METHODIST CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 15433, 5 March 1914, Page 5

METHODIST CONFERENCE

SITESTH DAT-—TnCBSOAT.

The conference iwaTOod at 9.45. the Rev. S. J. Serpell presiding.

—The Rev. W. Slade a Delegate to Britain.—

The following resolution was passed:— "That the Rev. W. Siade I* the representative, of this conference- to the British Werfeyan Methodist, the British Primitive Methodic, and the British United Methodist Conferences, and "also to the Irish Methodist Conference." Ii was also resolved—'' That the Rev. 8. Griffith bo associated with the Rev. VV. Shdc as representative to tho Briti.-h Wesleyan Methodist Conference ,-nd teoeivo spexisl letters of ouniaumication to that body." The Rev. TV. Siade thanked ths conference for their resolution, and said itwould be a great h#lp to him to have an official position before the bodies mentioned. —Rest for the Ministers.— The conference resolved that the officials and members of the various circuit* be nrged to rruko si?eh srransrenvsnts as « - iil enable the various raini»;«r& to hava at least two weeks* resi in each \ ear.

—Home Missions and Chcrch Extension.— Mr J- Teaie, treasurer, presented the import of the Home Minion Committee, which stated, amongst oth«- things, that "much difficulty had to ba faced" in the early fart e-i* the yaa*- through the lack of suitable men to fill, the home mission station. It had been foent! impossible to secure'an adequate supplv of unmarried men. Several important places are vat-ant in euueoqeence. Had it been possible on th«e stations to make provision for the support, of married men the difficulties would have vanished, as we have had to ieeline a. dozen applications from such lien."

ihe statement showed the income by districts, <-u> follow*:—Auckland, £1.201 15s 8d; South Au-jkland. £202 7s 6d; laraiiaki-Wacganui, £346 6s Zd ; Hawke's Bay-Manawatu. £350 16s Ad -, \V.>llin"ton. £366 2s 5d ; X«-iscr., £209 3s Sd ; Canterbury, £661 5s 4d ; South Canterbury £3G2 2i£M ai f ; £ j taso ' , f !276 ** ld; Scu *thland. £2Ol Is 6d: total ©i district*, £4.156 ISs 6d. _ Income from, other sources, coonexlonal 'properties, interesc on investments etc.. £1.704 17s 3d; total income, £5.861 15s lOd.

The. estimate of the total income for next year was £5,982The- estimated expenditure was £5.923 Via, leaving a balance of £SB 6s to be carried forward.

The President said he thought it a unique experience to have a tome mission fund with a credit- balance. }lr Veal« replied that there was some-tj-ingto be Said by way ex explanation' of rnat lac. Conference sat last vear about a. month ejrlier than usual, and about £330 ot the- income wuld in the ordinarv way hav* been included in last vear's 'statement. I hen there was about £BO more from connexion*! properties than had been expected, owing to the liditness of the expenditure, and certain grants had not been expended; and there wae £123 of donations which could not be calculated on. He went on to say that there had never before been a statement of the capital account of the home mission fund It now stood at £6.288 10s; and there" was £6OO cud awaiting investment in Auckland. Most of the monev was invested ir. splendid mortgages on "properties, some bearing as high a rate of interest as 6£ per cent., and ]» thought it safe to sav that the average rats of interest was per cent. The money awaiting investment in Auckland was not whoilv unproductive, because it stood against trie overdraft and caved about* 1 per cent. As to the expenditure for the current war, the total grants asked for came to £6,214 4s, and the adjustment of the com mittee brought this sum down to £5.923 I 14s. Many of the items were made the subject of dehate. and it was agreed, on the motion of the conference seeretarv, that the disputed items be set down and handed to the committee as suggestions which might be reported upon later in the day. —Council of Churches A deputation from the Council of Churches, consisting of the Rev. G. HHeighway, Mr Duncan Wright, and the Rev. C. Dallaston, was received by the conference. The President said that, in the name of the conference, he was exceed ingly pleased to receive a deputation, irarn the churches of the City. Speaking for the deputation, the Rev. G. H. Heighway said that at the last meeting of the executive of the Council of Churches the president (the Rev. R. S. Gray), the ex-president (Rev. Graham Balfour), and himself -were asked to convey the greetings of the associated churches to their conference, but the others had other engagements. Hu expressed his pleasure that Mr ftosevear, who was treasurer of the council, had been elected as their vice-president. On behalf of the council he wished them a successful conference. The Rev. J. Guy, on behalf of _ the ministers of the Methodist Church, said they appreciated the good wishes of the deputation. The Hon. C. M. Luke welcomed the deputation on behalf of the lavrcen.

The conference rose for lunch. Tha.members of the conference have accepted Mr Jesse Timson's offer to give them and their friends an organ recital tc-inorrow ir. First Church at 5.10 p.in.