OVERSEAS METHODISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18025, 25 February 1922, Page 9

OVERSEAS METHODISTS.

WELCOME TO DELEGATES.

PRESENT-DAY PROBLEMS.

PLACE OF THE CHURCH.

A wolcomo to the overseas representatives attending the Methodist Centenary Conference was tendered at tho Pitt Street Church last evening, in the presence of a crowded gathering. Hundreds of people were unable to gain admission. The Rev. C. H. Laws, president of the conference, occupied the chair. The three delegates were the Rev. Grainger Bargreave6, representative of the Wesleyan Conference of Great Britain; Bishop C. E. Locke, of the Methodist Episcopal Church of America, and the Rev. A. McCallum, president of the Methodist Church of Australia. They were greeted with warm applause as they rose to reply to the speech of welcome.

The president extended a hearty welcome to the representatives from overseas, paying high tributes to their life-work and the valuable assistance they had rendered to tho church in Now Zealand during their visit. The Rev. W. Grigg, ex-president of tho conference, also conveyed greetings. Mr. L. M. Isitt, M.P., vice-president of the conference, refeired in warm terms to the feeling of friendship that was extended by the people of New Zealand to their fellowmen of Great Britain, tho United States and Australia.

Right Use of Freedom. The Rev. G. Hargreaves, in reply, referred in generous terms to his earlier visit to New Zealand, and conveyed the grateful remembrance of the people of tho Motherland for the splendid loyalty of New Zealand's sons and daughters in the Empire's time of need. He hoped that a closer union would be effected between the Methodist Churches of Great Britain and New Zealand. It was difficult for Great Britain to achieve a united Methodism, as in New Zealand, on account of traditions, prejudices, and bigotry. The absence of a Stata Church in New Zealand secured liberty for all branches of religion. It had taken centuries to gain liberty; it was for th.em to teach the right use of freedom. He spoke in favourable terms _of the Dominion's educational facilities, but, he added, no school curriculum was completo that did not include religion, which was the prime factor in a progressive civilisation. "The State divorced from religion," said Mr. Hargreaves, "becomes antichrist in reality." Ho was oonvinced that the signs of .the times, as recorded in such movements as the League of Nations, replenished their faith in the doctrine of thoir religion. Bishop Locke strongly deprecated the pessimism of some churchmen, who complained, loudly that people were not attending church. "By their dismal whining they are doing their part to make it worse," he said, amid laughter. Never before was the Church seeking the people as it was now. Countless social movements •were acting ceaselessly in getting in touch with the people's everyday life — these were the methods by which the Church now went to the people. The speaker particularly mentioned the Chautauqua movement; it was, ho 6aid, a highly intellectual movement and consistently Christian. If the Church was talking less than it used to, it was working more and was living more to practise the principles laid down in the sermon on the Mount.

Paramount Service to Humanity. The paramount service to humanity would be rendered by Christ and His ambassadors, continued the bishop. It was clear that men and nations could not monopolise all the gifts that were intended for all humanity, There was talk of a war in the Pacific, but the Pacific j was made f° r all mankind and not for individual nations. The earth had had enough of carnage; disarmament must bn the watchword of _ the nations. The speaker concluded with a vigorous plea for a concentration of effort toward Dominion prohibition. In America; hg said, it had been a magnificent triumph for sobriety and temperance. The Rev. A. McCallum, in his reply, said that in the Commonwealth were signs which it was hoped would usher in a remarkable religious revival. He inrnestly pleaded ior a world-wide- extension of the • resort to prayer for the solution of man's smaller and greater difficulties.