METHODIST CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 21966, 28 February 1935, Page 2

METHODIST CHURCH

ANNUAL CONFERENCE CONTINUES Yesterday afternoon the annual conference of .the Methodist Church of New Zealand was continued, the Rev. J. H. Haslam being in the chair. YOUTH OF THE CHURCH. Continuing his remarks, which were interrupted by the adjournment on the preceding day, the Rev. H. Short (Hurt), who moved the adoption of the youth department report, said ho wished to emphasise that there appeared to be a tendency on the part of some of the leaders of the Bible class movement to resent the exercise of any authority on the part of the church, and a disposition in the movement to become separate and distinct from the church. The position was so advanced that he thought the time had come to tell the organisation that it was given self-government years ago, but not the church government. He was of the opinion that in at least a section of its leadership the movement was unwilling to submit to discipline. The life and work of the. church would he plunged into chaos and disentegration if that was to be the attitude of all departments to the church. The time would come when the youth department would rule the church instead of the latter ruling the former.

The secretary of the conference (Rev. W. A. Burley) said he was the minister who bad been in touch with the movement for a fairly long time, and had not noticed any sign of a desire for cleavage. Urging the necessity of fostering true co-operation between all churches in the development of work among the youth of the church, the Rev, M. A. Rugby Pratt (Christchurch) said that, however, it was essential that they should stand by their own church. This course should be followed by youth leaders, he suggested, and they should encourage a study of the Methodist Church religion and doctrine.

In the opinion of the Rov. C. B. Jordon (Addington) the younger members of the church were looking to the senior ministers to give them a lead. If this lead were not forthcoming the young people could not be blamed for taking their own line. The Rev. W. G. Slade (Levin) said he deplored the fact that the .young folk of the church were frequently misled by the older members in the matter of church attendance. The Bible class members were hardly to be blamed for non-attendance at church if they were taken to picnics to the beaches on Sunday by those who should encourage them to go to their church. On the previous day the Rev. Mr Sharp had spoken of an attempt to bring about a “ silent and bloodless revolution,” and the present speaker hoped that that revolution would come quickly, for he longed for a transformed Methodism, and ho hoped that this transformation would be brought about. The director of young people’s work (the Rev. E. P. Blamires, Wellington) said ho was not optimistic enough to think that everything was going to be all right as a result of the discussion that had ensued. As the years went by there would be the utmost need for the senior and junior members of the church to draw closer together, and make closer contact with one another. Ho was as closely connected with the youth movement as possible, and he could not find any grounds for Mr Sharp's suggestion that .subterranean trends were manifesting themselves in tlie movement. It was certain that the youth of the church wore waiting for clear leadership on the subject of war, and wanted some definite lead as to jvhat they should do if war broke out.

The conference had so far declared that war was a crime against humanity and a sin against God. : The report was adopted. HOME MISSION DEPARTMENT. The Rev. G. 1. Laurenson (Auckland) moved the adoption of the Homo Mission and Church Extension Department and said that, despite very difficult conditions, the work had gone ahead satisfactorily, and in some instances encouraging advancement had been made. It was decided that the Rev. A. J. Seanier be reappointed for a further term as general superintendent of the Home Mission Department, and a resolution was passed expressing appreciation of Mr Seamer’s services, and gratification that, despite adverse circumstances, the work of the department had been maintained. The Rev. G. 1. Laurenson was reappointed I assistant general superintendent and clerical treasurer of the department, and a resolution expressing appreciation of his past services was also carried. Mr F. Penn was reappointed lay treasurer, and was thanked by the conference for the services he had given in the past. HOME MISSION FINANCE. On the motion of the Rev. G. I. Laurenson (Auckland), seconded by the Rev. A. J. Seanier (Auckland), the following resolution was carried:— “ That, as the financial position of most of our circuits and home mission stations has been seriously weakening during the last feW years, and the Home Mission Fund, to which needy circuits and home mission stations look for support, is gravely handicapped by having to meet its rapidly increasing current account overdraft, the conference be urged: (1) To request circuits and home mission stations where necessary to take immediate and adequate steps to reorganise their local circuit finances with a view to the extinction of circuit fund overdrafts and the more thorough organisation of some worthy method of systematic and direct giving so that the financial burden shall be more equitably distributed amongst our people as a whole; (2) to direct that arrangements be made by the Home Mission Board and the District Home Mission Committees for a special Home Mission Fund debt reduction appeal in 1936, and that such methods be adopted in connection with the special appeal that will interfere least with local finance and ordinary appeals; (3) to direct that, unless some extraordinary crisis occurs, no arrangements for any special conuectional appeal other than the Home Mission Fund debt reduction appeal be permitted until after 1936 at the earliest.” DUNEDIN CENTRAL MISSION. The Rev. H. Ryan (Riccarton) moved the adoption of the annual report of the Dunedin Central Mission. The RdV. L. B. Neale seconded the motion, and, speaking to the report, said that work was still going on at the health camp at Company Bay, and a commencement would soon be made with the erection of thirty-four bedrooms and spacious sun shelters. It was estimated that the new buildings would cost £6,000 to £7,000, and the rate of progress would be determined by the financial support accorded. The trustees had also decided to purchase an area of land adjacent to the city and to erect bungalow homes for lonely, indigent, and aged people. These “ eventide.” homes were estimated to cost £15,000. Wonderful help had been given by. the Radio Church of the Helping Hand, which had been responsible in the past nine months in bringing nearly £I,OOO into the funds of the mission. Mr Neale also traversed the work of the social service department, and appealed for the sympathetic cooperation and understanding of those present. The report was adopted, and the following resolution was passed.: —" .That

