists from other Methodist bodies. A hundred years ago the Primitive Methodists were Wesleyans, but Wesleyans who were determined.: to follow on, Wesley's lines of work, particularly as regarded work in the open air. Seventeen years after Wesley's death those who adhered to this determination, were expelled from Wesley's Church. They continued their work of conversion, and for a time handed over converts, as they were made, to the Wesleyan Church. Finally the Wesleyans refused to tako over any more of. the Primitivo. Methodist converts, and the...latter., were, .compelled' to lay: down .a polity for themselves. That polity has endured until: the present, day...:

"Tho Primitive Methodists, in .New, Zealand have, discussed the Question, of Methodist, union": on. six separate occasions-. In .1881 a conference , was convened, which was attended by delegates from each of tho Methodist bodies in New Zealand. Good progress was made towards agreement, and a basis, of union was agreed upon, under which laymen, were granted equal rights with ministers save upon questions-of a ministerial . tcr. Tho Australian Methodist, body, however, refused to sanction the arrangement thus arrived at.: If the Australian body had accented the conditions "of tho 1884 agreement the.. Primitive Methodi&ts of New Zealand would have then joined the Wesleyans.

"Tho Wed-evans, as against the Primitive Methodist polity, which confers, equal lights on the laymen and.the ministers, have hitherto reserved some.sixteen questions upon-which .laymen are not permitted to havo a. voice. These questions concern mainly the probation,' admission, ov exclusion. of ministers. In addition, a minister- takes the.chair in Wesleyan Church courts, ami is invested with a. large discretionary power as to the admission or exclusion ot buiinct's for discussion. Any appeal on . any question touching on Church polity, on passing from an inferior court; has to go to a court composed solely of ministers. The?e,rules apply in the Wesleyan courts, to tho. determination of all appeals affecting the status of ministers or members. In 1901 the .Wesleyan Methodists ];\ Xew Zealand approached tho Primitive Methodists with a proposal to unite, on this basis. The Primitive Methodist Conference held in 1902 referred the question .of union to. the quarterly meetings, in the following -forms, to be voted upon :— "(1) Are you .in favour of union on .. the 168J basis? . • ■ "(2). Aro'.you :in.favour of union on tho basis now offered to us by the : New Zealand'Cou/erence of the Aus- : tralian Church? ''The voting on the first issue was n.s follows For, 281; against, 113; majority for, 74, Oil tho sacond:—For, G3j against, 24G; majority against, 183. "Tho _ separation of the Methodist Church in New Zealand from the Australian Church, though not yet complete, has. given the question of union in Jvew Zealand an. entirely new aspect, for it was tho Australian delegates who killed the union proposal framed in 1884. .'The separation, .of the New. Zealand Church' was approved by the triennial conference of the Australasian Church, which sat in 1910. To make, the separation complete, it has. to be anproved liv the conference of each State, and in each. State, an Act of Parliament will liavo to be passed in connection with questions relating to' property. . Theso matters will, probably bei settled this .year.. The general nresident of tho Australasian.body is to'.vwit New Zealand at some date prior to tho next Australian. Conference in iiWt. He will open tho Dominion Conference," and. hand over the reins of authority to' the' New Zealanders. Granted that {he ratification of tho separation by the various State Conferences and Parliament proceeds without interruption, the committee appointed on Tuesday by the Primitive Methodists will meet a committee of tho Werieyans, and, if possible, arrange a basis of union which will bo submitted to the Primitive Methodist Conference, twelve months hence. Ultimately, .the" quarterly meetings of the Church will.be invited to vote upon the finding, of..the conferences."' -