MINISTRY ENDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 50, 28 February 1942, Page 8

MINISTRY ENDS

REV. 0. E. BURTON

METHODIST CHURCH ACTION

After debating in camera questions relating to peace and war and the Church's attitude towards the pacifist activities of ministers, the Methodist Conference, in an official statement issued last evening, announced that the Rev. O. E. Burton, M.A., who has been sta-; tioned at. Webb Street Church, Wellington, since he was ordained seven years ago, was no longer a minister of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. No reason for his disconnection from the Church' was given.

The debate on peace and;war lasted through several sessions of the conference, and it is understood that, while objection was taken to a minister presenting his pacifist views to the extent of bringing himself into conflict with the civil authorities, there was a desire that Mr. Burton should be given facilities to- continue the social work for which he has been well known in Wellington. However, as announced yesterday, the conference reaffirmed the manifesto of .the 1940 conference, which stated, among other things: "While jealously guarding freedom of speech, conference directs that our pulpits and church organisations shall nov be used as recruiting agencies nor for propaganda encouraging young men to refuse war service." Apparently Mr. Burton was unable to regard himself as bound by some of the decisions of the conference and his ministry had to be brought to an end.

Comment on the action taken was refused by the president of the con-