METHODIST SYNOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 5

METHODIST SYNOD.

MATTERS'FOR DISCUSSION.

new Mission field.

The annual synod of the Methodist Church in the Auckland district will open next week in the Pitt Street Methodist Church.

The ministers will meet in- committee on Tuesday and dispose of certain business allotted to" them, and the synod proper will open next morning under the presidency of Rev. Geo. Bond, chairman of the district.

The synod is not a legislative body, but makes recommendations to the annual | conference. It will consider the whole | work of the Church in the district, applications for additional ministers, all information about new churches that have been erected, financial statements from the home mission fund, and other funds of the Church, and the annual reports of the Theological College at Remuera, the Wesley Training College at Three Kings, the Deaconess Institution, and the conneiional secretary's office. All native work throughout the district is reviewed, the native ministers having seats on the synod. One of the chief matters for consideration is a proposal to delete the time limit of five years in the matter of the appointment of ministers to circuits. The minister is at present appointed year by year up to five years, which, is the limit. By a considerable majority the last conference passed a motion in favour of doing away with the limit, while retaining the annual invitation and the appointment of ministers This matter has been considered by the various circuit quarterly meetings, and their reports will provide a basis for discussion.

There will be a. proposal to form a conference representatives' expenses equalisation fund. The idea is that the Church shall provide a portion of the travelling expenses of laymen and ministers to the annual conferences from one of its funds, and that the balance pf, expense shall be equally divided among the representatives themselves

The report of the Dominion Foreign Mission Committee will suggest that Rev. W. Slade, who for many years was missionary in Fiji, be set apart next year as Dominion secretary in the interests of foreign missions to organise the finances with a view to the New Zealand Conference taking over a separate mission field from the Australasian General Conference in a few years. The field suggested is the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa. Another report to be presented will relate to the Methodist orphanages of New Zealand. There are two, one at Mount Albert and one at Papanui (Christchurch). The latter institution is shown to have made an excellent beginning under Sister Mabe. Money. Methodists have been discussing the question of reducing the size of the conference, which, since Methodist union has become very large. It was proposed'that representatives should bo elected by the annual district synods, instead of b'v thw various circuits, and also that the lav representatives on the Stationary Committee should be elected by their respective synods. .During the "year the subcommittee set up by the conference has been considering this proposal and "is recommending for the consideration of the synod that no change be made in the ! constitution of the conference.