ST. PAUL'S METHODIST CHURCH.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1348, 21 June 1911, Page 5

ST. PAUL'S METHODIST CHURCH.

1 LORD ISLINGTON LAYS THE COMMEMORATION STONE. A NOTABLE CEREMONY. There was a large asssmblage at St. Paul's Methodist Church yestarday, when his Exoellency, Lord Islington, performed the ceremony of laying the memorial Etone. Amougst others pr.seat mro the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Mini Eta; cf Agrionltnre, the Mayor.and Oonnoillcrs, Mr D. Bnick, M.P., Revs. Hird, Uriffii?, W. Beckett, Suae and J. Lusford, and Mors's A. Harding.G. H. Stiles, Mr and Mrs Gorman. A telegram of congratnlation was reoeivad from the Acting Prime Minister (Hon. J. Uarrjll. After the singing of a . hymu, the leading of a bcripturo lsrson, und prayer, the Rev. G. W. J. Spence said that all down the ages it had been recogulsad tliera was an obligation on the Church t) provide proper accommodation fOl thusa whom she would invita to the spiritual feast. The chnrch bulding which taey iiad designed was iateuued to be a sightly, oommodibns strnctnre. lie conveyed tJ his Excellency the appreoiitiou of tlie Methodist ocmmnnity of hi* consenting fcj do this service lor them, and its loyal wißhes to , liis Majesty. When another hvmn had taeu snug the Rev. 0. H. Laws delivered a remarkably eloquent. Boliolarly atlt'ress on the inflaonco of John Wesley, whom he compared to the Aprstle faul, stating that he was the figurehead of a great religious revival, the effects of which had been roost potently felt, and wJiich were. felt even in onr own time, As the London Times had siif, John Wesley still remains the most potent force and far-reaching spiritual infjucnca whichCluistiauity haii felt since the Reformation. Auot'ier hjmn and Mr Ric'mrd Oarty presented hij Excelleuoy with a silv.t tc and alter the day's newspspars, coin of the realm, a short Jiisiory of the churoh and i'lformatiuu iu connectim therewith had been deposited in a reoeei, his Excellanov hid the stone. He understood tint (his was the fir*t religioni bnildiag in Palmerstm Noith to b;, of what he mignt dtsiguata a "permanent" oharncter and he congratulated them on the promise for aesthetic beauty whiah it presented *ven in its present immature itft;. He trusted that the example set wonl'i be followed by other denomina ious in ttie town and other structuies if permauenca and beauty erect >d. The prtsii.fc membership was 450, anrl tie Sunday School attendance 820. He nuderstood that two branches ,of the Methodi't Church -wonli in lutoro work iu olr.ter 00-opßration than had hitheiti biohtie cas?.—Appliins I .—The im-j poittucs of nuit; wit.iu the fotir cornets of the Church oonld hot be overratjd, uecauso it was only by unit/ and co-operation tlmt social well being ooulti ba advance! Whi'u the many controversies had been hid aside, tnih great mofeuieut would bavo proved to have been tne forexuauer oi even closer no-apersticn between other denominations. Of the aiauy great mau of the 18th ceoturv no oue fia<i done more fur the wollbei'ig of hia cont'iuporarieb and the ■well-being of p.stat it? than John Wesley. He belougsn to a different denomination liiu,s-.-lf bnt the longer lie lived the more convinced ho was t isfc the Jess tho differeuc2S bet.wetn the varioos tlenriniuuthiis wero talked about and the moro there woro accantaatad the many points of agreement that tliera were between them, the bettar it would be for the whole range cf social advunc?.— Applaus). Mr Cuuningham, jnnr., presented a pais i of sovereigLS representing a shi li ig for every brick in the « ,urch, collect id by the yonng men, 11 be ,-aid on tho stone by his Excelleuoy.

IMPERIAL AFFAIRS. • CONFERENCE OF ADMIRALS. (Press Association. —liy Telegraph.— Copyright). London, Yesterday. A private conference of Admirals (with Lord Charles Bcrasford presiding), mianiiMisly caiKhiwedtho Declaration of London, Lord Beiesford in the message conveniing the meeting said the danger that was staring Bratain in tho face was not invasion, but starvation. "THE BLESbiSD UUION." London, Yesterday. At tho Parliamoiitary Committee's welcome, Lord Hosebery concluded ail eloquent speech by rdcrrjiig to tho "Blessed Uiniion," owing to the "Great Empire and the Great llepubiilo joining hands to discourage Mr." Nevertheless it was certain that thorough preparations for wuir must precede the hope of Anything like a general disarmament. Sir M. Bowell, Mr Molteno and Mr Rhodes responded. Sir Wm. Lyne proposed the Imperial Parliament. Lord Cuirzon and Horn. A. Enimott responded. SPKE3H BY SIR JOSEPH WARD THE EMPIRE OF THE FUTURE. London, Yesterday, Speaking at a luncheon to the overseas Prime Ministers at the Constitutional Club, Sir J. Ward said when lie left New Zealand, though ho belonged to a particular party, he represented every party of the Dominion, and while in London lie and his colleagues at tlio Imperial Conference were non-party politicians. He, too, cherished Mr Balfour's dream in regard to tho Empire of the future; lie recognised that in peace time, the Motherland. did not require the assistance of the overseas dominions, but in time of trouble they, all must stand together. The dominions were loss dependent than formerly of the material assistance of the Motherland. At the siime time, there was a possibility of groat danger in years to con?/?, unless tliey had some system of giving the Dominions a more direct voice, in tlio direction of Imperial concerns. As the outcome of the interchange of views at the Imperial Conference, however, some good ought to be achieved. He heartily agreed with Mr Balfour's statement that there ought to be a great overriding in Imperial affairs. There should be no such thing as party interests. The responsibilities were too big. If they expected to do something for the general good they must educate their people Imperially, and get them to act Imperially. From that standpoint he believed that the visit of men from tho overseas dominions to tlie Motherland could not fail to make for tlio advantage of the common Empire.