METHODIST CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 243, 11 September 1935, Page 14

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

IMPORTANT DECISIONS. By general consent the Methodist Conference, held at Bristol, was much the best conference since the union. Three outstanding decisions were made: On the motion of Rev. Leslie D. Weatherhead a committee was appointed to consider the question of spiritual healing and to report to the next conference. On the recommendation of the temperance and social welfare department the following resolution was carried unanimously and without discussion:—“The conference directs that in the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper the wine used shall be unfermented.” Such has, indeed, come to be the all but universal practice of the Methodist Church, hut this is the first time that the conference has laid down a definite and direct ruling on the matter. . On the subject of Church Lmon in South India, the paragraph on the ministry adopted by the- joint commit-tee-including. of course, Anghcansin Madras last February and reported to the conference was of special lm portance. This read:—- . . , ~ + “Since it is the will of Christ tliat His Church should be one, and the manifold gifts of His grace were promised to the Church which is Hm Body a perfect ministry is that uhicli by God's calling is accepted and effective throughout the world-wide Church. In the present divided state of Christendom all ministries are in this respect imperfect, and can recover fullness only by the union of all the separate°parts of the one Body. The uniting churches recognise, however, that Christ has bestowed His grace with undistinguishing regard on all their ministries and has used them all greatly to His glory. All are therefore real ministries of the Word and the Sacraments is Christ s Church, nor can any church say that the Sacraments and other ministrations of ministries which He has blessed are invalid. Each church. in separation, has borne special witness to certain elements of the truth; therefore for the perfecting of the whole body, the heritage of each is needed. . Each of the uniting churches, maintaining the (continuity of its own life, will lie enriched by the gifts and graces of all I the others.”