METHODIST CHURCH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 51, 24 February 1912, Page 5

METHODIST CHURCH.

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. Ninety-seven ministers, and an equal umber of laymen, are expected ;

the above Conference, which is to open at Auckland on Thursday next. The agenda contains a large number of matters to be dealt with. At the opening meeting, the retiring President, Rev. G. AY. J. Spence, will give ids official address, and the new President will be elected. No less than fourteen candidates • for the ministry have been recommended by the district synods. Six probationers, having completed their term of four years, will be ordained. 'Eighteen others will be examined and remain on probation. There are ten students in training, two of whom are to be received on probation. There are also three native ministers on the probationers’ list. The Stationing Committee for appointment of ministers to circuits, will consist of fourteen ministers and fourteen laymen. Additional ministers are asked for Frankton and Huutly, and New Brighton, and requests for Home Aiissiouaries are made by the AVanganui, AVellington South, and Gisborne circuits. Conference is also recommended to appoint agents to Alokau, To Kuiti, Alayfield, and the Alain Trunk lino districts. The returns of membership, etc., will be discussed. These show 17,183 European members (increase 616), and 2021 Alaori members (increase 39) in September lust. The attendants on public worship (including scholars) numbers 80,837. Churches and preaching places total 987. Other totals are; 153 ministers, 59 home mission-; aides and deaconesses,743 local preachers, active members of Christian Endeavour Societies, 1016, with 2140 junior endeavourers, Sunday scholars 23,051, teachers 2330, and 2843 members of young men and women’s Bible classes. The sum of £3258 9s lOd was raised in 191.1 for the Foreign Alission fund, being an increase of £432 15s 2d. During the year 16 freehold sites have been secured, 16 churches and 5 parsonages have been erected. The sum of £34,704 18s Od has ben received by the trusts, the cost of tlie property held at last Conference being £426,637. The Conference will give special attention to the question of union with the Primitive Methodist Church on the “basis” adopted by the joint committee in Juno last. The building of a Telogical College for students for the ministry will also claim special notice, several promises of large donations having already been made. The public meetings are of a varied sort, several of which will be, held in the new Town Hall. It will thus be seen that this will be one of the most important of the 38th annual gatherings held by the New Zealand'Methodist Church. !. 4

BIBLE CLASSES. Methodist Organisation. A meeting of delegates representing the Alethodist Young Men’s ' Bible Classes of Taranaki was held at Stratford on Thursday to carry into effect a resolution passed at the last annual meeting of the N.Z. Union to form a Taranaki Centre. Delegates representing Hawera, Stratford and Alidhirst were present, and apologies were read from several other classes.

It was resolved to form a centre, to be known as the Taranaki District Alethodist Young Alen’s Bible Class Union.

The objects of the Union are to promote the feeling of fellowship amongst the classes; assisting weaker and forming new classes; promoting Bible study and increasing the spiritual life of members; and in all other ways to increase the interest in the young men of Methodism. It was decided that all male members of Bible classes, C.E. Societies, and other Church organisations, node Sunday school teachers and officers and members of brotherhoods be eligible for membership. The government of the Urimh was vested in officers consisting of president, vice-president, secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer, and two delegates from each class or similar organisation. The annual meeting was fixed for Good Friday each year, and the district executive will meet quarterly, the secretary to give three weeks’ notice of such meetings. Finance was fixed at one shilling per member per annum.,

It was decided that the first meeting bo held at Hawera on Good Friday morning, and a request to be sent to the Taranaki C.E. Union to permit B.C. delegates to attend the spiritual C.E. meetings on the afternoon and evening of that day. M' - Payne was appointed secretary for this gathering. Mr D. Cody, of Wellington, is to bo asked to remain district union representative on the executive of the N.Z. Union.