UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCHES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5560, 23 January 1879, Page 2

UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCHES.

The District Meeting of the United Methodist Free Churches was continued yesterday in the schoolroom, Courtenay-place. After singing and prayer, the first report of the Ministers’ Stationing Committee was presented. The report of the Hicks’ Mission Fund was then read, a source from which is supplied the funds for opening new fields of labor. . The meeting then proceeded to the consideration of the spiritual state of the district, and while there was not all the representatives could have wished, there were features of a prospeiuus character. The report of the Preachers’ Children’s Fund was read, and means adopted to secure greater interest and liberality.

The report of the treasurer of the Mission Fund was very encouraging. The amount set by the district to raise was realised, with a prospect of a small surplus. The next business was the election of the Missionary Committee. The following is the result of the ballot:—Eev. T. E. Fisher, treasurer ; Mr. Holdsworth, secretary; Messrs. Booth, Brown, Caygill, Cutler, Fleaher, Oatway, and Tremain. The Eev. E. Boaden was chosen to attend the annual assembly held in England, as the representative of this district. There was a little friendly competition between Auckland and Christchurch for the next sittings of the District Meeting. The meeting decided that the city of the North had the claim.

The following is the numerical statement for the year : —Ministers, 12 ; supernumerary, 1 ; local preachers, 30; members, 641; probationers, 75 ; removals, 89 ; withdrawals, 26 ; deaths, 3; chapels, 16; other preaching places, 15 ; chapels built during the year, 1; enlarged, 2 ; Sunday schools, 20 ; scholars, 1967; teachers, 211. A conversation of some interest followed on “ How to make our Sunday-schools more efficient.”

The meeting closed in the usual manner.