this conference congratulates the superintendent, deaconesses, officials, and honorary workers on the splendid so-' cial and spiritual achievements of the past year. The conference desires to set oii record that it regards Mr Neale as a special gift of God to the Methodist Church for the particular service that he is rendering through the multifarious activities of the mission. The conference expresses its confidence in his policies and labours and prays that God will continue to grant him health, strength, and wisdom for the continuance of them.” DELIGHTFUL CONCERT MR J. LEECH'S LYRIC CHOIR A diversion from the business proceedings of the conference was 4 last night’s musical festival by Mr ‘John Leech’s Lyric Choir, assisted by the best of local talent, the concert attracting a large audience to the Town Hall Concert Chamber. A delightfully balanced programme was presented. Mr Leech’s well-trained choir was at its best, the concert opening with the spritely ‘ Sing Pretty Maiden,’ from ‘ Maritana ’ (Wallace), which created an immediate impression, while a bracket of part-songs—‘ The Last Rose of Summer ’ and the ever-popular ‘ Believe Me If All ’ —both arranged by Moore, further pleased. The choir was in rare voice in Buck’s 1 Hymn to Music.’ The piece de resistance of its numbers, however, was the chorus ‘Gloria,’ from Mozart’s ‘ Twelfth Mass,’ an exciting and stimulating- presentation, which was handled with majesty by all sections. Two captivating Scottish folk songs—‘ Can Ye Sew Cushions?’ an arrangement by L. Borrow, and ‘ Green Grow the Rushes 0 ’ (arranged by D, Johnston)—-provided a background for the respective soloists, Miss Doris Davies and Mr J. T. Ferguson, each of whom gave a capable and artistic performance. The choir’s final appearance was in ‘ Unavailing Little Lady ’ from Phillip’s ‘ Rebel Maid,’ Mr L. Harrison Stubbs, L.T.C.L., delighting in the solo role. All the vocalists were of worthy proportions. Miss Noni Davidson gave a graceful rendition of 1 A poet’s Life ’ (Elgar), and Mr F. G. Taplin impressed with a bracket—‘ Thine is My Heart ’ (Schubert) and ‘ Bush Night Song ’ (James). A studied interpretation of the glorious ‘ Consider and Hear Me ’ (Hamolen) added to the characteristic finish with which Miss Alva Myers invested 1 that number, and she further .impressed with. ‘ The Wind’s in the South ’ (Prindle Scott). That finely attuned trio, Miss Sybil Baker, (piano), Miss Ethel Wallace (violin), and Miss Elvira Wycherley (’cello), presented _ Boccherini’s ‘Minuet,’ further delighting with a colourful rendering of Schubert’s ‘ March Militaire,’ the fervour of _ spirit _ being effectively stressed. Miss Wallace was later heard in two solos, ‘ Melodic ’ (Dawes) and ‘ Dragon Flies ’ (Zsolt). Two elocutionary recitals by Miss Anita Winkel concluded a truly musical festival. Misses Sybil Baker, Dorothy Johnson. and Rona Thomson were the accompanists..