WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 6

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

RETIRING PRESIDEN US ADDRESS. The annual Wesleyan Conference was opened yesterday evening m M esk-y Church, TV.ra-iakl street. Tiie i curing presideni (the Lev J. S. Saiailcj'l commenced Ins review of ii-,e past vear with an eloquent refere ;ce to the- death of Queen Victoria, lie th-.-n proceeded to speak ol her successor mi the following language, ■•Nor will our Church yield to any in her loyalty to the new King. We have no misgivings about tne future. V e have confidence that Edward VIL has rorue to the throne at tho right time; that he has boon prepared by many trials and the experience of years for hi- task; and that lie will accentuate tho bc-t traditions of the. Victorian era. We f-hall ever pray that he may l,e a true co-worker with God in leading forward the Empire to those high and glorious destinies which Providence has so clearly marked out for her. God save the King.” Continuing, Mr Smalley said; ■'The conference opened hist vear under the inspiriting news, after 'months of disaster and depression, ol the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith. Alas! the early peace we confidently expected has not been secured. Perhaps the nation has something more to learn from this war, or perhaps wo have ceased too soon our eager prayers for peace. God heard our cry before, and it was but a few days after that memorable Sunday when •united intercessions ! went up in ail our churches that the dark cloud lifted and the fortunes of war turned in our favour. Lot us cry again to our God that an honourable, just and'permanent peace may quickly be established in South Africa, on' such a basis as may jie best for Briton and Boor, and as shall redound to the glory of God. I know there are some amongst us who question the bona fides of this war, and, indeed, of all war. Av any rate, tho people of tho Empire have given their manhood and their money with no other object than tho welfare of the black and the white races in Mouth Africa, and for tho maintenance of Britain’s supremacy as a trustee of civil and religious freedom for humanity. . In spite of all our misdoings, our drink traffic, our opium iniquity, cur gambling evil, and social impurity, tho heart of the Empire is sound, and yearns with a touch of divine pity over the enslaved and benighted races. The flutter of our flag and tho tread of our feet bring with them unspeakable blessings. *■ Wo have all been keenly interested in the creation of' tho new Australian Commonwealth. Now Zealand as the only colony of the Australian group standing out of the federation incurs no light responsibility. It may be she may yet see her way to join the union. Meanwhile, wo wish tho Commomvcalth God-speed, and shall watch her progress with strained eyes. Her generous treatment of Now Zealand has deeply touched ns. We greatly rejoice that the united influence of the Churches was able to secure tho recognition of God and religion in the opening ceremonies. “ The burning question of precedence among the chief representatives of the churches at public functions has been raised in a very acute form in connection with the celebrations, and can only be settled in these free colonies, wo are told by some, on the basis of perfect religious equality and numerical strength. The subject has-been under tiie consideration of your Committee of i J ; Alleges during the year, as remitted to them by last conference, but nothing definite has yet been arrived at. “How would it do to arrange this matter fcy the order of merit ? . That is to say. Tot the Church that produces the 'best moral results take the first place. The statistics of crime- published- by the Now Zealand Government show Wesleyans to have the smallest percentage of convicted criminals, and the Romanists the largest. By this standard the place of the chiefs of the four principal churches could be easily determined, ihe order would then be —Wesleyans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians,. Romanists. I would respectfully present to t-ho colonial Governments this easy and happy solution of a difficult problem. “The year has also been marked by the federation of churches long separated. The union of the Methodist churches effected in Queensland three years ago has been followed by the first united conference of Sioutb Australia last Febnu-rv. New South Wales and Victoria and Tasmania Methodism are to be united in 1902. The United Bresbyteriau and Free Churches of Scotland have just become one church amid great rejoicings. Wo congratulate the parties to those unions because our own experience of partial union of Methodist churches in New Zealand is most gratifying, in spito of a few who liavo stood out, and in spito of some detractors. The statements publicly niade- that our union has been a failure I venturS flatly, to deny as contrary .»to the facts. Twenty-two ministers aud probationers joined ns from tho minor bodies. One, a supernumerary, has since died. Two probationers resigned. Ono ordained minister resigned aud went into uusincss and is still a local preacher in the ointea Church, and one other ordained minister has left ns and started a yiew sect. Tho remaining seventeen are happy and contented, and doing good work in the United Church. •■\Ve rejoice, too, in the Federal Councils of tho Churches of all names which aro being formed in our chief centres of population, because such unions will tend to smooth asperities and promote mutual respect, besides enabling the churches to make their combined *nauonco felt in fighting against private and public wrong-doing. • effort as a church to raise sixty thousand pounds as an offering to be ’.aid at the feet of our Divine Redeemer st the beginning of the new century has not been entirely successful. a,ut over j, 17,000 has been promised, and nearly £II,OOO paid. I do not regard the fact that scarcely one-third of the amount aimed at has been secured as any ground for discouragement or humiliation.”

