METHODISM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9492, 14 August 1891, Page 6

METHODISM.

THE (ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE. In view of tbe forthcoming meeting of ,the (Ecumenical Methodist Conference, to be held in Washington, U.S.A., in October next, a few facts relating to the organisation of the Conference, kindly supplied by the Rev L. M. Isitt, will be interesting. The Conference is the second gathering of delegates from the various Methodist conferences throughout the world. The first one was held in the City road Wesleyan Church, London, when the opening service on Wednesday, Sept. 7, -1881, was conducted by the Rev George Osborn, D.D. (recently deceased), then President of the British Wesleyan Conference, the sermon being preached by the Rev Matthew Simpson, D.D., LL.D., Senior Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church of America. The Rev Alexander Reid was the representative of the New Zealand Conference on that occasion; when about 600 delegates, representing twenty-eight different denominations of Methodists, assembled, ih response to an expressed wish for such a Universal or “ oecumenical ” gathering which had been made some years previously. The practical steps towards the convocation were taken by the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church during its sittings at Baltimore, U.S.A., in May, 1876, and it was not till May, 1880, that it was decided that London should be the locale of the first Conference. The proceedings of that conference form a large volume of interesting matter. It will be readily understood that when between 500 and 600 men, the very pick and flower for scholarship audibility, are culled from so numerous a ministry as is now associated .with Methodism, and meet:; together to aid, by their wide , experience, the organisation and-polity- of-the -Methodist Church, , much practical good must be the result. Representing as they then did nearly thirty millions ( of adherents, it. , shows what huge interests ; and' in- . flaences are . in' their ,Fanils, DiftiniT the - Conference the greatest .regard for economy of time is secured. The programme of each .day’s work is carefully pre-arranged, every subject being placed in the hands of the delegate deemed most able to deal with it, and each speaker is most rigidly limited to time. At the ensuing Conference the New Zealand delegates are the Revs W. Morley and J. Berry, and the latter has received the high honour of being chosen to address tha Conference on “The Moral Aspects of the Labour duestion.” The reverend gentlemen' will take their departure by the mail steamer Alameda, leaving Auckland for San Francisco to-day. The steamer will also have on board the elected representatives of the various Australian conferences. The Conference will open on Oct. 7, and remain in session for a-fortnight. Mr Morley h'as-expreeeed his intention of studying, as far as his time will permit, the condition of the negro race in the Southern States; For a long time past the leaders among the coloured people have complained most bitterly of the outrages and oppression they are being subjected to by the whites, who cannot brook:thfeif rivalry in the commercial world. Hideous stories reach us by every mail of negro families being shot down in cold blood for no graver offence than that of winning a. law suit in the local Courts, or: for ’ speaking at, some' public meeting in defence of tue rights of their own people. . Recently these facts have been brought prominently before the British public, and have excited no little indignation in the Old Country. Professedly rebutting evidence has now been advanced by the other side, and Mr Morley is determined to investigate matters for himself.