METHODIST CONFERENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 14 February 1913, Page 2

METHODIST CONFERENCE

MODER'N CONDITIONS AND RELIGION REVIEWED, x (United Press Association.) , . WELLINGTON, This Day. Modern conditions and religion were reviewed at the Methodist Conference to-day. The Welfare of the Church Committee presented a report of membership of the former Methodist Church. There had beef! rill ilid-eftse of 549 in Hhhrch , members and 119 junim- members. The jiimlber of adherents had <ki< creased by 5608 aiid. how stood at 67,699,the lowest since 1901. This,-, the Committee stated, required attention, if th.fi' returns were reliable. The membership in the various districts was set out asfollows:—Auckland 3312. Wangaiuu 2571, Wellington 3103. Nelson 1320, Canterbury 4034, Otago 2361, Maori members 2052; total 19,753. "The Committee is petsuaded," states the report; .'.'that there iire Hlaliy- signs of wifely directed activity in oiil' Churches, and that we do ourselves injustice when we speak as though no effective work were being done." The chief causes operating against religious life aiid progress Were set down as follows :—(1) Increase in luxury and self-indulgence consequent upon easier conditions of life Had produced an age largely marked by indifference to spiritual appeal. and youthful absorption in pleasure and adult pre-occupation in mo-ney-making ; (2) Theological unrest resulting from a fracture of the old modes of expressing truth to satisfy modern mind and the hesitancy of the pulpit to adapt itself to provide sufficient power to questions clamouring for settlement had resulted in a wide distrust of the Church as a candid and competent teacher ; (3) an overflow of Christian activity into non-church channels had reduced the status of the Church in _ the eyes of many as a- necessary . institution in a community ; (4) spread of education, diffusion of literature, and growth of culture have brought .in an age which demands a more uniformly nigh standard of Ministerial equipment than we supply. . Without associating itself with all these statements the Committee felt there was matter for serious thought.