Tho president dealt with this question at some length, find went on to say “In my judgment had the British conference suggested three million guineas as its scheme, it would have been an easier feat than our sixty thousand pounds ; because we have none of the great wealth to be found among Methodists at Home. Perhaps you will say, nor the poverty, either.' I question that. We have many very poor amongst us, and many struggling to make homes in a new country. It must be remembered that the skilled artisp-ns of the Old Land aro quite as well off as ours, and tho labouring class there are ranch better paid than they were twenty or thirty years ago. Then the Methxviists of tho ’colony support a much larger number of ministers per bead than the at Home, and pay them better, too. In Great Britain there is olie minister to every 1410 a'dherents and every. 219 members. In the colony we have one minister to every 682 adherents and every 113 members. Then much of our church work in New Zea. land is of a pioneer character. I think we hare over-estimated the resources of our people in hoping for sixty thousand pounds. Churches are in danger of creating machinery beyond the steam power hi the boilers?’

Mr Smalley then referred to the losses by death which the Church had suffered in the past year, mentioning the Rev Edward Best and others. He added:

“One of the most promising ministers ' lias resigned, and been received by the j Presbyterian Church. He leaves us with j a blameless record, and vre sinperely hope ! ho may be happy and useful in his new j sphere. On the other hand, we have eigth candidates for the ministry, two j of them being ordained ministers of the j Primitive Methodist Onurcli, who have

