UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH DISTRICT MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7484, 25 February 1885, Page 3 (Supplement)

UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH DISTRICT MEETING.

♦ The meeting re-assembled on Wednesday, Jan. 21, and after devotional exercises, reports 'of several , Committees appointed at the previous meeting, together with the correspondence from the English authorities and the circuits in the Colony, were received. In the afternoon the list of ministers' in the Colony was read over, and the Rev S. Macfarlane intimated that, on account of the state of his health, he had requested the annual Assembly to place him on the list of permanent supernumeraries. 3?he meeting passed a resolution of deep sympathy with Mr .Macfarlane, and also expressed the hope that his retirement from the active ministry will make no difference in hia position as connexions! representative in this district. »■ ' '■ A communication was received from the Rev J.White resigning his position as a minister of the denomination. '''■''■ After full consideration, the meeting expressed its deep regret that Mr White had found it necessary to take such a course, and, in recommending the acceptance of the resignation, earnestly prayed that the Divine blessing might attend him in all his future relations in life. The first draf tof stations was reported by the Stationing Committee. The Eev J. Adcock was elected as representative to the annual Assembly, Mr H. D. Morson being elected alternative representative. An invitation was given by the Richmond Church to the members of the meeting to attend a picaic, to be held at Richmond next Saturday afternoon. The invitation was cordially accepted with thanks.

The Wednesday evening sitting was devoted to receiving the numerical and spiritual reports from the various circuito in the Colony. The reports showed that there were 11 itinerant ministers, 1 supernumerary, 43 local preachers, 36 leaders, 890 members, 64 probationers, 21 churches, 9 other preaching places, 1 church built during the year, 21 Sabbath schools, 2470 Sunday scholars, 292 teachers, 110 scholars, members of the Church; being a nett increase of 28 members, 209 Sunday scholars, and 38 teachers; after allowing for removals and deaths, and the losses sustained through the- discontinuance of the Dunedin mission.

The sittings of this meeting were continued during Jan. 22 and Jan. 23, and were concluded by a short session on Saturday morning. The following business was transacted:—

The report of the Committee on Methodist Union was read and received, and the following resolution was passed by the meeting:—" That while this meeting has unabated confidence in the desirability of Methodist union, if a satisfactory basis could be found, it deems it inadvisable to consider further the question of organic Methodist union until the position of the Wesleyan churches in relation to their change of Church government is more clearly denned." A resolution, congratulating Mr E, T. Booth on the inauguration of his Gospel Temperance Mission at Auckland, was passed, and forwarded by telegram. The thanks of the meeting were accorded to the District Committee for their services during the past year; and it was resolved that the sittings of the Committee should be held at Auckland during the ensuing year.

The report of the District Auxiliary Mission Fund was read and adopted, and the best thanks of the meeting were given to the Bev T. R. Fisher, Treasurer, and to the Committee for their services during the past year. It was decided that the District Committee should act as the Missionary Committee for the year, Mr G. Booth being elected Missionary Treasurer. Resolutions of fraternal greetings were s adopted and forwarded to the Primitive Methodist District Meeting and to the Wesleyan Conference. The Eev E. Taylor gave the report of the Preachers' Children Fund, and a vote of thanks was given to him for his services as Secretary and Treasurer of the Fund for the past year. The Rev H. B. Bedstone was elected Secretary and Treasurer for the ensuing year. » The report of the District Treasurer for the past year was read and adopted. The best thanks of the meeting were given to the Bev H. B. Bedstone for Ms services an Treasurer, and the Eev C. Worboys was elected Treasurer for the ensuing year. A vote of thanks was givejr by acclamation to the friends of thje- Christchurch district for the kind and excellent manner in which,tb.ey,Jaa* entertained the visiting reprcsentativep'at the meeting. The secoiyfcdraft'of stations was nowread. .-* ~' The ho»se. was now resolved into Committee on the question of ministerial » u PP%f pr , the and it w.is resolved __.'lnat the Home authorities be

respectfully requested to send to this district, at -as early a period as possible two young ministers who are on the list 01 probationers;" and "That the quarterly meetings of the Canterbury circuits be requested to give occasional pulpit supplies to the Richmond circuit until pointment shall have been made to tnat circuit." . . „_ i.The thanks of the meeting were given to the Editor and Treasurer of the Magazine for the valuable services rendered by th The recommendations of the Finance and Stationing Committee, after being considered seriatim, were adopted. _ 4t 11 o'clock on Saturday morning the third draft of stations was read and adopted, the following being the stations for the ensuing year : Addington—E. Taylor. Auckland—C. "VVorboys and S. Macfarlane, supernumerary. Christchurch—H. B. Bedstone. Napier and TVaipawa —One wanted. Oxford—A. Peters. Kangiora —J. Parkin. Eeefton —C. Penny. Eichmond—One to be sent; and M. Baxter, supernumerary. Wellington —J. J. Pendray. Westport—E. O. Perry. The thanks of the meeting having been accorded to the Chairman, Secretary, and sub-Secretaries, the proceedings were brought to a close by singing and prayer.