METHODIST CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 16675, 6 March 1918, Page 6

METHODIST CONFERENCE

Sixth Day.-»W.ednesday. The-Methodist Conference sat again this morning, the Rev. S. Lawrv presiding until the arrival of tho president (the Kev 1. A. Jotighin), who was engaged on the work of the. Stations Committee. EDUCATIONAL TRUST. The Rev. G. Frost (Ashbnrton) presented the report of the Wellington Methodist Educational Trust. Tho value of the trust 1S £13,549 19 s 7d. and the trustees l m ' ing bou S ht IfUKI ;,t Masterton lor an orphanage (the third in Aew Zealand).—Conference recommended that, pending building operations on the new site, tbe trust be advised to secure a temporary building in or about Masterton to start the- orphanage. FOREIGN MISSIONS. Of the £15,000 to be raised for foreicn missions, £9,000 was allocated to the general fund, i! 3,000 to the New Zealand working capital fund, and the balance to the suspense account, to be used by the Australian board after consultation' with and approval by the New Zealand Foreign Mission Executive. It was reported also .hat a valuable property in Auckland had been donated for tho benefit of the mission, and was at present let at £3 per lorn'\ alS ° th ° donnr had g iv ™ i-ZUU to cover tha expenses of transfer etc. ' It was reported that the Mission Board in Sydney desired to allocate £SCO of New Zealand s foreign mission contribution in 7*l. 3 Geo, 'E e Brown .Memorial Home tor ,he training of missionary sisters, but as .New Zealand has such a home, and as thero is great need for training missionary sisters m the Dominion, in view of taking over a separate portion of the foreign mission field, the -Mission Board were asked to use the £SOO for general mission purposes, and not for the George Brown -Memorial Home ' The Rev J. W . Burton, formerly of i\o'.v_ Zealand, but now Victorian foreign mission secretary, wrote- in reference "to his coming visit to New Zealand for a period ot two months to do deputation workin various parts of the Dominion; and it was determined that he should be at liberty to discuss missionary study schools m some of the centres. On the motion of the Rev W- -V Sin clan- it was resolved that the great 'effort to raise money for missions be- inaugui.ded by special meetings for prayer in all crciuts and home mission stations; and -ha monthly meetings for prayer and study be also held. STATUS AND SALARIES Ihe Rev T. G. Brooke, general secretary introduced the report as regards the future status of senior home missionaries. The committee brought forward a- modified scheme, whereby heme missionaries could take an abridged' course of study and under which those who. manifested educational fitness and capacity to study, ability to teach, and aptitude in conduct of circuit affairs, might receive admission into the ministry In connection with the aggressive policy, it was deeded that to make better provision tor the ministers and home niissionanes of the Church the Conference appeal to .New Zealand Methodists to raise the gross annual income of the hom* £lO ™ f}V°,, a sum of rot less th ™ £10,000; that all grants to aided circuits city missions excepted) and home mission s ations be made with a view of assisting them to pay a minimum stipend of £225 to married ministers and £l6O to married home missionaries, and to pay £l4O to probationers and £l2O to unmarried home missionaries ; that all circuits and stations be earnestly urged to pay the above as the minimum stipends; that the circuits and stations paying less than the minimum be encouraged to make application for such grants as will assist them to reach it ■Pnrt «f« ° f i grantS WaS aho "tanged, .fait or the scheme comes into force now and tlie whole as early as practicable.. ' Mr Brooke remarked in connection with this scheme that he had received an offer trom a gentleman to contribute £IOO a year for three years towards its accomplishment. STATIONS. The second reading of stations was beore Conference, and in accordance with law was ordered to He on the table for 24 hours, when it will be further considered.