CHURCH AND THE ARMY

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 5

CHURCH AND THE ARMY

I ATTITUDE OF METHODISTS,

The Rev. A. C. Lawry, president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, met the Methodist ministers of Auckland, together with a number of representative laymen on the 21st ult. to consult as to the action of the Church regarding ministers who may bo called up for service under the Military Service Act. The Rev. C. H. Garland, chairman of the Auckland, district, prdsidod. The president of the conference stated that the response of the Methodist Chuich to tho call of the Empire had been a noble one. From 80 to 90 per cent, of the eligible young men had gone to the front. Tho number of Methodists in the Expedi tionary Forces was certainly not less than 9 per cent. There were 127 ministers, students, and home missionaries of the Methodist Church in New Zealand under the age of 46, and of these 45 were serving in some capacity or had volunteered for service. His own view was that, while it was important that the moral and spiritual influence of the ministry in the community should be maintained, there should be the utmost sacrifice on the part of the Methodist Church in tho matter of her ministers enlisting, and that the work of tho Church should be so arranged as to release as many as possible of those who might be called up. When, however, a point had been reached, and it was not now far distant, when the release of further ministers would very seriously cripple the work of the Church, an appeal should be made against any further decrease in tho number of ministers. After full discussion, tho following resolutions were carried unanimously, on the motion of the Rev. C. H. Laws: 1. That, in the opinion of this meeting, no appeal should bo made by the Church against any minister or home missionary called up for service under the Military Service Act until the necessities of our work make it impossible to release any further agents. 2. That the conference bo recommended *to give special consideration to the demands of tho work throughout tho dominion, with a view to determining how many ministers may be released without seriously interfering with the work of tho Church, and what circuit readjustments are necessary to their release. 3. That until the conference (which meets in February) the president be requested to determine what ministers and homo missionaries can be spared, and to advise the respective chairmen of the districts whether to appeal against the ballot in each case. 4. That, in view of our connexional system, the approaching conference bo recommended to request the Defence Minister to allow appeal on behalf of ministers of the Methodist Church to be made by tho president of the conference, as its representative head, instead of by the chairmen of districts. 5. That the president of the conference be requested to ask chairmen of districts to ascertain what supernumerary ministers may bo willing to resume work temporarily, and what circuit arrangements may bo possible to meet the reduced regular staff of ministers, and report on these matters to the next conference.