METHODIST CONFERENCE

Otago Witness, Issue 2784, 24 July 1907, Page 65

METHODIST CONFERENCE

(From Ottk Special Cobbespoxdent.) UNION OF THE CHURCHES. The Rev. W. H. Beale (New South Wales), convener of the Committee on the Union of the Churches, reported at the Methodist Conference at Sydney that negotiations towards organic union had reached points of substantial agreement off" 1 doctrine and polity, and recommended that seciional committees be appointed for the several Conferences to meet committees that might be appointed by any other church or churches, and to report to the next General Conference, and that in all wise ways the spirit of union be fostered among their own people. He also moved that the Conference express it& gratification at the progress made, and reaffirm its judgment that such an organic union was eminently desirable. Objection was taken to the resolution, it being contended that it said too much. The majority of the speakers maintained that they were no nearer union to-day than they were three years ago, while some went as far as to say they were not as near. It was felt that no strong sentiment was behind the movement in either the Presbyterian or the Methodist Church. Dr Morley (Victoria) stated that the question had become complicated by recent negotiations in Australia between the Anglicans and Presbyterians. Another speaker said that the Presbyterian Church ssemed to have repented somewhat sine© it approached the Methodist Church. The Rev. J. E. Carruthers (New South Wales) called for caution, and considered the terms of the resolution were unnecessarily extravagant, and he thought it was quite sufficient to say "desirable," and not "eminently desirable." They snou^ not put themselves in the position of courting the union. T>ere was no indication, either in the Methodist "Church or the Presbyterian Church, of any strong desire for union, and until there was an extrusive movement among the masses of the people in those two branches they should proceed no further. He moved an amendment — "That the Conference expresses its sympathy with the proposals, and reappoints the committee to confer with similar committees that might be appointed by other churches. This was carried by a large majority. SECOND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SECRETARY. It having been decide to appoint a second secretary in connection with the Foreign Missionary Society, a ballot was taken, and It resulted in the election of the Rev. J. G. Wheen, President of the Victorian Conference, with 54- votes. Rev. W. Slade (Dunedin). President New Zealand Conference, received 45 votes, and the Rev. W. E. Bromilow, chairman of the New Guinea. Mission, 10 votes. i The Rev. J. G. Wheen was born in Sheffield, England, and was educated at private schools. His first business experience wa3 gained in the town clerk's office, and he subsequently occupied the position of secretary of- the Sheffield Hospital. Coming to Victoria in 1882, he was at once taken hold of by Rev. John Watsford. and employed as a home missionary. In 1884 hi was received into the ranks of the ministry. His career has been one of unvarying success and growing influence. He has "travelled" in the principal circuits of his Conference, and now stationed at Lydiard Street, Ballarat. For two years he organised and carried out a scheme in connection with Queen's College, Melbourne, which resulted in the reduction of the debt by over £11,500. Whilst in Tasmania he w"as able to raise about £9000 in aid of the La-unceston Methodist Ladies' College Fund. He was elected secretary of the Victoria and Tasmania Conference two years ago, and this year he was raised to the presidency of that Conference. Mr Wheen is regarded as one of the mest able and popular men in the Methodist ministry of Victoria, with special aptitude for the administration of affairs, and with unusual platform gifts. Mr Wheen'e appointment to the mission office is expected to be of great j value to the Foreign Missionary Society, j especially in relation to the forward move- ■ ment recently inaugurated. His removalApril, 1903— from Victoria will be very j much regretted in Methodist circles of that j The Rev. W. H. Beale and Mr R. S. Callaghan were unanimously elected clerical general treasurer and lay general treaI surer respectively in succession to Rev. Dr Sellors and Hon. W. Robson, M.L.C., who retired. MISSION TO INDIA. The President and ex-President of the Conference were associated with th« Mission Board in the steps to be taken for the selection of the locality in India, in which the proposed mission is to be undertaken, the training and appointment of agents to i work the same, and the arrangements to b3 made with the Wesleyan Missionary Society in England. POSTAL DEPARTMENT AND GAMBLING. The Conference emphatically protested against the use of the postal, telegraphic, and telephonic facilities for gambling purposes, and urged upon the Government of the Commonwealth and New Zealand the desirability of taking such action as will effectually prevent the continuance of these facilities. j STATISTICAL RETURNS. j The following statistical returns were reported to the General Conference : —Ministers. 820; preachers on probation. 139; home missionaries, 169; members of the Church. 137.*10: on probation for membership, 10,465; junior members, 12,441; attendants o n public worship. 644,183; Sun- ! day Schools, 4042 ; teachers 24,694 ; scholars 232.048. Christian Endeavour Societies, 1091 ; active members, 21, 4 53. Junior Christian Endeavour Societies. 577; active members, 18,797. Connexional Bands of Hope, 455 ; members, 33,521. Theological Institutions, 4; number of tutois, 12; number of students, 32. Book Depot*, 5; Churoh Building or Loan Funds, 6; capital, £144,152; churches. 3847; schoolrooms. 704; Parsonages, 930; Colleges. 45. REAPPOINTMENT TO A CIRCUIT. It was decided that the period after which a minister may be reappointed to a circuit in which he has been, stationed be altered from six to five years. A REVIEW. The second General Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia, which wag

