THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1913. THE METHODIST UNION.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13645, 10 February 1913, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1913. THE METHODIST UNION.

file gatherings of tho two chief branches of New ZealaM Methodism at' Wellington which have wi thessedthc.'r cessation as separate organisations and the consummation" of organic luiion aro ii&Mrallly of-great interest and importance to the .adherents of the two bodies prunarilyconcerried,-while tho union of two churches; both of? which have been identified with : the Dominion-since'a-very'early period of colonisation, is an historical event of interest to 'the' com^r munifcy generally. Tho first, recorded Methodist services in : . Ne\v. ; Zealand seem', to have been conducted by the/ Rev. S; Leigh, a Wesleyau. '• Methodist, missionary, on the Petone 1840, and' Nelson must have furnished5 one of tlie earliest congregations.' - One of ' tho*firist pioneers: off Nelson,-: Mr. E.^reen,, Aya£ a;Methodist lay preacher, \vho' s according to r , Judge Broad's; "Jubilee; History of Nelson," arrived ii the ship Lord Auckland in February, 1842, 'arid conducted the first Methodist service towards' the;.end of that month in the open ah'^tlv'-Little Scotland,'', in\ wlidt is now Imovvri as "■ the i'Bfool^ ■stireet VMleyi; '■ The'; first Methpdis^ minister to visit Nelsori was v J.the Rev.t S. Ironside, who came in ,June ) 1842;, and'preached to both Europeans and Maoris. The Primitive Methodists first established a.church at New Plymouth ia 1844, under the ministry of the Rev. R.^Ward} At later dates the United Free Methodist Church and the Bible Christian Church were reckoned among tho religious denominations of the country, these bodies in 1896 joining forces with tho larger of tho principal communions, which from that time until the present year has been known as the Mothcdist Church of Australasia. Tho Primitive Methodists remained a distinct body and established churches throughout the Dominion. Some years ago tho Methodist Church in the Dominion decided to seek separation from tho Australasian Church, feeling that autonomy was necessary to its unfettered expansion and adaptation to tho needs of its work. Tinl machinery creating its independence was adopted at tho last Australasian Confpience, and tho change came into effect in January Ist of this your, so-Unit iho conference held last wecik prior to tlie union was tho first of tho Autonomous church. Negotiations betwren tho two branches of Methodism on the subject of union have' been proceeding at intervals for many-years, ■and the noteworthy stop which was ratified by the combined conference on Friday hrings nearly 95,000 people into a common communion, with no- doubt the gain usually expected from voluntary and cordial amalgamation, of increased activity and concentration of effort. Tho fusion of tho Methodist bodies f New -Zealand is in keeping with/a movement that is notice-

ably in progress throughout the world in the direction of effacing the divisions which separate religious denominations differing but littlo ia faith and practice. It may be hoped, to quote tlio words of His Excellency Lord Liverpool, that the sealing of the deed of union of the Methodist Churches will tend to promote ' 'that other ' union' which ' tho churches could <& feb much to cement. Thus not only would they unite in religions, but would bind all classes and croods together in that spirit of brotherhood which alonotended'to maintain tho great coinmu fity of the Empire —banded together with common ties for the peaeei and the happiness of the whole world."