resigned their .position. There have been considerable unsettlement and distraction during the year owing to railitnrv enthusiasm and the leaving of so many of our young rnon for the seal_ of war.' It would net have bean surprising if our icturns for the year had shown up most unfavourably. Yet your connexions,! funds have been well maintained. But in some districts there lias been a decrease of preaching places and Sunday schools. “Some of our oldest Sunday schools report a. decrease, of scholars. Other churches, both in the Old Country and in America, as well as in this colony, are making similar reports, which seem to indicate some genera! cause. It may bo due to many causes. But one reason seems to be the dearth of devoted and efficient teachers for ■ our older scholars. tVa find where we have such workers they are able to keep tno advanced classes together by their personal influence. Such teachers are one of our most urgent needs. The children are the hope of the Church, and unless we can make our Sunday schools more efficient and retain our older scholars, the Chitrch aud tho world will suffer great disaster. ‘Tu this connexion wo must steadily keep in view the vital importance of pressing the Legislature far the restoration of the Bible to our day schools. This matter has been successfully settled in the Loudon Board schools, and seems likelv to bcl arranged in harmony with tho religious sentiment of the majority in Victoria. The churches of New Zealand (save the Roman Catholics) are new practically united in their proposals, and it is to be earnestly hoped that our admirable educational system maybe per. fectod by the inclusion of the Bible lessons as part of the school curriculum. The Wesleyan Conference, I think, has never mot since the present Act came into force without affirming this principle, and we shall never rest till this act of justice is done to the children of the colonies. “As a Church, we ara also pledged to use our mu-emitting energies for the suppression of the open drink-bar and legalised gambling, which are ensnaring and destroying - our youth and rendering abortive so many of our best efforts. But if we have some figures connected with our work which give us great concern wo have also to record vracious revivals in many of c.ur circuits. Largo numbers of our young people have decided for Christ. There has been a considerable amount of church building aud enterpvise in various directions, for which we thank Gou and. take courage. But mere statistics are no final test of progress or decline. Experience has proved that muchgopd work can never be tabulated. Statistics are also found to move in circles. “ Strong exception has been taken to the sending of young women to China. But who shall dare to dictate to a Christian woman where she shall carry TTTe Gospel of Christ? It is a. matter for these noble women themselves to decide. There are women to be saved in China, and Christian woman can best approach them. Married women are for the most part unable to do the work which single women can do so well. Are the millions of Chinese women to perish for fear of a few of our sisters losing their lives? And are the tens of thousands of girls and women connected with our missions and schools in China to be abandoned- for the same reason? We should earn the contempt of humanity if wo listened to such craven dries. Our single Christian women, whoso hearts yearn over the Chinese, aro the loudest in their protest against such a odwardly policy.’' The speaker then urged that if the Methodist Churches were to do their part there must bo a great revival of spiritual life among, them. A spiritual revival was the supremo want of tho hour. He also dwelt on the necessity tor more labourers, not only ministers, but male and female lay agents. “There aro,” he said, “plenty of men who have neither tho taste nor capacity for acquiring ministerial qualifioa. tions, but-are willing to do any sort of work witlun their scope. For others who may not feel called to the high places of tile field like China or India or the Islands of Polynesia,'or oven our lapsed frontier settlers, there is the Maori population of which a largo part is sunk in ignorance and debauchery. Their hideous condition is a standing reproach to us a Christian people, and demand's tho most serious consideration of the Churches. Here is a work at the very doors ot many of our people. True, wo spend as a Church about £IOOO ananally on thus branc*! of our v.ork, and we *empioy nine -agent.v but what arc they among so many? “ A deep and widespread revival of true religion .will be the best antidote to the rampant Sacerdotalism and Rationalism of the day. If the Evangelical Ohuroh.es are going to capture this land for Christ,_ they must he terribly in earnest and shake off the paralysis of conventionalism and expediency. They must bestir themselves to sublimer prayer and living and labour. Th'ey must out-live, out-pray and outpreach their rivals, and shame the indifference and worldly, by their Christservice. I'o sliake .bauds witii ouiselves and ’ settle down w ith slow and steady progress is rank heresy. May God awaken us as a people to do our duty, to realise our obligations and seize our opportunities!” ... The address was listened to with close attention, and was frequently applauded. The election of officers resulted as follows; —President, Rev C. H. Garland., secretary of the Century Commemoration Fund; secretary, Rev H. J. Murray (re-elected). The retiring president congratulated his successor, who was elected by an overwhelming majority, in a graceful and appropriate speech. In returning thanks, the Rev C. H. Garland said that from his boyhood he had regarded the position of their president as a gheat one, but he had never felt so keenly the responsibilities of the office as he did that evening. He yielded to no man in his love of the Methodist Chnroh. He -loved its teachings and traditions. He asked no other honour on earth than to live and die a minister of the church to which he owed so much. Tho result of other elections was as follows Journal secretary. Rev C. Porter; corresponding secretary, Rev J. G. W. Spence; precentor, Rev A. M'tcholl.

A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring president. • The hours of Session, were fixed as follows-.—Morning, 9.30 to 12.30; afternoon, 2 to 5; evening, 7.30 to 9.30.

The following is the first draft of stations ;

Auckland.—Pitt street, Rev O. H. Garland, Rev W. Ready, Rev T. G. Carr and Rev W. Beckett, Three Kings College, Rev J. H. Simmonds; Helping-Hand Mission, Rev C. C. Harrison; North Shore, Rev J. G. Chapman and Rev A. I'-. Chappell; Grafton rend, Rev W. G. Parsonson and Rev J. T. Pinfold; Maori Mission. Rev IV. Gittos; Mahurangi, Rev G. Frost; Thames, Rev D. J. Murray; Upper Thames, Rev W. Keall, Rev D. Weatherall and Rev W. Greenslade; ;

