METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 63, 2 March 1921, Page 5

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Wellington, March 1. The report of the Connexional Fire Insurance Fund presented to the Methodist Conference to-day showed that the past year was the most successful in the history of the fund. The income totalled £2,105 and expenditure £560. Accumulated funds were now £12,’771. New risks accepted during the year aggregated £46,765. The balance-sheet of the Home Mission Fund showed art increase of over £lO,OOO and expenditure £9,555, leaving a credit balance of £1,023. The announcement of a record year was accepted with applause. The estimated income for 1921 is £10,859 and the estimated expenditure £10,831. The Rev. T. G. Brooke made an urgent call for men for the Christian ministry The constant repetition of J “one wanted” in the station sheets had, he felt, been detrimental to the best interests of the church. The shortage of men had compelled the. church to send men into work without the needed special training. He appealed to the church to provide men for the work of the ministry KATANA’S CHRISTIANITY. The most interesting feature of the long discussion which followed was an ‘ address by the Rev. Robert Haddon, a well-known 'Maori missionary. Re- ; ferring to the coming of Hindoos into i certain. districts, he said he had no ! objection to Asiastics coming, so long , as th’ey brought their wives with them, but the crossing of the Indian and the ! Maori was no good. Referring to ■Katana, the miracle worker, lie said ; Ratana was his sacred cousin. Rat 1 ana’s grand father was a Christian man. A call came to Ratana to surrender himself completely to God. To isolate himself he fasten for six days, living in prayer, and then the power [ came. He went to a sick child and prayed and immediately she was ; healed. The Ma~ri thought more of mana than Christi am Iy. “We must put away this mana idol,” seid Katana. “It is tohuangaism. Have faith and God will heal you.” When they did this at Rata mi’s request they were able to say: “My eyes can see, or I can walk.” It was, declared Mr. Haddon, out and out Christianity. Ratana was against everything that tied the Maori down. Accept Christ as the personal Saviour was the only way to build the Maori up. Ratana had said to him: “I get the people. Y T on ministers feed them with the word.” Ratana. he declared, was on the right lines. Ratana had declared: “I am only a finger post, pointing out to God.” (Loud applause.)