METHODISTCONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10838, 2 March 1921, Page 7

METHODIST CONFERENCE

YESTERDAY'S BESSION HOME MISSIONS AND FIRE IN. , SU RANGE. VARIOUS REPORTS SUBMITTED. SHORTAGE OF MINISTERS. ! The. conference recommended yesterday that a grant be made from the church building and loan fund to secure a church site at Miramar. FIRE INSURANCE. The report: of the fire insurance fund, presented’ by the Rev. S. Lawry, showed that- the year was the most successful in the history of the fund. The year’s income totalled £2105, and expenses £560. The accumulated funds stand at £12,.771. New risks had heen accepted during the yean’ totalling £46,765. The report wa® adopted, and the Rev. S. Lawry commended and heartily thanked for his most excellent work. HOME MISSIONS. The Rev. C'. Bond presented the balance-sheet of the home mission fund. The capital account totalled close on £IO,OOO. The current account showed income as , follows: —Auckland district £1799 9® lOd, South Auckland district £459 13s 3d, Taranaki-Wanga-nui district .£370 5s 7d, Hawke’s BayManawatu £6BO 2s Id, Wellington district £668 0:s 9d, Nelson district £428 18s lid, North Canterbury district £1177 3s Id., South Canterbury district £475 7.U 6d, Otago-Southland district £671 18s lid. Interest on investments and other income, including the credit balance from last year, brought the; total income up tp £lO,578 15s sd, 'while the expenditure totalled £9ssci 10s, leaving a credit balance of £1023 5s sd. This'provad to be a record year, and the announcement was received with applause. The estinaated income for 1921 totalled £10,850’; and the estimated expenditure £10,831. ' The Rev. 'X. G. Brooke (general secretary) and the Rev. G. Bond (general treasurer) were thanked by the conference for their splendid work during the year. The conference spent considerable time discussing the church’s home mission policy, and improving the machinery of thie fund.- The call for men for the work of the Christian ministry vras .stressed by the Rev. T. G. Brooke. He felt that the continued repetition of “one wanted” in station sheets had been detrimental to the best interests of the church. The shortage of men had compelled the church to send men into the work without the needed special training, He appealed to the church to provide men for the work of the ministry-. At yesterday's meeting of the Methodist Co'aference the consideration of home mivsion business was resumed, the Rev. T. G. Brooke leading the business. An interesting debate took place on the heed of men for the ministry, and th.e principal of the Theological College (the Rev. C. H. Laws) consented to do what he could to place the claims of the ministry before the Methodist young men of the Dominion. Mr M. Ayrton pleaded for modern methods in the training of men for the ministry. The conference listened intently to the (Speaker, and a hearty round of applause, greeted the conclusion of his speech. Messrs H. H. Brown, C. A. Buttle, and the Revs. E. P. Blamires, E. Drake, and' W. A. -Hay continued the debate, and emphasising' the spiritual, aspect of the problem and contending that the appeal must be the appeal of sacrifice in the interests of the cause of Christ. Mr Drake pleaded for team-work 7 in the interests of the church, so that loyalty and gride would cause young men to respond to .the call of the church. Others were anxious to .sperak, but the urgenoy of business prevented the -con-tiiniation of the debate. The Methodist Women’s Missionary Union was granted permission to elect a representative to each of the district Synods, upon the formation of district unions, each of which is to constitute an eleef/ive body. • In connection with the work among the Maoris, a cordiaL vote of thanks. wa? carried to .the general superintendent (the Rev. A. J. Seamer), in regard tio his work. RATANA, ’ THE MIRACLEW ORKER. A long discussion took place on the Maori work, the most .interesting fea-• ture of which was an address by the Rev. Robert Haddon, t-he well-known Maori missionary. Referring to the coining of Indians to certain districts, Mr Haddon said that he had no objection tr> Asiatics coming, so long aa they brought their wives-with them; but the crossing of Indian and Maori was no good. It was a sad business. Speaking of the work of Ratana, the miracle-worker, he stated that Ratana was ids second cousin. Ratana’s grandfather was a Christian man. A call ca.me to Ratana to surrender himself co mpletely to God, to isolate himself. He fasted six days, living on prayer-, and then the power came. Ho went -to a sick child and prayed, and immecliately she was healed. The Maori thought more of “mana” than of Christianity. “You must put away this ‘mama’ idol,” said Ratana; “it is tohungaiSm. Have faith, and I will have faith, and God will heal you.” When they did this at Ratana’s request they were able to say “My eyes can sere,” or “I can walk.” It was out-an/d-out Christianity. Ratana was against everything that- tied the Maori down. To accept Christ as a personal Saviour was the only way to build a Maori up. Ratana had said to Mr Haddon: “I get the people. You ministers feed them with the Word.” A great- meeting was to be held at Monrinsvflle. It would he a great mission to. 6000 people. Ratana had built a church, paid for by himself. Mr Haddon declared that Ratana was on right lines. Don’t forget to pray for him. Katana declared, “I’m only a finger-post pointing you to God.” Loud applause greeted the close of the address. SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The Rev. O. H. Olds, B.A. (organising secretary of the young people’s movement) presented the report of the Sunday school and young people’s board. The balance-sheet of the movement showed an expenditure of £559 11s Bd, and an income of £519 0s Sd. A long discussion -took place in connection with the machinery of the movement. With reference to the Bible classes, the question of appointing a. travelling secretary for each department was debated, and was affirmed subject to the financial proposals of the unions luring satisfactory. ORDINATION SERVICE. The ordination service was held in the Taranaki street Methodist- Church last evening in the presence of a large congregation, when tho following hav-

iug completed their probation wiere solemnly set apart for the work af the Christian ministry, nnmbly. Revs. AY. T. Blight, TV Dent, J. Dennis, J. R. Nelson, F. J. Park, Robert E. Fordyec, E. 13. Chambers and AA’. S. Nen). The president conducted the hervroe, assisted by several senior ministers. A solemn and impressive charge to the. newly-ordained ministers was delivered by Rev. E. Drake, expresident of the' conference.