Mnmikuii, Rev C. Griffin ; Franklin. Rf , v T. G. Marshal!: Cambridge, Her S. >, • Gibson: Hamilton, Rev H. L. Bla-' mircs; Paparoa, Rev' F. T. React; Northern Wairoa. Rev A. C. Law ry; Wbangavci. Rev J. W ■ Griffin: Taiiraima. Rev J, TV. TVorboys; Coromandel,“Rer A. Mitchell; Waikato (Maori). Rev Vi'arcna Pena and Rev Hannoia Kiugi: Kaipara (Maori), Rev Hauraki Paid; Hokum 2a. Rev Piripi Rakena and Rev Te Tuhi Heretini; TVaugaroa (Maori). Rev Hapcta- Renata. Net-.- Plvmoutb—Rev S. J. Serpnli; Wailara, Rev S. J. Garlick and Rev A. Ashcroft; Stratford, Rev J. A. Lochorc: Hawcra, Rev John Dukes and Rev W. J. Oxbrow; Opnnake, Rev C. Penney. Wanganui—Rov If. R. Dewsburv and Rev TV. R. Tuck ; Rangitikei, Rev O. Aberncthy ; Sandon and Feilding, Rev T. E. Thomas and Rev T. TV. Vealhe; Palmerston North. Rev S. La wry and Rev C. Porter; Kiwitea, Rev James Thomas; TVest Coast- (Maori), Rev T. G. Hammond and Rev R. Haddon. Wellington—Taranaki street, Rev TVC. Oliver, Rev TV. J. Elliott and Rev A. N. Scottee; Wellington South, Rev George Bond; Hutt, Rev TV. B. Marten and Rev E. P. Blamires; Greytoivn, Rov J. J. Pcndray; Mastertou, Rev S. F. Prior; Napier, Rev C. E. Beecroft ; Hastings, Rev J. Wrigley; Gisborne, Rev TV. Dawson; Ekctahuna, Rev F. B. Oldham; Otaki, Rev S. H. D. Perym,ni; Dannevirke, Rev M. K. Gilmour; Waipavva, Rev TV. S. Bowie; TVoodvillc Rev George Honnsell; Pahiatua, Rev" TV. G. Thomas. Nelson—Rev J. S. Smalley; Rich, mond, R-ev B. F. Rothwoil ; Blenheim, Rev S. Griffiths; Hokitika, Rov T. R. Richards; v/reymouth, Rev J. H. Grey; Motueka, Rov R. P. Kea.ll; Reefton, Rov TV. Grigg; Westport, Rev TV. Wills ._ Christchurch—Durham street, Rev TV. Baumber; Rov C. H. Laws, Rev R. Taylor, Rev 11. Murray and Rev J. Burton; Qonnexional Secretary, Rev TV. Motley; Christchurch South, Rev W. Lee and Rov T. F. Jones; St. Albans, Rev H. Bull; Papanui, Rov J. A. Hosking'; Lyttelton, Rev D. MoNicoll; Springston, Rev J. J. Mather and Rev J. H. Haslam ; Leeston, Rev W. H- Beck; Kaiapoi, Rev J. Orchard and Rev T. N. Griffin : Rnngiora, Rev A. Peters and Rev T. A. Joughia; Oxford, Rev H. B. Ginger; .Timaru, Rev J. N. Buttle; Waimate, Rev J. Blight; Temnka, Rov TV. Tinsley; Ashburton, Rey T. Fee; Willi why, Rev J. D. Jory; Malvern, Rev A. Reader. Dunedin.—Trinity, Rev P. W. Fairclough ; Central Mission, Bav TV. A. Sinclair; Cargill road, Rev T. G.'Brooke; Mornington, Rev J. J. • Lewis and Rev R. Wilson; Port Chalmers, Rev C. H. Standage: Balolutha, Rev G. TV. J. Spence; Milton, Rov H. E. Bellhouse; Lawrence, Rev J. G. Ellis; Invercargill, Rev J. A. Luxford; Oamaru, Rev Josiah Ward ; Gore, Rev PI. Beggs ;. Riverton, one to be sent; Roxburgh, Rov L. J. Ryan ; Cromwell. Rev T. TV. Newhold.