WESLEY AN DISTRICT MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9219, 23 November 1888, Page 6

WESLEY AN DISTRICT MEETING.

The District Meeting in its representative sessions, re-assembled yesterday evening at seven o'clock, the Rev. R. Bavin in the chair. Devotional exercises were conducted by the Rev. W. L. Salter. The record of Wednesday's meeting was read by the .Secretary and adopted. The Rev. J. Duke had permission to absent himself to attend a j meeting in his circuit. : wade home MISSION station, i A letter was received from the Circuit j Steward of the Wade Home Mission Station, I re the finances of that station. ! CHANGE IN CIRCUIT BOUNDARIES, j It was moved " That Lucas' Creek, Dairv ] ! Flat, be transferred from the Wade and i Helensville Station to the North Shore Cir- J j cuit." It was pointed out that the recom- | I niendation would be sent to the North j Shore Quarterly Meeting. The motion was j carried. THE REV. WM. DITTOS' DESIGNATION. j It was moved by the Rev. E. Best, seconded j by Mr. T. McMaster, "That the Rev. Win. Gittos be designated General Superintendent of the Maori Work in the Auokland District." Carried unanimously. JUBILEE OF METHODISM. A communication having been received from the Central Jubilee Committee at Wellington containing suggestions as to the celebration of the jubilee of Methodism in New Zealand, it was resolved, " That we endorse the recommendations of the Auckland committee, which were to the effect ' that the E resent time is inopportune for any great nancial effort but that, it is desirable that the jubilee of Methodism in this colony be , celebrated by a series of appropriate religious , services in the year 1790.'' SANCTITY OF THE SABBATH. The Rev. E. Best moved, in terms of his notice of motion, on the sanctity of the Sabbath, which appeared in our last Saturday's issue. He said : So *-i*ured am I of the intelligent and hearty sym--1 pathy of this meeting with the subject betore us, that I feel it is almost needless to do more than move the adoption of this resolution. Again, so much that I might have said as to the expediency and value of the right observance o. this day of rest to the best interest of the entire community, especially to the sons and daughters of toil, has already been so fully and ably discussed by the public press, that I refrain from repeating them. Yet, while we most heartily sympathise with these views, and wish they were more fully understood and felt by the entire community. I am persuaded we should, as ministers and representatives of our church in this district, take still higher grounds as to its sanctity and claims. I believe that in the highest and most sacred sonse we all hold it to be pre-emin-ently the Lord's Day, and for ever beyond the right of man to modify or abrogate. That our Divine Master, who claims to be Lord, even of the Sabbath, sanctioned its glad and sacred observance by His resurrection, and meeting once and again with His gathered disciples on this holy day. That i the divinelv-instructed and inspired disciples so regarded and observed this day, as did all the Apostolic Church, and that God sanctioned and sealed its observance by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit on the day of Pen tecost; while, to lower the divine sanctity and sanctions which surround this day, must lay the axe to the very root of Christian worship, and the very existence of the Church itself, and could not fail to bring upon us speedy and righteous retribution, and open our gates to the overwhelming and desolating effects of unchecked Atheism and sin. The motion was carried. [ BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATES. J This meeting recommends that the Con- , ference prepare a suitable certificate of baptism for the use of our ministers in their ! respective circuits. INTERCOLONIAL EXCHANGES. i The Rev. S. Lawry's motion re interJ colonial exchanges was negatived. ' WESLEY AN BOOK-ROOM. A letter was received from Mr. Edmiston, secretary of the Sunday-school Union, referring to transactions with the London ( Wesleyan Book-room. It was resolved that the Chairman communicate with the home ' authorities, stating the terms made between " the Sunday-school Union and the Auckland ' book depot. The Chairman suggested that • superintendents of circuits notify 011 the , circuit plans the fact that the Sunday-school 1 Union is also a Wesleyan book depot. 3 CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE REV. 11. BAVIN. The following motion was very heartily and unanimously carried —" While presenting to our esteemed chairman, the Rev. R. Bavin, our unanimous and best thanks for the very efficient and kind manner in which he has conducted the business of this District Meeting, our pleasure is overshadowed by the feeling that probably this may be outlast opportunity of doing so, bocause of his expected transfer to our Church in Australia, which, for many reasons, we deeply regret. We, therefore, record our high estimate of his character and personal worth as a brother beloved ; and as a most acceptable and successful minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose urbanity of manner and i exceptional ability as an administrator has 3 won the respect and esteem of our Church in the colony. We beg also to assure him that we shall always cherish pleasing and grateful memories of himself and family, and they will be followed by our prayers and best wishes to their new sphere of labour." MINISTERS ATTENDING CONFERENCE. The Rev. R. Bavin (Chairman ex officio); Revs. J. A. Taylor (representative), A. C. Lawry (for ordination), E. Best and A. Reid (general secretary of Home Missions). THANKS. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the friends in and around Auckland who have kindly entertained the ministers during the District Meeting; also to the Revs. ■). A. Taylor and C. H. Garland, secretaries ; Revs. W. L. Salter and T. F. Jones, reporters to the daily papers ; Rev. J. Dukes, reporter to e the New Zealand Methodist; Rev. S. * Griffith, journal secretary; and Rev. T. G. n Carr, precentor. The journal was then read by the secretary s and duly signed. i- The meeting concluded with devotional rj exercises, conducted by Rev. W. Gittos, and a the Benediction pronounced by the ChairJ man.