METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1060, 24 February 1911, Page 6

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

._——4—.—_i. REV. G. VT. J.' SPENCE ELECTED PRESIDENT. ,-'. (By TcUcrapli.—Press Association.! Christchur.ch, February 23.' The conference was officially opened to night, when the retiring president, the Rov. C. H. Laws, delivered a lengthy and interesting address. On a ballot being taken.for tho position of president, the Rev. G. TV.-.J. Spence (Palmerston North) secured fit votes arid tjieltev. AV: Ready (Auckland) 34. Mr. Snence. did not.receive an absolute majority, and : on the two'names being • submitted to n second ballot' Mr. Spence secured' 99 and Mr. Ready 35 votes. The Rev. C. H. Laws, in his address, said'that the honourable company' of'the Church supernumeraries is to be added to this year by one who by'a ministry of forty-three years had won a peculiar place of regard in the affections and esteem of the whole Church, the.Rev. Henry Bull, who left a'record of unostentatious'and effective service which would inspiro many a younger man. Since' tho 1901 conference, tho Methodist Church had acquired 163 new freehold sites, an increaso of 20 per cent.; 8G new churches had been erected, an increase of 30 per cent.; 45 parsonages had been erected, an"-increase 1 of, 4S per cent.; and 25 Sunday schools, an increase of 32 per cent: The. original value of the freehold land held, by th< Church stood at,,£73,271, of which .£20,819. represented tho value of the land 'acquired during the past decade. •' The estimated value, of the buildings wa5_.£353;366/ an-increase of Ji118,353 since the century began. Fifteen years ago the income of tho foreign" mission fund from freewill offerings was .£609; ten years ago it. had risen to .£1235; to-day it was ,£2852. In 1901 the income of .the.homo'mission fund was .£IB7O, to-day it was .£4OOO. Regarding the consent of the Supreme Court of ■ the Church, to the independence of.the New Zealand Church, ho said the working scheme adopted by the New Zealand conference, modified in certain respects with the concurrence of the; New Zealand churches representatives,' would be laid beforo them at ri early stage of tho proceedings. It would be found conservative in spirit and statesmanlike in its arrangements. Ho believed it would provide ;n basis upon which all parties might unite to build up the great New Zealand Methodist Church. In further remarks, ho referred to tho necessity for a trained and effective ministry; for an attempt to bring the Church into fuller touch" with the life of flip Dominion at every point; and to tho fact that tho accomplishment of independence brought into tho realm of practical ecclesiastical policies the ouestion of completing Methodist union-in New Zealand. Tn 'the last-mentioned matter he had received a cordial approach from the recent Primitive Methodist conference. .The new president,' the Rev. G. W. J. Spence. returned thanks for his election. Among the questions to ■• be debated -by the- conference are confirmation* of the resolutions .regarding the separation of . tho New Zealand Church from Australia, a proposal to cut out one of the three readings of stations, and the establishment of a Methodist, college or theological hall. A citizens' meeting will be held to-morrow , nieht in connection with (he conference. Thn Governor has promised to presid" and Bishop Julius nnd the Hon. G. Fowlds will be among those delivering addresses.