concluded after sittings extending over 14days, was the first gathering o.f the kind held in Sydney since the union of the various sections of Methodism. General Conferences of the Wesleyan Methodist Church were held periodically from 1875, but it was not until 1904- that an assembly representing tho combined Methodist Churches was held. It met in -Melbourne. In tho record' of General Conferences that of 1907 will hold no mean place.

Much ought to be expected from an assembly of ministers and laymen who are the elect of a Church as widespread and influential as the Methodist Church of Australasia. It is an assembly that involves a considerable expenditure of time and money, and the question will be inevitably raised : '" Is the result such as to justify what is costs?" It is safe to say that a more favourable answer can be given on this occasion than on the occasion of some preceding General Conferences. The last Melbourne Conference, for example, was notable for a prolonged discussion on the Supernumerary Fund, with the result that little time was available for considering important matters bearing on the general welfare of the Church. No one questions the importance of the Supernumerary Fund, but opinion on the point at issue was so evenly divided that it was scarcely feasible to report anything in the way_ of progress. One of the ' pleasant surprises of the Sydney Conference has been the discovery that the leaders on the opposing sides in this prolonged controversy had been able to arrange a modus vivendi. To this the Conference most gladly agreed, and so a discussion that threatened to be both painful and futile was happily avoided. With this out of the way, the conference was able to give attention to the overdue claims of foreign missions.

This Sydney Conference will go down to posterity as par excellence the missionary conference. The most pathetic incident of the Conference was the acceptance of the resignation of Dr George Brown as the general secretary of missions. For 47 years he has nobly sustained the honour of the Church in connection with missions — first of all a3 a brave, enterprising pioneer missionary, and latterly as the official head of the Missionary Board. It may almost be said of him still that " his eye is not yet dim, neither is his natural strength abated." He had reached, however, the time of life when he might well ask to be relieved of the cares of office, and the manner in which the Conference took farewell of this devoted and beloved servant of God will never be forgotten by those who were privileged to witness it. As New Zealand was the colony from which Dr Brown went into the mission field, and from which he took the noble wife who has so cheerfully shared the burden of toil and privation, New Zealanders have a special interest in the tributes of grateful respect paid to this veteran missionary.

