METHODIST CHURCH

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 56, 8 March 1919, Page 9

METHODIST CHURCH

THE CONFERENCE AT CHRISTCHURCH

CHURCH UNION.

SEPARATE MISSION FIELD,

(Bt TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 7th March. The Methodist Conference continued ita session.

The Rev. W. A. Sinclair, general secretary of Foreign Missions, moved that tho conference reaffirm the necessity for the Methodist' Church of New, Zealand assuming the responsibility for. maintenance and the control of a separate mission field;. that . the Church should aim at the establishment of the new field in 1922, the New' Zealand churches' centenary year; and that the . field comprise evangelised and unevangelised territory, the suggested field being 'Tonga, Samoa, and Solomon Islands. The motion was carried, and it was decided to enter into negotiations with.the New South Wales Conference and tho Mission Board. The Eev. H. L. Blamires moved that the conference recommend the adoption by its churches in connection with the peace celebrations of the peace hymn written by Mr. John Ball, editor of the Wanganui Chronicle. After some discussion, it was decided to recommend the hymn as one that might be used. Permission was given for the establishment of a juvenile missionary association.

The Rev. S.-Griffiths, who presented a report on the Val Trigge Mission, said that, with the permission-" of conference it was suggested that the Rev. Val Triggp should continue his work in New Zealand.

The question of Church union was then discussed..

The Rev. C. H. Laws said the union 'of the Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church was out of'the question. He thought that for many years to come it would not be found practicable to unite with the Anglican Church, though they all esteemed and revered this great Church. On the other hand, there seemed to be no real bar to tho union of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational Churches.

The following motions were carried unanimously : "That the" conference desires ■to express: its appreciation of the action of the Presbyterian Assembly in sending a deputation to convey its fraternal greetings and to bring before conference the question of Church union, and cordially reciprocates these greetings; that conference receives with satisfaction the communication of the Assembly c6 nveyiug the discussion on union in the recent Assembly, and desires to assure the Assembly of its willingness cordially to receive and consider any overture in favour of union that may be forwarded to it by the Assembly to a subsequent date; that the conference is impressed by the widespread sentiment in favour of Church reunion that is stirring throughout the Christian Church today, and especially by the success that has thus far attended the negotiations for corporate union of the Presbyterian, Congregational, and Methodist Churches in Canada and Australia; that conference affirms its adherence to the principle of union between the Presbyterian, Congregational, and Methodist Churches in New .Zealand, providing ■ that a satisfactory basis of union both as to creed and policy can be agreed upon, the terms of which shall be equitable to the several uniting churches; that conference is fully persuaded, that such union; would bea practical step towards.he-re-' covery of the New Testament ideal of the unity of the Christian churches, and would also remove serious causes of disability and weakness, and add greatly to the power and effectiveness of the Evangelical Church in this Dominion, and prays that the wisdom of God may continue to guide His people until this end is reached."