WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11048, 28 February 1898, Page 4

WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

t•. ■ Secostd Day—Satdhday. I The conference met at 9 30 a.m. on Saturday !in representative session, the President (the : IViv. W. ©. Paraonson) occupying the chair. I . APPOINTMENTS. . ' t The Rev. L. Hudaon having to leave for \ Tiivercarglll, the Rev. G. Griffin was appointed his substitute as Press Association secretary I Ths Rev. H. Bull, the secretary, the* ex- . president, and Messrs Blackwell and •Stephens were appointed a .committee for the purpose of nominating to committees those members of the conference who had not.been originally placsd on committees. .' . : .. , ■.. VLAK OF SERVICES. The Rev. J. J. Lewis brought up snd moved the adoption.of; the report of tbe Plan Committee showing the arrangements for Sunday services.—Exception was taken by one or two members to the proposals of the committee on the ground that the work was noi; equitably apportioned.—A protest was raised by the Rev. T. G. Brooke afainsS makin X appointments iuvolvug Sunday travelling. Tile use of public i conveyances in this city on Sundays was j a scandal and a disgrace, due in a considerable i degree to members of Christian churches. He moved as an amendment—"That such appointments as involve travelling by public conveyances on Sunday be revised."—The Rev. : W. J. Williams remarked that some of their circuits could not be worked unless public conveyances were employed on Sundays. .The conference should understand what they were committing themselves to before passing a motion of this kind.—After some discussion, Mr Brooke's amendment was carried, arid the plan was. ..subsequently, 'passed, the Pbesident . remarking that it was understood that if it mide Sunday travelling unavoidable in any case the fict could be reported and Be the subject of revision. ■ • . ' ' GENEBAL. On the motion of Mr.STjspHENS a committee was set up to consider the position of the Advocate. ■■.■;-.> . . ....,■. -The ex-President laid on the table replies to the loyal address sent to the Queen and the. GoTercor on the occasion of the Diamond •Jubilee. . ■ '■"- '■ : ..•■■' The representative session adjourned, till Monday morning. "; , MINISTERIAL SESSION. The conference resumed basines* in ministerial session shortly after 10 a ; m. aud continued during ..the' forenoon and also in the afternoon. ' ■ -;■ ■ - PROBATIONERS. Consideration wa? given to the position and work, of the several young ministers now on probation. These of the fourth year—viz., Revs. H. Bsggs, H. J5. Bellhouee, W. Dawßon, and C. Porter—were taken first. Reports were read .from the Board of Examiners as to the result of the written examinations of the probationers and also the recommendations of the district synods.' Reports of trial sermons were also presented. These, were followed by an oral examination, conducted by theßev.H. R. DewsburyVatthe request of the president of the conference. The youpg men retired, and after full discussion it { was resolved—V That all be received into.fnil connexion, but that the decition in the case of Mr Dawson be conditionally on the-medical examination 'being.satisfactory." > Tbe Rev; S, F. Pkior reported that he had received' the resignation.of the Rev." S. Potts, of Weßtporfc. Matters in connection with thia case were discussed, and it was afterwards resolved that the resignation be accepted; The Revs. Arthur Asbcroft, J. W. Griffin; J. A- Lochore. and T. R. Richards, probationers of tbe third year, ware all passed in their year. lheßevs>W. S. Bowie, H. X. Blamites, A. By I Chappell, and J. A. Hosking, probationer* of, the second year, were'pasfed in their; year. 'The case of the Rev. H. W. Williamswas under consideration when the conference adjourned. L ■ CONFERENCE SERVICES: j v:v The conference services held at Trinity W«sleyan- Church yesterday were ail largely attended. The Rev. W. Baumber, of Welling- | ton, who occupied the pulpit in thei'morning, took his text from- Isaiah xliv, and part of the fqprfch ; verse, "He shall not fail nor:be discouraged;" '■ He exhortedl the churches to go forward and not be discouraged'with their past work, pointing out that Christianity,must ultimately triumph. In the afternoon the Rev. C. H. Laws, of Hawera, gave an address to children based on the words, "Fight the good fight of. faith." The preacher at the evening'! j service was the Rev. W. Morley, who gave a discourse^ on " ConscieDce." He referred to the functions and limitations of conscience, and •said he believed that conscience was a divine gift imparted to the soul of man. • It was, however, not always a trustworthy guide. In order, that it might such it must be enlithtened—must- be under the direction of reason and regulated according to the' Word of God/ It was His Word which was given to us as the supreme law of our life, and if we would' come to it with open hearts arid with prayer for the Divine Spirit, depend upon it that" in the matter of conscience, as ia other things, we would not fail, but would have full direction and not miss our providential way: At the Garrison Hail there was a very large gathering at the morning service. The preacher wag the Rev. J. Ward, of Oamaru, who took for his text' Isaiah Ixiii, 7. The prophet, hfe said, had a thanksgiving time when he wrote these words. So should they have that day as a ' church. Conference • Sunday should be specially a thanksgiving day. As they reviewed the past they could express themselves in the words read. God was a God of goodness. - His name, nature, and deeds declared it. His' gqodneas was great, as was His wisdom and power. It wag goodness that had been bestowed, not merely thought of, promised, or intended, but actually bestowed—they had tbe cash in hand.; It was goodness. bestowed in mercy, for it was not deserved/; and according to' (7od's. mercies^—that was the measure, — mercies the number and worth of which'could uofc be estimated. . It was goodness,amounting to. lovingkinoness—one of the fullest double wordu in the Euglish language. It was goodness for which they should praise God. Let them do to that day as individuals and. as a church. Christ praised God before going,to Getbseraane and Golgotha; let them praise Him before, in, and after their trials and difficulties About 600 people gathered for tbe pleasant Sunday afternoon. The Rev. T. W. Newbold presided, and Miss Clark recited an appropriate piece called " Reading the Conference Appointj mepfe" A quartet, duet, and solo were well received, and the' Hatton Family Orchestra rendered.with marked effect "-The Holy City." ..The Rev. Mr Brooke delivered the address, and said that in laying the plans of life many men left out the most important factors. Their plans had no God in them. Yet .this was the factor necessary to determine all others. ..When self w&s the centre of a universe it was exceedingly circumscribed. It was men's blindness and folly that prevented them seeing and realising God. They also left their souls out I of the calculations, and so forgot their manhood I as well as their God ; and they added to their I folly by making no provision for the future. In'the evening, the Rev. W. J. Williams, of Auckland, preached to a very large congregation from 1 Timothy iv, 8. He said that goodness was profitable unto all things, having the promise of the light which now is and of that wh'ch I is to come. Profitable was a word well up to j date. For profit all jmau's efforts wero made. ! I Profit was the pole BtaroE the adventurer.to the 1 Klondyke. But the, text .opened a. larger ! prospect of profit. What did gold profit that j frozen man stretched in the snow ? Nothing in 1 this.life, nothing for that to come. Yet the ! wish for gold was more earnest than that for godliness. The preacher eloquently urged the benefit of godliness for this world, and used many telling illustrations, and concluded an earnest appeal to make life an aim toward that to come. The service was enlivened by excellent and appropriate music by the choir and orchestra. Mr A. D. Ross, sang "The holy shrine," and the Hutton Orchestra played "The soul's awakenine." The prayers were read by the Rev. Mr Newbold. The ex-presi-derit of the conference (the Rev. P. W. Fairclough) occupied a seat on the platform. A prayer meeting 'was subsequently held, presided over.by the R?v. Mr Newbold. The services at the Morniugton Wesleyan Church yesterday were conducted by ministers attending the conference. In the morning the Rev. J. Dukes officiated and preached a practical and helpful sermon from John xxii 24. i The discourse was greatly eDJoyed by the large congregation that was present. In the after-J