The question of outstanding interest in connection with missions was, "Shall we extend the sphere of operations co as to include India?" The debate on this question called forth good speaking from opposing sides. Dr Fitchett championed the cause of extension in an able and luminous address based on impressions he had formed during a recent visit to India. On the other side, it was pointed out that there are large heathen territories still calling for missionary effort in the South Pacific, and that with these claims for aggressive effort lying at our own doors it is unwise to press beyond to a region &o remote as India. On a divsiion the motion for extending to India, secured a majority of votes. No doubt the widened prospect will stimulate renewed interest in the cause of missions. In fact, the renewed interest was at once made manifest. The most memorable missionary meeting ever held in Australasia was held within a few hours of the decision of the Conference to take up work in India. A splendid audience assembled in the Centenary Hall, drawn by the announcement that various aspects of the mission cause would be dealt with by four of the most gifted speakers in the Conference. As a matter of fact, not one of the speeches was delivered. Tho meeting took the shape of a missionary love foaet. in the course of which the sum of £2353 was promised to the mission fund. Tho*e who were present can never forget the wonderful outburst of enthusiasm that expressed itself in a rapid succession of testimonies and promisee that lasted for over two hours. A second missionary meeting was held, and it was characterised by an enthusiasm almost equal to that of the memorable one on June 7. The sum of £1750 was promised during the evening, bringing the total up to about £2400. It is expected that the flame of enthusiasm will extend throughout Australasia, with the result that the Missionary Society will be in a position to enter opening doors with unprecedented vigour and hopeful\iiother interesting feature of the Conference was the discussion of the proposal to amend rhe constitution of the Mission Church in Fiji. That church has now reached a stage in which a request is made that added powers «hould be given to the laymen. After prolonged discussion the claim of the laymen to a share in the government of the church was admitted. The working of this new feature in the administration of minion affairs will be watched with greit interest. A critical point has been reached in the historj of the Mothotfist Church in Fiji, «nd the inre--ionarics on whom rests the responsibility of representing the Church in this time of trial are entitled to a large measure of "■ V The [ disposition to liberalise the constitution of the Church was not confined to the claim made on behalf of Fiji. It was resolved that Church members throughout Australasia should have the right of direct representation m the circuit quarterly meeting. A meeting of Church members is to be held annually for the purpose of electing a certain number of quarterly meeting representatives. This is the admission of a principle that has been stubbornly fought for and as stubbornly resisted for many years. It is a democratising of the polity of the Methodist Church which it is hoped will be attended with the hapoiest results. m A question that excited considerable interest in the Conference was that relating to amusements. It aroee out of a Temit from Victoria, where the matter has been keenly discussed. A desire was expressed that the Conference should declare by express enactment that such amusements as danoing and theatre-going are prohibited to Church members. Various views were uttered on a topic that is confusedly beeet with difficulty, but such a drastic proposal at that referred to did pofc find many

supporters. By a large majority the Ccn» ference adopted the resolution that all members of the Church should be urged to abstain from all amusements that are likely to-weaken their spiritual life and unfit them for Christian service. The New ZealanderS were certainly not unduly conspicuous among the speaking forces of the Conference. The president of our Conferences. (Rev. Win. JSlade) rendered valuable service in connection with the discussion of foreign missions, and the Rev. Mr Garland on various subjects was a welcome speaker. But- on one subject eoveral New Zealanders ventured to make themselves heard. It was on the proposal to allow lay members of the Conference to vote with ministerial members on the stationing of ministers. After various endeavours had been made to ward ,off the issue involved, the vote was taken, and by the very substantial majority of 53 to 20 the propceal was carried. In New Zealand, at anyrate, this change will be widely welcomed as a reasonable recognition of tht rights of laymen.

An excellent spirit pervaded the Conference, and the various social functions arFanged for by the local committee " were greatly enjoyed. An excursion on the first Saturday afternoon enabled the visitors to delight themselves in a study of some of the far-famed beauties of Sycbiey Harbour. On the second Saturday afternoon a large number went out by tram to visit L* Perorase — a place of considerable natural beauty and also having tome interesting historical associations. The happy evening spent at Newington College* fully upheld the' reputation of the pfkyßipa>"4nd r Miaj* Prescott for gracious hospitality. But tt» trip that stands out above all was ttta visit paid to the boyS* training ship' Sobraon at the- invitation of the Premier/ (Hon. J. H. Carruthers). The' members of the Conference "were conveyed 1 to .the ship in steam-launches. The visitors were courteously received by Captain. .Mason and his staff, and conducted over the ship. Thj» boys were put through their singing and drilling exercises, and the efficiency displayed in every department was a greajfc surprise to- all. The Government of New> South Wales is to be congratulated on tfi« great success which is attending this effort. As it now is, 90 per cent, of these boys grow up respected members of the Commonwealth, and by so doing are adding tothe wealth of "a great country^ One of the most, popular daily sessions of the Conference was the afternoon tea so kindle provided by the members of the variou* Ladies' Auxiliaries connected with the citj and suburban churches. Here absolute unanimity prevailed,' and no points of order were raised. Too much praise cannot be> given to the Sydney friends for their effort to make the stay of the visitors as enjoyable as possible. The next General Conference is to beheld at Adelaide in 1910.