ECCLESIASTICAL NEWS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3514, 20 October 1868, Page 6

ECCLESIASTICAL NEWS.

THE WESLEYAN CONFERENCE AT LIVERPOOL. This Wesleyau Conference ha 3 been held in Lirerpool, and attended by about 500 ministers from all parts of the connection. The R«v. Samuel Romilly Hull was elected President of the Conference, in room of the Rev. Johu Bedfotd, *nd the Rev. J. Farrar, secretary, the legal huudred having previously been completed by filling eight vacancies, caused by deaths during the year.. It is customary fur the retiring Presideut to baud over to the newlyelected President the Bible which Mr. Wesley used when preaching in the open air, and also the Conference seal. Piesideut Hull, in his inaugural address, departed somewhat from the ordinary usage on such occasions. Instead of confining himself to Methodist affairs, he took a wider range, and glanced at sme of the external relatious of Methodism. He hoped that the Methodists would keep to their via media. Individually they had their political convictions, but they were not disposed to tate political actiou in their corporate capacity. Any union of the Methodist Connexion with the Church of England was out of the question. They were not partisans of State Churches, and could cast off any Church that was unfaithful to Christ. He spoke strongly against the I'ractarianism »nd Rationalism of home sections of the Church of England, and intimated that in some way or other some of the questions now disturbing the public mind might come under the consideration of the Conference. The Times gives the following account of how business is conducted : — "There are no fonn*l speeches and elaborate deliverances such as obtain in the Ecclesiastical Courts of Scotland. It may be affirmed ihat a speech an hour long is not made in tbe Methodist Conference once in five years. No lawyers are ever admitted to plead in any case ; the business is always decided on principles of Methodist equity rather than ou grounds merely technical. The whole procedure goes on the ground of brotherly intercourse, and the remarks which are made are always offered in a kind and friendly spirit. The average length of the speeches is about eight minutes, though the word speeches ought not to be used ; the discourse is conversational." A. loyal address to her Majesty was passed, expressing the unabated attachment of the ministers of the religious connection established by the late Rev. John Wesley, A.M., isssmbled in .Liverpool in their 125ch Annual Conference, to the Throne and Constitution of the couutry. Amoogst the ministers retiring from active service was the Her, P. McUwan, who has been a laborious Methodist preacher for 51 years. A letter addressed to the President by the venerable Rev. Thomas Jackson was read to the Conference. The letter is remarkable, considering the person writing it and the circumstances under which it is written. Father Jackson, now about 80 years of age, has for the last 50 years been one of the most abie, honoured, and influential of Wesleyan ministers. He was twice President of the Conference, editor of the Methodist periodicals, and for about 20 yeara Diviuity Professor at tbe Richmond Wesleyan Clerical College, London. About forty years ago Mr. Jackson delivered a remarkable speech on the relations of Methodism to the Church of England, and for many years his speech, which was published as a pamphlet, generally expressed the views of the Methodise people. But Mr. Jackson's present letter is very remarkable as a modification of his original speech, and also as coming from a minister who for more than forty years was among the firmest and warmest friends of the Church of England to be found in the Methodist body. The most interesting sight in connection with the meeting of the Conference occurs at the confirming of the stations. But it is first necessary to say 'what is meant by confirming the stations. These stations are the appointments of ministers ; in fact, they are the allocations to circuits. The appointments are all printed together after the Stationing Committee has met, and they are read through three times in full Conference, and as the reading goes on various alterations are made. After the stations have been tead a third time a short pause ensues to see if any further improvements can be made. The secretary th?n rises and says, " 1 more that the stations be now confirmed." The expresident says, "I second it." Now comes ihetime for the interesting sight. Before it goes to tlie vote let us say that there are about 500 ministers concerned ; many of them are going to stations far and distaut and very different from what they expected and dtsired: some of them are rruch disappointed and many are anxious, but the thing is done now for good or evil, and not a word is spoken. A sad event happened dming the sittiDga. One Sunday morning the Key. Alexander Thomas James, who had atten led the Conference the day before, was fouud dead in bed at Huddersfield, whither he had gone to see his children, who were at school. The Conference next year is to be held in Hull.