CLERGY AND CONSCRIPTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14236, 2 March 1917, Page 7

CLERGY AND CONSCRIPTION.

RESntt T TION,S AT METHODIST CONFERENCE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. The question of enlistment for ministers and home missionaries was considered m committee by the Methodist conference, the following resolutions being submitted for adoption •: Though the Methodist Church of New Zealand has already given some 26 per cent of ita ministers and home missionaries to the service of the country m connection with the wai'y and is now feeling the gravity of further depletions of the ministry, *y et mi n r - ew ' °f the serious need of the Empire at the present day, the conference resolves that no appeal be made by the Church against any minister or home missionary being called up for , Home military service under the Military Service Act^ unless the necessities, of our work and the religious needs of the district concerned make it impossible to release Mm; that special attention be given to the demands of our work throughout the dominion and to the religious needs of the particular districts,, with a view to determining what readjustment of staff can be made so as to release th*. greatest number of eligible ruen for the service of the country ; that a small committee of ministers and laymen be appointed with whom the President of thei conference may consult during the year as to the advisability of appealing m particular cases ; that m oase of any minister or home missionary being called up desiring, for conscientious reasons, to be employed m non-combatartt military service, the President of the conference be requested to certify to the proper authorities, that such person is, m his view, actuated by conscientious motives, and ihat his request should .have favorable consideration. During a' long discussion, it was proposed as an addition : "That the committee set up to consider these cases, within one month from, this date inform each minister 1 whether the church intends to appeal for him or not, if he is called up." ft was ultimately decided to refer the matter back tp the committee for further consideration,;