METHODISM

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 March 1924, Page 3

METHODISM

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.

a CHRISTCHURCH, March 7. Considerable interest was created by the .report on the position of Methodism in connection with the population of the Dominion, as it was revealed by the report of the Government Statistician and presented to the Conference by the Rev. M. A. R. Pratt. The Government Statistician had remarked upon the noticeable relevancy between the religious and the industrial distribution of the people. Amongst Methodists the proportion of employers of labour ‘is greater than among the general population, as is also the number of Methodists working on their own account. On the other hand, the ratio of Methodists who are working for wages is far less than the general proportion for the Dominion. That circumstance is full of suggestiveness. Of unemployed wage-earners fewer than the. normal ratio claim Methodist attachment. As a result of the Conversation of The Work of God the Conference decided that the Revs. Dr Ranston and W. A. Sinclair draft a pastoral letter,' to be read to the congregations in which emphasis would be laid upon the resolutions in regard to the evangelistic campaign. A discussion took place on the question of the ministry of teaching in the church, and the following resolution was carried:—“We are of opinion that missions of inspiration and appeal open to all should be held during the year in as many centres as possible with the special needs in view of preachers, Sunday School teachers and Bible Class leaders. It is considered necessary at each mission to give instruction on the generally accepted finding of Biblical research.” The Rev. J. Napier Milne announced that the sum of £lOO had been raised for . Wesley’s Chapel Renovation Fund, City Road, London; After the Rev. T. G. Brooke had read the first list' of statiofis in connection with Home Missionaries, the Rev. George Bond presented the bal-ance-sheet of the Home Mission Fund, which showed an income of £10,33215/1 and an expenditure 1 of £11,644 0/6, thus leaving a deficit on the year's working of £1,311 5/5. The Capital Account as a result of bequests totalled £9,445 1/8. During the year there had been a legacy of £225 from the estate of Mrs D. Dawson. The statement of estimated receipts and expenditure revealed an expected debit balance of £1,274 15/5. A discussion on the question of an assistant to the General Superintendent of Maori Missions roused considerable debate, which ended in the

matter being deferred, for a year. The President announced, amid applause, that he hd received a cheque for £lOO from an anonymous donor for Home and Foreign Missions-;. It was stated that this gentleman had done this annually for many years. The Rev. T. G. Brooke was unanimously appointed a life member of the Home Mission Board, and the Treasurers, Rev. G. Bond and Mr J. Veale, were heartily thanked and • re-ap-pointed. The Board for 1924 is as follows.:—The General Superintendent, the General Treasurer, the lay Treasurer, ministers of the Auckland City and suburban circuits, and Messrs J. Veale (life member), T. W. Jones, T. L. Calev, A. Peak, W. *S. Stone, T. Clark, J. J. Parker, C. Jansen. W. S. Mackav, J. Trounson, H. Field, C. A.. Piper, G. 0. Blakey, F. G. Steinert, A. Trenwith, C. K. Wigglesworth, W. H. Worsley, H. S. Crowe, Howard Knight, J. Boyce, E. 0. Chivers, and Rev. T. G. Brooke. A discussioh of a brisk nature took place on the proposals of the Board with regard to certain assessments for the Home Mission Fund, some members considering that the amounts were often fixed in an arbitrary manner. Eventually the proposals passel. It was agreed that home missionaries be given a seat and a vote in the Ministerial Committee on questions concerning home missionaries. The appointment of home mission committees for the various districts brought the consideration of home mission affairs to a close. It was decided to hold the next conference in Wellington. Mr E. Rosevear gave notice that an invitation would probably be extended from Dunedin for the conference to meet there in 1926. At the close of the evening session. Mr J. H. Edmondson, on behalf of the home missionaries, in token' of th? great esteem in which he was held by them, and in recognition of bis efforts on their behalf, presented Rev. T. G. Brooke, with a timepiece and a volume of poems fbr Mrs Brooke. Rev. E. P. Blamires presented the report on the Young People’s Movement at the morning session. It was stated that 1400 young people attended the Bible Class camps at Easter time. Over 100 teachers had been added to tiie staffs of the Sunday schools and twenty of the schools had increased their scholars by more»than a thousand during Children’s Year. A correspondence Sunday School had been opened under the control of Sister Mabel Morley. The balance sheet showed a debt in

connection with the Department of £289 11/2, which included a debt of £lOB carried over from the previous year.

A brisk discussion opened up on the question of the continuance of the Young People’s Department.. Both ministers and laymen took part in the debate, in which the financial aspectbulked largely. There was some criticism of what was termed the extravagance of .the Department. The Conference decided almost unanimously, amidst loud applause, to continue the office and re-appoint the Rev E. P. Blamires as the General Secretary of the '.Department. Congratulatory reference was made to the work of Miss Lynn. 8.A., and Mr Cyril Burton as organising secretaries for the Young ■"'omen’s . and Young Men’s. Bib’le Classes respectively.