METHODIST CHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15557, 6 March 1911, Page 5

METHODIST CHURCH.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. j NINTH DAY. J The Methodist Conference was re- E suxned at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the ( Rev G. W. J. Spence (president-) in s the chair. s HOME MISSION FUND. > The Home Mission Executive Com- a mittee reported recommending the al- J lotment of grants to the various sta- j. tions for the ensuing year. The recoin- \ mendations were adopted. _ k The Rev T. G. Brooke was reappoint- ? ed organising secretary, and Mi - Brooke 1 and Mr J. Veale were re-appointed c general treasurers of the fund. f The Home Mission Executive report- f ed recommending the rescinding of the a following resolutions passed by last Con- 1 ference” That grants for the support ? of the Native ministers and Native 1 home missionaries be made on the same , 8 principle as that applied to the Euro- ? pean departments of the work, and that : the ministers and office-bearers of the a Maori stations be notified that this will a be put into operation in 1911 ” ; “ that 6 there be no further increase in the cost 8 of the Maori work without the express I sanction of Conference.” v The Rev G. Bond moved as an amend- ) ment that instead of rescinding the second resolution, it should be amended e to .read : “That there be no further in- v crease in the cost of the Maori work ? for new enterprises without the express \ sanction of Conference.” J: The amendment was carried. The recommendations of the execu- 11 tive in regard to the principles of ad- e ministration of the fund, contained in c the report presented the previous day, z were moved for adoption, and after l 1 considerable discussion the motion was 1 lost by 49 votes to 37. a It was decided that the Stationing Committee should hold its final meet- t ing on Monday at 2 p.m. r The Conference adjourned at 12.45 t p.m. till 10 a.m. on Monday. 3

NEW CHURCH IN RICCARTON,

FOUNDATION STONES LAID. Tho ceremony of laying the foundation stones of a new Methodist church at tho corner of Clarence Road and Nelson Street, Lower Iticcarton, was carried out on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering, of people, including a number of visiting ministers. The church will be of woo-u, forty feot long and twenty-five feet wide, roofed with Marseilles tiles, and adorned by a neat belfry. The president of the conference, the Rev G* W. J. Spence presided, and in his address congratulated the people of the district on the success which had attended the effort to meet the spiritual needs of the suburb. • The erection of a new house of worship was an evidence of the spirit of religious aggressiveness which he had observed, in the city. The superintendent of the circuit, tile-Rev S. Griffith, had reason to bo gratified at the measure of success achieved by his vigorous endeavour, and ho suggested that the appreciation which must bo fell for Mr Griffiths work should be shown in a practical manner that afternoon. He expressed a hope that the church would answer the great need for which it was being erected, and become a centre of Christian life and influence. Warm applause greeted tho Rev S. Griffith, who explained that tho total ccst of tho church, including its site, would be about £650, towards which about £378 had been raised, and it was earnestly hoped tlmt when the church was opened in May tho debt would be extinguished. Ho acknowledged many kindnesses in connection with tho enterprise, and added that material help had been given by the people of tho district, and a donation had been received from London. Ho was particularly grateful to tho Rev S. Lawry, the secretary cf the conference, who had shown his sympathy by giving £25 to. the building fund in addition to a previous donation of £2 2s. (Applause.) Mr Roberts, a member of the. Building Committee, added that Mr Griffith had himself given £SO towards the cost of the church. (Applause.) Addresses were also given by the Rev C. H. Laws and the Rev S. Lawry, and during the ceremony a solo was sung by the Rev A. Mitchell and a duet by the Revs A. Mitchell and J. H. Haslam. The foundation stones were laid by Mrs G. Bowron and Mr G. H. Blackwell.

An open-air meeting was held m Cathedral Square last evening, tho band of the Salvation Army assisting by playing the music for several hymns and playing a number of selections. About five Hundred people listened to short addresses by the Revs E. P. okra ires and A. Macbean. The Rev G. W. J. Spence presided at tho meeting.