SOFT, WHITE HANDS IN A SINGLE NIGHT. Bathe a,nd soak the hands on retiring in a strong, hot,-creamy lather of Cuticura. Soap. Dry them thoroughly, and anoint freely with Cuticuua. greatest of emollient; skin cures. Wear during the night old, loose kid gloves with the finger ends cut off and air holoi cut in the ' palms. For red, rough, chapped, and discoloured hands, dry, fissured, itehin?, feverish palms, shapeless nails with painful finger ends, this treatment is simply wonderful.—2s .. ,

noon, the Rev. D J. Murray, secretary of tbfe conference, formerly a minister of the church, conducted a young .people's service, taking as hie texb Paalm cxix, 105. Mr Murray succeeded jq maintaining the interest and attention of the little-people »nd-instructing tha ■ older ones. There was a large attendance of Mr Murray/a old friends at tho evening service, when he preached an eloquent and powerful discourse from Mark vi, 1-3. The sermon w*s greatly appreciated and dealt with many aspects of social life as prelected in daily life. The offertorieg were liberal and were in aid of fcbe conference espensas fund. The choir assisted iv '• tbc musical part of the services most tfficiently, Mr Thomas Holgate conducting. , Four services were held at the Cargill road ( Wesleyau Church yesterday, and on eacb' occasion there was] a good attendance oi worshippers,-. At 7 o'clock Mr M. K. Gilmour, a candidate for the ministry, conducted the ' service. The Rev. R. Taylor presided at the :11 o'clock and 3 o'clock services, whije the Rev. W. Biumfcer was the visiting minister in the evening.* On each occasion interesting, and instructive addresses were given, and were listened to with unremitting attention.